METHOD OF GENERATING KEY CODE IN COORDINATE RECOGNITION DEVICE AND VIDEO DEVICE CONTROLLER USING THE SAME

• US 20100025123A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Kyung, Heo, Ji Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• 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 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312

Abstract

A video device controller and method for generating a key code enable key code generation by a single instance of manipulation of the controller by a user, obviating repetitive keypad manipulation and thereby facilitating controller operation. The video device controller includes a touch pad (110), a coordinate recognition unit (120) for recognizing coordinate values corresponding to a touch trajectory executed with respect to the touch pad (110), a key signal input unit (120), having a plurality of keys, for generating a key signal according to a user selection of at least one of the keys; a system controller (140) for calculating values of at least one of a direction, speed, and distance of the touch trajectory using the recognized coordinate values and for outputting a movement command signal based on the calculated values and the key signal, the movement command signal shifting an object displayed on the video device; and a key code generator (150) for generating a key code corresponding to the movement command signal. The touch pad (110) is preferably imparted with a predetermined pattern enabling a touch trajectory to be recognized in a simple manner.

Claims

1. A controller of a video device, comprising:

a touch pad;

a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing coordinate values corresponding to a touch trajectory executed with respect to said touch pad;

a key signal input unit, having a plurality of keys, for generating a key signal according to a user selection of at least one of the keys;

a system controller for calculating values of at least one of a direction, speed, and distance of the touch trajectory using the recognized coordinate values and for outputting a movement command signal based on the calculated values and the key signal, the movement command signal shifting an object displayed on the video device; and

a key code generator for generating a key code corresponding to the movement command signal.

2. The video device controller of claim 1, wherein the generated key code includes a command for shifting the displayed object.

3. The video device controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless signal generator for generating a wireless signal corresponding to the key code; and

a wireless signal transmitter for transmitting the wireless signal to the video device.

4. The video device controller of claim 1, wherein the touch pad is formed to have a predetermined pattern.

5. The video device controller of claim 4, wherein the predetermined pattern of the touch pad is divided into a plurality of focus areas.

6. The video device controller of claim 5, wherein each focus area of the touch pad corresponds to a function of the video device.

7. The video device controller of claim 5, said key signal input unit comprising:

a plurality of key input buttons arranged beneath the touch pad in correspondence to the plurality of focus areas.

8. The video device controller of claim 7, said key signal input unit further comprising:

a function confirmation key arranged in a hollow of the predetermined pattern.

9. A controller of a video device, comprising:

a touch pad having a predetermined touch pattern;

a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing coordinate values corresponding to a touch trajectory executed with respect to said touch pad;

a system controller for calculating values of a direction, speed, and distance of the touch trajectory using the recognized coordinate values and for outputting a movement command signal based on the calculated values, the movement command signal shifting an object displayed on the video device; and

a key code generator for generating a key code corresponding to the movement command signal.

10. The video device controller of claim 9, wherein the generated key code includes a command for shifting the displayed object.

11. The video device controller of claim 9, wherein the predetermined touch pattern of said touch pad is one selected from the group consisting of a vertically oriented rectangular shape, a horizontally oriented rectangular shape, a round annular shape, a hexagonal annular shape, a square annular shape, a downwardly curved crescent shape, an upwardly curved crescent shape, a cross-type shape, and a hybrid pattern formed of at least two of the rectangular, annular, and crescent shapes.

12. The video device controller of claim 11, wherein the predetermined touch pattern is a hybrid pattern formed of at least two of the shapes.

13. The video device controller of claim 12, further comprising:

a selection button for selectively enabling elements of the hybrid pattern.

14. The video device controller of claim 13, wherein the selection button is arranged in a hollow of the predetermined touch pattern.

15. The video device video device controller of claim 9, wherein said system controller determines a type of motion being executed for the touch trajectory according to a touch motion applied to said touch pad.

16. The video device controller of claim 15, wherein the determined motion type is one of an up/down motion, a right/left motion, and a circular motion.

17. The video device controller of claim 9, further comprising:

a key signal input unit, having a plurality of keys, for generating a key signal input to said system controller according to a user selection of at least one of the keys.

18. The video device controller of claim 17, wherein said system controller calculates the touch trajectory values according to the key signal input.

19. The video device controller of claim 9, further comprising:

a wireless signal generator for generating a wireless signal corresponding to the key code; and

a wireless signal transmitter for transmitting the wireless signal to the video device.

