HAND HELD REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE HAVING AN IMPROVED USER INTERFACE

摘要

A user interface (12) for displaying graphical operational mode information to a user of a universal remote control (10). The user interface (12) displays to the user in a circular queue arrangement iconic representations of every hom e appliance, which the universal remote control (10) is setup to control. The user may then interact with the user interface (12) to select an iconic representation of the one of the home appliances, which the user desires to control. In response to this selection, the user interface (12) will display the iconic representation of the home appliances such that the iconic representation of the home appliance indicated by the user is moved to a predetermined position in the circular queue arrangement relative to the remaining iconic representations and/or is given an appearance distinct from the appearance of the remaining iconic representations within the circular queue arrangement. In this manner, the user interface (12) indicates to the user the current operational mode of the universal remote control(10).