Remote control system, and display device and electronic device using the remote control system

• US 20070080940A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hisakawa, Kohji, Aoki, Fumihiko
• Application Number:
  US11/544,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen
• 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: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo

Abstract

One embodiment of a remote control system according to the invention includes: a remote control transmitter including a light-emitting element control unit that emits light-emitting element that emit position detection light signals; a remote control receiver including a light-reception signal processing unit that detects position detection reception signals from the position detection light signals, an output detection unit that performs waveform conversion on the position detection reception signals to obtain output signals as position detection output signals, and an arithmetic processing unit that calculates a displacement of the remote control transmitter in a first axis direction and a second axis direction based on an amplitude correlation of output signals; and a cursor control unit that controls the position of the cursor based on the displacement of the remote control transmitter in the first axis direction and the displacement of the remote control transmitter in the second axis direction.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control transmitter including a position detection light-emission unit that emits position detection light signals;

a remote control receiver including a light-reception signal processing unit that detects position detection reception signals from the position detection light signals that are received, and a displacement detection unit that detects a displacement of the remote control transmitter based on the position detection reception signals; and

a cursor control unit that controls a position of a cursor displayed on a display screen,

wherein the position detection light-emission unit comprises;

a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element that are arranged symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the remote control transmitter in a first axis direction;

a third light-emitting element and a fourth light-emitting element that are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis in a second axis direction that intersects the first axis direction; and

a light-emitting element control unit that successively drives the first light-emitting element to the fourth light-emitting element through pulse position modulation by a time division driving system so as to successively emit a first light signal to a fourth light signal as the position detection light signals,

the light-reception signal processing unit detects a first reception signal to a fourth reception signal corresponding respectively to the first light signal to the fourth light signal as the position detection reception signals,

the displacement detection unit comprises;

an output detection unit that performs waveform conversion on the position detection reception signals to obtain a first output signal to a fourth output signal as position detection output signals corresponding respectively to the first reception signal to the fourth reception signal; and

an arithmetic processing unit that calculates a displacement of the remote control transmitter in the first axis direction based on an amplitude correlation between the first output signal and the second output signal, and calculates a displacement of the remote control transmitter in the second axis direction based on an amplitude correlation between the third output signal and the fourth output signal, and

the cursor control unit controls the position of the cursor based on the displacement of the remote control transmitter in the first axis direction and the displacement of the remote control transmitter in the second axis direction.

2. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the position detection light-emission unit comprises a start signal light-emitting element that emits a detection start light signal indicating start of a light-emission cycle of the position detection light signals.

3. The remote control system according to claim 2,

wherein the arithmetic processing unit comprises a header detection unit that detects a detection start output signal corresponding to the detection start light signal and specifies the first output signals to the fourth output signal.

4. The remote control system according to claim 2,

wherein a light-emission pulse width of the first light signal to the fourth light signal and a light- emission pulse width of the detection start light signal are different from each other.

5. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element have light axes that are inclined to opposite sides with respect to the central axis, and the third light-emitting element and the fourth light-emitting element have light axes that are inclined to opposite sides with respect to the central axis.

6. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the displacement of the remote control transmitter is a swing angle of the remote control transmitter.

7. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the output detection unit performs waveform conversion on the first reception signal to the fourth reception signal to obtain envelope waveforms of the first reception signal to the fourth reception signal as the first output signal to the fourth output signal.

8. The remote control system according to claim 7, comprising:

a noise filter that removes high-frequency noise contained in the envelope waveforms of the first output signal to the fourth output signal.

9. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the light-reception signal processing unit comprises an amplifier whose gain is adjusted by a gain adjustment circuit.

10. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the amplitude correlation is an amplitude ratio.

11. The remote control system according to claim 10,

wherein the amplitude ratio, a swing angle of the remote control transmitter, and position information specifying the position of the cursor correspond to one another.

12. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the amplitude correlation is a logarithm of an amplitude ratio.

13. The remote control system according to claim 12,

wherein the logarithm of the amplitude ratio, a swing angle of the remote control transmitter, and position information specifying the position of the cursor correspond to one another.

14. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the amplitude correlation is a linear approximation of a logarithm of an amplitude ratio.

15. The remote control system according to claim 14,

wherein the logarithm of the amplitude ratio, a swing angle of the remote control transmitter, and position information specifying the position of the cursor correspond to one another based on an approximating straight line obtained by the linear approximation.

