Spatial Interaction System

• US 20070252721A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pace Micro Technology Ltd. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Geurts, Lucas
• Application Number:
  US11/569,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote control device and a computer program product for control of a plurality of consumer-electronic devices. The remote control device comprises a user interface and means for determining an orientation of the remote control device relative to at least one of the consumer-electronic devices. The remote control device further comprises means for adapting the user interface based on said orientation of the remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote control device for controlling a plurality of consumer-electronic devices, the device comprising:

a user interface;

means for determining an orientation of the remote control device relative to at least one consumer-electronic device; and

means for adapting the user interface on the basis of said orientation of the remote control device.

2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that if further comprises means for identifying a specific one of the consumer-electronic devices on the basis of said orientation of the remote control device and presenting controls of said specific one consumer-electronic device on a display screen of said user interface.

3. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the means for determining the orientation of the remote control device relative to at least one consumer-electronic device is capable of determining a position and a reference orientation of the remote control device and a position of said at least one consumer-electronic device.

4. The device of claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for compiling and presenting an interactive map of the plurality of consumer-electronic devices on a display screen of said user interface on the basis of said orientation of the remote control device.

5. The device of claim 4, characterized in that the interactive map is further based on a position of at least one consumer-electronic device.

6. The device of claim 4, characterized in that at least one consumer-electronic device is represented by a picture of said at least one consumer-electronic device.

7. The device of claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises:

means for presenting a graphical representation of a media content item at an initial position on said interactive map;

means for giving said graphical representation of a media content item a simulated movement towards a graphical representation of a particular consumer-electronic device; and

means for directing a physical representation of said media content item towards said particular consumer-electronic device.

8. The device of claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises means for presenting a user interface on said display screen for controlling said particular consumer-electronic device, when said media content item is accepted by said particular consumer-electronic device.

9. The device of claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises means for returning said graphical representation of said media content item to said initial position, when said media content item is rejected by said consumer-electronic device.

10. A computer program, which is stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for allowing a programmable device to function as the remote control device of claim 1.

11. A computer program product, which is directly loadable into the internal memory of a programmable device and comprises a computer program for allowing the programmable device to function as the remote control device of claim 1.