Viewing Next-generation Universal Remote From A User-activity Perspective

This paper presents a set of attributes that can be used to describe a possible design and func t ion space f o r n e x t g e n e r a t i o n u n i v e r s a l remote contro ls . Possible new classes of such remotes are examined usi n g user-activities as a basis to consider upcoming paradigm s h f t s , smartness , programmability, pointof-entry, decoupled smartness , and other aspects of T V v i e w i n g related ac t iv i t ies . Examples inc lude personal remotes , integrated electronic organizers and remote controllers, active remotes, multi-modal remote controllers, and remotes that “listen” as well as ”talk.”