16. The remote control system according to claim 11,

wherein the position information is set corresponding to a variation in the swing angle.

17. The remote control system according to claim 11,

wherein at least two types of position information, namely coarse adjustment position information for moving the cursor in a large amount and fine adjustment position information for moving the cursor in a small amount, are set as the position information of the cursor.

18. The remote control system according to claim 17,

wherein the fine adjustment position information is used after using the coarse adjustment position information.

19. The remote control system according to claim 18,

wherein switching between the coarse adjustment position information and the fine adjustment position information is carried out by changing an emission pattern of light signals constituted by the position detection light signals and the detection start light signal that are emitted from the position detection light-emission unit.

24. The remote control system according to claim 1, comprising:

a light-emission control button that controls an on/off operation of the light-emitting element control unit,

wherein the position detection light signals are emitted when the light-emission control button is pressed, emission of the position detection light signals is suspended when pressure is released from the light-emission control button, and the position of the cursor is determined when a non-detection state of the position detection output signals has continued for a predetermined time period.

25. The remote control system according to claim 1, comprising:

a light-emission control button that controls an on/off operation of the light-emitting element control unit,

wherein the position detection light signals are switched between emission and non-emission states each time the light-emission control button is pressed, and the position of the cursor is determined when a non-detection state of the position detection output signals has continued for a predetermined time period.

28. The remote control system according to claim 24,

wherein the light-emission control button is constituted by a spring-loaded slide switch.

29. The remote control system according to claim 24,

wherein the light-emission control button is constituted by a touch activated switch.

30. The remote control system according to claim 24,

wherein the light-emission control button is constituted by a pressure sensor.

31. The remote control system according to claim 24,

wherein the light-emission control button is constituted by a wired switch that is connected to the remote control transmitter by wire.

32. The remote control system according to claim 24,

wherein the light-emission control button is constituted by a trigger of a remote control transmitter having a pistol shape.

33. The remote control system according to claim 1,

wherein the remote control system is placed on a support table that rotatably supports the remote control transmitter.

34. The remote control system according to claim 2,

wherein the transmitter comprises a command button for controlling emission of a command optical code signal, and the command optical code signal is emitted from at least one of the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element, the third light-emitting element, the fourth light-emitting element, and the start signal light-emitting element.

35. The remote control system according to claim 1, comprising:

a distance measuring means that measures a communication distance between the transmitter and the receiver,

wherein the position of the cursor is controlled using a measured communication distance.

36. A display device in which a cursor displayed on a display screen is controlled by a remote control system,

wherein the remote control system is the remote control system according to claim 1.

37. An electronic device comprising a drag and drop function of dragging and dropping an icon displayed on a monitor screen while the icon is selected by a pointer, using a remote operation device (using the remote control system according to claim 1), thereby executing an application corresponding to the dropped icon in a predetermined mode,

wherein one or a plurality of content icons and device icons are displayed on the monitor screen, and an arbitrary content icon is dragged and dropped onto an arbitrary device icon, thereby executing an application corresponding to the device icon in a predetermined mode.

40. The electronic device according to claim 37,

wherein the remote operation device comprises a light-emission unit that emits as output a position detection light signal, a light-receiving unit that receives as input the position detection light signal and obtains a position signal from a detected light-reception signal is provided at the body of the electronic device, and the drag and drop operation is performed by moving the pointer on the monitor screen vertically and laterally by moving the remote operation device itself vertically and laterally.

41. The electronic device according to claim 40,

wherein a movement direction of the remote operation device is detected based on a reception amount of the position detection light signal.

42. The electronic device according to claim 40,

wherein the pointer is moved by a minimum movement amount by swinging the remote operation device back and forth once.

43. The electronic device according to claim 41,

wherein by holding the remote operation device inclined in a swung direction for a fixed time period, the pointer is continuously moved in the inclined direction.

44. The electronic device according to claim 40,

wherein a lever that can be tilted forward or backward and can be pressed down at a right angle is provided in the remote operation device, a center of enlargement is specified by pressing the lever down at a right angle, and then a screen display is enlarged or reduced by tilting the lever forward or backward.

45. The electronic device according to claim 44,

wherein a device to be operated is switched using the lever.

46. The electronic device according to claim 44,

wherein an operation menu screen for a device to be operated is switched using the lever.

