Remote Control Button Duration Selection for Favorite Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multimedia presentation devices, such as TV systems and PVRs, offer limited and cumbersome functionality for channel navigation, requiring users to navigate through multiple menu layers and input numerous keystrokes to access and manage favorite channels, making it time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a single button on a remote control allows users to access multiple functions by varying the duration of button depression, enabling quick selection, updating, and deletion of favorite channels, as well as other system functions, without the need for complex menu navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single button is used to access multiple functions, then device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need to remember different depression durations for different functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using different depression durations (time periods) of a single button to trigger different functions. Short depression activates one function, medium depression activates another, and long depression activates a third function. This temporal differentiation allows one button to control multiple functions without increasing physical complexity, while the time-based differentiation provides intuitive operation patterns that are easy to remember and execute.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple menu layers are provided for channel selection, then functionality is enhanced with organized channel groups, but the time required for channel selection increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-organizing channels into favorite channel groups before the user needs to select them. Channels are预先 categorized and stored in structured groups, so when a user wants to access a channel, they can directly jump to the relevant group and select the channel in one or two steps, rather than navigating through multiple menu layers during the selection process. This pre-organization eliminates time-consuming navigation while preserving comprehensive channel access functionality.
3Ease of operation
If a favorite channels list is implemented, then channel navigation is simplified, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need to navigate through menu levels to add and manage favorite channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting the favorite channel management functionality from the complex multi-layer menu structure and integrating it directly into the channel selection process. When a user selects a channel, the system automatically offers the option to add it to favorites without requiring navigation to a separate menu. This extraction simplifies the user interface by removing unnecessary menu layers while maintaining the ability to manage favorite channels efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus wherein a plurality of functions are implemented on a multimedia presentation device. A user can access several of the functions by depressing a single button. A particular function is specified by the duration of the button depression. For one embodiment the functions affect a favorite program list and allow a user to access the list, update the list, and delete entries from the list depending upon button depression duration. For example, the user may depress button number (#) 3 of a remote control device. A brief depression (e.g., less than 1 second), results in the remote control interpreting this click as a digit for selecting a channel, and the system will tune to channel #3. A longer depression (e.g., between 1 and 2 seconds), results in the system recalling previously programmed selection #3. Likewise, other functions are implemented by depression the button for various durations.