Remote control with touchpad and method

• US 20060119585A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Skinner, David Norton
• Application Number:
  US11/006,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119585A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/22 Remote control device controlling cursor and/or including a cursor detecting device
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 9/00 Remote-control of tuned circuits; Combined remote-control of tuning and other functions, e.g. brightness, amplification mechanical remote-control arrangements H03J1/00 ; using a microprocessor H03J1/0025; constructional details of remote control switching devices H01H9/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A remote control facilitates the visual indication of the position of an instrument on a touchpad by an external display device. The remote control includes a touchpad that produces a signal responsive to being touched by an instrument, a decoder that decodes the signal and that provides a position signal indicating instrument position on the touchpad, and a transmitter that transmits a coded signal to an external display device. The coded signal facilitates a visual indication of the instrument touchpad position by the external display device.

Claims

1. A remote control comprising:

a touchpad that produces a signal responsive to being touched by an instrument;

a decoder that decodes the signal and that provides a position signal indicating instrument position on the touchpad; and

a transmitter that transmits a coded signal to an external display device,

the coded signal facilitating a visual indication of the instrument touched position by the external display device.

2. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the remote control includes at least one key switch that enables menu selection corresponding to instrument touchpad position.

3. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the transmitter continuously transmits the coded signal responsive to movement of the instrument across the touchpad.

4. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the decoder comprises a processor.

5. The remote control of claim 1 further comprising a coder that provides the transmitter with the coded signal responsive to the position signal.

6. The remote control of claim 5 wherein the coder comprises a processor.

7. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is an infra-red transmitter.

8. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter.

9. A remote control comprising:

a touchpad that produces a signal responsive to being touched by an instrument;

a decoder that decodes the signal and that provides a position signal indicating instrument position on the touchpad;

a coder that generates a coded signal responsive to the position signal; and

a transmitter that transmits the coded signal to an external display.

10. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the remote control includes at least one key switch that enables menu selection corresponding to a given instrument touchpad position.

11. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the transmitter continuously transmits the coded signal responsive to movement of the instrument across the touchpad.

12. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the decoder comprises a processor.

13. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the transmitter is an infra-red transmitter.

14. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter.

15. The remote control of claim 9 wherein the codes comprises a processor.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a touchpad signal;

decoded the touchpad signal to provide a position dependent signal;

generating a coded position indicating signal response to the position dependent signal; and

transmitting the position indicating signal to a display device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting an infra-red signal.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting a radio frequency signal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitting step includes continuously transmitting the position indicating signal as long as the position dependent signal is changing.