US 2,002,151,327 · Filed 2001-12-20

The PDA Remote Control That Predicted Your Netflix Habit

Imagine holding a single device that could control your TV, stereo, or DVD player AND show you what's playing right now — all wirelessly, with a simple one-handed interface. This patent describes exactly that: turning your handheld PDA or early cell phone into a universal remote that learns what you like and suggests shows or songs you'd actually want to watch.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a handheld device system that wirelessly communicates with media players (like TVs or CD players), receives program and content information over the internet or network, and displays personalized media directories on its screen. What's protected here is the combination of one-handed control buttons, the ability to mute or navigate content without a stylus or touchscreen, and the system's capacity to learn from your viewing history to customize what content gets shown to you.

Why it matters

This patent captures the moment when personal devices started becoming universal remote controls—a category that exploded when smartphones arrived. The insight here was recognizing that people wanted a single handheld gadget to rule all their entertainment, not a pile of different remotes. The personalization angle (learning what you like and surfing content based on that) prefigures how streaming services like Netflix and Spotify would later dominate entertainment discovery.

Real-world use

Today, when you use your phone to control your smart TV or ask Alexa what's playing, you're using the exact concept this patent protected: a handheld device talking wirelessly to entertainment hardware and showing you tailored content choices.

Original USPTO abstract

A custom handheld system, or system to adapt a personal mobile computing device, such as a handheld Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone, to enable a user to enact and review media choices through wireless control of media-playing devices by the handheld device, and to present media directories on its display. Access to information that enables content directory choices, such as TV program schedule items or CD music track titles, is provided through the native Internet, modem, or other network connectivity of the handheld device. The system provides for uniform interfaces for control and content choices on different media player devices, and provides ways to use the limited handheld device's physical button interfaces to enable audio muting and personalized content surfing with one hand, without requiring use of the handheld device's stylus or touch sensitive display screen. The handheld directories may present personalized views of media choices based on a user's past choices, other profile elements, and information from networked and Internet databases.

Patent details

Publication number: US 2,002,151,327
Filing date: 2001-12-20
Grant date: Application — not yet granted
Assignee: David Levitt
Inventor(s): LEVITT DAVID
CPC class: H04N21/43615

View original record on Google Patents →

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