Smart remote controller handset

• US 9,245,441 B1
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iconnectzone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Iconnectzone Incorporated
• Inventors: Poojary, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US14/076,949
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 340/4.11, 340/12.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

The present invention features a smart remote controller system which can also receive phone calls from any mobile device via Bluetooth. The system comprises a remote controller, at least a smartphone, and an optional docking station. This remote controller has speakers and can stream music from the mobile device via Bluetooth while the device is charging on the docking station. The smart remote controller is banana shaped remote which fits comfortable in a user'"'"'s palm. The top curved area is to control TV, DVR and other devices needing remote controller. The inner face is designed to be a comfortable ear to mouth piece to make/answer calls via the mobile device. One side is a Wi-Fi speaker system playing back music from any mobile device. The handset can be conveniently charged on the docking station when not in use.

Claims

1. A smart remote controller system capable of receiving and making phone calls for a user with a remote controller, the system comprising:

a remote controller having a top side, a back side, a first side and a second side, wherein the remote controller has a first end and second end,

wherein the remote controller comprising;

a plurality of remote control buttons disposed on the top side, an infrared LED disposed on the top side near the first end;

a headphone is disposed on the back side near the first end, a microphone is disposed on the back side near the second end, a LCD screen is disposed on the back side below the headphone;

an answering button, a stop button, and a plurality of number buttons are disposed on the back side between the LCD screen and microphone;

a battery compartment is disposed on the second side with at least one battery resides in the battery compartment;

a microprocessor module, a Bluetooth transceiver and a dual-way Analogue/Digital (A/D) converter disposed inside the remote controller, the microprocessor module is operatively connected with the remote control buttons, the headphone, the LCD screen, the answering button, the stop button, the number buttons, the microphone, the Bluetooth transceiver, the A/D converter and the infrared LED;

at least one speaker disposed on the first side;

a touch wheel and a confirmation button disposed on the back side of the remote controller;

wherein the touch wheel is disposed below the LCD screen, wherein the confirmation button is disposed in the center of the touch wheel;

wherein the microprocessor module is operatively connected with the speaker, touch wheel and confirmation button; and

a Bluetooth smartphone comprising;

a smartphone Bluetooth module and a phone battery;

wherein the microprocessor module is configured to receive input signal from one of the remote control buttons, subsequently generate a corresponding signal and send the generated signal to the infrared LED;

wherein the infrared LED emit a corresponding infrared signal for remote controlling of a remote device;

wherein the a remote device is a TV or an audio/video player;

wherein the Bluetooth smartphone receives an incoming phone call request, subsequently forward a request signal to the Bluetooth transceiver via the smartphone Bluetooth module, the Bluetooth transceiver forwards the request signal to the microprocessor module, the microprocessor module causes the LCD screen to display information corresponding the request signal;

wherein the display information comprises caller'"'"'s telephone number and applicable name;

wherein if a stop button is pressed, an stop signal is sent to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor module sends a rejecting signal to the Bluetooth transceiver, and the Bluetooth transceiver sends the rejecting signal to the smartphone Bluetooth module to reject the incoming phone call request signal;

wherein if an answering button is pressed, an answering signal is sent to the microprocessor, the microprocessor module receives and send the answering signal to the Bluetooth transceiver, the Bluetooth transceiver sends the answering signal to the smartphone Bluetooth module to accept the incoming phone call request signal;

wherein in response to accepting the incoming phone call request signal, the microprocessor module receives incoming voice signal from the Bluetooth smartphone through the smartphone Bluetooth module via the Bluetooth transceiver, the microprocessor module causes the headphone to play the incoming voice signal through the A/D converter;

wherein in response to accepting the incoming phone call request signal, outgoing voice signal is received by the microphone and processed by the A/D converter and forwarded to the microprocessor module, the microprocessor module subsequently sends the processed outgoing voice signal to the Bluetooth smartphone through the smartphone Bluetooth module via the Bluetooth transceiver;

wherein if the stop button is pressed subsequent to accepting the incoming phone call request signal, the stop signal is sent to the microprocessor, the microprocessor module receives and sends the stop signal to the Bluetooth transceiver, the Bluetooth transceiver sends the stop signal to the smartphone Bluetooth module to end a phone conversation; and

