GESTURE-BASED REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20110090407A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Lee G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,576 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: 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• 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 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control

Abstract

A method and system for operating a remote-controlled device using a gesture-enabled remote control (RC) includes activating a communication link between the RC and the remote-controlled device. The remote-controlled device may implement a remote control context accommodating gesture commands generated by the RC. The RC may enable a user to generate gesture commands by performing gesture motions with the RC. Command data corresponding to gesture commands, along with selection commands from selection control inputs on the RC, may be sent to the remote-controlled device.

Claims

1. A remote control method, comprising:

activating a gesture sensor of a remote control (RC);

sensing a gesture motion of the RC;

converting the gesture motion into a gesture command executable by a remote-controlled device; and

transmitting the gesture command to the remote-controlled device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed gesture motion includes translation of the RC.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed gesture motion includes rotation of the RC.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said sensing further comprises:

determining a spatial acceleration of the RC.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a message to the remote-controlled device; and

receiving an acknowledgement from the remote-controlled device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection input generated by a selection control element of the RC; and

sending selection command data corresponding to the selection input to the remote-controlled device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving the selection input is responsive to a menu display on the remote-controlled device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating of said gesture sensor is responsive to assertion of a control element of the RC.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating of said gesture sensor is responsive to a signal received from a source external to the RC.

10. A gesture-enabled remote control (RC), comprising:

a processor;

a wireless transceiver;

a motion detector; and

memory media accessible to the processor, including instructions executable by the processor to;

establish a communication channel between the RC and a remote-controlled device using the wireless transceiver;

when a motion detector enable signal is asserted, record a gesture motion of the RC using the motion detector;

convert the recorded gesture motion into a gesture command executable by a remote-controlled device; and

send command data corresponding to the gesture command to the remote-controlled device.

11. The RC of claim 10, wherein the gesture motion results from at least one of:

translation of the RC and rotation of the RC.

12. The RC of claim 10, wherein said processor executable instructions to record further comprise processor executable instructions to:

determine a spatial acceleration of the RC; and

receive the asserted motion detector enable signal from a source external to the RC

13. The RC of claim 10, further comprising

a selection control element;

a trigger control element; and

processor instructions executable to;

receive a selection input generated by the selection control element;

send selection command data corresponding to the selection input to the remote-controlled device; and

assert the motion detector enable signal when the trigger control element is activated.

14. The RC of claim 10, further comprising:

an audio output element; and

processor instructions executable to;

output at least one audio signal using the audio output element, wherein the output of the at least one audio signal occurs when an output audio signal event occurs, and further wherein the output audio signal event is select from one of the following events;

a gesture motion is recorded, the motion detector signal is asserted; and

when the remote-controlled device acknowledges execution of a command associated with command data received by the RC.

15. The RC of claim 10, wherein said processor instructions to record the gesture motion are executed in response to a remote control context on the remote-controlled device, and wherein the gesture command sent to the remote-controlled device depends on the remote control context along with the recorded gesture motion.

16. The RC of claim 15 wherein the control context is selected from one of the following:

volume control, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion includes one of the following;

a single up or down movement of the RC, a plurality of downward movements of the RC, and a plurality of upward movements of the RC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to increase the volume, decrease the volume, mute the volume, or return the volume to a previous state;

channel control, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion includes at least one up or down movement of the RC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to change the channel;

list navigation, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion includes one of the following;

a single up or down movement of the RC, a plurality of downward movements of the RC, a plurality of upward movements of the RC, a single sweep left or right of the RC, a plurality of rightward movements of the RC, a plurality of leftward movements of the RC, an inward or outward movement of the RC, a clockwise rotation of the RC, and a counter-clockwise rotation of the RC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to scroll upward through a list of available options, to scroll downward through the list of available options, to scroll a selected number of rows within the available options, to change a page of the available options, to move to a next selection within the available options, or to move to a previous selection within the available option;

content playback, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion includes one of the following;

a single sweep left or right of the RC, a plurality of rightward movements of the RC, and a plurality of leftward movements of the RC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to scroll through a digital video recorder timeline, to playback the content, to fast forward through the content, to rewind the content, and to move to a place in the content associated with a designated time; and

content viewing, and further wherein the corresponding gesture motion is a diagonal movement of the RC, and further wherein the corresponding gesture commands includes instructions to display a list of available options or hide a list of available options.

17. Computer-readable memory media, including instructions for operating a remote-controlled device, said instructions executable to:

display a command menu responsive to gesture commands received from a remote control (RC);

receive gesture command data from the RC corresponding to a gesture command recorded by the RC; and

execute the gesture command.

18. The memory media of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive selection command data from the RC corresponding to a selection command received at the RC; and

execute the selection command.

19. The memory media of claim 18, further comprising instructions executable to:

output a multimedia signal in response to receiving selection command data.

20. The memory media of claim 17, further comprising instructions executable to:

assert a gesture enable signal via a communication channel between the remote-controlled device and the RC, the asserted gesture enable signal indicating when gesture commands are allowed.