Remote Control Device, in Particular a Wand

• US 20100134308A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Wand Company Limited
• Original Assignee: The Wand Company Limited
• Inventors: BLAKESLEY, Richard Guy, BARNARDO, Chrisopher John Andew
• Granted Patent: US 8,058,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/670
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]

Abstract

An infrared remote control is encapsulated in a plastic moulding and has no physical controlling buttons or virtual touch screen buttons that uses motion to determine which remote control codes are to be transmitted to adjust the function of home audio visual equipment. The combination of a motion sensor (14) and a computer program running in an onboard microprocessor (15) enables the device to be used in any orientation. The user selects modes and causes the remote control device to broadcast infrared command signals as required to adjust the function of home audiovisual equipment at a distance by moving the device in certain predetermined patterns. The device signals its function to the user by a heartbeat style vibration pattern.

Claims

1. A wireless remote control device for remotely controlling an apparatus, the remote control device comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting movement of the device and to generate an output signal in response to the detected movement,

a processor connected to the motion sensor and adapted to receive the output signal from the motion sensor and to generate therefrom a control signal associated with the detected movement, and

an emitter connected to the processor for receiving the control signal and emitting a wireless signal for reception by a receiver in the apparatus to be controlled.

2. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect movement of the device in three dimensional space, the output signal being associated with the movement.

3. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a memory for storing data representing a plurality of preset movements, each preset movement being associated with a respective command or function corresponding with a respective control signal, and the processor includes a comparator which is adapted to compare the detected movement to the plurality of preset movements and a controller to determine parameters of the control signal based on the comparison whereby the control signal generated is associated with the respective command or function.

4. A wireless remote control device according to claim 3 wherein the preset movements correspond to at least one of pictograms and alphanumeric characters.

5. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to determine an initial movement of the motion sensor after a period of inactivity and, in response thereto, to switch the device from a sleep mode into an active control mode.

6. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect an impact on the device and the processor is adapted to convert the output signal thereby generated into a respective control signal.

7. A wireless remote control device according to claim 6 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect the impact of a tap of a human finger on the device.

8. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to determine an orientation of the device with respect to vertical and horizontal axes and the processor is adapted to calibrate the detected movement with respect to the determined orientation.

9. A wireless remote control device according to claim 8 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to determine the orientation of the device on receipt of an impact or following an initial movement of the motion sensor after a period of inactivity.

10. A wireless remote control device according to claim 8 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect an inclination of the device with respect to at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis and to increase or decrease a value of a setting represented by the wireless signal in response to corresponding modification of the inclination of the device.

11. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to be switched into a learning mode upon receipt of a predetermined output signal or a predetermined sequence of output signals from the motion sensor.

12. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 further comprising a receiver for receiving wireless coded signals from the apparatus to be controlled, and wherein the processor is adapted to convert the coded signals into operational codes or instructions associated with the apparatus to be controlled.

13. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 which is a handheld device and further comprising a vibration element coupled to the processor and adapted to vibrate on receipt of a vibration signal from the processor to provide mechanical feedback of the operation of the device to a user.

14. A wireless remote control device according to claim 13 wherein the processor is adapted to send a sequence of vibration signals to the vibration element, the sequence being preset in time to mimic a human heartbeat.

15. A wireless remote control device according to claim 13 wherein the vibration element consists of the sole element in the device for continually communicating information concerning the operation of the device to a user holding the device.

16. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the motion sensor consists of the sole user interface for controlling the device.

17. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 further comprising a manually operable ON/OFF switch for the device.

18. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the device is encapsulated within an elongate housing in the form of a rod, the emitter being located at one end of the housing.

19. A wireless remote control device according to claim 18 wherein the elongate housing is shaped and dimensioned to simulate a wand.

20. A wireless remote control device according to claim 18 wherein the elongate housing has no external display or switch, except, when appendant on claim 16, when the device further comprises a manually operable ON/OFF switch.

21. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the emitter is adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

22. A wireless remote control device according to claim 1 wherein the device is adapted to control audiovisual apparatus.