wherein when the user dials a phone number by pressing the number buttons and subsequently pressing the answering button, the microprocessor module receives a phone dialing request signal, subsequently generate a corresponding phone dialing request signal and send the generated phone dialing request signal to the Bluetooth transceiver, the Bluetooth transceiver sends the corresponding phone dialing request signal to the Bluetooth module of the Bluetooth smartphone and the Bluetooth smartphone starts the phone dialing request;

wherein the remote controller is configured to setup a Bluetooth connection with additional Bluetooth smartphones with a phone ID for each one of the Bluetooth smartphones, wherein the remote controller is configured to selectively initiate phone communications by choosing the desired phone ID, the phone ID for each one of the Bluetooth smartphones is displayed on the LCD screen of the remote controller, wherein when one of the Bluetooth smartphones is receiving an incoming phone call, an incoming phone call information comprising the caller'"'"'s telephone number and the applicable name are displayed on the LCD screen, and the incoming phone call information is readable by the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor module is integrated with a built-in memory.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor module is a Micom MSP430 microcontroller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver comprises an integrated antenna.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is CC2560-PAN1325 Transceiver.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the A/D converter uses a Texas Instrument LM49321 chip.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a docking station having a first end, a second end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein at least one groove is disposed on the top surface near the first end;

wherein an input/output (I/O) port is disposed within the groove;

wherein a first indent is disposed on the top surface near the second end and second indent is disposed on the top surface between the groove and first indent;

wherein the first indent and second indent hold the remote controller;

wherein a power receiving port is disposed on the first end to receive power from an external power supply, wherein the power port is operatively connected to the I/O port via a power rail disposed within the docking station.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the I/O port is used to charge the phone battery of the Bluetooth smartphone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the I/O port is at least one of:

a USB port, mini USB port, and a 30-pin dock connector.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote controller has a banana shape with a convex oval profile top side and a concave oval profile back side.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the docking station further comprises a LED light operatively connected to the power rail, wherein the LED light is on when the docking station charges the battery of the Bluetooth smartphone.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one grip strip is disposed on the second side of the remote controller.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery resides in the battery compartment of the remote controller is a rechargeable battery.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein when the user is watching the TV with the remote controller, the remote controller automatically mutes the TV volume if the user accepts the incoming phone call request signal with the remote controller, wherein when the user ends the phone call, the remote controller automatically restores the TV volume to a level of the TV volume prior to muting the muting the TV volume.

15. The system of claim 13, the system further comprises a remote controller charging port disposed on at least one of:

the first indent, second indent, and both the first indent and second indents of the docking station, wherein the remote controller charging port is operatively connected to the power receiving port.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the remote controller further comprises a battery charge connector disposed on the first end or second end or both the first end and second end of the remote controller, wherein when the remote controller is placed on the docking station, the battery charge connector contacts the remote controller charging port on the docking station and the rechargeable battery of the remote controller is charged.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller is configured to stream music stored within the Bluetooth smartphone via the Bluetooth connection between the Bluetooth transceiver and smartphone Bluetooth module;

wherein after the Bluetooth connection established, the music file list is displayed on the LCD screen, wherein the user can selectively play a music file from the music file list with the press of the confirmation button, wherein the music file is played on the speaker, wherein the user can perform a desired control operation to the music file list or the music file being played via input to the touch wheel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the desired control operation is at least one of:

next music file, previous music file, fast forward, fast backward, volume up, and volume down.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the input to the touch wheel is clockwise or counter-clockwise circular movement on the touch wheel.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the touch wheel is configured to scroll up and down a contact list stored within the Bluetooth smartphone when the remote controller being used as a phone handset after the Bluetooth connection between the Bluetooth transceiver and smartphone Bluetooth module established, wherein the user can scroll to the desired contact and press the answering button to initiate the phone call.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein when the user dials the phone number by pressing the number buttons, choosing the desired Bluetooth smartphone using the phone ID for each one of the Bluetooth smartphones and subsequently pressing the answering button, the microprocessor module receives the phone dialing request signal, subsequently generate the corresponding phone dialing request signal and send the generated phone dialing request signal to the Bluetooth transceiver, the Bluetooth transceiver sends the corresponding phone dialing request signal to the Bluetooth module of the desired Bluetooth smartphone and the desired Bluetooth smartphone starts the phone dialing request.