47. The electronic device according to claim 40,

wherein a cross-shaped key for inputting a vertical command and a lateral command is provided in the remote operation device, and a screen display is enlarged or reduced by pressing an up key or a down key of the cross-shaped key.

51. The electronic device according to any of claim 37,

wherein the remote operation device is the remote control system.

20. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control transmitter including a position detection light-emission unit that emits position detection light signals;

a remote control receiver including a light-reception signal processing unit that detects position detection reception signals from the position detection light signals that are received, and a displacement detection unit that detects a displacement of the remote control transmitter based on the position detection reception signals; and

a cursor control unit that controls a cursor displayed on a display screen by coarse adjustment and fine adjustment,

wherein the coarse adjustment is carried out based on the displacement of the remote control transmitter, and,

after a fine adjustment optical code signal as position information for finely adjusting a position of the cursor is transmitted from a fine adjustment alternative signal generating means included in the remote control transmitter to the remote control receiver, the fine adjustment is carried out based on the fine adjustment optical code signal received by the remote control receiver.

21. The remote control system according to claim 20,

wherein the fine adjustment alternative signal generating means is operated with a cross-shaped key.

22. The remote control system according to claim 20,

wherein the fine adjustment alternative signal generating means is operated with a capacitance touch pad.

23. The remote control system according to claim 20,

wherein a function of the coarse adjustment is disabled when the fine adjustment alternative signal generating means is operated.

26. The remote control system according to claim 20, comprising:

a light-emission control button that controls an on/off operation of the light-emitting element control unit,

wherein the position detection light signals are emitted when the light-emission control button is pressed, emission of the position detection light signals is suspended when pressure is released from the light-emission control button, and the fine adjustment alternative signal generating means is enabled when a non-detection state of the position detection output signals has continued for a predetermined time period.

27. The remote control system according to claim 20, comprising:

a light-emission control button that controls an on/off operation of the light-emitting element control unit,

wherein the position detection light signals are switched between emission and non-emission states each time the light-emission control button is pressed, and the fine adjustment alternative signal generating means is enabled when a non-detection state of the position detection output signals has continued for a predetermined time period.

38. An electronic device comprising a drag and drop function of dragging and dropping an icon displayed on a monitor screen while the icon is selected by a pointer, using a remote operation device, thereby executing an application corresponding to the dropped icon in a predetermined mode,

wherein one or a plurality of content icons, device icons and operation icons, and setting fields for the icons are displayed on the monitor screen, and an arbitrary content icon is dragged and dropped onto the corresponding setting field, an arbitrary device icon is dragged and dropped into the corresponding setting field, and an arbitrary operation icon is dragged and dropped onto the corresponding setting field, thereby executing an application corresponding to the icons that are set.

39. An electronic device comprising a drag and drop function of dragging and dropping an icon displayed on a monitor screen while the icon is selected by a pointer, using a remote operation device, thereby executing an application corresponding to the dropped icon in a predetermined mode,

wherein one or a plurality of content icons and household appliance icons are displayed on the monitor screen, and, when a household appliance icon is selected, locations in which a household appliance corresponding to said household appliance icon is installed are displayed on a floor plan on the monitor screen, and a desired location of the household appliance is selected from said locations.

48. An electronic device comprising a remote operation device that emits as output various light signals from a light-emission unit,

wherein a light-reception detection unit that receives the light signals and detects a change in a light reception amount, and, in a state in which a television broadcasting signal is received and displayed on a monitor screen, a received channel is switched up/down based on a change in a reception light amount detected by the light-reception detection unit by swinging the remote operation device in either a lateral direction or a vertical direction, and volume is turned up/down based on a change in a light reception amount detected by the light-reception detection unit by swinging the remote operation device in the other direction different from said direction.

49. An electronic device comprising a remote operation device that emits as output various light signals from a light-emission unit,

wherein a light-reception detection unit that receives the light signals and detects a change in a light reception amount, and a method for operating a screen is switched based on a change in a light reception amount detected by the light-reception detection unit by swinging the remote operation device forward and backward.

50. An electronic device that can control a camera device and comprises a remote operation device that emits as output various light signals from a light-emission unit,

wherein a light-reception detection unit that receives the light signals and detects a change in a light reception amount, and an orientation of the camera device is moved in a lateral direction or a vertical direction based on a change in a light reception amount detected by the light-reception detection unit by swinging the remote operation device in the lateral or the vertical direction.