Control System for Augmenting a Portable Touch Screen Device

• US 20120062479A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Feldstein, George, LaBosco, Mark, Fagan, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

Presented is a control system for augmenting a portable touch screen device (5) having integral processing capability. The control system includes an enclosure (1) configured for encasing the portable touch screen device, an internal docking connector (12) configured for communicatively mating with the portable touch screen device, and hard buttons (31, 32, and 33). At least one of the hard buttons is functionally configured for use with an application program running on the portable touch screen device. The control system includes further includes a processor (50, 51, 52, 53) configured for converting button actuations into a digital format, and a first facility for communicating the digital format to the portable touch screen device via the internal docking connector. The application program is configured such that, during operation, the application program communicates the status of the one hard button to at least one external device.

Claims

1. A control system for a portable touch screen device (5) having integral processing capability, said control system comprising:

(a) an enclosure (1) configured for encasing the portable touch screen device;

(b) an internal docking connector (12) configured for communicatively mating with the portable touch screen device;

(c) a plurality of hard buttons (31, 32, and 33), wherein at least one of said hard buttons is functionally configured for use with an application program running on the portable touch screen device;

(d) a processor (50, 51, 52, 53) configured for converting button actuations into a digital format; and

(e) a first facility for communicating said digital format to the portable touch screen device via the internal docking connector, wherein

(i) said application program is configured such that, during operation, the application program communicates a status of said at least one hard button to at least one external device.

2. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) an IR emitter (17); and

(b) a second facility for communicating said digital format to the said IR emitter, wherein

(i) said IR emitter is configured to transmit IR control commands directly to the at least one external device.

3. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure further comprises:

(a) a front clam shell portion (10); and

(b) a rear clam shell portion (20).

4. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) an external USB connector (13).

5. The control system of claim 4 further comprising:

(a) a USB switch (42);

(b) a first USB wired connection (131) between the processor and the USB switch;

(c) a second USB wired connection (132) between the internal docking connector and the USB switch; and

(d) a third USB wired connection (133) between the USB switch and said external USB connector.

6. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) an audio connector (14) which mates directly to the portable touch screen device.

7. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) an authentication coprocessor (41).

8. The control system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the application program is configured for controlling home and office equipment (71, 72, 73, 77, and 78);

(b) said application program provides a user with status indications related to the home and office equipment; and

(c) hard button actuations are communicated wirelessly from the portable touch screen device in order to control said home and office equipment.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein:

(a) the hard buttons are operable to adjust audio volume and lighting brightness without navigating through subpages of the application program.

10. The control system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the enclosure further comprises a wired digital interface (731) between the processor and the portable touch screen device; and

(b) said wired digital interface device is selected from the group consisting of;

CAN bus, Ethernet, IEEE-1394 (Firewire), RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, and USB.

11. The control system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the enclosure further comprises a wireless digital interface (64, 66).

12. The control system according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) said wireless digital interface is selected from the group consisting of;

IEEE-802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE-802.15.1 (Bluetooth), IEEE-802.15.4 (Zigbee), and infiNET™

.

13. The control system according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) said wireless digital interface comprises a proprietary protocol in the UHF frequency band.

14. The control system according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) said wireless digital interface functions as a communication channel between the processor and the portable touch screen device.

15. The control system according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) said wireless digital interface functions as a communication channel between the processor and an external device.

16. The control system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the enclosure further comprises an infrared digital interface (67).

17. The control system of claim 16 wherein:

(a) said infrared digital interface is selected from the group consisting of;

IrDA and RC-5 infrared protocol.

18. The control system of claim 16 wherein:

(a) said infrared digital interface communicates using a proprietary protocol.

19. The control system according to claim 16 wherein:

(a) said infrared digital interface functions as a communication channel between the processor and the portable touch screen device.

20. The control system according to claim 16 wherein:

(a) said infrared digital interface functions as a communication channel between the processor and an external device.

21. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

an Ethernet interface.

22. The control system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) a power-over-Ethernet interface (44); and

(b) a power supply (46) deriving electrical power from said POE interface and providing electrical power to the portable touch screen device.

23. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said hard buttons further comprise:

(a) OSD navigation pad;

(b) volume up/down; and

(c) dedicated function buttons to control “

mute”

, “

lights”

, “

home”

, “

guide”

, “

info”

, and “

exit”

.

24. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure further comprises:

(a) an external docking connector (21, 21′

) configured for communicatively mating with a mounting stand (2).

25. The control system according to claim 24 wherein said mounting stand:

(a) is configured for supporting the enclosure in space;

(b) is connected to an external power source; and

(c) is further configured for providing electrical power to the portable touch screen device.

