Remote control method having GUI function, and system using the same

• US 7,174,518 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jeong Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US10/268,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/719
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A remote control method and system embody a graphic user interface. The present invention includes a remote controller having a touch pad and a digital television having a GUI. That is, a viewer can select a menu displayed on the digital television by using the touch pad. It is thus possible to overcome control limitations of the remote controller, namely complexity of the rapidly-developed functions of the television. In addition, the viewer can watch menus displayed on the screen of the digital television, operate the touch pad and execute a wanted control operation. As a result, the viewer can easily conveniently control the digital television through simple operations of the remote controller.

Claims

1. A remote control method including a (GUI function, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, at a remote control means, information of a touch pad signal mode set up by a button key operation of a viewer to an image display means;

displaying, at the image display means, menu selection information in a GUI environment according to the information of the touch pad signal mode;

transmitting, at the remote control means, a touch control signal generated in response to viewer'"'"'s contact of a touch pad to the image display means; and

executing, at the image display means, an operation including displaying menu selection information according to the touch control signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of distinguishing, at the image display means, the touch pad signal mode and a button signal mode received from the remote control means, and supplying them to a corresponding control unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu selection information comprises a main manual for allowing the viewer to select a menu and a pointer for designating the menu selected by the viewer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the touch control signal is a movement position signal having movement information of a pointer generated when the viewer moves by a predetermined distance in a state where he/she maintains a first contact position to the touch pad.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the touch control signal is a menu selection signal generated when the viewer maintains a first contact position to the touch pad over a predetermined time, or when he/she continuously contacts the first position to the touch pad.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu selection information is displayed in a window type.

7. A remote control system including a GUI function, comprising:

a remote control means having a button processing unit for generating a button signal including information of a touch pad signal mode in response to a button key press of a viewer;

a touch pad control unit for generating a touch control signal in response to viewer contact with a touch pad;

a signal transmitting unit for remotely transmitting the signals from the button processing unit or touch pad control unit;

an image display means having a signal receiving unit for receiving the signals from the signal transmitting unit;

a signal control unit for receiving the signals from the signal receiving unit and distinguishing modes of each signal;

an image control unit for executing an operation according to a button signal included in a button signal mode, when the mode distinguished by the signal control unit is a button signal mode; and

a GUI control unit for displaying a main manual and a pointer on a screen in a GUI environment, and controlling the pointer according to a touch pad operation of the viewer, when the mode distinguished by the signal control unit is a touch pad signal mode, wherein the pointer is moved responsive to viewer contact with the touch pad.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the GUI control unit performs the control operation to recognize characters which the viewer inputs to the touch pad and to search information corresponding to the characters.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the remote control means varies a previously-set button on signal mode into the touch pad signal mode and enables the touch pad control unit, when the viewer selects a menu button on key among the button keys.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein, when the viewer continuously contacts the touch pad, one of a few menus of the main manual is executed by the pointer.

11. A remote controller for remotely controlling a digital television, comprising:

a button unit having a plurality of button keys including a menu button key for activating a touch pad at its one side;

the touch pad installed at the other side of the button unit, and contacted by a viewer for executing menu selection information displayed on the digital television;

a button key control unit for generating a button signal corresponding to a pressed button and for varying a previously-set button signal mode into a touch pad signal mode according to a menu button key operation of the viewer;

a touch pad control unit for generating a touch control signal including a movement position signal and a menu selection signal according to a touch pad contact of the viewer, and

a signal transmitting unit for remotely transmitting the touch pad signal mode from the button key control unit or the touch control signal from the touch pad control unit to the digital television.

12. The remote controller according to claim 11, wherein the menu selection information comprises a main manual for allowing the viewer to select a menu and a pointer for designating the menu selected by the viewer.

13. The remote controller according to claim 11, wherein, when the viewer moves by a predetermined distance in a state where he/she maintains a first contact position to the touch pad, the touch pad control unit calculates movement distance and direction information on the basis of the first contact position and final contact position.

14. The remote controller according to claim 11, wherein the touch pad control unit senses whether the viewer maintains a first contact position to the touch pad over a predetermined time, or continuously contacts the first contact position to the touch pad, and generates a menu selection signal.