Universal touch-screen remote controller

• US 20110191516A1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wong, Ling Jun, Xiong, True
• Application Number:
  US12/658,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices

Abstract

A remote controller has a control processor and a plurality of client device remote interfaces. A touchscreen display displays a rendering depicting a remote controller user interface having user operable control elements. The processor has associated storage that stores remote controller programs that configure the touchscreen according to a remote control configuration defined by a selected remote controller programs. The processor carries out functions defined in the selected one of the remote controller programs to transmit control commands from one of said client device remote interfaces to a client device upon receipt of input via the touchscreen user interface to implement the command to the client device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A remote controller, comprising:

a control processor;

a plurality of client device remote interfaces;

a touchscreen display that displays a rendering depicting a remote controller user interface having user operable control elements;

the control processor having associated storage that stores a plurality of remote controller programs that configure the touchscreen according to a remote control configuration defined by a selected one of the plurality of remote controller programs;

where the control processor carries out functions defined in the selected one of the remote controller programs to transmit control commands from one of said client device remote interfaces to a client device upon receipt of input via the touchscreen user interface to implement the command to the client device; and

where the selected one of the remote control programs transmits control commands from a selected one of the client device remote interfaces, where the selection is defined by either a user selection or by the selected one of the remote controller programs.

2. The remote controller according to claim 1, where the touchscreen display displays a plurality of icons representing the corresponding plurality remote control programs and where selection of one of the plurality of icons changes the selected one of the remote control programs.

3. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a USB connector operatively coupled to the control processor for communication therewith.

4. The remote controller according to claim 3, further comprising a plugin interface, wherein the plugin interface translates messages between the USB connector and the control processor.

5. The remote controller according to claim 3, further comprising a dongle connected to the USB connector, where the dongle contains hardware that is controllable by the control processor via the plugin interface.

6. The remote controller according to claim 3, where the control processor acquires one or more of the plurality of remote controller programs via the USB connector, where acquiring the remote controller programs includes retrieving icons, an event handler and a display layout.

7. The remote controller according to claim 6, where the one or more remote controller programs are acquired via a connection to the Internet.

8. The remote controller according to claim 6, where the one or more remote controller programs are acquired via a connection to a USB storage device.

9. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the client device remote interfaces includes at least an infrared interface and a radio frequency interface.

10. The remote controller according to claim 9, wherein the radio frequency interface includes a Bluetooth interface.

11. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker and a microphone interfaced to the control processor.

12. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a native keyboard application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual alphabetical keyboard on the touchscreen.

13. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising a native touchpad application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual touchpad on the touchscreen.

14. A remote controller, comprising:

a control processor;

a plurality of client device remote interfaces, where the client device remote interfaces include at least an infrared interface and a radio frequency interface;

a touchscreen display that displays a rendering depicting a remote controller user interface having user operable control elements;

the control processor having associated storage that stores a plurality of remote controller programs that configure the touchscreen according to a remote control configuration defined by a selected one of the plurality of remote controller programs;

where the control processor carries out functions defined in the selected one of the remote controller programs to transmit control commands from one of said client device remote interfaces to a client device upon receipt of input via the touchscreen user interface to implement the command to the client device;

where the selected one of the remote control programs transmits control commands from a selected one of the client device remote interfaces, where the selection is defined by either a user selection or by the selected one of the remote controller programs;

a USB connector operatively coupled to the control processor for communication therewith;

a plugin interface, wherein the plugin interface translates messages between the USB connector and the control processor; and

where the control processor acquires one or more of the plurality of remote controller programs via the USB connector, where acquiring the remote controller programs includes retrieving icons, an event handler and a display layout;

where the touchscreen display displays a plurality of icons representing the corresponding plurality remote control programs and where selection of one of the plurality of icons changes the selected one of the remote control programs.

15. The remote controller according to claim 14, further comprising a dongle connected to the USB connector, where the dongle contains hardware that is controllable by the control processor via the plugin interface.

16. The remote controller according to claim 14, where the one or more remote controller programs are acquired via a connection to the Internet.

17. The remote controller according to claim 14, where the one or more remote controller programs are acquired via a connection to a USB storage device.

18. The remote controller according to claim 14, wherein the radio frequency interface includes a Bluetooth interface.

19. The remote controller according to claim 14, further comprising a speaker and a microphone interfaced to the control processor.

20. The remote controller according to claim 14, further comprising a native keyboard application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual alphabetical keyboard on the touchscreen.

21. The remote controller according to claim 14, further comprising a native touchpad application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual touchpad on the touchscreen.

24. The remote controller according to claim 14, where the one or more remote controller programs are acquired via either a connection to the Internet or via a connection to a USB storage device.

25. The remote controller according to claim 14, further comprising a speaker and a microphone interfaced to the control processor.

22. A remote controller, comprising:

a control processor;

a plurality of client device remote interfaces, where the client device remote interfaces include at least an infrared interface and a Bluetooth interface;

a touchscreen display that displays a rendering depicting a remote controller user interface having user operable control elements;

the control processor having associated storage that stores a plurality of remote controller programs that configure the touchscreen according to a remote control configuration defined by a selected one of the plurality of remote controller programs;

where the control processor carries out functions defined in the selected one of the remote controller programs to transmit control commands from one of said client device remote interfaces to a client device upon receipt of input via the touchscreen user interface to implement the command to the client device;

where the selected one of the remote control programs transmits control commands from a selected one of the client device remote interfaces, where the selection is defined by either a user selection or by the selected one of the remote controller programs;

a native keyboard application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual alphabetical keyboard on the touchscreen;

a native touchpad application stored in the control processor'"'"'s associated storage for implementing a virtual touchpad on the touchscreen;

a USB connector operatively coupled to the control processor for communication therewith;

a plugin interface, wherein the plugin interface translates messages between the USB connector and the control processor;

where the control processor acquires one or more of the plurality of remote controller programs via the USB connector, where acquiring the remote controller programs includes retrieving icons, an event handler and a display layout; and

where the touchscreen display displays a plurality of icons representing the corresponding plurality remote control programs and where selection of one of the plurality of icons changes the selected one of the remote control programs.

23. The remote controller according to claim 22, further comprising a dongle connected to the USB connector, where the dongle contains hardware that is controllable by the control processor via the plugin interface.