Systems, methods, and media for providing an enhanced remote control having multiple modes

• US 10,126,840 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chandel, Alok, Laligand, Pierre-Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Alunkal, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/682,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20170344132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for providing a multipurpose remote control are provided. In some implementations, a system for controlling a media device is provided, the system comprising: a hardware processor connected to a touch sensor, a directional input region, and a motion sensor, wherein the hardware processor is configured to: detect that the touch sensor is activated for a predetermined period of time; and upon detecting that the touch sensor has been activated for the predetermined period of time, switching from a first mode to a second mode, wherein: the first mode comprises controlling a highlighted region displayed on the media device in response to an input provided on the directional input region and selecting an item corresponding to the highlighted region in response to depression of the touch sensor; and the second mode comprises controlling a position of a cursor displayed on the media device in response to an output of the motion sensor, selecting an item corresponding to the position of the cursor in response to depression of the touch sensor, and inhibiting the display of the highlighted region.

Claims

1. A remote control device for controlling a media device, the remote control device comprising:

a hardware processor that is configured to;

detect that a touch sensor connected to the hardware processor is activated for a predetermined period of time; and

in response to detecting that the touch sensor has been activated for the predetermined period of time, switch from a first mode to a second mode, wherein;

the first mode comprises deactivating a motion sensor that detects movement of the remote control device and controlling a highlighted region displayed on the media device in response to an input provided via a depressible directional input region disposed around a periphery of the touch sensor; and

the second mode comprises replacing the highlighted region from the first mode with a cursor, activating the motion sensor and controlling a position of the cursor in response to motion information detected by the motion sensor.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor and the directional input region are disposed at a surface of the remote control device.

3. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the first mode further comprises causing an item corresponding to the highlighted region to be selected in response to providing an indication via the touch sensor.

4. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the second mode further comprises causing the cursor that was not displayed in the first mode to be displayed on the media device and causing an item corresponding to the position of the cursor to be selected in response to providing an indication via the touch sensor.

5. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect a signal from the touch sensor that is indicative of a presence of a conductor in proximity to a surface of the touch sensor.

6. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor further comprises a plurality of touch sensitive detectors, and wherein the hardware processor is further configured to control a page displayed by the media device in response to receiving one or more signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensitive detectors indicative of motion relative to one or more of the plurality of touch sensitive detectors.

7. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the second mode further comprises controlling a position of a viewport displayed on the media device in response to receiving one or more signals indicative of an input provided on the directional input region.

8. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the second mode further comprises detecting that the touch sensor is not activated for a second predetermined period of time, and wherein the hardware processor is further configured to switch from the second mode to the first mode in response to detecting that the touch sensor has not been activated for the second predetermined period of time.

9. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the first mode further comprises detecting a predetermined motion in response to receiving one or more signals from the motion sensor, and wherein the hardware processor is further configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode in response to detecting the predetermined motion.

10. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the second mode further comprises controlling a position of a selected item displayed on the media device to coincide with the position of the cursor displayed on the media device in response to detecting continued depression of the touch sensor.

11. A method for controlling a media device, the method comprising:

detecting, using a hardware processor of a remote control device, that a touch sensor connected to the hardware processor is activated for a predetermined period of time; and

in response to detecting that the touch sensor has been activated for the predetermined period of time, switching from a first mode to a second mode, wherein;

the first mode comprises deactivating a motion sensor that detects movement of the remote control device and controlling a highlighted region displayed on the media device in response to an input provided via a depressible directional input region disposed around a periphery of the touch sensor; and

the second mode comprises replacing the highlighted region from the first mode with a cursor, activating the motion sensor and controlling a position of the cursor in response to motion information detected by the motion sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor and the directional input region are disposed at a surface of the remote control device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first mode further comprises causing an item corresponding to the highlighted region to be selected in response to providing an indication via the touch sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second mode further comprises causing the cursor that was not displayed in the first mode to be displayed on the media device and causing an item corresponding to the position of the cursor to be selected in response to providing an indication via the touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting that the touch sensor is activated further comprises detecting a signal from the touch sensor that is indicative of a presence of a conductor in proximity to a surface of the touch sensor.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a signal indicative of motion across one or more of a plurality of touch sensitive detectors; and

causing a page displayed by the media device to be changed in response to the hardware processor detecting the signal indicative of motion across one or more of the plurality of touch sensitive detectors.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second mode further comprises causing a position of a viewport displayed by the media device to be controlled in response to the hardware processor receiving one or more signals indicative of a directional input.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the second mode further comprises detecting that the touch sensor is not activated for a second predetermined period of time, and switching from the second mode to the first mode in response to detecting that the touch sensor has not been activated for the second predetermined period of time.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first mode further comprises detecting a predetermined motion in response to receiving one or more signals from the motion sensor, and switching from the first mode to the second mode in response to detecting the predetermined motion.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the second mode further comprises causing a position of a selected item displayed by the media device to coincide with the position of the cursor displayed by the media device in response to the hardware processor detecting a signal indicative of continued selection of the touch sensor.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling a media device, the method comprising:

detecting that a touch sensor connected to the hardware processor is activated for a predetermined period of time; and

in response to detecting that the touch sensor has been activated for the predetermined period of time, switching from a first mode to a second mode, wherein;

the first mode comprises deactivating a motion sensor that detects movement of the remote control device and controlling a highlighted region displayed on the media device in response to an input provided via a depressible directional input region disposed around a periphery of the touch sensor; and

the second mode comprises replacing the highlighted region from the first mode with a cursor, activating the motion sensor and controlling a position of the cursor in response to motion information detected by the motion sensor.