Control device having integrated mouse and remote control capabilities

• US 20050078087A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Jeremy K., Gates, Stephen Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/63 Redundant transmissions

Abstract

A controlling device for operating a PC and one or more home appliances. The described controlling device has integrated mouse and remote control functions, and may be configured to automatically detect whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control. For effective operation in both control modes, the controlling device includes both RF and IR transmitters, and is configured to transition between these transmission mediums based on the detection of whether the controlling device is being used as a mouse or as a remote control.

Claims

1. A controlling device for controlling a PC and one or more home appliances, the controlling device comprising;

a wireless transmitter for sending control data to the PC and one or more home appliances;

a sensor for activating a first control mode and a second control mode based on interaction of the control device with a surface; and

a user interface for at least partially enabling the first control mode and the second control mode;

wherein the controlling device transmits signals via the wireless transmitter to control the PC in the first control mode and transmits signals via the wireless transmitter to control the one or more home appliances in the second mode.

2. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a first wireless transmitter and a second wireless transmitter, the first wireless transmitter being associated with the first control mode and the second wireless transmitter being associated with the second control mode.

3. The controlling device as recited in claim 2, wherein the first wireless transmitter is an RF wireless transmitter.

4. The controlling device as recited in claim 2, wherein the second wireless transmitter is an IR wireless transmitter.

5. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device is automatically configured to operate in the first control mode based on user interaction with the controlling device.

6. The controlling device as recited in claim 5, wherein the user interaction comprises causing the sensor of the controlling device to interact with the surface.

7. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device is automatically configured to operate in the second control mode based on user interaction with the controlling device.

8. The controlling device as recited in claim 7, wherein the user interaction comprises causing the sensor of the controlling device to be removed from the surface.

9. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor additionally provides for a determination of whether the controlling device is being used to interact with a surface, or has been removed from the surface.

10. The controlling device as recited in claim 9, wherein the determination that the controlling device is being used to interact with a surface causes activation of the first control mode.

11. The controlling device as recited in claim 9, wherein the determination that the controlling device has been removed from the surface causes activation of the second control mode.

12. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a button based user interface.

13. The controlling device as recited in claim 12, wherein the button based user interface comprises at least one hard button.

14. The controlling device as recited in claim 12, wherein the button based user interface comprises an EL panel.

15. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor for activating a first control mode additionally functions to at least partially enable the first control mode.

16. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first control mode is a mouse based control mode.

17. The controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second control mode is a remote control based control mode.

18. A controlling device for controlling first and second appliances, the controlling device comprising;

a transmitter for sending control data signals; and

a sensor for determining a position of the controlling device relative to a surface;

wherein the controlling device is configured to automatically switch between a first control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals via the transmitter to control functions of the first appliance and a second control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals via the transmitter to control functions of the second appliance as a function of the position of the controlling device relative to the surface as determined using the sensor.

19. The controlling device as recited in claim 18, wherein the first appliance is a PC.

20. The controlling device as recited in claim 19, wherein at least some of the control signals transmitted in the first control mode function to move a PC cursor.

21. The controlling device as recited in claim 20, wherein at least one of the control signals transmitted in the second mode functions to move a PC cursor.

22. A method for using a controlling device to command functions of first and second appliances, comprising:

determining a position of the controlling device relative to a surface; and

automatically causing the controlling device to toggle between a first control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals to control functions of the first appliance and a second control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals to control functions of the second appliance as a function of the determined position of the controlling device relative to the surface.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, comprising using a sensor to determine the position of the controlling device relative to the surface.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, comprising using the sensor to determine x-y movement of the controlling device relative to the surface and transmitting control data signals in the first control mode that are indicative of the x-y movement.

25. For use in a controlling device, a readable media having instructions for using the controlling device to command functions of first and second appliances, the instructions performing steps comprising:

determining a position of the controlling device relative to a surface; and

automatically causing the controlling device to toggle between a first control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals to control functions of the first appliance and a second control mode wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit control data signals to control functions of the second appliance as a function of the determined position of the controlling device relative to the surface.

26. The readable media as recited in claim 25, wherein the instructions cause periodic activation of a sensor to determine the position of the controlling device relative to the surface.

27. The readable media as recited in claim 26, wherein the instructions use signals from the sensor to determine x-y movement of the controlling device relative to the surface and cause control data signals to be transmitted in the first control mode that are indicative of the x-y movement.

28. The readable media as recited in claim 27, wherein the controlling device comprises a graphical user interface having activatable elements for causing control data signals to be transmitted in the second control mode and wherein the instructions cause the graphical user interface to be hidden when the controlling device is in the first control mode.