26. A control system for a portable touch screen device having integral processing capability, said control system comprising:

(a) an enclosure configured for encasing the portable touch screen device;

(b) a plurality of hard buttons, wherein at least one of said hard buttons is functionally configured for controlling home or office equipment; and

(c) a wireless digital interface.

27. A control system for a portable touch screen device, said control system comprising:

(a) an enclosure configured for encasing the portable touch screen device;

(b) one or more hard buttons disposed on the enclosure

(c) a communication path between the control system and the portable touch screen device, said communication path configured for communicating control information.

28. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the communication path communicates signals corresponding to actuations of the hard buttons to the portable touch screen device.

29. The control system according to claim 27 wherein the control information comprises:

(a) control commands to be transmitted by the portable touch screen device to an external component.

30. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the communication path communicates status information corresponding to an external device from the portable touch screen device to the control system.

31. The control system according to claim 27 wherein the communication path further comprises:

(a) an internal docking connector configured for mating with the portable touch screen device and a wired digital interface selected from the group consisting of CAN bus, Ethernet, IEEE-1394 (Firewire), RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, and USB.

32. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the communication path communicates control information from the portable touch screen device to the control system; and

(b) the control system is further configured for transmitting said control information to an external device.

33. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the communication path communicates status information corresponding to an external device from the control system to the portable touch screen device.

34. The control system of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a wireless digital interface selected from the group consisting of;

IEEE-802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE-802.15.1 (Bluetooth), IEEE-802.15.4 (Zigbee), infiNET™

, and a proprietary protocol in the UHF band.

35. The control system according to claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a wireless digital interface that functions as a communication channel between the control system and an external device.

36. The control system according to claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a wireless digital interface that functions as a communication channel between the control system and the portable touch screen device.

37. The control system of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) an infrared digital interface selected from the group consisting of;

IrDA, RC-5 protocol, and a proprietary protocol.

38. The control system according to claim 27 further comprising:

(a) an infrared digital interface that functions as a communication channel between the control system and the portable touch screen device.

39. The control system according to claim 27 further comprising:

(a) an infrared digital interface that functions as a communication channel between the control system and an external device

40. The control system of claim 27 further comprising an Ethernet interface

41. The control system according to claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a power-over-Ethernet (POE) interface; and

(b) a power supply deriving electrical power from said POE interface and providing electrical power to the portable touch screen device.

42. The control system according to claim 41 wherein:

(a) the power-over-Ethernet interface functions as a communication channel between the control system and an external device.

43. The control system according to claim 41 wherein:

(a) the control system transmits control information to an external device via the power-over-Ethernet interface.

44. The control system of claim 41 wherein:

(a) the control system receives feedback information from an external device via the power-over-Ethernet interface.

45. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) at least one of the buttons is configured to remain functional regardless of the operational status of the portable touch screen device.

46. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) at least one of the hard buttons is configured for use with an application program running on the portable touch screen device; and

(b) at least one other hard button is configured to remain functional independent of the operational status of the application program.

47. The control system of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a mounting stand for supporting the enclosure.

48. The control system according to claim 47 wherein said mounting stand further comprises an Ethernet interface.

49. The control system according to claim 47 wherein said mounting stand further comprises:

(a) a power-over-Ethernet interface; and

(b) a detachable wired connection between said mounting stand and the enclosure.

50. The control system of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the enclosure comprises a front cover sizably adapted to protectively fit together along mating edges around the portable touch screen device; and

(b) said front cover includes an access opening providing viewing access to a display screen of the portable touch screen device.

51. The control system of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) a battery; and

(b) a charging circuit, wherein

(i) the battery and charging circuit are configured to supply supplemental power to the portable touch screen device.

53. The control system of claim 51 wherein the application program provides a user with:

(a) control functions related home and office equipment; and

(b) status indications related to the home and office equipment.

54. The control system of claim 51 further comprising:

(a) a mounting stand configured for supporting and connectively mating with the enclosure, wherein

(i) said mounting stand is further configured for communicating information received from the control system to an external device as Cresnet control signals.

55. The control system of claim 51 further comprising:

(a) a mounting stand configured for supporting and connectively mating with the enclosure, wherein

(i) said mounting stand is further configured for communicating streaming media received from an external device to the portable touch screen device.

52. A control system for a portable touch screen device having integral processing capability, said control system comprising:

(a) an enclosure configured for encasing a portable touch screen device, said enclosure comprising a first portion and a second portion;

(b) an internal docking connector configured for communicatively mating with the portable touch screen device;

(c) at least one hard button functionally configured for use with an application program running on the portable touch screen device;

(d) a processor for configured for converting hard button actuations into a digital format;

(e) a USB wired connection between the processor and the docking connector; and

(f) an Ethernet interface;

56. The control system of claim 52 wherein the Ethernet interface comprises a power-over-Ethernet interface.