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United States Patent5839905
Redford , ; et al.November 24, 1998
Title
Remote control for indicating specific information to be displayed by a host device
Abstract
In accordance with this invention, a remote control for an interactive media can include a printed publication and/or a storage media and/or a data button. One embodiment of a remote control includes a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog) and one or more buttons physically attached to the printed publication to allow users to remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device. Another embodiment of a remote control has a housing capable of removably holding a storage media encoded with electronic content associated with a button of the remote control. Yet another embodiment of a remote control has at least one data button which permits the user to select the data to be displayed by the host device. An autostart driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into a peripheral and automatically starts an application. The application interprets button codes transmitted by the remote control and displays the results or initiates other events. An application development system allows an author to quickly create interactive media applications.
Inventors:Redford; Peter M. (Los Gatos, CA), Stern; Donald S.  (San Jose, CA)
Assignee:TV Interactive Data Corporation (San Jose, CA)
Appl. No.:550976
Filed:October 31, 1995
Current U.S. Class:434/307R 434/365 463/1 340/825.72 348/734 
Field of Search:434/118,37R,308,323,362,365 364/130,138,DIG.1,DIG.2 395/761,806,807,173,326-328,431,561,502,927 386/83 340/825.34 235/380 380/4,23,25
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Primary Examiner: Cheng; Joe
Attorney, Agent or Firm:Skjerven, Morrill, MacPherson, Franklin & Friel LLP MacPherson; Alan H. Suryadevara; Omkar K.
Parent Case Text


This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/269,492, filed Jul. 1,1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,265.
Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device comprising:
a housing capable of removably holding a removable storage media, said removable storage media being suitable for use in a host device;
remote control circuitry supported by said housing, said remote control circuitry comprising a signal transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless signal, said signal controlling information displayed by said host device; and
a button physically attached to said housing, said button operatively coupled to a switch;
a switch output line connecting said switch to said remote control circuitry; and
a label formed of at least one of text and graphic content, said label being located on one of said housing and said button, said label being visually associated with said button, said label being indicative of specific information;
wherein said specific information is retrieved from said removable storage media and displayed by the host device in response to said wireless signal.

2. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said button comprises a touch panel.

3. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said remote control circuitry comprises an infrared light emitting diode.

4. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said removable storage media is a flexible disk.

5. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said removable storage media is an optical disk.

6. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said removable storage media is a game cartridge.

7. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said storage media is removably mounted in said housing, and wherein said storage media is encoded with said specific information, said specific information having a representative association with said label.

8. The remote control of claim 7 wherein said wireless signal causes said host device to display a selection retrieved from said storage media.

9. The remote control of claim 8 wherein said selection is selected from the group consisting of a video recording, an audio recording, a picture and text.

10. The remote control of claim 7 wherein said storage media is encoded with an application, said application being capable of causing said host device to respond to a code received from said remote control.

11. The remote control of claim 10 wherein said application is capable of causing the host device to display a selection on receipt of said code.

12. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said removable storage media has the form of a card.

13. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device, said remote control comprising:
a housing;
remote control circuitry supported by said housing, said remote control circuitry comprising a signal transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless signal, said signal controlling information displayed by the host device; and
a button physically attached to said housing, said button operatively coupled to a switch;
a switch output line connecting said switch to said remote control circuitry; and
a label formed of at least one of text and graphic content, said label being located on one of said housing and said button, said label being visually associated with said button, said label being indicative of specific information;
wherein said specific information is retrieved from a source external to said host device for display by the host device in response to said wireless signal.

14. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said signal carries a code in response to operation of said button, said code identifying at least partially said specific information.

15. The remote control of claim 14 wherein said code uniquely identifies said specific information.

16. The remote control of claim 13 wherein:
said housing comprises a holder; and
a removable storage media is mounted in said holder, said removable storage media being encoded with at least said specific information indicated by said label, wherein said removable storage media is the external source used by the host device when inserted into the host device.

17. The remote control of claim 16 wherein:
said storage media has the form of a card.

18. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said button comprises a touch panel.

19. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said label comprises graphic content.

20. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said label comprises text.

21. The remote control of claim 20 wherein:
said housing comprises a holder; and
a removable storage media mounted in said holder, said storage media being encoded with at least said specific information indicated by said label.

22. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said label describes said specific information.

23. The remote control of claim 13 wherein:
said housing is incapable of holding a removable storage media.

24. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device, said remote control comprising:
a housing having a label indicative of specific information content to be displayed by said host device, said housing being capable of removably holding a storage media; and
remote control circuitry supported by said housing, wherein on operation said remote control circuitry transmits a wireless signal to control the display of said specific information contents by the host device.

25. The remote control of claim 24 further comprising a storage media encoded with said specific information content and mounted in said housing.

26. The remote control of claim 24 wherein said housing includes a button.

27. The remote control of claim 26 wherein said housing includes a cardboard piece.

28. The remote control of claim 26 wherein said housing is at least approximately spherical.

29. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device, said remote control comprising:
a housing
remote control circuitry supported by said housing;
and
a button connected to said remote control circuitry, said button being physically attached to said housing, said button having a visual association with a label formed on one of said housing and said button, said label being indicative of specific information content from an external source to be displayed by the host device;
wherein said remote control circuitry transmits a wireless signal to control the display of said specific information content by the host device in response to operation of said button.

30. The remote control of claim 29 wherein:
said housing includes a printed publication having at least one touch sensitive region; and
said label is formed by ink printed on said touch sensitive region.

31. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device, said remote control comprising:
a structure;
remote control circuitry supported by said structure, said remote control circuitry comprising a signal transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless signal, said wireless signal controlling information displayed by said host device; and
a button physically attached to said structure, said button comprising a switch;
a switch output line connecting said switch to said remote control circuitry; and
a label formed of at least one of text and graphic content, said label being located on one of said structure and said button, said label being visually associated with said button, said label being descriptive of specific information content to be supplied by a source external to the host device for display said specific information content by the host device.

32. The remote control of claim 31 wherein:
said wireless signal carries a code in response to operation of said button, said code indicating a function to be performed by said host device thereby to cause display of said specific information.

33. The remote control of claim 32 wherein:
said code includes a button pressed code and button released code.

34. The remote control of claim 32 wherein:
said structure comprises a holder; and
a removable storage media mounted in said holder, said removable storage media being encoded with at least said specific information content described by said label.

35. The remote control of claim 31 wherein:
said wireless signal carries a unique number associated with said specific information content.

36. The remote control of claim 35 wherein:
said unique number indicates an address of said specific information content when used as an index into a table of addresses.

37. The remote control of claim 35 wherein:
said structure comprises a holder; and
a removable storage media mounted in said holder, said removable storage media being encoded with at least said specific information content indicated by said number.

38. The remote control of claim 37 wherein:
said removable storage media contains a copy of said unique number to be compared with said unique number for identifying said specific information content.

39. A remote control for remotely controlling a display of information by a host device, said remote control comprising:
a structure;
remote control circuitry supported by said structure, wherein during operation said remote control circuitry transmits a wireless signal carrying a predetermined code that identifies specific information content to be retrieved from a storage media and displayed by the host device.

40. The remote control of claim 39 wherein said storage media is a removable storage media encoded with said specific information content and mounted removably in said structure.

41. The remote control of claim 39 wherein said storage media is a remote storage media to be accessed by said host device via Internet.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Appendix A, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a microfiche appendix consisting of one sheet of microfiche having a total of 29 frames. Microfiche Appendix A is a listing of computer programs and related data for a remote control based on the 6805K1 microprocessor, which is described more completely below.

Appendix B, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a microfiche appendix consisting of one sheet of microfiche having a total of 21 frames. Microfiche Appendix B is a listing of computer programs and related data for a touch panel remote control, which is described more completely below.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for wireless remote control and use of interactive media and in particular to a remote control including a printed publication and/or a storage media and/or a data button.

BACKGROUND

Today's multimedia devices have sophisticated digital sound and full motion video capabilities which make such devices very suitable for entertainment and educational applications in users' homes. The contents of many printed books are now commercially available as multimedia books and applications encoded in CD-ROMs. Unfortunately, using a multimedia book or application on a host device is not simple at all.

Most of today's multimedia books lack the feel of printed books and cannot easily be categorized as books on a bookstore shelf. Children, the main targets of multimedia books, usually cannot use such books without adult help. Today's multimedia books have the feel and ease of use of ordinary computer programs. A significant level of computer knowledge is required to "read" a multimedia book, typically by using input devices such as a mouse, computer keyboard or game controller.

For example, to use a CD-ROM based multimedia book, the user must do the following on an IBM PC host device:

1. Start the WINDOWS operating environment;

2. Insert the CD-ROM into the drive;

3. Find the appropriate icon and double click on the icon, or,

If the icon is not available, use the File Manager's menu to select "File" and "Run" and then type the name of the executable file such as "WP", followed by the Enter key.

