1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for use in or with a mobile device to remotely control one or more controllable devices.
2. Information
Wireless communication systems are fast becoming one of the most prevalent technologies in the digital information arena. Satellite and cellular telephone services and other like wireless communication networks may already span the entire globe. Additionally, new wireless systems (e.g., networks) of various types and sizes are added each day to provide connectivity among a plethora of devices, both fixed and portable. Many of these wireless systems are coupled together through other communication systems and resources to promote even more communication and sharing of information.
Advanced applications for mobile devices (e.g., cellular phones, PDAs, notebook computers, remote controls for entertainment systems, etc.) have been used for providing commands to a controllable device through some type of communication link. Typically, buttons and/or an interface may receive selections from a user to provide commands to a controllable device. Such commands may affect the operation of the controllable device in some fashion (e.g., turn on or off, increase or decrease volume of a home entertainment system, affecting room lighting, thermostatic controls, etc.).
A user typically provides inputs to a mobile device by pressing buttons, interacting with a touch screen. For example, while activating a particular application on a mobile device, a user may select an icon representative of a particular device to be controlled, and then provide inputs to the mobile device via buttons and/or a touch screen. Such action may be distracting and time consuming for a user.