REMOTE CONTROLLER

• US 20110156943A1
• Filed: 12/24/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverlit Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverlit Limited
• Inventors: NG, Ka Ho, WONG, KWOK LEUNG
• Granted Patent: US 8,330,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A remote controller for toys includes a user interface which applies the low-cost capacitive sensing method with the remote controller. Users can touch and/or drag on a remote controller surface by fingers to remotely control the movement of R/C cars, planes, helicopters or a boat. The remote controller is essentially a flat faced unit and there is no need for protruding control sticks or pushbuttons. This controller is applicable to different types of remote control toys with digital proportional control on speed and steering control. The remote controller is a symmetric product design whereby the controller is easily operable with left and right hand conventions.

Claims

1. A remote controller for controlling a remote controlled movable toy, the movement being in the air, on the ground or in water, the controller comprising a touch surface including at least two capacitive touch sensors, each touch sensor corresponding to at least one of touch or drag whereby the movement of the toy is alterable in correspondence to the touch or drag operation of at least one of the touch sensors, a control circuit connected to each of the touch sensors, the control circuit being operational digitally with the touch sensors and being such that at least one of touching or dragging on the sensor causes a change in capacitance of a touch sensor and thereby acts to generate a control signal;

and a transmitter connected to the control circuit wherein on receipt of a control signal by the transmitter, the transmitter transmits a direction or speed signal from the controller to a toy;

wherein the change in the capacitance of the touch sensor caused by at least one of touch or dragging is translated as the control signal corresponding to a change in a direction or speed of the toy.

2. The remote controller of claim 1 wherein the touch sensors are mounted in a controller housing, the housing including a body and an operational face, an overlay material on the operational face, and the sensors being located below the operational face.

3. The remote controller of claim 1 wherein the sensors include a first array of sensors, the first array being inhibited from reacting to progressive changes in transverse pressure relative to the face, the sensors in the array being connected in a physical location relative to the operational face such that change of transverse pressure over different sensors in the array in a lateral sense across the operational face effects a translation into a dragging action to cause a requisite control signal from the controller to the toy.

4. The remote controller of claim 3 wherein sensors in the array are serially arranged such that changes in different sensors are serially communicated to the control circuit, and wherein the speed of changes from one sensor to another effects changes in the direction or speed signal being transmitted by the transmitter.

5. The remote controller of claim 1 including sensors in a first array and wherein the control circuit and array are arranged such that a release of pressure from sensors in the array effects a stop effect on the toy whereby the toy would be either stationary or slow down to a stationary position.

6. The remote controller of claim 1 including at least one further touch sensor, the further touch sensors being for operational characteristics unrelated to direction or speed change of the toy.

7. The remote control device of claim 1 including left and right hand switch related to the control circuit, wherein operation of the left or right hand switch renders the array of sensors responsive to a left or a right person respectively with relatively similar operational effect and experience respectively.

8. The remote control device of claim 1 including having the touch sensors in the array relate to the control circuit, such that operation of the touch sensor in the array of sensors permit the generation of transmission signal which is selected from the group of stop, accelerate, decelerate, maintain constant speed, proceed forwardly, proceed in reverse, turn left, turn right, toy identification, and light status of the vehicle.

9. The remote control device of claim 1 including having the touch sensors in the array relate to the control circuit, such that operation of the touch sensor in the array of sensors permit the generation of at least three transmission signals which are selected from the group of stop, accelerate, decelerate, maintain constant speed, proceed forwardly, proceed in reverse, turn left, and turn right.

10. The remote control device of claim 1 including having the touch sensors in the array relate to the control circuit, such that operation of the touch sensor in the array of sensors permit the generation of at least six transmission signals which are selected from the group of stop, accelerate, decelerate, maintain constant speed, proceed forwardly, proceed in reverse, turn left, and turn right.

11. The remote control device of claim 1 including having the touch sensors in the array relate to the control circuit, such that operation of the touch sensor in the array of sensors permit the generation of transmission signals which are stop, accelerate, decelerate, maintain constant speed, proceed forwardly, proceed in reverse, turn left, and turn right.

12. The remote control device of claim 1 wherein the sensors are responsive to touching and dragging on sensors thereby to causes a change in capacitance of touch sensors and thereby act to generate a control signal.

13. A remote controller for controlling a remote controlled movable toy, the movement being in the air, on the ground or in water, the controller comprising a touch surface including at least two touch sensors, each touch sensor corresponding to at least one of touch or drag whereby the movement of the toy is alterable in correspondence to the touch or drag operation of at least one of the touch sensors. a control circuit connected to each of the touch sensors, the control circuit being operational digitally with the touch sensors and being such that a at least one of touching or dragging on the sensor causes a change in a touch sensor and thereby acts to generate a control signal;

and a transmitter connected to the control circuit wherein on receipt of a control signal by the transmitter, the transmitter transmits a direction or speed signal from the controller to a toy;

wherein the change in the touch sensor caused by at least one of touch or dragging is translated as the control signal corresponding to a change in a direction or speed of the toy.

14. The remote controller of claim 13 wherein the touch sensors are mounted in a controller housing, the housing including a body and an operational face, an overlay material on the operational face, and the sensors being located below the overlay material.

15. The remote controller of claim 13 wherein the sensors include a first array or grid of sensors, the first array or grid being inhibited from reacting to progressive changes in transverse pressure relative to the face, the sensors in the array or grid being connected in a physical location relative to the operational face such that change of transverse pressure over different sensors in the array or grid in a lateral sense across the operational face effects a translation into a dragging action to cause a requisite control signal from the controller to the toy.

16. The remote controller of claim 13 wherein sensors are serially arranged such that changes in different sensors are serially communicated to the control circuit, and wherein the speed of changes from one sensor to another effects changes in the direction or speed signal being transmitted by the transmitter.

17. The remote controller of claim 13 including sensors in a first array and wherein the control circuit and array are arranged such that a release of pressure from sensors in the array effects a braking effect on the toy whereby the toy would be either stationary or slow down to a stationary position, and including at least one further touch sensor, the further touch sensors being for operational characteristics unrelated to direction or speed change of the toy.

18. The remote controller of claim 13 including left and right hand designated touch sensors related to the control circuit, wherein operation of the left or right hand touch sensor renders the array of sensors responsive to a left or a right person respectively with relatively similar operational effect and experience respectively, and including a pair of transmitter IR devices, one IR device being located on the housing and being for left hand operation of the controller and the other IR device being oppositely located in the housing and being for right hand operation of the controller.

19. The remote controller of claim 13 wherein the sensors are responsive to touching and dragging on sensors thereby to causes a change in the touch sensors and thereby act to generate a control signal.

20. A method of controlling a toy comprising the steps of energizing one or more touch sensors;

detecting a change in the touch sensor;

determining the direction and speed represented by the touch sensor in which a change is detected; and

transmitting a control signal corresponding to the direction and speed represented by the touch sensor in which a change is detected, the control circuit being operational digitally with the touch sensors and being such that a at least one of touching or dragging on the sensor causes a change in a touch sensor.