The above procedure is not simple for anyone other than experienced WINDOWS users. A similar procedure must be followed for a Macintosh host device.

Although in using a game platform such as 3DO platform or a SEGA platform it is considerably simpler to start an application, the user is required to toggle the power switch after insertion of a game cartridge, which can be a significant task for a two year old child. A similar toggling of power switch is required for boot-up diskettes for personal computers. Toggling of the power switch forces a user to wait for the personal computer or game platform to go through the boot-up sequence which can last for typically 20 to 30 seconds. Moreover, the user must know that merely inserting a CD-ROM into a peripheral is not enough and that some button must be toggled or pressed. Also, the user must know the specific button on the host device such as a power switch or CTL-ALT-DEL for an IBM PC.

Although some host devices automatically check a disk drive for a file of commands to be run, such checking is done only during power up for booting the operating system. Once a host device has been powered up and is running the operating system, the user must manually start an application (for example by clicking the mouse on an icon or by typing commands such as "MSINSTR"). After the application has started, the user must know and remember the commands necessary to perform various functions of retrieval and display, the names of data accessible by the host device and must make the associations between the commands, functions and data. Another problem with today's multimedia books is that book authors find it difficult to turn ideas for children's books into products because of the inherent complexity of a multimedia book development process.

Remote controls for television (TV) are well known in the art. Conventional TV remote controls have a rectangular box shape and have function buttons which can cause the TV to switch to a desired channel. However, a user must find out the programs available for viewing (for example by consulting a TV guide to find a desired program), remember the associated channel number and then switch to the desired channel by pressing the appropriate function button on the remote control.

Children's sound books are well known in the art. Such children's sound books have a button which when pressed plays a sound locally from a speaker embedded in the sound book and electrically connected to the button.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a remote control for interactive media (henceforth "remote control"), includes remote control circuitry and one or more feature(s) from: a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog), a storage media holder and a data button. A printed publication remote control in accordance with this invention includes a printed publication having printed content and one or more button(s) connected to a remote control circuitry which allows users to remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device.

In accordance with this invention, the remote control circuitry is capable of transmitting a wireless signal to a host device wherein an application running on the host device displays the desired results. The button(s) of the remote control have a visual association with text and/or graphic content on the remote control. The text and/or graphic content and the associated electronic content have a representative (descriptive and/or derivative) association (such as the association between a title or abstract and the electronic content associated with the title or abstract). The associated electronic content and the button(s) have a remote electronic association implemented through a wireless signal encoded with a button code. There is a correspondence between the representative association and the remote electronic association such that the function and/or data indicated by the text and/or graphic content visually associated with the pressed button is used by a host device in displaying associated electronic content. Such a unique combination of printed publication, associated electronic content and one or more button(s) into a single remote control allows the button(s) to be customized depending on the content of the associated electronic content.

In one embodiment of this invention, the associated electronic content is encoded in one or more remote storage media and accessed through a remote server although the associated electronic content is an integral part of the remote control. Such a remote control allows a user to simply push a button on the remote control to cause the host device to access electronic content from a remote server.

In an alternative embodiment, the associated electronic content is encoded in and accessed from a local storage media (such as, for example, a compact disk (CD), a game cartridge, a floppy disk and a memory card). Such a local storage media can be removably mounted in a holder physically attached to the printed publication in accordance with this invention. The storage media can be inserted into a suitable peripheral of a host device (such as a personal computer, a game machine or interactive television). The additional cost of a storage media is comparable to the costs associated with connect charges and the communication hardware and software necessary for communications between the host device and a remote server.

In one embodiment of this invention, one and only one button is provided in the remote control. The remote control includes a normal book's front cover, a normal book's back cover, both made of cardboard and a single button bound into the back cover. In one specific embodiment, a CD-ROM holder (with a CD-ROM) is physically attached to or integrated into and forms the back cover of the remote control.

In accordance with this invention, an application's use of associated electronic content (of local or remote storage media) is controlled by pressing a button on the remote control. In one embodiment, pressing a button causes the host device to retrieve the associated electronic content for the next page and display the results of retrieval or appear to the user to "turn" the page (or initiate other actions). A remote control having a single button allows pre-school children to enjoy using associated electronic content or a host device remotely from a distance without need for parental assistance because of simplicity of use.

In one embodiment of this invention the button on the remote control is a large button which encloses all the necessary remote control circuitry in a self-contained unit. In another embodiment of this invention, several buttons are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) integrated into the housing.

Multiple button remote controls permit a wide variety and range of interactivity with a host device. In one embodiment, a remote control has four buttons each button being visually associated with text and/or graphics which have a representative descriptive and/or derivative association with the associated electronic content of a next page, a previous page, beginning (for example a front cover) and end (for example, a back cover). Such a remote control is idiot proof and can be easily used by pre-school children.

When a user pushes on the surface of a button on a remote control in accordance with this invention, a microcontroller in the remote control wakes up and sends a button code by pulsing an infrared LED. The infrared pulse is received by an infrared receiver connected to a host device microcomputer which interprets the button code to perform the indicated function and/or retrieve the indicated data and display the desired results. Single button control of an application allows even pre-school children to use selections of interactive media accessed via a remote server or from local storage media (such as CD's included in some remote control embodiments).

In one embodiment, the host device is configured with an autostart driver which starts an application for interpreting button codes from the remote control. The application can access associated electronic content from a remote server or from a local storage media on receipt of a button code from the remote control. Hence, soon after a button on the remote control is pressed, the title screen of the interactive media is displayed by the host device.

An autostart driver in a host device equipped with appropriate communications hardware and software can be triggered on receipt of a button code to start communicating with a remote server. In the embodiment of the remote control including a removable storage media, the host device autostart driver, on finding a storage media of a remote control in a local peripheral, checks the inserted storage media for a file of a first predetermined name. If the file of the first predetermined name exists, the autostart driver automatically executes the file which in turn starts the appropriate application. The application automatically displays the title screen on the monitor of the host device.

Therefore when the autostart driver is installed in a host device, compatible applications start up automatically, as soon as a storage media is inserted into the drive. Automatic start-up of an application on insertion of a storage media allows even pre-school children to use applications encoded on a storage media without adult supervision. Therefore using an interactive media in accordance with this invention is made as simple as playing a video cassette recorder (VCR) tape, and even pre-school children can "read" interactive media without adult supervision.

In one embodiment, the same button can indicate a first function/data and alternatively indicate a second function/data at different points during display of electronic contents of an interactive media depending on the specific programming of the application. In such an embodiment, each of such buttons is visually associated with alternative text/graphic content having a representative association with functions and/or data code selections of the associated electronic content.

A storage media remote control in accordance with this invention includes a housing having human understandable content and a shape and size capable of removably holding a storage media. A storage media is removably but securely held in the housing. Encoded in the storage media is associated electronic content which has a representative (descriptive and/or derivative) association with the human understandable content of the housing.

One embodiment of a storage media remote control has the form of a CD box with a number of buttons having a remote electronic association with music video selections encoded in a CD removably mounted in the CD box. Buttons on the housing have a visual association with names of music video selections encoded in the CD. Touching a button causes an application running in a host device to retrieve the desired music video selection from the CD and display the retrieved results. In an alternative embodiment, instead of music video selections, music audio selections are encoded in the CD.

Another embodiment of a storage media remote control has the form of a conventional magazine (henceforth "periodical" remote control). The periodical remote control has a normal magazine front cover and a normal magazine back cover and embedded in the front cover and back cover are several buttons which have a visual association with the printed content of the front cover and back cover. Furthermore, there is a remote electronic association between the buttons in the housing and the associated electronic content encoded in the CD-ROM. Touching a button causes a video recording identified by the text and graphic content to be displayed on a monitor of a host device. In one embodiment of a periodical remote control, membrane buttons are used to identify the desired associated electronic content. In another embodiment, the front and back covers each form flexible touch panel surfaces which permit the X and Y coordinates of the touched location to be determined and thereby identify the desired associated electronic content.

A data button remote control in accordance with this invention includes a housing having data selecting text and/or graphic content visually associated with a data button, wherein the data button has a remote electronic association with data specific associated electronic content accessible by a host device. The data specific associated electronic content is electronic content which includes data which has a data selecting descriptive and/or derivative association with the data selecting text and/or graphic content of the housing. Therefore a data button in accordance with this invention allows a user to remotely select a desired selection from one or more selections accessible by a host device.

One embodiment of a data selecting remote control is a picture book remote control for children which has four buttons, each button being associated with printed text/graphic content of an object (such as, for example, a train) which has a video recording selection accessible by the host device. Pressing a button causes the application to display a video recording selection of the desired object (such as a train button for a train video).

The periodical remote control described above is another embodiment of a data selecting remote control.

