Abstract:
A television having both a simplified remote control and a full-sized remote control may be designed to allow the user a selection of a simplified user interface or a full user interface, respectively. The television may be manufactured as a single model, thereby obviating the need for multiple television models to cater both to those who desire full control of the television features and to those who desire only basic control of the television features.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority under 35 USC 119(a)-(d) to Chinese Patent Application 200610157050.6, filed on Nov. 27, 2006, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a simplified user interface for operating an appliance, such as a television, and more specifically, to a simplified user interface for a television activated by a secondary remote control. 
         [0003]    As televisions get increasingly complex, so do their user interfaces. Consumers are presented with menu after menu of options for controlling the picture, sound, parental control, time, preferences and setup variables. Many consumers desire the ability to control every facet of their television&#39;s performance and welcome these options. Many other consumers, however, are intimidated and confused by this staggering array of settings, most of which they will never change. 
         [0004]    One solution to this problem has been to manufacture alternate product models, some with a complex user interface (catering to the videophile), and others with a simplified user interface. This approach, however, creates the problem of having to support these additional models in the supply chain, stores, catalogs and manufacturing. 
         [0005]    Another solution to this problem, as described in European Patent No. 0 737 006, has been to provide the user of the appliance with the option to change a particular menu according to their desires and capabilities. By operating appropriate buttons in an existing menu, the user can then remove the parameters which are not used or inconvenient for them, or can add new parameters which are missing but are important for them. This approach allows a particular menu to be individually matched to the respective requirements and capabilities of the user. This approach, however, requires the user to have a level of menu programming savvy that may not match the capabilities of the particular user. 
         [0006]    A further approach, as described in European Patent No. 1 128 531, involves storing a number of menus, with varying degrees of complexity, within the appliance, such as a television. The user may then choose the menu system that is most suited to their requirements. This approach, however, requires the user to know the complexity of the menu system they desire and choose the appropriate menu system from the plurality of menu systems stored in the television. 
         [0007]    As can be seen, there is a need for a single television design that may cater to both the videophile, who desires multiple layers of menu and programming options, and to the those who prefer a simplified user interface. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In one aspect of the present invention, an appliance comprises a simplified remote control for accessing a simplified user interface of the appliance; and a full-sized remote control for accessing a full user interface of the appliance. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the present invention a system for displaying an appropriate menu system to a user of a television, the system comprises a simplified remote control for accessing a simplified menu system of the television; and a full-sized remote control for accessing a full menu system of the television. 
         [0010]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for displaying an appropriate user interface to a user of an appliance, the method comprises determining whether a signal is received from a simplified remote control or from a full-sized remote control; offering the user a simplified user interface when the signal is received from the simplified remote control; and offering the user a full user interface when the signal is received from the full-sized remote control. 
         [0011]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an appliance operable by two separate remote controls according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0015]    The term “appliance” as used herein may refer to any electronic equipment operated by a remote control that allows users to adjust various features. An appliance may include a television, VCR, DVD player/recorder, surround sound system, digital cable systems, a digital television recorder, a video recorder, a television set-top box and the like. 
         [0016]    The term “user interface” as used herein may refer to an interface between an appliance and the user in which the user may select and/or adjust certain features of the appliance. Typically, the user interface may be a menu system that allows the user to adjust various features, such as, when the appliance is a television, color, brightness, sound quality, contrast and the like. The user interface may be a “full user interface” which offers the user full access to the controls of the appliance. The user interface may also be a “simplified user interface” wherein only certain basic controls are offered to the user. These basic controls may include channel selection, volume control, sound quality and the like. 
         [0017]    The term “full-sized remote control” as used herein may refer to a remote control that may be used to access a full array of features of an appliance, such as a television. “Full-sized” is not meant as a reference to the physical size of the remote control. 
         [0018]    The term “simplified remote control” as used herein refers to a remote control that may be used to access a limited number of features and/or basic features of an appliance, such as a television. 
         [0019]    Briefly, the present invention provides an appliance design with multiple user interfaces. The selection of a user interface is activated by the use of the corresponding remote control. There may be a simplified user interface which may be accessed using a simplified remote control and there may be a full user interface which may be accessed using a full-sized remote control. 
         [0020]    Unlike conventional televisions which may have a user interface, such as a menu system, that is either un-adjustable or that may be adjusted by the user via a series of complex steps on the remote control, the appliances and methods of the present invention may have involve a user interface which may be chosen by selecting the appropriate remote control. In other words, there may be a simplified remote control which may be used to access the simplified user interface and there may be a full-sized remote control which may be used to access the full user interface. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of an appliance, such as a television  10 , which may be operated by either a full-sized remote control  14  or a simplified remote control  12 . A user interface  24 , such as a menu, may be activated on the television  10 . A full user interface may be activated by using the full-sized remote control  14 . A simplified user interface may be activated by using the simplified remote control  12 . 
         [0022]    The simplified remote control  12  may include buttons  16  to allow a user to access limited settings of the television  10 . These limited settings may include channel selection, volume control, sound quality adjustment, picture brightness, picture contrast and the like. The simplified remote control  12  may include a reset button  18  which may reset the television  10  back to preset default settings, such as factory preset settings. The reset button  18  may be useful, for example, when certain settings are adjusted with the full-sized remote control  14  and the user wishes to return to the factory preset settings. The reset button  18  may be recessed within the simplified remote control  12  to prevent accidental activation thereof. 
         [0023]    The full-sized remote control  14  may include buttons  20  to allow the user to adjust any user adjustable setting of the television  10 . These user adjustable settings may include advanced adjustments such as individual color temperature, resolution, refresh rate, horizontal and vertical size and position adjustments and the like. The simplified remote control  12  may have fewer buttons  16  as compared to the full-sized remote control  14 . 
         [0024]    Each of the simplified remote control  12  and the full-sized remote control  14  may use different preambles in their infrared signals  26  that they send out to the television  10 . The television  10  may be designed to recognize these two different preambles to determine which user interface to activate. For example, the simplified remote control  12  may use a first preamble that is sent to the television  10  when a button  16  is pressed. This first preamble allows the television  10  to recognize that the user desires a simplified user interface. Both the simplified remote control  12  and the full-sized remote control  14  may operate using conventional technology and encoding, such as RC-5, RC-6, REC-80 or the like. Alternatively, the encoding may be proprietary in nature to the particular manufacturer of the television. 
         [0025]    The television  10  may include buttons  22  which may allow the user various access to the user interface  24 . The buttons  22  may include a reset button (not specifically shown) for returning the settings of the television  10  to default settings. The buttons  22  on the television  10  may be useful, for example, if either the simplified remote control  12  or the full-sized remote control  14  becomes lost or damaged. 
         [0026]    As can be appreciated, the present invention may provide a television that may be manufactured as a single model in which different remotes may be used to access different levels of the television&#39;s user interface. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the present invention may also provide a method  30  for displaying the appropriate user interface to the user. This method  30  may include a step  32  of determining whether a signal, such as a preamble, is sent by a simplified remote control or by a full-sized remote control. Based on this determination, the television may offer in the user, in a step  34 , a simplified user interface when the signal is received from the simplified remote control. In an alternate step  36 , the television may offer the user a full user interface when the signal is received from the full-sized remote control. 
         [0028]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.