SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLIANCE CONTROL VIA A PERSONAL COMMUNICATION OR ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE

• US 20090239587A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Negron, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices

Abstract

A system for use in controlling operating functions of a controllable device includes a hand-held device and an intermediate device in communication with the hand-held device and the controllable device. The hand-held device is adapted to receive a gesture based input and to transmit a signal having data representative of the gesture based input. The intermediate device has programming for translating the data representative of the gesture based input in a signal received from the hand-held device into a command signal to be communicated to the controllable device wherein the command signal has a format appropriate for controlling an operating function of the controllable device that is associated with the gesture based input.

Claims

1. A system for use in controlling operating functions of a controllable device, comprising:

a hand-held device adapted to receive a gesture based input and having programming for transmitting a signal having data representative of the gesture based input; and

an intermediate device in communication with the hand-held device and the controllable device, the intermediate device having programming for translating the data representative of the gesture based input in a signal received from the hand-held device into a command signal to be communicated to the controllable device wherein the command signal has a format appropriate for controlling an operating function of the controllable device that is associated with the gesture based input.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate device has a memory in which is stored code data for commanding operations of plural different types of devices and wherein the programming uses the code data to generate the command signal to be communicated to the controllable device.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the code data is selected from a library of code data pre-stored in the memory.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the code data is downloaded from a network server device and then stored in the memory.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held device comprises a touch screen interface and the gesture based input comprises a sensed interaction with the touch screen interface.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the gesture based input comprises a sensed swiping motion on the touch screen interface.

7. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the gesture based input comprises a sensed, plural, simultaneous touching on the touch screen interface.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the gesture based input comprises a sensed, simultaneous swiping motion and touching on the touch screen interface.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held device comprises an accelerometer and the gesture based input comprises a movement of the hand-held device sensed via the accelerometer.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming of the intermediate device functions to transmit to the hand-held device a status signal having data indicative of a status of the intermediate device resulting from receipt of a signal transmitted from the hand-held device.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data representative of the gesture based input comprises data indicative of a type for the controllable device.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data representative of the gesture based input comprises data indicative of an instruction for the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a command signal to the controllable device.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the instruction causes the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a volume control command signal to the controllable device.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the instruction causes the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a channel tuning control command signal to the controllable device.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data representative of the gesture based input comprises data indicative of a functional operation of the controllable device that is to be controlled.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the intermediate device communicates with the controllable device via a wireless signal transmission.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held device communicates with the intermediate device a wireless signal transmission.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming for transmitting a signal having data indicative of the gesture based input comprises a remote control user interface application resident on the hand-held device.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the hand-held device comprises a touch-screen display and the remote control user interface application causes display of one or more screens displaying icons representative of functional operations of the controllable device which are to be interacted with to provide the gesture based input.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the remote control user interface application is configurable to provide one or more screens displaying icons representative of functional operations of a plurality of controllable devices including the controllable device.

21. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating function of the controllable device that is associated with the gesture based input is user configurable.

22. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controllable device that is associated with the gesture based input is user configurable.

31. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hand-held device is adapted to receive a button activation input, the signal transmitted from the hand-held device comprises data representative of the button activation input and the gesture based input, and the programming of the intermediate device translates the data representative of the button activation input and the gesture based input in the signal received from the hand-held device into the command signal to be communicated to the controllable device.

23. A hand-held, portable telephone comprising:

a touch-screen display, and

programming for transmitting a signal having data indicative of a gesture based input received via the touch-screen display wherein the signal has a format appropriate for an intermediate device adapted to communicate command signals to a controllable device and wherein the data comprises data indicative of a type of the controllable device, data indicative of a functional operation of the controllable device that is to be controlled, and data indicative of code data set to be used by the intermediate device when communicating with the controllable device.

24. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 23, wherein, in response to the receipt of a telephone call by the hand-held, portable telephone, the programming causes transmission of a signal wherein the data indicative of the functional operation of the controllable device that is to be controlled is indicative of a pause functional operation.

25. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 23, wherein, in response to the receipt of a telephone call by the hand-held, portable telephone, the programming causes transmission of a signal wherein the data indicative of the functional operation of the controllable device that is to be controlled is indicative of a mute functional operation.

26. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 23, wherein the data representative of the gesture based input comprises data indicative of an instruction for the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a command signal to the controllable device.

27. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 26, wherein the instruction causes the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a volume control command signal to the controllable device.

28. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 26, wherein the instruction causes the intermediate device to repeatedly communicate a channel tuning control command signal to the controllable device.

29. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 23, wherein a correspondence between the gesture based input and the functional operation of the controllable device that is to be controlled is user configurable.

30. The hand-held, portable telephone as recited in claim 23, wherein a correspondence between the gesture based input and the controllable device that is to be controlled is user configurable.