Remote Control and Gesture-Based Input Device

• US 20110058107A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: AFA Micro Co.
• Inventors: Sun, Chungming Glendy, Sun, Albert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• 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 21/42222 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

A remote control controls an audiovisual apparatus, such as a TV, using conventional physical inputs, such as buttons, or by controlled movement of the remote control. Circuitry connected to the physical inputs generates command signals for receipt by and operation of the apparatus. The command signals, such as On or Change Channel, correspond to control functions for the apparatus. The remote control also includes a motion sensor and motion circuitry connected to one another and constructed to generate at least some of the command signals when the body has been moved in predetermined manners for receipt by and operation of the apparatus. The remote control can therefore be operated using either the physical inputs or by moving the remote control in at least one of the predetermined manners. In some examples the motion sensor comprises a MEMS sensor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an audiovisual apparatus using a remote control comprising:

accessing a remote control of the type including physical inputs for generating a plurality of command signals for receipt by and operation of an audiovisual apparatus, the command signals comprising signals for at least one of the following commands;

change volume of audiovisual work, video play forward, video fast forward, video rewind, change track of recorded audiovisual work, pause audiovisual work, record audiovisual work, turn on television, and change television channel;

moving the remote control in a chosen manner;

sensing said movement of the remote control;

determining if the sensed movement corresponds to a command motion; and

if the sensed movement corresponds to a command motion, then generate at least one of said command signals corresponding to said command motion for receipt by and operation of the apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote control accessing step is carried out with the remote control having physical inputs for generating all of the command signals needed to operate the audiovisual apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the sensed movement does not correspond to a command motion, then return to the sensing movement step.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote control accessing step is carried out with a television remote control.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement sensing is carried out using a MEMS movement sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement sensing step comprises sensing said movement in 3 degrees of freedom in translation in linear space and 3 degrees of freedom in rotation in angular space.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving step comprises tapping the remote control.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the moving step comprises tapping the remote control on a chosen side of the remote control.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving sensing step comprises sensing vibration.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving step comprises a first tapping the remote control, pausing, followed by a second tapping of the remote control.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving step comprises:

a first tapping sequence to the remote control with the remote control at a first location;

movement of the remote control to a second location; and

a second tapping sequence to the remote control with the remote control at the second location.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first tapping sequence comprises at least one tap followed by a pause followed by at least one tap.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising training the remote control to recognize a plurality of command motions associated with at least some of the plurality of command signals.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising training a user to move the remote control in a predetermined manner corresponding to said command motion.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

remote control accessing step is carried out with the remote control having a top, a bottom, a circumferential edge joining the top and bottom, a front end and a back end, at least a majority of the physical inputs located at the top; and

the remote control moving step comprises initially orienting the remote control so that the top is generally horizontal with the top facing upwardly.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said command motion for a change television channel up command signal comprises motion of the remote control from left to right, the left to right motion exceeding one or both of a threshold velocity or a threshold acceleration.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said command motion for a zoom in command signal comprises forward motion of the remote control, the forward motion exceeding one or both of a first threshold velocity or a first threshold acceleration and below one or both of a second threshold velocity or a second threshold acceleration.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said command motion for an increase audiovisual work volume command signal comprises upward motion of the remote control, the upward motion exceeding one or both of a first threshold velocity or a first threshold acceleration and below one or both of a second threshold velocity or a second threshold acceleration.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein said command motion for a turn on television command signal comprises a sequence of motions of the remote control within a pre-specified time interval, the sequence of motions including two clockwise movements, with reference to an imaginary line connecting the front end and back end of the remote control, having a radius orthogonal to the imaginary line, said motions exceeding one or both of a threshold velocity or a threshold acceleration.

20. A method for controlling an audiovisual apparatus using a remote control comprising:

accessing a remote control of the type including a body having plurality of physical inputs for control of a plurality of functions of the apparatus, the plurality of functions comprising at least one of the following functions;

change volume of audiovisual work, video play forward, video fast forward, video rewind, change track of recorded audiovisual work, pause audiovisual work, record audiovisual work, turn on television, and change television channel;

operating the remote control in a first mode by;

actuating a first input carried by the body, the first input corresponding to a first function of the plurality of functions of the apparatus; and

transmitting a first command signal corresponding to the first function for receipt by a receiver; and

operating the remote control in a second mode by;

moving the remote control in a chosen manner;

sensing said movement of the remote control by motion sensing circuitry carried by the body;

determining if said movement corresponds to any of said plurality of functions; and

if the movement does correspond to any of said plurality of functions, then transmit a second command signal corresponding to said any of said plurality of functions for receipt by the receiver.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein:

the first command signal transmitted step comprises;

generating a first input signal corresponding to the first function; and

driving a transmitter carried by the body to transmit the first command signal, corresponding to the first input signal, for receipt by a receiver; and

the second command signal transmitted step comprises;

generating a second input signal corresponding to said any of said plurality of functions; and

driving said transmitter to transmit the second command signal, corresponding to said second input signal, for receipt by the receiver.

22. A remote control for controlling an audiovisual apparatus, the remote control comprising:

a body having plurality of physical inputs;

physical input circuitry carried by the body and connected to the physical inputs;

the physical input circuitry constructed to generate a plurality of command signals for receipt by and operation of the apparatus, the plurality of command signals corresponding to control functions for the apparatus;

a motion sensor carried by the body;

motion circuitry carried by the body and operably connected the motion sensor;

the motion circuitry constructed to generate at least some of said plurality of command signals when the body has been moved in predetermined manners for receipt by and operation of the apparatus, the at least some of said plurality of command signals corresponding to control functions for the apparatus, the at least some of said plurality of command signals comprising at least one of the following command signals;

change volume of audiovisual work, video play forward, video fast forward, video rewind, change track of recorded audiovisual work, pause audiovisual work, record audiovisual work, turn on television, and change television channel; and

whereby the remote control can be operated using either the physical inputs or by moving the body in at least one of said predetermined manners.

23. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the physical inputs can be used to control all of the control functions on the apparatus.

24. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein:

the physical input circuitry comprises signal generation circuitry constructed to generate input signals corresponding to the physical inputs;

the motion circuitry comprises motion sensitive circuitry constructed to generate at least some of said input signals; and

a signal generator connected to the signal generation circuitry and to the motion sensitive circuitry for receipt of the input signals and generation of the command signals.

25. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the body has a top, a bottom, a circumferential edge joining the top and bottom, a front end and a back end, at least a majority of the physical inputs located at the top.

26. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the motion sensor comprises a MEMS sensor.

27. The remote control according to claim 26, wherein the MEMS sensor is a 3-axis MEMS movement sensor.

28. The remote control according to claim 26, wherein the MEMS sensor comprises at least a MEMS accelerometer.

29. The remote control according to claim 26, wherein the MEMS sensor comprises at least a MEMS gyroscope.

30. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the motion sensor comprises a 6 degrees of freedom motion sensor for sensing movement of said motion sensor in 3 degrees of freedom in translation in linear space and 3 degrees of freedom in rotation in angular space.

31. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the signal generator comprises an LED to produce an IR command signal for receipt by the apparatus.

32. The remote control according to claim 22, wherein the physical inputs comprise buttons.