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| FIGURE 1 FIGURE 1 is an illustrative view of the multi-media wireless system 10, hereinafter the “system” of the present invention in use. The system 10 includes a plurality of electronic devices wirelessly connected to one another. A user is able to selectively control any respective one of the electronic devices connected as part of the system 10 using any other electronic device. Each component includes a transceiver for at least one of sending and receiving data signals and command signals. Additionally, each component includes an amplifier for amplifying the received signal and further broadcasting the received signal to at least one other component of the system 10 of the present invention.
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| FIGURE 2 FIGURE 2 is a front view of the audio remote controller of the multi-media
wireless system of the present invention. The remote unit 12 is able to selectively control the system 10 of the present invention. The remote unit 12 is portable and can be easily transported to and from a plurality of locales and is used to control the system 10 from any one of the respective locales. The remote unit includes an IR transmitter 14 and an antenna 16. The remote unit 12 also includes a speaker 18 for outputting sound therefrom. The remote unit 12 further includes a headphone jack 20 and a microphone jack 22. A user can selectively connect headphones to the headphone jack 20 and have audio data output therefrom. A microphone can be selectively connected to the microphone jack 22 for at least one of inputting audio data and inputting instructions for controlling the system 10 of the present invention. Additionally, the remote unit has a microphone 26 positioned on a face side thereof. The user can selectively input instructions via the microphone 26 of the remote unit 12. Cursor buttons 28 are also positioned on a face side of the remote unit 12 and allow the user directional navigation of the system 10 of the present invention. A remote display unit 30 is further included on the remote unit 12. The display unit 30 allows the user to visual see stored data and/or components connected to the system 10. Alternatively, the display screen 30 can display video data thereon.
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| FIGURE 3 FIGURE 3 is a front view of a television remote for use with the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. The television remote 34 of the system 10 of the present invention is able to control audio-visual functions of the system 10. Thus, the video remote 34 is able to control at least one of a television, a DVD player, a VCR and a set-top cable/satellite decoder box.
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| FIGURE 4 FIGURE 4 is a front view of a personal digital assistant remote 50 for use with the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. The PDA remote 50 is able to selectively control the audio and audio-visual data stored in any of the controllers of the system 10 of the present invention.
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| FIGURE 5 FIGURE 5 is a front view of a speaker for use with the multi-media wireless system of the present invention being formed as a sound card. The speaker 64 is one of I/O devices connected to the system. Figure 5 shows only a single speaker 64. However, it is preferable that the system 10 includes a plurality of speakers positioned in different locales. Ideally, there would be at least a pair of speakers 64 in each locale to adequately output audio data therefrom. The speaker includes an IR receiver 72 and an antenna 66. The speaker also includes a power indicator 74, an input port 68 and a power port 70.
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| FIGURE 6 FIGURE 6 is a front view of a television device for use with the multi-media wireless system of the present invention being formed as a sound card. The video controller device 76 as shown in Figure 6 is intended to be connected to a monitor such as a television. The controller 76 includes an IR receiver 80 and an antenna 78. Also included is an input device 82 such as a CD/DVD. The video controller 76 has a storage device and is able to store data therein. The video controller 76 is able to selectively receive instruction signals from any of the remote units discussed hereinabove. The instruction signal is received via IR port 80. The video controller retrieves the stored data and transmits the stored data via the antenna 78 to be output on a respective I/O device connected thereto such as a television and/or speakers. Additionally, the remote unit can direct the video controller 76 to output the data stored on medium received within the input device 82.
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| FIGURE 7 FIGURE 7 is a front view of the audio/visual controller of the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. The A/V controller 86 has a front side 87 and a rear side 89. Positioned on the front side 87 are control buttons 88 for selectively controlling at least one of the controller 86 and at least one external device connected to the controller 86. Also positioned on the front of the A/V controller is a display screen 90 for displaying a visual representation of the data currently being output by the output device connected to the system 10. An IR port 92 for receving instruction signals is positioned on the front side 87. An antenna 100 for selectively broadcasting and receiving content signals therefrom is also positioned on the A/V controller 100.
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| FIGURE 8 FIGURE 8 is a front view of a portable computer controller 106 of the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. The portable computer controller 106 is shown herein as an external device that is selectively connectable to an I/O port on a portable computer via a connection wire 110. Preferably, the connection wire is at least one of a USB wire and a firewire cord. The controller 106 includes an antenna 108 for sending and receiving content and instruction signals therefrom. Upon connection to a portable computer via the connection cord 110, the controller 106 allows a user to access data stored on the portable computer. The user can selectively determine which data is to be made available for navigation by a user using one of the remote units as shown in Figures 2 - 4.
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| FIGURE 9 FIGURE 9 is a front view of the cable/satellite controller 112 of the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. The controller 112 has a front side 113 and a rear side 115. Positioned on the front side 113 is a display screen 114 for displaying a visual representation of the data currently being output by the output device connected to the system 10. An IR port 118 for receiving instruction signals is positioned on the front side 113. An antenna 111 for selectively broadcasting and receiving content signals therefrom is also positioned on the controller 112. The front side 115 further includes a plurality of CD/DVD players 122 for selectively receiving medium having data stored thereon.
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| FIGURE 10 FIGURE 10 is a front view of the card controller 140 of the multi-music wireless system of the present invention being formed as a sound card. The card controller 140 is the controller unit for selectively controlling a desktop computer 138 as shown in Figure 1. The card is selectively inserted into an expansion slot on a motherboard of a computer. The card can be formed as at least one of a PCI and an AGP card for insertion in a respective slot on the motherboard. The card controller 140 includes a transmitter 144 and an antennat 142 for broadcasting and receiving at least one of instruction and content signals therefrom.
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| FIGURE 11 FIGURE 11 is flow diagram of the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. This diagram details how data is selected and then output by the system 10 of the present invention. At step S102, the user uses a remote unit to transmit an instruction signal including a selection. Thereafter, the system determines if the user is in the same room as the controller in step S104. If the user is in the same room as the controller then the process continues at step S108. If however, the user is not in the same room, then step S105 shows that the instruction signal is received by an I/O device, such as speakers and that instruction signal is then amplified and further transmitted to the controller in step S106. Once the signal is received by the controller in step S108, the controller retrieves data as directed by the instruction signal as in step S110. Upon retrieving the data, the data is transmitted as a content signal to a desired I/O device such as speaker as shown in step S112. The content signal is then received by an I/O device and a determination is made as to whether the desired I/O device has received the desired data as shown in step S113. If the desired I/O device received the content signal containing the desired data, then the data is output by the device as in step S116. If the I/O device that received the content signal is not the desired device, then the process continues at step S114. The content signal is then further transmitted to the desired I/O device and the data contained in the content signal is output as in step S116. The system then determines if additional data is to be retrieved and output by the system in step S118. If not, the system ends at step S120. If the user desires to select additional data, the process begins again at step S102.
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| FIGURE 12 FIGURE 12 is block diagram of the multi-media wireless system of the present invention. Figure 12 shows the internal circuitry present in any one of the controllers described in Figures 5 - 9 hereinabove. The controller includes a processor 78 for controlling operation thereof. Input 22, storage device 80 and a transceiver 82 are connected to the processor 78. Also connected to the processor 78 are a plurality of output devices 99. The output devices 99 are also connected to the transceiver 82. The output devices include a first output 150 having a first switch 152, a second output 154 having a second switch 156, a third output 158 having a third switch 160 and a fourth output 162 having a fourth switch 164.
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