# US 9,520,056 B2 · System and methods for enhanced remote control functionality > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,056 B2 - Document ID: US9520056B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/849,497 - Filed: 2010-08-03 - Published: 2011-11-17 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-11 - Assignees: Universal Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Arsham Hatambeiki; Jeffrey Kohanek; Pamela Eichler Keiles; Ramzi Ammari - Inventors: Arsham Hatambeiki; Jeffrey Kohanek; Pamela Eichler Keiles; Ramzi Ammari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520056B2 ## CPC - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials - G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/0383: {Signal control means within the pointing device} - G08C 19/00: Electric signal transmission systems (G08C17/00 takes precedence) - H04N 21/42204: {User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205)} - H04N 21/42222: {Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device} - H04N 21/42224: {Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control} - G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range - G08C 2201/30: User interface - G08C 2201/50: Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices - G08C 2201/51: Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof - G08C 2201/92: Universal remote control - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A hand-held device has a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, at least one transmitter, a first user interface associated with the top surface of the housing having first user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device, and a second user interface associated with the bottom surface of the housing having second user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device. The hand-held device is programmed to selectively make one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hand-held device, comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface; at least one transmitter carried by the housing; a first user interface associated with the top surface of the housing having first user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device; a second user interface associated with the bottom surface of the housing having second user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device; and a processing device having associated programming for selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive; wherein the processor and associated programming considers received signals each having an assigned priority when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface comprises a touch sensitive input element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second user interface input elements comprise an alphanumeric keypad and the first user interface input elements comprise a remote control keypad. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter is caused to transmit command data communications in response to an actuation of the first user interface input elements and wherein the at least one transmitter is caused to transmit alphanumeric data communications in response to an actuation of the second user interface input elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising an orientation sensor for providing an orientation signal to the processor and wherein the processor and associated programming considers the orientation signal when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hand-held device as recited in claim 5, wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface comprises a toggled input element for providing a selection signal to the processor and wherein the processor and associated programming considers the selection signal when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising a receiver for receiving a selection signal from an external device and wherein the processor and associated programming considers the selection signal when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising a first transmitter and a second transmitter spaced from the first transmitter wherein an actuation of the first user interface elements causes the first transmitter to transmit communications to an external device and an actuation of the second user interface input elements causes the second transmitter to transmit communications to an external device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The hand-held device as recited in claim 9, wherein the first transmitter is associated with a front of the housing and the second transmitter is associated with a side of the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor functions to generate a notification signal when the active one of the first user interface input elements and the second user interface input elements are orientated away from a user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising an orientation sensor for providing an orientation signal to the processor and a receiver for receiving a selection signal from an external device, wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface comprises a toggled input element for providing a toggle selection signal to the processor, and wherein the processor and programming considers an assigned priority of each of the selection signal, the orientation signal, the toggle selection signal, and a repeated actuation of a user interface input element of the first user interface and the second user interface within a predetermined period of time when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising an orientation sensor for providing an orientation signal to the processor, wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface comprises a toggled input element for providing a toggle selection signal to the processor, and wherein the processor and programming considers an assigned priority of each of the orientation signal and the toggle selection signal when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hand-held device as recited in claim 1, comprising an orientation sensor for providing an orientation signal to the processor and a receiver for receiving a selection signal from an external device and wherein the processor and programming considers an assigned priority of each of the selection signal and the orientation signal when selectively making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 15 In a hand-held device comprising a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, at least one transmitter carried by the housing, a first user interface associated with the top surface of the housing having first user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device, a second user interface associated with the bottom surface of the housing having second user interface input elements which, when active, are actuatable to cause the at least one transmitter to transmit communications to an external device, and method for making one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface active while making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive, comprising: receiving a plurality of signals; using a priority assigned to each of the plurality of received signals to determine which one of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface to make active; and making the other of the first user interface input elements of the first user interface and the second user interface input elements of the second user interface inactive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface comprises a touch sensitive input element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the second user interface input elements comprise an alphanumeric keypad and the first user interface input elements comprise a remote control keypad. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one transmitter is caused to transmit command data communications in response to an actuation of the first user interface input elements and wherein the at least one transmitter is caused to transmit alphanumeric data communications in response to an actuation of the second user interface input elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of signals comprises at least an orientation signal generated by an orientation sensor of the hand-held device and a toggle selection signal generated via use of a toggle input element of at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of signals comprises at least an orientation signal generated by an orientation sensor of the hand-held device and a selection signal received from a device external to the hand-held controlling device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of signals comprises at least a toggle selection signal generated via use of a toggle input element of at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface and a selection signal received from a device external to the hand-held controlling device.