Yet another embodiment of a data selecting remote control has a housing in the shape and size of a globe with membrane buttons attached to the housing, one button on each continent and a video recording selection accessible by the host device. Touching any of the buttons causes a video recording selection on the visually associated continent to be displayed on the host device.

Yet another embodiment of a data selecting remote control has a rectangular box housing with content representative of a component of the solar system such as "Mars" and "Jupiter" visually associated with corresponding buttons and solar system component selections accessible by a host device. Pressing one of these buttons causes the selected solar system component selection to be used in a video game software.

An application development system in accordance with this invention allows an author (such as a book writer or an artist) to quickly create interactive applications for children. For example, to create a picture book remote control, the author needs to (1) draw pictures, scan them and store them (2) write captions and store them (3) record sounds and store them and (4) run a compiler engine to generate a run file. Such a simple application development system allows even a person with rudimentary computer knowledge to author applications for remote controls for multimedia books, magazines or audio/video compact disks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a printed publication remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 1B and 1C are illustrations of one embodiment of a printed publication remote control in shut and open positions respectively.

FIG. 1D illustrates another embodiment of a printed publication remote control including a removable storage media containing associated electronic content in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 1E illustrates the remote control of FIGS. 1B and 1C being used with a host device in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 1F illustrates another embodiment of a printed publication remote control being used with a host device in the form of a game machine.

FIG. 1G illustrates the display of electronic content on the monitor of a host device controlled by the remote control illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of one embodiment of a multiple button printed publication remote control in the shut and open positions respectively in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a button for a remote control such as the remote control of FIG. 1B.

FIGS. 3B and 3C are the elevation and plan views of the button shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is an illustrative block diagram of a remote control and a host device in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 4B is an illustrative diagram of the remote control circuitry for connecting the switch, the microcontroller and the signal transmitter of the remote control of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is an illustrative flow chart for the software running in the microcontroller of the remote control of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4D is an illustrative diagram of the circuitry for connecting the signal receiver, microcontroller and microcomputer of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4E is an illustrative flow chart for the software running in the microcontroller of the host device of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a flow chart illustrating the installation of a software driver in a host device.

FIGS. 5B and 5C are flow charts of alternative embodiments of a software driver running in the microcomputer of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5D illustrates the commands for starting an application in the DISGO.BAT file executed by the software driver of FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C.

FIGS. 5E is an illustrative flow chart of an application running in the microcomputer of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5F, 5G and 5H illustrate electronic content for use with the application of FIG. 5E. FIG. 6A illustrates a storage media remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 6B and 6C are illustrations of one embodiment of a storage media remote control in the closed and open position respectively.

FIGS. 6D and 6E are illustrations of alterative embodiments of a storage media remote control.

FIGS. 6F, 6G and 6H illustrate an embodiment of a storage media remote control in the form of a magazine.

FIG. 6I illustrates an embodiment of a storage media remote control having multiple pages.

FIG. 6J illustrates an embodiment of a storage media remote control in the form of a CD box.

FIG. 6K illustrates a data button remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 6L illustrates one embodiment of a data button remote control in the form of a globe of planet earth.

FIG. 6M illustrates the associated electronic content for the globe remote control of FIG. 6L.

FIGS. 6N and 6O illustrate two embodiments of a data button remote control for an orbiter simulator with text content for various environments such as Mars, Jupiter, Moon, Earth, Saturn and Pluto.

FIG. 6P illustrates the associated electronic content for the orbiter remote controls of FIGS. 6N and 60.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of a printed circuit board for use with a multiple button remote control, such as the remote control of FIGS. 6B, 6D, 6E, 6J and 2A.

FIG. 7B is an illustrative circuit diagram of the remote control circuitry connected to the switches of the buttons of a multiple button remote control in one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7C is an illustrative flow chart of software running in the microcontroller of FIG. 7A. FIG. 7D is a perspective view of a touch panel for a remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 7E and 7F are plan views of the top and bottom sheets respectively of the touch panel of FIG. 7D.

FIG. 7G is a composite plan view of the touch panel of FIG. 7D formed by overlaying the top sheet of FIG. 7E on the bottom sheet of FIG. 7F.

FIG. 7H is an illustrative circuit diagram of the remote control circuitry connected to a touch panel of a remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIGS. 8A is an illustrative flow chart of an application running in a host device which is responsive to button codes received from a remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 8B illustrates the electronic content of a storage media for a periodical remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 8C illustrates a flow chart for an application for a periodical remote control in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 9A is an illustrative data flow diagram for an application development system.

FIG. 9B illustrates a method used to develop an application for an interactive media using the development system of FIG. 9A.

FIGS. 9C, 9D and 9E illustrate screens of an author interface used to develop an application for an interactive media in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 9F is an illustrative flow chart for the application creation engine shown in FIG. 9A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with this invention, a remote control for interactive media includes one or more of the following feature(s): a printed publication, a storage media holder and a data button.

A printed publication remote control includes a printed publication (such as a book, a periodical, a catalog, a brochure, a postcard, a flyer, a calendar and a document) having human understandable printed text and/or graphic content which is visually associated with one or more buttons attached to the printed publication such that the button(s) allow users to automatically start-up and remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device.

A storage media remote control includes buttons physically attached to a housing having a shape and size capable of removably holding a storage media. A storage media removably but securely held in the housing is encoded with associated electronic content which have a descriptive and/or derivative association with the text and/or graphic content of the housing and remote electronic associations with the buttons of the storage media remote control.

A data button remote control has a data button physically attached to a housing having data selecting text and/or graphic content visually associated with the data button. The data button has a remote electronic association with data specific associated electronic content.

As used herein, the term "host device" is intended to mean any device which can display to the user associated electronic content encoded in remote and/or local storage media. The host device can be equipped with a peripheral suitable for retrieving associated electronic content encoded in a local storage media. Also, the host device can be equipped with communications hardware and software suitable for retrieving associated electronic content encoded in a remote storage media through a remote server. In accordance with this invention, a host device can be any IBM personal computer (or clone), Macintosh computer, 3DO platform, Sega platform, and an interactive television set top.

As used herein, the term "storage media" is intended to mean media for storing digital data and/or code such as optical disks (for example compact disks (CDs)), flexible disks (for example 51/4 floppy disks), rigid disks (for example hard disks), tapes, game cartridges, memory cards (for example PCMCIA card) or any other media suitable for use in a host device. The term storage media includes such structures and any other structure which performs the function of information storage. In one embodiment the storage media is removable from a host device although other storage media (for example on a remote server) can also be used in accordance with this invention.

Rather than buttons, alternatively any one of a number of identifying mechanisms can be used (such as the well-known "koala pad" structure or a touch panel) which allows the user to transmit a signal to pull up associated electronic content. The enclosed description is not intended to limit the types of identifying mechanisms which can be used to pull up the desired contents on the storage media but rather it could be illustrative of such mechanisms. Rather than a touch sensitive device even a wand or a pointer can be used in a remote control to identify the desired electronic content to be displayed by a host device.

In accordance with this invention, associated electronic content include selections which can contain information found in a conventional printed publication such as book, magazine, catalog or other printed document. As used herein, the term "selection" is intended to mean data and/or code and includes a grouping or combination of one or more files such as software, still graphics, picture, text, audio recording, video recording or other data related to one another, suitable for display by a host device. For example, a selection can include the multimedia equivalent of a magazine article or a television program or a digitized song or a video game software program or a spread sheet for financial information. While in one embodiment, data and/or code selections are in multimedia form suitable for use in a multimedia host device, a single media host device can also be used with suitable selections in accordance with this invention.

As used herein, the term "interactive media" is intended to mean any communication media with which a user can interact such as a computer, an interactive television and a video game machine.

As used herein, the term "category" is intended to mean one or more selections which have some common characteristic. Examples of categories are "fish" and "birds". A fish category can contain selections of audio and/or video recordings and text captions relating to, for example, 200 different fish. Another example of a category is a "rock and roll music" category encoded on audio CD, the audio CD containing 20 selections of music, each music selection being representative of rock and roll music.

As used herein, the term "application" is intended to mean code and/or data which interprets button codes from a remote control. Applications run on host devices. Applications can include selections or alternatively selections and applications can be distinct entities. In one embodiment of this invention applications are distributed to users on storage media housed in a remote control. In one specific embodiment of this invention, an application and associated selections are all integrated into a single executable (such as BUSWEEK.EXE described below). In an alternative embodiment of this invention, applications for retrieving and displaying selections are distributed to users independent of the storage media containing the selections. Applications and/or selections can be distributed to users and accessed by a host device through various communication channels such as phone lines, TV cable and/or satellite link.

An application in accordance with this invention, includes code which interacts with the user regardless of whether the code is created using a high level presentation development system or is hard coded using a programming language such as C. Furthermore, an application can include either a small run time engine or a larger presentation development software for displaying multimedia selections. In accordance with this invention, an application and/or selection can reside on removable local storage media and/or the host device's storage media and/or a remote server. In other alternative embodiments, a part of the application is resident in the host device, and another part is resident on a remote server's storage media and/or a local storage media.

