Patent ID: 7876255

Claim:
A method for using color to indicate a relationship between a controlling device and a plurality of appliances, comprising: in response to an activation of a device mode key of the controlling device, causing a processor of the controlling device to select from a plurality of colors a first color representative of a first target one of the plurality of appliances to illuminate a first group of function keys comprised of a plurality of function keys wherein each of the plurality of functions keys in the first group of function keys is activatable to cause a transmission of a command to the first target one of the plurality of appliances to control a different operation of the first target one of the plurality of appliance and to concurrently select from the plurality of colors a second color representative of a second target one of the plurality of appliances to illuminate a second group of function keys comprised of a plurality of function keys wherein each of the plurality of functions keys in the second group of function keys is activatable to cause a transmission of a command to the second target one of the plurality of appliances to control a different operation of the second target one of the plurality of appliance.