REMOTE CONTROL AND METHOD FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL OF MULTIMEDIA APPLIANCES

• US 20110140867A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FM Marketing GmbH
• Original Assignee: FM Marketing GmbH
• Inventors: Maier, Ferdinand
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote control having a touch-sensitive control panel and a transmission unit for transmitting encoded signals which are produced on the basis of a direction of movement of contact with successive regions of the control panel, regardless of the location at which contact is made with the control panel. It is also possible to produce encoded signals on the basis of a movement by the remote control in combination with a motion sensor.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. Remote control with a touch-sensitive control surface and with a transmitting unit for the sending of encoded signals in dependence on a touching of the control surface, wherein the transmitting unit generates the encoded signals in dependence on the direction of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface regardless of the place of touching of the control surface.

14. Remote control according to claim 13 wherein the remote control has a motion sensor and/or a position sensor and the remote control generates predetermined encoded signals in dependence on output signals of the position sensor and/or the motion sensor.

15. Remote control according to claim 14 wherein one of said predetermined encoded signals is a signal for switching off one or more remotely controlled appliances.

16. Remote control according to claim 14 characterized in that the remote control in one position where the control surface is vertically oriented or points downward in the direction of the center of the earth generates a predetermined encoded signal for switching off one or more remotely controlled appliances.

17. Remote control according to claim 13 wherein the transmitting unit generates the encoded signals in dependence on several different successive directions of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface regardless of the place of touching of the control surface, wherein the remote control is switched by bidirectional operation in concert with a control unit to an operating mode in which a touching of successive regions of the control surface in only one direction of movement is ignored.

18. Remote control according to claim 13 wherein the remote control has an identification device and the encoded signals are additionally generated in dependence on an output signal of the identification device.

19. Remote control according to claim 14 wherein the transmitting unit generates the encoded signals in dependence on several different successive directions of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface regardless of the place of touching of the control surface, wherein the remote control is switched by bidirectional operation in concert with a control unit to an operating mode in which a touching of successive regions of the control surface in only one direction of movement is ignored.

20. Remote control according to claim 14 wherein the remote control has an identification device and the encoded signals are additionally generated in dependence on an output signal of the identification device.

21. Remote control according to claim 15 wherein the transmitting unit generates the encoded signals in dependence on several different successive directions of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface regardless of the place of touching of the control surface, wherein the remote control is switched by bidirectional operation in concert with a control unit to an operating mode in which a touching of successive regions of the control surface in only one direction of movement is ignored.

22. Remote control according to claim 15 wherein the remote control has an identification device and the encoded signals are additionally generated in dependence on an output signal of the identification device.

23. Method for the remote control of multimedia systems, wherein by touching a touch-sensitive control surface predetermined encoded signals are sent out, wherein a direction of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface is ascertained and the predetermined encoded signals are selected in dependence on the direction of movement regardless of the place of touching of the control surface.

24. Method according to claim 23 wherein several successive directions of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface are ascertained and the predetermined encoded signals are selected in dependence on the several detected directions of movement regardless of the place of touching of the control surface, wherein a touching with only a single direction of movement is ignored and wherein the remote control furthermore is switched by a bidirectional operation in concert with a control unit to this operating mode.

25. Method according to claim 23 wherein it is detected within which sector of angle ranges the direction of movement lies and each sector is assigned a predetermined encoded signal.

26. Method according to claim 25 wherein each sector comprises an angle range of 90°

.

27. Method according to claim 25 wherein each sector comprises an angle range of 45°

.

28. Method according to claim 23 wherein movements of the remote control are detected by a motion sensor and/or the position of the remote control by a position sensor and predetermined encoded signals are generated in dependence on the output signal of the motion sensor and/or the position sensor.

29. Method according to claim 23 wherein the encoded signals generated in dependence on output signals of the motion sensor and/or the position sensor turn on and/or off one or more remotely controlled appliances.