Patent ID: 7706553

Claim:
A method of operating a voice-activated remote control, comprising: a) receiving, at the voice-activated remote control, a first audio input; b) determining, at the voice-activated remote control, whether the first audio input represents an auto-mute keyword; c) transmitting, from the voice-activated remote control, if the determination of (b) is affirmative, at least one mute command; d) determining, at the voice-activated remote control, subsequent to (c), whether a valid voice command is received within a predetermined period of time; e) executing, at the voice-activated remote control, if the determination of (d) is affirmative, the voice command received; and f) transmitting, from the voice-activated remote control, at least one unmute sequence; g) determining, at the voice-activated remote control, whether an immediately previous transmitted unmute sequence was the volume up command; h) transmitting, at the voice-activated remote control, if the determination of (g) is affirmative, a volume down command; and i) transmitting, at the voice-activated remote control, if the determination of (g) is negative, a volume up command.