Method and apparatus for notifying users of interactive functions using a remote device
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for notifying a user of an interactive event using a remote control device. In one embodiment, a remote control device contains either a display or a bright light, or both, which can create a visual alert to let a user know that an interactive function is available. The nature of the function may be displayed on a screen attached to the remote control device.
1. A method comprising:
receiving from a control unit at a mobile hand-held device of a plurality of mobile hand-held devices programming information including an electronic programming guide (EPG) via a wireless connection, wherein interactions received at the mobile hand-held device are transmitted to at least one other mobile hand-held device of the plurality of mobile hand-held devices;
receiving, at the mobile hand-held device, a selection of a program from the EPG, wherein the programming information is displayed on a display of the mobile hand-held device;
transmitting the selection of the program to the control unit;
receiving, subsequent to the selection of the program from the EPG, a signal from the control unit indicating a beginning of an interactive application during the selected program; and
in response to the signal, providing a visual indication, through the mobile hand-held device, of an availability of the interactive application,
wherein the mobile hand-held device selectively deactivates visual indications on a display separate from the mobile hand-held device independently of whether visual indications are displayed on the display of the mobile hand-held device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a visual indication of the availability of the interactive application includes displaying an indicator on the display of the mobile hand-held device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein providing a visual indication of the availability of the interactive application includes changing one or more background colors of the display of the mobile hand-held device to indicate the availability of the interactive application.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein providing a visual indication of the availability of the interactive application includes flashing at least one button of the mobile hand-held device to indicate the availability of the interactive application.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile hand-held device is a personal digital assistant.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile hand-held device is a web phone.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an additional indication of the availability of the interactive application including a sound generated by the mobile hand-held device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a visual indication of the availability of the interactive application includes illuminating a section of the mobile hand-held device other than the display of the mobile hand-held device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the interactions received at the mobile hand-held device includes user comments.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal is received after a start of the selected program.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive application is not available prior to the beginning of the interactive application.
12. A tangible machine readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions for:
receiving, at a mobile hand-held device of a plurality of mobile hand-held devices, programming information including an electronic programming guide (EPG) via a wireless connection from a control unit, wherein interactions received at the mobile hand-held device is transmitted to at least one other mobile hand-held device of the plurality of mobile hand-held devices;
receiving, at the mobile hand-held device, a selection of a program from the EPG, wherein the programming information is displayed on a display of the mobile hand-held device;
transmitting the selection of the program to the control unit;
receiving, subsequent to the selection of the program from the EPG, a signal from the control unit indicating a beginning of an interactive application during the selected program; and
in response to the signal, providing a visual indication, through the mobile hand-held device, of an availability of the interactive application, wherein the mobile hand-held device selectively deactivates visual indications on a display separate from the mobile hand-held device independently of whether visual indications are displayed on the display of the mobile hand-held device.
13. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application includes displaying an indicator on the display of the mobile hand-held device.
14. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 13 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application includes changing one or more background colors of the display of the mobile hand-held device.
15. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 13 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application includes illumination of at least one button of the mobile hand-held device.
16. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the mobile hand-held device is a personal digital assistant.
17. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the mobile hand-held device is a web phone.
18. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application includes generating a sound by the mobile hand-held device to indicate the availability of the interactive application.
19. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application includes illuminating a section of the mobile hand-held device other than the display.
20. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application is performed during a display of the program on a display separate from the plurality of mobile hand-held devices.
21. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the interactive application is not available prior to the beginning of the interactive application.
22. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
memory storing computer readable instructions that when executed, cause the apparatus to:
receive programming information including an electronic programming guide (EPG) via a wireless connection from a control unit, wherein interactions received at the apparatus is transmitted to at least one other apparatus of a plurality of apparatuses associated with the control unit;
receive a selection of a program from the EPG, wherein the programming information is displayed on a display of the apparatus;
transmit the selection of the program to the control unit;
receive, subsequent to the selection of the program from the EPG, a signal from the control unit indicating a beginning of an interactive application during the selected program; and
in response to the signal, provide a visual indication of an availability of the interactive application, wherein the apparatus selectively deactivates visual indications on a display separate from the apparatus independently of whether visual indications are displayed on the display of the apparatus.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein indicating the availability of the interactive application is performed during a display of the program on a display separate from the plurality of apparatuses.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein whether the visual indication of the availability of the interactive application is provided to the display separate from the plurality of apparatuses devices is configurable through the apparatus.
25. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile hand-held device.