Remote control device for video and audio capture and communication

• US 6,489,986 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/698,297
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04, 348/14.05, 348/14.06, 348/14.07, 348/734, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 725/100, 725/139, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/42222 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64 Addressing network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00; support for multicast or broadcast of one-way stream services H04L65/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A remote control for an interactive television system includes an integrated camera and a wireless transmitter for transmitting video information captured by the camera to the interactive television system. A set top box for the interactive television system includes a wireless receiver for receiving the video information and a converter for transforming the video information into a network-compatible video stream for transmission to a network.

Claims

1. A remote control for interactive television system, the remote control comprising:

user control means for receiving user input for operating the interactive television system;

processing means, coupled to the user control means, for generating control signals for interactive television system in response to user interaction with user control means;

video and still picture capture means, coupled to the processing means, for capturing video information and a still picture;

activity indication means, coupled to the processing means, for visually indicating when the camera is actively capturing video information;

audio capture means, coupled to the processing means, for capturing audio information; and

wireless transmission means, coupled to the processing means, for transmitting the control signals and captured audio and video information and the still picture information to the interactive television system while interactive television system simultaneously displays a received video stream.

2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission means comprises a high-bandwidth, radio-frequency transmitter.

3. The remote control of claim 2, wherein the radio-frequency transmitter is configured to utilize a radio-frequency antenna integrated with a circuit board for the device.

4. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the video and still picture capture means comprises a digital video camera.

5. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the digital video camera comprises a charged-coupled device array.

6. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the digital video camera further comprises a digital zoom feature.

7. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the digital video camera further comprises an automatic white balance feature.

8. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the digital video camera further comprises an automatic exposure feature.

9. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the digital video camera is configured to capture an NTSC-compatible video signal.

10. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the still picture is stored in a compressed format.

11. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the still picture has a relatively higher resolution than a resolution of the captured video information.

12. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising:

a specifically-designated button for activating the video and still picture capture means and the audio capture means to initiate capture of the audio and video information.