MULTIPLY TASKED TOUCHPAD REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20100245255A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: VanDuyn, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 8,184,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

A remote control exploits a multiply tasked touchpad. The remote control includes a planar transparent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface in opposed relation. A transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) is formed on the transparent substrate lower surface. A translucent touchpad overlays the TOLED affixed to the upper surface. A character projecting base-layer is affixed to the lower surface, such that when activated, the character projecting base projects a character through the transparent light emitting diode onto the translucent touchpad.

Claims

1. A remote control exploiting a multiply tasked touchpad, the remote control comprising:

a planar transparent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface in opposed relation;

a transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) disposed on the transparent substrate lower surface;

a translucent touchpad overlaying the TOLED affixed to the upper surface; and

a character projecting base-layer situated at the lower surface, such that when activated, the character projecting base projects a character through the transparent light emitting diode onto the translucent touchpad.

2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the character-projecting base layer includes:

a base substrate;

a top-emitting light emitting diode formed on the base substrate.

3. The remote control of claim 2, wherein the base substrate is highly reflective.

4. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the character-projecting base layer includes:

a window having window top surface and a window bottom surface;

a mask affixed to the lower surface to form a base character for projection through the window; and

a light emitting diode in opposed relation to the window and positioned to project the base character through the window.

5. The remote control of claim 4, wherein:

the window includes at least one prism having a first surface at the upper surface and second and third surfaces;

the mask includes a second surface mask affixed to the second surface to form a second surface character and a third surface mask affixed to the third surface;

to form a third surface character and

the light emitting diode includes a second surface light emitting diode positioned to project the second surface character through the window and a third surface light emitting diode positioned to project the thirds surface character.

6. The remote control of claim 5, wherein the window includes the transparent substrate.

7. The remote control of claim 1, wherein

the planar transparent substrate includes a filter selected to match the optical density and color of the TOLED.

8. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising

a second planar transparent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface in opposed relation, and is interposed between the planar transparent substrate and the touchpad;

and

a second TOLED disposed on the second transparent substrate lower surface.

9. A method for multiply tasking a touchpad on a remote control, the method comprising:

sensing a position of a tasking switch;

lighting one of a transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) or a light emitting base according to the position, each of the TOLED and the light emitting base configured to project a character through a translucent touchpad;

running a position script according to the position;

running a position actuation script according to tasking switch in response to a touch sensed on the translucent touchpad at a location; and

emitting a controlling signal according to the position actuation script and the location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein light emitting base is positioned to emit light through the TOLED.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the light emitting base includes a window bearing a mask and an LED configured to project light to form at least one character through the mask.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the window is a Fresnel lens and the mask includes a first character mask and a second character mask and wherein the LED includes a first character LED and a second character LED.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the light emitting base includes a top-emitting organic LED.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the top emitting organic LED is located at an opposite face of a planar substrate as the transparent organic LED.