Method and system for displayed menu activation using a matching distinctive arrangement of keypad actuators
US5598523A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/42212
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling equipment from a remote location is disclosed. A control keypad having a distinctive key arrangement such as an array is used to interact with a display device (e.g. TV), located independently from the control keypad. A control menu is displayed on the display device where the control menu has a background image which substantially matches the distinctive arrangement of the keypad, and a foreground image which is overlaid on the background image to associate menu options with each actuator on the keypad. Finally, responsive to the option selected by the keypad, the corresponding function is executed. The menu system is implemented in the context of a home-bus system such as CEBus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.