As used herein, the term "display" is intended to mean presenting one or more selections by the host device in a form suitable for use by a human on a display device such as a monitor/screen, a speaker/headset or a printer. Display includes running a software program, playing a sound recording (through a speaker/headset), showing a video recording (on a monitor/screen) and printing a graphics image (on a printer). As used herein, the term "use" is intended to be more than mere display and includes any use whatsoever in a host device.

As used herein, the term "function/data button" is intended to mean a button having a remote electronic association which causes a host device to perform a desired function and/or to retrieve desired data and/or code and to display the results of retrieval on the host device. Function/data button can refer to a function button, a data button or a button having mixed function and data attributes. A function button causes a host device to perform a function. Some examples of a function button are a STOP button, a PRINT button, a left arrow button, a BEGIN button and a SELECT button. A data button in accordance with this invention is visually associated with content on the remote control housing wherein the content indicates to a user one or more categories and/or selections containing specific data on a storage media (local or remote). A data button indicates to a host device, selections containing specific data to be retrieved from a local or remote storage media and to be displayed to the user. Some examples of a data button are a TRAIN button, a JUPITER button, an AFRICA button, a BIRDS button, a I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND button and a 100 TOP US COMPANIES IN 1993 button. A mixed function and data button can indicate retrieval of data with one or more functions to be performed before and/or after retrieval. Some examples of mixed function and data button are a NEXT PAGE button, an ORBIT button, a LAND button, a SKIP button, a REPEAT button, and an INFO button. A mixed function and data button can also indicate retrieval of code and execution of retrieved code.

FIG. 1A illustrates a printed publication remote control 10 for an interactive media in accordance with this invention. Such a printed publication remote control 10 includes a printed publication 11 which has printed content. Printed publication 11 is shown highlighted (double circle) to indicate that the printed publication is an essential feature included in remote control 10. Printed content can be any content such as text and/or graphics which is printed on a housing of printed publication 11.

Printed publication remote control 10 includes one or more function/data button(s) 12, remote control circuitry (not shown in FIG. 1A) and associated electronic content 13. Function/data button(s) 12 have a physical attachment 14A to printed publication 11. Function/data button(s) 12 have a visual association with the printed content of printed publication 11.

Physical attachment 14A and visual association 14B can be implemented by gluing a button to a page adjacent to associated printed text and/or graphic content. Printed text and/or graphic content can also be placed directly on an associated button 12. In another embodiment, text and/or graphic content are placed far off from an associated button 12 and visual association 14B is formed by one or more printed lines on the printed publication which connect button 12 and the text and/or graphic content to be associated with button 12. The printed text and/or graphic content can indicate user directions (such as "Press the button"), functions and selections (data/code) accessible by a button 12. A user can review a printed publication by looking at the graphics and/or reading the text (including reading braille by touching).

Function/data button(s) 12 are connected to remote control circuitry capable of causing a function/data button code to be transmitted as a wireless signal from remote control 10 to a host device (not shown in FIG. 1A). On receipt of the wireless signal, the host device can access associated electronic content 13 to display the desired results indicated by the text and/or graphic content of printed publication 11. Therefore, there is a remote electronic association 15 between function/data button(s) 12 and associated electronic content 13. There is a representative (descriptive and/or derivative) association 16 between the text and/or graphic content of printed publication 11 and associated electronic content 13.

Representative association 16 is implemented when a publisher of a printed publication remote control 10 makes some indication of associated electronic content 13 in the printed publication 11, which allows a user to use a button 12 to enjoy associated electronic content 13 accessible by a user's host device. Representative association 16 can be descriptive and/or derivative such as the association between a title, an abstract or a graphic and the associated electronic content (for example an icon of a paint brush associated with the software for painting or an icon of a fire truck associated with a video recording of a fire truck).

In one embodiment of this invention, a publisher publishes the printed content of the printed publication as well as the associated electronic content (remote or local) simultaneously as a single interactive media publication. A printed publication remote control sold to a user includes at least printed publication 11 with physically attached function/data button(s) 12 which have a visual association 14B with the printed content of printed publication 11.

An associated electronic content 13 which forms a part of remote control 10 and which is accessible by a user's host device and is encoded either in a removable storage media local to the host device or in a remote storage media accessible through a remote server. The removable storage media is physically included and removably mounted inside a remote control in accordance with this invention. The remote storage media is not physically included in remote control 10.

One embodiment of a remote control for pre-school children is a picture book remote control in which the associated electronic content contains content similar or identical to that of standard children's books such as "Cinderella" and "Pete the Police Car." Such associated electronic content can include selections containing drawings and/or photographs with text captions as in the print version, and/or audio recordings, and/or video recordings for multimedia host devices.

FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment of a picture book remote control 100 in accordance with this invention. Externally, picture book remote control 100 looks and feels much like a printed publication, such as a regular children's book. Picture book remote control 100 includes a printed publication 101 which has a colorful front cover 102. Front cover 102, a thick cardboard piece, is a children's book front cover. Front cover 102 has an outer side 102A which includes text printed content
103A, "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE An Interactive Book." Printed content 103A is a descriptive title for remote control 100.

Remote control 100 includes a button 104 accessible through a hole 104H in front cover 102. Printed publication 101 includes, in addition to front cover 102, a back cover 105 having an inner side 105A. Inner side 105A has graphic printed content 103B, an illustration of a fire truck, the fire truck being associated with electronic content (not shown in FIG. 1C) in the form of a picture, text, video recording and audio recording of a fire truck which is displayed to a user by a host device when button 104 is pressed.

Button 104 is physically attached by glue to the inner side 105A of back cover 105 (FIG. 1C). Hole 104H has a diameter d.sub.H =1.5 inch to allow a button 104 of diameter d.sub.B =1.25 inch to be accessible when picture book remote control 100
is shut by bringing together front cover 102 and back cover 105 (FIG. 1B). Visual associations between button 104 and text content 103A and also between button 104 and graphic content 103B and text content 102C are formed because of physically adjacent presence to each other (without any other intervening button(s) and/or text/graphic content).

Picture book remote control 100 includes remote control circuitry (not shown in FIG. 1B) supported by printed publication 101 and connected to button 104. In one embodiment the remote control circuitry is embedded in the spine of picture book remote control 100. In another embodiment, the remote control circuitry is encased inside button 104. The remote control circuitry is capable of causing a function identifying button code to be transmitted by remote control 100 and thus provides a remote electronic association with electronic content 133A of FIG. 1E which is accessible to a host device. Picture book remote control 100 has a length L.sub.B =9.25 inches a height H.sub.P =6.2 inches and a thickness T.sub.P =0.35 inches (FIG. 1B) .

Although in one embodiment there are no pages between front cover 102 and back cover 105, in alternative embodiments there are pages, such as, for example, thick cardboard pages similar or identical to the pages in conventional children's books, with or without additional buttons.

In some embodiments, a printed publication remote control includes a holder for removably holding storage media such as CD-ROMs. FIG. 1D illustrates a picture book remote control 110 which includes a removable CD ROM storage media 119. Picture book remote control 110 is similar to picture book remote control 100 in most respects described above. Picture book remote control 110 includes a printed publication 112, with a front cover 111, and a button 114 accessible though a hole 114H of front cover 111.

A storage media holder 118 is physically attached to inner side 111B of front cover 111. Storage media holder 118 has a circular inner periphery 118I with diameter d.sub.I =4.75 inch and thickness t.sub.I =0.10 inch (not shown in FIG. 1D). Storage media holder 118 is a square holder with a side having width W.sub.O =5.4 inch and a thickness t.sub.O =0.15 inch. Inner periphery 118I is provided with several notches 118E, 118F, 118G and 118H to facilitate easy removal of CD ROM 119 from storage media holder 118. Furthermore, storage media holder 118 has several ears 118A, 118B, 118C and 118D which hold CD-ROM 119 securely in place when CD ROM 119 is removably mounted in storage media holder 118. CD ROM 119 includes the associated electronic content for picture book remote control 110 (similar or identical to electronic content 133A of FIG. 1E).

Printed publication 112 has a spine 114S of thickness T.sub.S =0.35 inch which connects front cover 111 and back cover 113. When picture book remote control 110 is shut, compact disk 119 is held securely in the resulting enclosure between holder
118, and back cover 113. Back cover 113 has, on its inner side 113A, text printed content 113B.sub.---1, 113B.sub.-- 2, 113B.sub.-- 3, 113B.sub.-- 4, 113B.sub.-- 5 and 113B.sub.-- 6 which includes a summary description and copyright notice of associated electronic content 133A encoded in CD ROM 119.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention, a CD ROM holder in the form of a pouch having length l.sub.O =5.5 inch and height a.sub.O =4.75 inch is mounted on back cover 113A. In other alternative embodiments, the remote control has a storage media holder of dimensions and structure suitable for removably holding other types of storage media such as floppy disk (FIG. 6C) and game cartridge (FIG. 6D).

