Patent ID: 6970127
Filing Date: 2005-11-29
Classification: G08B,G08C,H04B,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A wireless remote control comprising: a personal digital assistant or other handheld device (both hereafter referred to as a personal digital assistant) having a host processor, a display capable of displaying video, a user input device for receiving commands and/or text input, and audio input/output circuitry, and memory; a wireless transceiver coupled to said personal digital assistant host processor for transmitting data to and receiving data from another wireless transceiver; and wherein said memory stores an operating system and one or more programs to control said host processor to display digital video recording and playback menus on said display of said personal digital assistant and to monitor for input of digital video recording or playback commands entered via said user input device and for sending said commands to a digital video recording and playback enabled gateway or via said gateway and a hybrid fiber coaxial cable or DSL data path to a digital video recording and playback enabled headend to invoke the desired digital video recording or playback function such that said personal digital assistant can act as a remote control for said digital video recording and playback enabled gateway or said digital video recording and playback enabled headend.