User interface for a remote control application

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device having a remote control application user interface that functions to displays operational mode information to a user. The graphical user interface may be used, for example, to setup the remote control application to control appliances for one or more users in one or more rooms, to perform activities, and to access favorites. The remote control application is also adapted to be upgradeable. Furthermore, the remote control application provides for the sharing of operational mode information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A readable media having instructions for displaying capabilities of a hand-held device used to remotely control the operation of different types of devices of different manufacturers, the instructions performing steps comprising:
 displaying a representation of a soft key with a first appearance indicative of a state wherein the hand held device needs to be setup to perform a function in response to activation of the soft key; and   displaying the representation of the soft key with a second appearance indicative of a state wherein the hand held device is setup to perform the function in response to activation of the soft key.   
     
     
         2 . The readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second appearance comprises the first appearance with an overlay removed. 
     
     
         3 . The readable media as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the overlay comprises an image of a wrench. 
     
     
         4 . The readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein activation of the soft key places the remote control in a mode to effect control of a specific one of the types of devices. 
     
     
         5 . The readable media as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the soft key is setup by specifying one of the different manufacturers of the specific one of the types of devices. 
     
     
         6 . The readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein activation of the soft key causes the transmission of commands to cause one of the different types of devices to tune to a favorite channel. 
     
     
         7 . The readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the soft key is setup by specifying one of the different manufacturers of the specific one of the types of devices and a tuning location of the favorite channel. 
     
     
         8 . The readable media as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying an add icon the activation of which is used to add a representation of a second soft key which is required to be setup. 
     
     
         9 . The readable media as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the add icon is used to add a representation of a mode of operation of the hand-held device. 
     
     
         10 . The readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein activation of the soft key having the first appearance automatically invokes a setup wizard. 
     
     
         11 . A readable media having instructions for displaying information to a user of a hand-held device, the instructions performing steps comprising:
 displaying to the user a plurality of iconic representations of sources of programming each having mapped thereto a channel number such that selection of one of the iconic representations causes the hand-held device to transmit a command to cause a home appliance to tune to the channel mapped to the selected iconic representation; and   using an electronic program guide downloaded to the hand-held device to automatically update the mapping between the channel numbers and the iconic representations in the hand-held device such that the mapping of the channel numbers to the iconic representations within the hand-held device correspond to an assignment of channel numbers to sources of programs with the electronic program guide.