Although in one embodiment, a button is physically attached to the inner side of a back cover of a printed publication, a button in accordance with this invention can be physically attached anywhere on a printed publication including the outer side and inner side of a front cover, a back cover and/or the spine.

Electronic content 133A encoded in CD-ROM 119 includes selections having a representative (descriptive/derivative) association with the text and/or graphic printed content of printed publication 112. In one embodiment, compact disk 119 is a CD-ROM manufactured by Sony Corp.

FIG. 1E illustrates use of picture book remote control 100 with a host device 120 in accordance with this invention. Host device 120 is an IBM compatible personal computer (PC) equipped with a monitor 122, a speaker 124A, a CD drive 124B, a keyboard 124C, a mouse 124D, a printer 124E and, a cable/wire 124F connected to a jack 124G. Host device 120 includes a signal receiver 125 connected via a cable 126 to the microprocessor in host device 120. In one specific embodiment of this invention, jack 124G is connected to the Internet computer communication network. In other embodiments jack 124G is connected to other computer communication networks (such as Information Super Highway, PRODIGY and COMPUSERVE). In alternative embodiments, jack 124G is connected to a telephone network, a cable TV network or a satellite network.

A user such as a child can "read" an interactive media on a host device 120 by pressing button 104 in remote control 100. Pressing remote control button 104 causes a "turn to next page" function identifying button code to be encoded in a wireless signal and transmitted via a wireless signal link 104S to signal receiver 125. Signal receiver 125 transmits the received button code to a microprocessor in host device 120 via cable 126. Host device 120 interprets the received button code as command to an application running in its microprocessor.

In one embodiment, on receipt of the button code, the application computes the next page address from the current page address, retrieves from associated electronic content 133C, the electronic content for the next page and displays the retrieved electronic content on host device 120. Such a display causes the image of a title screen on monitor 122 to be replaced by the image of the first page of the interactive media, or causes a first page image to be replaced by a second page image and so on, depending on the image being displayed when the button code was received.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1E the associated electronic content 133C for picture book remote control 100 is encoded in remote storage media 132C connected to a remote server 131. Associated electronic content 133C includes a category of selections for "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE" which is used with remote control 100 having the text printed content 103A "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE."

In one embodiment of this invention, a portion of the remote control button code determines the associated electronic content referenced by the button of a remote control. For example, in one embodiment, in a remote control button code 0027, the number 27 uniquely identifies the associated electronic content 133C containing the story of "FRED THE FIRE ENGINE" while the number 00 indicates the title screen.

A host device 120 can log into remote server 131 and use remote control button code 0027 to retrieve associated electronic content 133C, (which has a representative association with text printed content 103A) and display the title screen. In one embodiment of this invention each successful retrieval of associated electronic content by a user's host device causes the remote server to bill the user for the costs associated with use of the associated electronic content.

Also shown in FIG. 1E are electronic contents 133A, 133B and 133D encoded on storage media 132A, 132B and 132D which are associated with other picture book remote controls. Each such picture book remote control can have a button capable of transmitting a button code which distinctly identifies one of the electronic contents 133A, 133B and 133D and the function/data being referenced. In an alternative embodiment, a single remote control includes multiple buttons, with each button distinctly identifying a different one of electronic contents 133A, 133B, 133C and 133D (as in FIG. 6B).

In the embodiment of FIG. 1E, remote server 131 is accessible to host device 120 via the TV cable system 130 connected to cable jack 124G. Although in the embodiment of FIG. 1E, electronic contents 133A, 133B, 133C and 133D are resident on distinctly separate storage media and accessed through a single server, such electronic contents can all be resident on a single storage media or each can be accessible through different servers in accordance with this invention.

In one specific embodiment of this invention, host device 120 is an IBM compatible personal computer from Astrix Computer Corporation, 1546 Centre Pointe Drive, Milpitas, Calif. 95035. Host device 120 includes multimedia hardware such as a full motion video card, "Real Magic" available from Sigma Designs, Inc., 47900 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. The Real Magic card implements an audio/video compression algorithm compatible with MPEG/1 specification available from the Motion Pictures Expert Group. Host device 120 also includes a commercially available CD drive, NEC CDR/84 available from NEC Corporation. In an alternative embodiment of this invention, host device 120 includes the full motion video card "ProAudio Spectrum
16" available from Media Vision Inc., 47300 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538.

In one embodiment of this invention host device 120 is a MACINTOSH personal computer (PC) equipped with a monitor, a floppy drive, a speaker, a headset, a signal receiver, a CD drive and a keyboard.

In one embodiment of this invention, remote control 100 includes a signal transmitter (as described below) for transmission of a button code from button 104 as a wireless signal, which can be received by signal receiver 125. In one embodiment, cable 126 is an RS 232 serial cable. In the embodiment described above, each time button 104 is pressed, a function identifying button code is transmitted by remote control 100 and an application running in host device 120 retrieves the electronic content for the next page until reaching the back cover after which, on the next retrieval and display the host device goes back to the beginning and displays the title screen.

FIG. 1F shows a picture book remote control 115 being used with a host device in the form of a game machine platform 150. Text content 116F and graphic content 116G are visually associated with button 116C on front cover 116. A game cartridge is removably mounted inside a holder in interactive book remote control 115 (as shown in FIG. 6D).

Game machine platform 150 includes a television 141, which has a screen (also called a "monitor"). Game machine platform 150 also includes a game machine 142 connected to television 141 by a cable 145C. Game machine 142 includes a built-in receiver 143, a modem 144A, a fax card 144B, a battery protected memory card 144C and game cartridge receiver 149. Game cartridge receiver 149 is suitable for retrieving the electronic contents encoded in a game cartridge. Game machine 142 is connected via a cable 145A to a telephone jack 146. Game machine 142 is also connected to a satellite antennae 148 by a cable wire 145D.

Although a game machine 142 is being described and shown in FIG. 1F, other host devices such as an interactive television set top can be used instead of game machine 142 in accordance with this invention.

Modem 144A of game machine 142 permits a game machine platform 150 to communicate with devices connected via a modem to the telephone network (not shown). Game machine platform 150 supports applications involving multiple users participating in a single video game application. Alternatively applications which permit a user to purchase various products by merely pressing a button in a remote control (as described below) can be used in game machine platform 150.

A telephone 147 is connected by phone cable 145B to phone jack 146 and permits a user to have a voice link with another user. Alternatively telephone 147 can be used by a user to communicate with a publisher of interactive media or an advertiser of products in a periodical remote control (as described below). In one embodiment of this invention, a user's credit card number and password are saved in battery protected memory card 144C for use by an application to order an advertised product when a user issues a buy command using a remote control (as described below in reference to application 860).

One advantage of combining a button and a printed publication into a single remote control as described above is that a button of the remote control can be uniquely customized depending on the specific text and/or graphic content of the printed publication and depending on the associated electronic content.

Another advantage of a printed publication remote control is that such a remote control can be sold through the existing normal printed publication channels such as a book store, a magazine stand and direct mail order.

A picture book remote control with one and only one button which causes page turning and caption reading on a host device allows even preschool children to enjoy interactive multimedia CD-ROM books on a host device without need for parental assistance.

In accordance with this invention, a user, such as a two year old child, can remove storage media 119 (FIG. 1D) from housing 118 of a remote control 110 and insert storage media 119 into a host device's peripheral 124B (FIG. 1E). As soon as storage media 119 is inserted, an application automatically starts and the interactive media's title screen is retrieved from storage media 119 and displayed on monitor 122 of host device 120.

Alternatively, in a remote control associated with electronic content encoded on a remote storage media, as soon as a button (such as button 104 of remote control 100) is touched by a user, an application automatically starts on host device 120
and communicates with a remote server to access the remote storage media. Either some portion or all of an associated electronic content 133C is retrieved by the application and the title screen is displayed on monitor 122 of host device 120. Also, in some embodiments audio is displayed through speaker 124A.

The display of audio depends on content of the selection available to the application running in host device 120.

Next, if button 104 on remote control 100 is pressed, a book "opens" on monitor 122 (irrespective of whether local or remote storage media is being used). After the title screen, a first page 160 is displayed on monitor 122 (FIG. 1G). First page 160 includes graphic content 164 illustrating the fire truck and text content 162 which reads "Fred is sleeping at the fire station."

When button 104 is pressed again, a sound recording of text content 162 is displayed through speaker 124A (FIG. 1E), while graphic content 164 and text content 162 continue to be displayed on monitor 122. Next time button 104 is pressed, the text and graphic content for page 2 are displayed (not shown). In this manner, preschool children can now enjoy interactive media using just one simple button on the remote control.

