Patent ID: 6629077
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: G08C,G10L

Abstract:
In a remote control having a plurality of buttons each being activatable to enter button input, a microphone for receiving voice input, and a memory in which is stored a plurality of command codes for commanding the operation of consumer electronic devices and a plurality of alphanumeric symbol codes, a method for transmitting signals to a consumer electronic device representative of an input to the remote control comprising:determining if the input is a voice input or a button input; when the input is a voice input, determining if the remote control is in a first mode or a second mode; when the remote control is in the first mode, selecting at least one alphanumeric symbol code from the plurality of alphanumeric symbol codes stored in the memory as a function of the voice input and transmitting a signal to the consumer electronic device comprising the selected alphanumeric symbol codes to support network communication functions; when the remote control is in the second mode, selecting at least one command code from the plurality of command codes stored in the memory as a function of the voice input and transmitting a signal to the consumer electronic device comprising the selected command codes to cause the consumer electronic device to perform an operation; when the input is button input, selecting at least one command code from the plurality of command codes stored in the memory as a function of the button or buttons activated and transmitting a signal to the consumer electronic device comprising the selected command codes to cause the consumer electronic device to perform an operation.