23. A method of remotely controlling audiovisual apparatus using a wireless remote control device, the method comprising:

manually holding a remote control device having a motion sensor for detecting movement of the device in three dimensional space, and

moving the device in three dimensional space automatically to emit from the device an encoded wireless control signal which is received by the audiovisual apparatus.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the motion sensor detects movement of the device in three dimensional space.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the motion sensor outputs an output signal associated with the movement, and the device compares the detected movement to a plurality of preset movements, each preset movement being associated with a respective command or function of the audiovisual apparatus, and determines parameters of the control signal based on the comparison whereby the control signal emitted is associated with the respective command or function.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the preset movements correspond to at least one of pictograms and alphanumeric characters.

27. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of automatically switching the device from a sleep mode into an active control mode in response to an initial movement of the motion sensor after a period of inactivity.

28. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of detecting an impact on the motion sensor and, in response thereto, automatically emitting a respective encoded wireless control signal.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the impact is a tap of a human finger on the device.

30. A method according to claim 23 wherein the motion sensor determines an orientation of the device with respect to vertical and horizontal axes and further comprising the step of calibrating the detected movement with respect to the determined orientation.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the orientation of the device is determined on receipt of an impact or following an initial movement of the motion sensor after a period of inactivity.

32. A method according to claim 30 wherein the motion sensor detects an inclination of the device with respect to at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis and further comprising a step of modifying the inclination of the device correspondingly to increase or decrease a value of a setting represented by the encoded wireless signal.

33. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of switching the device into a learning mode upon receipt of a predetermined output signal or predetermined sequence of output signals from the motion sensor.

34. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the steps of receiving wireless coded signals from the apparatus to be controlled, and converting the coded signals into operational codes or instructions associated with the apparatus to be controlled.

35. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of providing mechanical feedback of the operation of the device by vibrating a vibration element located in the device.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the vibration element vibrates in a sequence which is preset in time to mimic a human heartbeat.

37. A method according to claim 35 wherein the vibration element consists of the sole element in the device for continually communicating the operation of the device to a user holding the device.

38. A method according to claim 23 wherein the motion sensor consists of the sole user interface for controlling the device.

39. A method according to claim 23 wherein the device is encapsulated within an elongate housing, the emitter being located at one end of the housing.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the elongate housing is shaped and dimensioned to simulate a wand.

41. A method according to claim 23 wherein the emitter emits electromagnetic radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

42. A wireless remote control device for remotely controlling an audiovisual apparatus, the remote control device comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting movement of the device in plural directions and to generate an output signal in response to the detected movement,

a processor connected to the motion sensor and adapted to receive the output signal from the motion sensor, to determine a relationship between the detected movement represented by the output signal and one of a plurality of discrete preset movements each of which is associated with a respective command or function to be communicated to the audiovisual apparatus, to select a command or function to be communicated to the audiovisual apparatus based on such determination and to generate therefrom a control signal for implementing such a command or function which corresponds to the detected movement, and

an emitter connected to the processor for receiving the control signal and emitting a wireless signal for reception by a receiver in the audiovisual apparatus to be controlled.

43. A wireless remote control device according to claim 42 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect movement of the device in three dimensional space represented by three orthogonal directions.

44. A wireless remote control device according to claim 43 wherein the motion sensor is adapted to detect acceleration of the device each of three orthogonal directions.

45. A wireless remote control device according to claim 42 wherein the device further comprises a memory for storing data representing a plurality of the preset movements, and the processor includes a comparator which is adapted to compare the detected movement to the plurality of preset movements and a controller to determine parameters of the control signal based on the comparison whereby the control signal generated is associated with the respective command or function.

46. A wireless remote control device according to claim 42 wherein the preset movements correspond to at least one of pictograms and alphanumeric characters.

47. A wireless remote control device according to claim 42 wherein device has no external switch mechanism and the motion sensor is adapted to switch the device from an inactive mode to an active mode when the motion sensor detects motion of the device after a particular period of inactivity of the device.