In an alternative embodiment, pressing a button of a remote control a second time turns the page on monitor 122 instead of the text content being read to the user. In other alternative embodiments, other multimedia events such as full motion video, sound effects and multiple choice questions are presented to a user depending on when a button of a remote control is pressed and the programming of the selection and application.

In one embodiment of this invention, a picture book remote control can be created from off-the-shelf children's sound books such as "Fred the Fire Engine", "Cinderella" and "Pete the Police Car", commonly available in bookstores such as Barnes & Noble Bookstore, 3600 Stevens Creek Boulevard, San Jose, Calif. 95117.

Children's sound books contain one or more sound buttons which, when pressed, play sound (for example, the sound of a fire engine) through a speaker inside the sound book. Such a children's book is modified to create a picture book remote control by removing all pages between the front and back covers, modifying the sound buttons and optionally gluing a CD holder on the inside back cover of the sound book. The sound buttons are modified by removing the existing sound electronics and substituting the remote control circuitry as described below. The CD holder can be any commercially available CD holder such as DIGIPAK available from AGI Inc. 153 2nd Street, Los Altos, Calif. 94022 (415) 949-5870.

Although one embodiment of a picture book remote control is created by modifying a children's sound book, in another embodiment of this invention, a picture book remote control is mass produced from various new materials. Although in one embodiment, a storage media holder is physically attached to a printed publication, in another embodiment, the holder is formed integral with the printed publication and the button is physically attached to the holder (FIG. 6H). In an alternative embodiment, the buttons are formed integral with the housing of a remote control (FIG. 7D).

An interactive media remote control with multiple buttons permits a wide variety and range of interactivity between a user and a host device. The multiple buttons are mounted on a flexible printed circuit board which is bound into the housing of the printed publication to form a remote control for an interactive media. The number of buttons included in a remote control depends on the associated electronic content. Simple multiple button remote controls (for example for two year olds) can have two, three or four buttons. More advanced remote controls can have an entire computer keyboard.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of one embodiment of a multiple button remote control 200 in the closed and opened positions respectively. Remote control 200 includes a printed publication 210 which has a front cover 221 and a back cover 222
joined by a spine 223. Outerside 221A of front cover 221 has text printed content 224 "THE THREE LITTLE PIGGIES". Remote control 200 has a number of buttons: NEXT button 225A, PREVIOUS button 225B, BEGIN button 225C and END button 225D, all of which are mounted on back cover 222 of printed publication 210.

Remote control 200 also includes remote control circuitry 226 and transmitter 226A such that when any of buttons 225A, 225B, 225C and 225D is pressed, a corresponding function identifying button code is transmitted via transmitter 226A. Remote control 200 has a height H.sub.P =7.85 inch (FIG.2A) with front cover 221 having a length L.sub.F =6.6 inch, back cover 223 having a length L.sub.B =8.5 inch and spine 223 having a width T.sub.S =0.35 inch (FIG. 2B)

Mounted on inner side 221B of front cover 221 is a CD ROM holder 228 in which is removably mounted CD ROM 229. On inner side 222A of back cover 222 is text and/or graphic printed content 227 which is part of printed publication 210. Encoded in CD ROM 229 is associated electronic content having a representative association with text and/or graphic printed content 227 and text printed content 224 of printed publication 210.

Physically attached to a surface of each of buttons 225A, 225B, 225C and 225D is a corresponding text content 230A ("NEXT"), 230B ("PREVIOUS"), 230C ("BEGIN") and 230D ("END"). For instance, when NEXT button 225A is pressed, remote control circuitry 226 causes a remote control button code indicating the next page to be transmitted by transmitter 226A to a host device 120 (FIG. 1E). The remote control button code is interpreted by host device 120 which computes the next page from the page currently being displayed and then retrieves the corresponding electronic content from CD ROM 229.

A similar previous page function is implemented on pressing PREVIOUS button 225B. When BEGIN button 225C is pressed, host device 120 looks up the starting address for the selection, "THREE LITTLE PIGGY'S" and retrieves the electronic content for the title screen from CD ROM 229. Similarly, host device 120 retrieves the electronic content for the back cover when button 225D is pressed. The results of retrieval are then displayed to the user by host device 120. Therefore buttons 225A and 225B allow a user to sequentially access the pages of selection "THE THREE LITTLE PIGGY'S" whereas buttons 225C and 225D allow the user to directly access the beginning or the end of the selection.

Although picture book remote controls 100, 115 and 200 have been described above as printed publication remote controls, they can also be described as storage media remote controls (described below).

FIG. 3A is an illustrative perspective view of a button 301 for a single button remote control (such as button 104 shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C). In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, button 301 is a large plastic button that contains all remote control circuitry enclosed in a self-contained unit. However, remote control circuitry can also be provided outside a button (FIGS. 2B and 7A).

Button 301 has an enclosure wall 308 (made of red plastic transparent to infrared light in one embodiment of this invention). Button 301 has a button surface 302 which is spring mounted and surrounded by enclosure wall 308. A graphic content
302A of a fire truck is physically attached to button surface 302.

FIGS. 3B and 3C are the elevation and plan views of button 301 of FIG. 3A. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, surrounded by enclosure wall 308 is remote control circuitry including a round printed circuit board (PCB) 303 with electronic components, such as an infrared light emitting device (LED) 304 and a microcontroller 305. Infrared LED 304 is mounted at a location that ensures proper transmission of infrared signals through button 301. Button 301 also includes a switch activating protrusion
306 attached to PCB 303. Although in FIG. 3B protrusion 306 is attached to PCB 303, in another embodiment of this invention, protrusion 306 is attached to button surface 302.

Enclosure wall 308 acts as a guide for button surface 302 to permit reciprocating motion of protrusion 306 with respect to PCB 303. In the embodiment of FIG. 3C microcontroller 305 is mounted in die form on PCB 303 to save space and ensure compact nature of button 30i. Also, button 301 is powered by two button cells 307A and 307B (FIG. 3C).

In one embodiment, infrared LED 304 is mounted facing a transparent surface such as enclosure wall 308 (FIG. 3B) (or opposite a transparent button surface in an alternative embodiment). Button 301 can be formed from a sound button of an existing children's book by drilling a hole in button surface 302 of button 301 to accommodate infrared LED 304. Alternatively, infrared LED 304 can be mounted facing a hole in an enclosure wall 308, if necessary.

In accordance with this invention, instead of microcontroller 305, other logic circuits can be used such as an ASIC, a PLD or a FPGA (appropriately programmed). A microprocessor can also be used if desired for this function, although the cost will be higher than the cost of a microcontroller.

Furthermore, instead of infrared LED 304, other types of wireless signal transmitters such as a radio frequency transmitter or an ultrasonic transmitter can also be used in accordance with this invention.

Any sized button can be used in accordance with this invention. In one specific embodiment, remote control button 301 is one inch in diameter. In another embodiment the whole surface of a front cover of a remote control is a button (FIG. 7D).

Microcontroller 305 is normally in SLEEP mode. If a user pushes on button surface 302 of button 301 by a distance sufficient for protrusion 306 to contact button surface 302, microcontroller 305 wakes up and sends a single button code by pulsing infrared LED 304. Microcontroller 305 then immediately returns to SLEEP mode even before button 301 is released by the user.

In one embodiment of this invention, the button code sent by microcontroller 305 corresponds to the pressing of a mouse button on a mouse connected to a host device. In one specific embodiment of a picture book remote control, the button code sent by the remote control corresponds to the button code generated by pressing a left mouse button in a mouse of an IBM personal computer (PC). However, in alternative embodiments, the button's switch (formed by protrusion 306 and PCB 303) is connected to other pins on microcontroller 305 so that a different button code is generated.

In accordance with this invention, any number can be used as a button code as long as the corresponding application can recognize the received number and perform the desired function (such as "STOP"). Although in one embodiment of this invention, the button code generated by each button is unique, in other embodiments, the same button code can be generated by more than one button to indicate the same desired function and/or data.

One advantage of enclosing remote control circuitry inside button 301 is that the switch and circuitry are combined into a single unit resulting in simplicity of design and cost savings. Also, a large sized button allows even pre-school children to easily use a remote control for an interactive media.

FIG. 4A is an illustrative block diagram of one embodiment of a remote control 400 for an interactive media being used with a host device 420. Remote control 400 includes a button 401 which includes a switch 402, and remote control circuitry 410
connected to each other by switch-output line 403. Remote control circuitry 410 includes a microcontroller 404 and a signal transmitter 406. Switch 402 is connected by switch output line 403 to an input pin 404I of microcontroller 404. An output pin
404O of microcontroller 404 is connected by transmitter input line 405 to signal transmitter 406.

