Control device having integrated mouse and remote control capabilities
View Patent ↗A controlling device for operating a PC and one or more home appliances. The described controlling device has integrated mouse and remote control functions, and may be configured to automatically detect whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control. For effective operation in both control modes, the controlling device includes both RF and IR transmitters, and is configured to transition between these transmission mediums based on the detection of whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control.
1. A controlling device for controlling a PC and one or more home appliances, the controlling device comprising;
a wireless transmitter for sending control data to the PC and one or more home appliances;
a sensor for generating a signal indicative of a position of the controlling device relative to a surface;
a plurality of user interface buttons; and
programming responsive to the signal generated by the sensor for selectively enabling either a first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons or a second subset of the plurality of user interface buttons which is distinct from the first subset of user interface buttons wherein the first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons are activatable to cause control data to be transmitted to the PC via the wireless transmitter and the second subset of the plurality of user interface buttons are activatable to cause control data to be transmitted to the one or more home appliances via the wireless transmitter.
2. The controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a first wireless transmitter and a second wireless transmitter, the first wireless transmitter being used in response to activation of any of the first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons and the second wireless transmitter being used in response to activation of any of the second subset of the plurality of user interface buttons.
3. The controlling device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first wireless transmitter is an RF wireless transmitter.
4. The controlling device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the second wireless transmitter is an IR wireless transmitter.
5. The controlling device as recited in claim 4 , wherein the plurality of user interface buttons comprises a plurality of hard keys.
6. The controlling device as recited in claim 5 , wherein the controlling device comprises a display and the plurality of user interface buttons comprises a plurality of keys presented within the display.
7. The controlling device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the display comprises an EL display.
8. The controlling device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons comprises the plurality of hard keys.
9. The controlling device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the second subset of the plurality of user interface buttons comprises the plurality of keys presented within the display.
10. The controlling device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the programming causes the display to be dark in response to the programming selectively enabling the first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons.
11. The controlling device as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of user interface buttons is included within both the first subset of the plurality of user interface buttons and the second subset of the plurality of user interface buttons.