User Action Remote Control

• US 20090241052A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Ha, Wai-leung, Lei, Kairy Kai, Qian, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• 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 3/0346 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• 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

Abstract

The present invention supports the control of a plurality of controlled devices. With three dimensional accelerometer components, detection of a user action on a remote controller and the orientation of the remote controller are viable through small electronic devices. Aspects of the invention are based on the three dimensional accelerometer components to provide a remote controller that can detect the user action. Based on the user action, the remote controller transmits a signal to the controlled device which conveys the corresponding command. A selected controlled device may be matched to the remote controller. The remote controller and controlled device may also support a learning mode, in which the controlled device sends a list of supported commands to the remote controller. The remote controller then matches an associated action with each command in the command list.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an accelerometer configured to sense motion of the apparatus;

a processor configured to;

(a) receive accelerometer information from the accelerometer;

(b) determine a first orientation of the apparatus;

(c) determine a user action applied to the apparatus by a user; and

(d) convert the user action to a first command for a first selected device, wherein the selected device is one of a plurality of controlled devices; and

a transmitter electrically coupled to the processor and configured to transmit a signal to the selected device based on the first command, wherein the first selected device is controlled by the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) match the user action to a plurality of predetermined actions to obtain a matched action; and

(f) map the matched action to the first command.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display electrically coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

(e) instruct the display to provide an indication that the first selected device is being controlled.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) determine a second orientation of the apparatus that is different from the first orientation; and

(f) obtain a second command for a selected device based on the accelerometer data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) match the apparatus with the first selected device by preprogramming the apparatus and the first selected device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver cooperatively coupled to the transmitter to operate as a transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) when a matching key of a controlled device is pressed to indicate a match, acknowledge the match to the controlled device through the transmitter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(f) confirm the match when the user moves the apparatus in a predetermined pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive a command list from the controlled device; and

the processor is further configured to;

(e) match an associated action by the user with each command in the command list.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a visual display, wherein the processor is further configured to;

(f) instruct the display to indicate that the apparatus is in a learning mode; and

(g) show a selected command from the command list that is being configured during the learning mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) detect that the apparatus is essentially stationary from the accelerometer data; and

(f) enter a standby mode when the apparatus is essentially stationary, wherein a power consumption of the apparatus is reduced.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) determine a mismatch to a plurality of predetermined actions; and

(f) generate an error indication to the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

(e) determine an amount of acceleration from the accelerometer data; and

(f) adjust a level of the first command based on the amount of acceleration.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed perform:

(a) receiving accelerometer information from an accelerometer;

(b) determining a first orientation of a remote control device;

(c) determining a user action applied to the remote control device by a user;

(d) converting a first command from the user action for a first selected device, wherein the selected device is one of a plurality of controlled devices; and

(e) instructing a transmitter to transmit a signal to the selected device based on the first command, wherein the first selected device is controlled by the remote control device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further perform:

(f) matching the user action to a plurality of predetermined actions to obtain a matched action; and

(g) mapping the matched action to the first command.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further perform:

(f) determining a second orientation of the remote control device that is different from the first orientation; and

(g) obtaining a second command for a selected device based on the accelerometer data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further perform:

(f) detecting that the remote control device is essentially stationary from the accelerometer data; and

(g) entering a standby mode when the remote control is essentially stationary, wherein a power consumption of the remote control device is reduced.

18. A method comprising:

(a) receiving accelerometer information from an accelerometer;

(b) determining a first orientation of a remote control device;

(c) determining a user action applied to the remote control device by a user;

(d) converting a first command from the user action for a first selected device, wherein the selected device is one of a plurality of controlled devices; and

(e) instructing a transmitter to transmit a signal to the selected device based on the first command, wherein the first selected device is controlled by the remote control device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

(f) matching the user action to a plurality of predetermined actions to obtain a matched action; and

(g) mapping the matched action to the first command.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

(f) determining a second orientation of the remote control device that is different from the first orientation; and

(g) obtaining a second command for a selected device based on the accelerometer data.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

(f) detecting that the remote control device is essentially stationary from the accelerometer data; and

(g) entering a standby mode when the remote control is essentially stationary, wherein a power consumption of the remote control device is reduced.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a signal from a remote controller and to send configuration data to the remote controller;

a processor configured to;

(a) determine whether the remote controller is in a learning mode;

(b) indicate when a match occurs between the remote controller and the apparatus;

(c) when the match occurs and the remote controller is in the learning mode, send a command list as the configuration data to the remote controller through the transceiver; and

(d) perform a command from the remote controller when the command is one of the commands from the command list.