When button 401 is pressed by a user, microcontroller 404 detects the closure of switch 402 via switch output line 403. Microcontroller 404 then sends a signal to signal transmitter 406 via transmitter input line 405. In one particular embodiment, signal transmitter 406 is an infrared transmitter such as an infrared LED 304 (above).

Signal transmitter 406 transmits a wireless signal 407 to a host device 420 (such as host device 120 of FIG. 1E. Host device 420 senses wireless signal 407 in a signal receiver 422. Signal receiver 422 is connected by receiver output line 423
to microcontroller 424. On receipt of a signal from remote control 400, signal receiver 422 sends a signal on receiver output line 423 to microcontroller 424. Microcontroller 424 is connected to a microcomputer 426 by microcomputer input line 425.

Microcomputer 426 includes several components such as a central processing unit 427A (for example, Intel microprocessor 80486), a read only memory (ROM) 427B in which is stored a basic input output system (BIOS), a display device 433 and main memory 435. Main memory 435 contains an autostart driver 436, and an application 437. Microcomputer 426 also has removable storage media peripherals 428 and 432 containing storage media 428M and 432M respectively. Storage media 428M is a local storage media which was removed by a user from a remote control and inserted into removable storage media peripheral 428, storage media 428M includes three files: DISGOKEY.EXE 429, DISGO.BAT 430, and BUSWEEK.EXE 431 (described below). Storage media 432M is a boot disk containing an operating system such as MICROSOFT.TM. DOS. All the components of microcomputer 426 are operatively coupled to central processing unit 427A through a bus, such as the well known ISA bus (not shown).

Also shown in FIG. 4A is a communication line 438 connecting host device 420 to a remote server 439. Remote server 439 allows host device 420 to access remote storage media 439M which can be encoded with associated electronic content for remote control 400.

Microcomputer 426 passes to application 437 any button codes received from microcontroller 424. Application 437 interprets the received button code as a user command such as a command to turn pages in the currently displayed selection. Application 437 is a memory resident version of the executable application encoded in storage media 428M (such as BUSWEEK.EXE 431 described below).

FIG. 4B is an illustrative circuit diagram of remote control circuitry 410 for one embodiment of a button 401 described above. Remote control circuitry 410 is formed on a PCB 303 supported on a housing of one embodiment of a remote control, as described above. Microcontroller 404 of remote control circuitry 410 has various pins including VB2 power pin 404A, VB1 power pin 404B and FB3 reset pin 404C which are tied to the positive terminal of power supply 307 (formed by batteries 307A and 307B connected in series). Microcontroller 404 is also connected through a X1 pin 404J and X2 pin 404H to a resonator crystal 445 which causes an oscillator in microcontroller 404 to oscillate (in one embodiment at 3.58 MHz).

Signal transmitter 406 (dotted line) includes an npn transistor 442, an LED 443 and a resistor 444. Transmitter input line 405 connects the base of transistor 442 to SOUT/CD/FB2/C4 pin 404O of microcontroller 404. The collector of transistor
442 is connected to the cathode of LED 443. The anode of LED 443 is connected to one end of resistor 444. The other end of resistor 444 is connected to the positive terminal of power supply 307. The emitter of transistor 442 is connected to the negative terminal of power supply 307. The VSS pin 404G of microcontroller 404 is also connected to the negative terminal of power supply 307.

Initially, the CR/RB/C2 input pin 404I of microcontroller 404 is internally pulled down to ground by an internal resistor while the enable EB pin 404E of the microcontroller is forced high. Therefore microcontroller 404 is triggered when switch
402 is depressed sufficiently to short CR/RB/C2 pin 404O to EB pin 404E and force pin 404I high. Such a closure of switch 402 causes a button interrupt to awaken software running in microcontroller 404. The software rapidly pulses transistor 442 via SOUT/CD/FB2/C4 pin 404O. Transistor 442 in turn causes infrared LED 443 to transmit a modulated infrared signal 407.

In one embodiment, infrared signal 407 has the form of an infrared RS232C serial link at 1200 baud modulated with a 40 KHz carrier with 1's represented by 40 KHz square wave (25 pulses to 600 sec interval) and 0's by zero volts. Approximately
800 m Amp of current flow through LED 443, limited only by resistor 444. The current through LED 443 is limited by resistor 444 to approximately 400 m Amp. In another embodiment two transistors are used to increase current through LED 443 as described in U.S. Patent application 08/076,032 filed Jun. 15, 1993 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,489 issued on Oct. 17, 1995, incorporated herein in its entirety.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4B, microcontroller 404 is a Motorola Microcontroller, M68HC05K0 available from Motorola Inc., Semiconductor Products Sector 2100 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, Ariz. 85284. In FIG. 4B transistor 442 is MMBT4401 also available from Motorola, Inc. Infrared LED 443 is NEC-SE1003C available from NEC Electronics, Inc., 475 Ellis Street, Mountain View, Calif. 94043, resistor 444 is a 1 ohm resistor, resonator 445 is a 3.58 MHz resonator Part # KBR 3.58MKS available from Kyocera America, 8611 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, Calif. 92123. Power supply 307 is two 1.5 volt watch batteries connected in series, Part # GR927 available from Panasonic Industrial Co., 1600 McCandless Drive, Milpitas, Calif. 95035 (408) 946-7481. Switch 402
is Part # JPM 1110 available from SMK Electronics Corp., 4633 Old Ironsides Drive, Suite 403, Santa Clara, Calif. 95054.

One advantage of the circuit of FIG. 4B is its extremely low power consumption which allows the use of watch batteries 307A and 307B and results in a compact size. Also, use of microcontroller 404 with software which emulates the MICROSOFT mouse (FIG. 4C and Appendix A), eliminates the need for a special driver to generate button codes for transmission to a host device.

FIG. 4C is an illustrative flow chart of the software running in microcontroller 404 of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4C, microcontroller 404 initializes variables in step 451 and then goes to step 453 via branch 452. Microcontroller 404 then executes steps 453 and 456 in an infinite loop as shown by branches 452, 455 and 457. In step 453, microcontroller 404 waits for a button interrupt in a SLEEP mode. Microcontroller 404 stays in step 453 as shown by branch 454, until a button interrupt is received.

As noted above, a button interrupt is generated when switch 402 is closed by a user pressing on a button surface of button 401 (FIG. 4A). Once a button interrupt is received, microcontroller 404 goes via branch 455 to step 456. In step 456, microcontroller 404 sends a button code by rapidly pulsing infrared LED 443. In one specific embodiment, a button code includes a button press code and a button released code. The button released code is sent immediately following the sending of the button pressed code. After sending infrared signal 407 (FIG. 4A), microcontroller 404 goes back via branches 457 and 452 to step 453 where microcontroller 404 continues in the SLEEP mode.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention, instead of microcontroller 404 transmitting a button released code immediately after a button pressed code, microcontroller 404 first transmits the button pressed code and when the button is released, a button released code is transmitted, as shown by the software listed in Appendix A. The Appendix A software can be compiled and linked by Motorola M68HC705KICS In-Circuit Simulator available from Motorola, Inc. (at above address).

FIG. 4D is an illustrative circuit diagram for one embodiment of a signal receiver 422 in accordance with this invention. Signal receiver 422 is described in detail in the U.S. Patent application Ser. No. # 08/076,032 and filing date Jun. 15,
1993 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,489, referenced above, with 5.1 K ohm resistor 463A added to pull TXD to -5 V when transistor 470 is off. Pin 3 on connector 469 is RXD.

Signal receiver 422 includes an infrared photodiode 461, a microcontroller 424, a resonator 473, FETs 404 and 470, diodes 465 and 466, LED 472, capacitor 468, resistors 463, 463A and 471 and a voltage regulator 467. Signal receiver 422 derives VCC power from the serial port of a microcomputer 426 (FIG. 4A). In one embodiment, microcontroller 424 is the Motorola Microcontroller M68HC05KO (above address).

Resonator 473 is a 3.58 MHz resonator Part # KBR 3.58 MKS from Kyocera America (above address). Infrared photodiode 461 is the module GPIU52Y available from Sharp Microelectronics, 5700 NW Pacific Rim Boulevard, Camas, Wash. 98607. Transistors
464 and 470 are MOS FET, 2N7002 available from Motorola, Inc. (above address).

FIG. 4E is an illustrative flow chart 480 for the software running in the microcontroller 424 of FIG. 4D. The software for FIG. 4E is listed in Appendix A and described in detail in the application referenced above. The software can be compiled and linked by the Motorola M68HC705KICS (above address).

As seen from FIG. 4E, USOUT output of microcontroller 424 follows and inverts SIN input except when RTS goes low in which case an identifying ASCII byte "M" is output on USOUT.