20. A method of generating a key code in a video device controller having a touch pad, the method comprising:

recognizing coordinate values corresponding to a touch trajectory executed with respect to the touch pad;

calculating at least one of a direction, speed, and distance of the touch trajectory using the recognized coordinate values; and

generating a movement command signal corresponding to the calculated values, the generated movement command signal corresponding to a key code output to control a video device by shifting an object displayed on the video device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating a wireless signal corresponding to the key code; and

transmitting the wireless signal to the video device.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing in memory a plurality of key codes for controlling the video device, the stored key codes arranged according to speed, time, and distance of the touch trajectory,

wherein the key code is output to the video device with reference to the stored key codes.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the touch pad is formed to have a predetermined pattern.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

displaying on the video device an on-screen display (OSD) keypad in correspondence to the predetermined pattern of the touch pad.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined pattern of the touch pad is divided into a plurality of focus areas and wherein each focus area of the touch pad corresponds to a current state of a selected function of the video device.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing in memory information of the touch pad, the stored information including a full set of coordinate values corresponding to the predetermined touch pattern.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the stored information further includes values of distances between the coordinate values of the predetermined touch pattern and values of directions between the coordinate values of the predetermined touch pattern.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the coordinate values of the predetermined touch pattern are stored by a manufacturer of the coordinate recognition device.

29. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

determining, by referencing the stored information, the direction and distance of the touch trajectory according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory, to calculate the speed of the touch trajectory by dividing the determined distance by a positive integer representative of a touch trajectory time.

30. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

determining, by referencing the stored information, the direction of the touch trajectory according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory; and

finding an x-coordinate movement distance of the touch pad and a y-coordinate movement distance of the touch pad according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory, to calculate the distance of the touch trajectory based on the coordinate movement distances of the touch pad and to calculate the speed of the touch trajectory by dividing the calculated distance by a positive integer representative of a touch trajectory time.

31. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

determining, by referencing the stored information, the direction and distance of the touch trajectory according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory; and

finding a time of the touch trajectory using a step counter, to calculate the speed of the touch trajectory by dividing the determined distance by the time of the touch trajectory.

32. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

determining, by referencing the stored information, the direction of the touch trajectory according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory;

finding an x-coordinate movement distance of the touch pad and a y-coordinate movement distance of the touch pad according to the recognized coordinate values of the touch trajectory, to calculate the distance of the touch trajectory based on the coordinate movement distances of the touch pad; and

finding a time of the touch trajectory using a step counter, to calculate the speed of the touch trajectory by dividing the calculated distance by the time of the touch trajectory.

33. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

dividing the touch pad into a plurality of focus areas; and

respectively storing in memory information including one set of coordinate values corresponding to each of the plurality of focus areas, the stored information further including an indication of a distance between each of the plurality of focus areas,

wherein the distance of the touch trajectory is calculated using the stored distance information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, if the executed touch trajectory travels in a first direction with respect to at least two of the focus areas, the direction of the touch trajectory is determined as an increasing direction and wherein, if the executed touch trajectory travels in a second direction with respect to at least two of the focus areas, the direction of the touch trajectory is determined as a decreasing direction.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

counting, using an internal clock, a time corresponding to the execution of the touch trajectory,

wherein the speed of the touch trajectory is calculated using the counted time.

36. The method of claim 20, said command signal generating comprising:

assigning x- and y-axes to an area of the touch pad;

dividing the touch pad area along the x axis into an upper y-axis area and a lower y-axis area; and

reconfiguring the touch pad area for point-for-point symmetry between the upper and lower y-axis areas, centering vertically on a maximum x-coordinate point of the touch pad area, to thereby reposition coordinates of the lower y-axis area,

wherein the direction and speed of the touch trajectory are calculated using the repositioned x-axis coordinates.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the x-axis coordinate of the repositioned lower y-axis area is expressed by

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the direction of the touch trajectory is determined as a first direction if a difference between an x-axis value of start and end coordinates of the touch trajectory is greater than zero and wherein the direction of the touch trajectory is determined as a second direction if a difference between an x-axis value of start and end coordinates of the touch trajectory is less than zero.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the speed of the touch trajectory is calculated by dividing an absolute value of a difference between an x-axis value of start and end coordinates of the touch trajectory by a positive integer representative of a touch trajectory time.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the speed of the touch trajectory is calculated according to a touch trajectory time obtained using an internal clock.