Remote control with programmable button labeling and labeling display upon button actuation

摘要

A universal remote control includes a display that is partitioned into a button touch-screen portion and a message area. The button touch-screen portion includes pre-determined or etched areas defining a plurality of buttons and a given number of pre-determined labels for each button. The message area includes individual pixels (i.e. a dot matrix) that allow the display of messages, labels or the like such as text. Activation of a touch-screen button having a message or label associated therewith causes the message or label to be displayed in the message area of the display. The remote control is customizable by the user. The user can configure a label for a particular button to suit the user's preference(s). This is especially useful for "learning remotes" where the function "learned" (stored) with respect to a particular button or key may bear no relationship to the label printed or available for that button. Now the user can create a custom label that is displayed in a message area of the remote.