In accordance with this invention, a user can place a storage media (such as CD-ROM 110) into a compatible peripheral of a powered up and booted host device (such as host device 120) running an operating system and automatically retrieve selections encoded in the storage media using a remote control without touching any keys or switches of the host device. To facilitate automatic detection of insertion of a storage media, a host device is installed during booting with an autostart driver which periodically polls one or more peripherals of the host device. In an alternative embodiment, the autostart driver is invoked by an interrupt from a removable storage media peripheral caused by insertion of a storage media into the peripheral.

In one embodiment of this invention, all host devices are configured with an autostart driver (described below). The autostart driver is installed during the start up of a host device such as host device 120 by inserting an instruction to install the autostart driver in "CONFIG.SYS" in a boot disk of host device 120. For example, the instruction "DEVICE EQUALS C:.backslash.V6.000.backslash.AUTOSTRT.SYS" can be inserted in CONFIG.SYS for an IBM PC host device.

In one embodiment of this invention, a host device 120 executes step by step each instruction illustrated by the flow chart 500 of FIG. 5A. When a user turns on the power to host device 120, host device 120 powers up and performs self test in step 501. Then host device 120 goes via branch 502 to step 503 where host device 120 executes firmware encoded in a ROM on the mother board of host device 120. Then host device 120 goes via branch 504 to step 505 where host device 120 boots the operating system from a storage media, wherein the storage media containing the operating system can be either a removable storage media (such as a floppy disk) or a permanent storage media which is an integral part of host device 120 (such as a hard drive). During booting, host device 120 checks for initialization files such as startup files and configuration files. On finding a valid initialization file, host device 120 uses the initialization file during booting. Then host device 120 goes via branch 506 to step 507 where host device 120 installs an autostart driver (such as driver 436) in main memory (such as memory 435). Then host device 120 goes via branch 508 to step 509 where host device 120 executes the instructions coded in the installed autostart driver.

Although not shown in FIG. 5A, host device 120 can execute several instructions unrelated to installing an autostart driver at various points not shown in flow chart 500 (such as within branch 506 to install other drivers and within branch 508 to execute other drivers).

In one embodiment of this invention, an autostart driver in a host device 120 detects insertion of a storage media and upon detection of a storage media such as CD-ROM 119 in a peripheral, seeks a file having a first predetermined name such as, the unique symbol DISGO.TM.. A predetermined name is any name which is determined ahead of time and which is consistently used in the autostart driver and also in compatible storage media. In one embodiment of this invention, files with first and second predetermined names (such as DISGOKEY.EXE and DISGO.BAT) are present in a set of storage medias released by licensees of the owner of this patent. At the very least, a file with second predetermined name (such as DISGO.BAT) must be present 30 on a storage media to be compatible with an autostart driver which seeks a file of the second predetermined name DISGO.BAT in accordance with this invention.

Every file having the second predetermined name (such as DISGO.BAT 430 of FIG. 4A) contains a sequence 35 of application start-up instructions to be executed to start an application for using selections encoded in the inserted storage media. In one embodiment of this invention, the file with second predetermined name is executed by a user manually. In another embodiment of this invention, the file with second predetermined name is executed by an autostart driver of a host device.

Application start-up instructions include for example the instruction to (1) start application either from the inserted storage media or alternatively from a remote server's storage media, (2) access a specified location on the inserted storage media, (3) retrieve and display certain selections contained at a location on the storage media, and/or (4) execute certain application instructions located in memory of the host device or in the storage media.

Prior to starting an application, the autostart driver can seek to identify a security key to ensure the authenticity of the storage media and then execute the sequence of application start-up instructions once the security key has been correctly identified. For example, the key could be a uniquely identifiable encoding in the inserted storage media of a copyright notice in file of a first predetermined name (driver 436) such as, DISGOKEY.EXE.

FIG. 5B is a flow chart of an autostart driver 510 running on microcomputer 426 of a host device 420 in accordance with this invention. Autostart driver 510 at first initializes variables in step 511 and goes via branch 512 to step 513. In step
513, autostart driver 510 enables interrupt from removable storage media peripherals. A removable storage media peripheral is any peripheral of a host device into which a storage media can be removably and repeatedly inserted and with drawn, for example drive A, drive B and a CD drive of an IBM PC host device 120.

Then autostart driver 510 goes via branch 514 to step 515. In step 515, autostart driver 510 waits for an interrupt from a removable storage media peripheral. Then on receipt of an interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 516 to decision box 517. In decision box 517 autostart driver 510 checks to see if a file of a first predetermined name DISGOKEY.EXE is accessible from the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt. If DISGOKEY.EXE is not accessible, autostart driver 510 goes via branches 531 and 532 back to step 515 (described above).

If DISGOKEY.EXE is accessible in the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 518 to step 519. In step 519, autostart driver 510 checks to see if a security key is present in a file of a first predetermined name on the storage media. For example, autostart driver 510 opens the file of first predetermined name, DISGOKEY.EXE and compares the bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE with a bitmap locally hard coded in autostart driver 510. Then autostart driver 510 goes via branch 520 to decision box 521.

In decision box 521 autostart driver 510 checks if the bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE was valid. If the bitmap in DISGOKEY.EXE was invalid, autostart driver 510 goes via branches 522 and 532 back to step 515 (described above). Alternatively if DISGOKEY.EXE bitmap is valid, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 523 to decision box 524.

In decision box 524, autostart driver 510 checks to see if a file of a second predetermined name DISGO.BAT is accessible from the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt. If DISGO.BAT is not accessible, autostart driver 510
goes via branches 525 and 532 back to step 515 (described above). If DISGO.BAT is accessible in the removable storage media peripheral which caused the interrupt, autostart driver 510 goes via branch 526 to step 527.

In step 527 autostart driver 510 stores the peripheral name in which DISGO.BAT was found and in which DISGOKEY.EXE was found valid into a variable X. For example, autostart driver 510 can store the drive letter A in variable X if a removable storage media containing DISGO.BAT and a valid DISGOKEY.EXE was inserted in drive A of IBM PC host device 120.

Then autostart driver 510 disables the interrupt that were enabled in step 513. The disabling of interrupts allows autostart driver 510 to execute an application without being interrupted by user insertion of a removable storage media. Then autostart driver 510 goes via branch 528 to step 529. In step 529 autostart driver 510 executes the command X:DISGO.BAT which executes instructions in DISGO.BAT of the removable storage media inserted by a user into the peripheral of host device 120. DISGO.BAT in turn loads into main memory at least a portion of the software of the application encoded on the inserted storage media and then passes control to the application. The application interprets the button codes of the wireless signal transmitted by a user pressing an associated button of a remote control (as described below) in accordance with this invention.

Once the application has terminated, control returns from the application to step 529 of autostart driver 510. Autostart driver 510 goes via branch 530 back to step 513 (described above) which allows autostart driver 510 to continue to be responsive to the insertion of a storage media into a peripheral of host device 120.

In another embodiment of this invention, in step 529, instead of the autostart driver executing the instructions in DISGO.BAT as shown in FIG. 5B, the autostart driver starts up or spawns a new process which executes the instructions in DISGO.BAT.

When autostart driver 510 fails to find a DISGO.BAT or fails to find a DISGOKEY.EXE or if DISGOKEY.EXE bitmap is invalid, autostart driver 510 returns to step 515 (as noted above) so that a user can invoke other applications encoded on a removable storage media in the conventional manner, thus bypassing the automatic startup feature provided by autostart driver 510.

In an alternate embodiment of this invention, an autostart driver 510 skips steps 517, 519 and 521 in which a security key is checked. In such an embodiment, autostart driver 510 goes from step 515 via branch 533 (shown dotted) to step 523.

FIG. 5C shows an alternative embodiment of an autostart driver 540 in accordance with this invention. Autostart driver 540 is similar to autostart driver 510 except that instead of setting up and waiting on interrupts from removable storage media peripherals, autostart driver 540 sets up a timer interrupt and waits on the timer interrupt, thereby periodically checking the peripherals of a host device such as host device 120.

Autostart driver 540 initializes variables in step 541 and goes via branch 542 to step 543. In step 543, autostart driver 540 sets a timer period to one second. Then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 544 to step 545. In step 545 autostart driver 540 enables the timer interrupt.

Then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 546 to step 547. In step 547 autostart driver 540 waits for a timer interrupt. Then autostart driver 540 on receiving an interrupt from the timer (which occurs after one second, the timer period set in step 543) autostart driver 540 goes via branch 548 to step 549. In step 549, autostart driver 540 sets the current peripheral variable to the name of the first removable storage media peripheral in host device 120. Then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 550 to decision box 551. In decision box 551 autostart driver 540 checks to see if the file DISGOKEY.EXE is present in the peripheral having the name in the current peripheral variable. If autostart driver 540 is unsuccessful (either because a storage media is not present in the current peripheral or the file DISGOKEY.EXE is not present in the storage media) then autostart driver 540 goes via branch 552 to decision box 553.

In decision box 553 autostart driver 540 decides whether all removable storage media p