Patent ID: 7330174

Claim:
A programmable remote control unit comprising: a data processing device; a memory storage unit; a data transmitter; an electrophoretic button; and a bus that communicatively couples said data processing device to said memory storage unit, said data transmitter, and said electrophoretic button; wherein the optical qualities of said electrophoretic button may be modified in response to commands from said data processing device and wherein the electrophoretic button comprises: a transparent surface layer; a first electrode layer coupled to said transparent surface layer; a layer of microcapsules communicatively coupled to said first electrode layer wherein the layer of microcapsules comprise microcapsules containing a suspension medium and multiple pigment chips of opposing charges suspended in said suspension medium; a second electrode layer communicatively coupled to said addressable layer of microcapsules; and a conductive disk coupled to said second electrode layer; wherein said first electrode layer and said second electrode layer are communicatively coupled to said data processing device.