System And Method For Remote Control Of A Computer

• US 20110080340A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Donald, Abraham, Benjamin, Chen, Yancy, Campesi, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,736,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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

Abstract

A remote control system for a computer, and a corresponding method include a Web camera having an image capture unit, the image capture unit including one or more devices capable of receiving imagery from multiple, distinct sections of the electromagnetic spectrum; a detection and separation module capable of detecting and separating the imagery into at least one signal capable of cursor control, wherein the signal capable of cursor control is generated by a remote control device; and a processing unit that receives the signal capable of cursor control and generates one or more cursor control signals, wherein the one or more cursor control signals include signals indicative of movement of the remote control device, the movement capable of translation to movement of a cursor displayed on a display of the computer.

Claims

1. A remote control system for a computer, comprising:

a Web camera comprising an image capture unit, the image capture unit comprising one or more devices capable of receiving imagery from multiple sources;

a detection and separation module capable of detecting and separating the imagery into at least one signal capable of cursor control, wherein the signal capable of cursor control is generated by a remote control device; and

a processing unit that receives the signal capable of cursor control and generates one or more cursor control signals, wherein the one or more cursor control signals include signals indicative of movement of the remote control device, the movement capable of translation to movement of a cursor displayed on a display of the computer.

2. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the multiple sources comprises sources emitting radiation from distinct sections of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein the signal capable of cursor control is an infrared signal.

3. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the cursor is moveable in an X-Y plane.

4. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the cursor control signals include a cursor enable signal.

5. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the cursor control signals include a cursor translation signal.

6. The remote control system of claim 5, wherein the remote control device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements arranged to generate position detection signals indicative of movement of the remote control device.

7. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the signal capable of cursor control is a signal in the visible range generated by one or more light emitting diodes.

8. The remote control system of claim 1, further comprising an array of image capture elements, wherein individual image capture elements capture the signal capable of cursor control, and wherein processing unit processes the captured signal and maps positions of the image capture elements to corresponding positions on the computer display.

9. The remote control system of claim 8, wherein the image capture elements are charged coupled devices (CCDs).

10. A method for remote control of a computer, comprising:

receiving, in an image capture device, an image signal comprising radiation emitted from multiple sources;

detecting, in the received image signal, a signal capable of cursor control;

separating the signal capable of cursor control from the image signal;

processing the separated signal capable of cursor control to generate a cursor control signal; and

applying the cursor control signal to control movement of a computer cursor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the multiple sources emit radiation from separate, distinct portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein the signal capable of cursor control is an infrared signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal capable of cursor control includes a signal to initiate remote control of the computer cursor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the cursor control signal comprises an X-Y direction control signal.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving and processing a signal to execute a drag and drop feature; and

receiving an processing a signal to select an item from a list of items displayed on a computer display.

15. A system for remote control of a computer, comprising:

remote control means capable of generating a remote control signal for reception by a Web camera;

means for receiving the generated remote control signal;

detection and separation means for detecting the received remote control signal and for separating the received remote control signal from other signals received at the Web camera;

means for processing the separated signal to provide cursor control signals; and

means for applying the cursor control signal to a computer cursor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote control means comprises infrared remote control means.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the remote control means comprises a reflector that gathers and focuses infra red light external to the remote control means.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the infrared remote control means comprises a plurality of infrared emitting elements configured to indicate motion of the remote control means in a X-Y plane.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote control means comprises means for emitting visible light signals.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for receiving the remote control signal comprises a CMOS device.