Interactive remote control system and method

1. A method of controlling operation of an electronic device of an audio-video system with a separate remote controller, comprising the steps of:

receiving a command code signal with a signal processing electronic device;

interpreting the command code signal with the signal processing electronic device to determine an action being requested;

after said interpreting step, generating a request for a feedback, the request in at least one of a visual form and an audible form to confirm the action being requested, wherein the feedback is a re-transmission of the command code signal;

wherein when a soft key on a touch screen of the remote controller is tapped one time, the command code signal received during said receiving step is generated, and wherein when the soft key is tapped at least two times in succession, the feedback is generated;

wherein when a hard key on the remote controller is semi-depressed, the command code signal received during said receiving step is generated, and wherein when the hard key is fully-depressed, the feedback is generated;

during said interpreting step, in the signal processing electronic device, retrieving an electronic graphic image file corresponding to a particular appearance of the remote controller from a stored database of electronic graphic image files and sending the electronic graphic image file to the display monitor so that the graphic image displayed on the display monitor corresponds to the remote controller from which the control code signal was received; and

executing the action after the feedback via a further command code signal received with the signal processing electronic device within a predetermined time period following said generating step, wherein the further command code signal comprises the user confirmation when a selection is a proper selection and the user cancelling the selection when the selection is an undesired selection, before any command is actually executed by a set-top box.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said generating step includes displaying on a display monitor of the audio-video system a graphic image of a representation of a remote controller from which the command code signal was received during said receiving step.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the graphic image includes a showing of a layout of keys that substantially resembles an actual layout of keys of the remote controller from which the command code signal was received during said receiving step.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the action being requested is determined based on a form of actuation of a particular one of the keys in the actual layout of keys of the remote controller, and wherein the graphic image displays the particular one of the keys in a highlighted form on the display monitor so that the action requested is visually perceivable from observation of the display monitor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the feedback required for said executing step is a signal from the remote controller resulting from actuation of the particular one of the keys on the remote controller that is shown in the highlighted form on the display monitor.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the signal processing electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a set-top box, a media player, a digital video recorder, a television, a computer, and a gaming console, wherein the display monitor is selected from the group consisting of a television and a display screen of a computer, and wherein said generating step includes emitting from a speaker an audible description of the action.

7. A signal processing electronic device for use in receiving and rendering multimedia content via a display monitor of an audio-video system, comprising:

a remote control unit having a receiver for receiving command code signals transmitted from a separate remote controller having a touch screen and a hard key;

the remote control unit further comprising at least one signal processing unit for interpreting the command code signals received by the receiver,

wherein a command code signal received by the receiver is generated when a soft key on the touch screen of the remote controller is tapped one time, and wherein a feedback is generated when the soft key is tapped at least two times in succession; and

wherein the command code signal received by the receiver is generated when the hard key on the remote controller is semi-depressed, and wherein the feedback is generated when the hard key is fully-depressed; and

at least one of said at least one signal processing units having software whereby at least one processor is configured:

to retrieve an electronic graphic image file corresponding to a particular appearance of the remote controller from a stored database of electronic graphic image files,

to send the electronic graphic image file to a display monitor so that the graphic image displayed on the display monitor corresponds to the remote controller from which the control code signal was received,

to determine an action being requested by one of the command code signals,

to generate a request for the feedback, the request in at least one of a visual form and an audible form for a confirmation of the action being requested, and

to execute the action after the feedback via a further communication is received with the receiver of the signal processing electronic device, wherein the feedback is a re-transmission of the command code signal, and

wherein the further command code signal, when a selection is a proper selection, comprises the confirmation, and when the selection is an undesired selection, comprises a user cancellation of the selection before any command is actually executed by a set-top box.

8. The signal processing electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein the request for the feedback includes displaying on the display monitor a graphic image of a representation of a remote controller from which a command code signal is received.

9. The signal processing electronic device according to claim 8 , further comprising a storage unit in which a database of different electronic graphic image files is stored and is accessible so that an electronic graphic image file corresponding to a particular appearance of the remote controller from which a command code signal is received is displayable on the display monitor.

10. The signal processing electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the graphic image includes a showing of a layout of keys that substantially resembles a layout of keys of the remote controller from which a command code signal is received, and wherein the signal processing electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a set-top box, a media player, a digital video recorder, a television, a computer, and a gaming console.