Handheld electronic devices with remote control functionality and gesture recognition

• US 9,767,681 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hope, Eric James, Cannistraro, Alan, Wood, Policarpo, Bull, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/955,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,569 Days
• Field of Search: 341173, 341176, 715865
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• 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 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Handheld electronic devices are provided that have remote control functionality and gesture recognition features. The handheld electronic device may have remote control functionality in addition to cellular telephone, music player, or handheld computer functionality. The handheld electronic devices may have a touch sensitive display screen. The handheld electronic devices may recognize gestures performed by a user on the touch sensitive display screen. The handheld electronic devices may generate remote control signals from gestures that the handheld electronic device may recognize. A media system may receive the remote control signals and may take appropriate action. The touch sensitive display screen may be used to present the user with information about the media system such as the current volume.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a touch screen display that receives media system remote control gestures from a user;

processing circuitry that generates remote control command information for a media system based on the gestures; and

wireless communications circuitry with which the processing circuitry transmits the remote control command information to the media system to control the media system remotely, wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to receive status information from the media system in response to the remote control command information, wherein information is displayed on the handheld electronic device that reflects the status information from the media system, and wherein the processing circuitry and the touch screen display are configured to present a visual acknowledgment of each media system remote control gesture that is received from the user at least partly using the received status information.

2. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the gestures received from the user comprise a tap gesture, wherein the remote control command information is based on the tap gesture, and wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to wirelessly transmit the remote control command information based on the tap gesture to the media system.

3. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the gestures received from the user comprise a swipe gesture, wherein the remote control command information is based on the swipe gesture, and wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to wirelessly transmit the remote control command information based on the swipe gesture to the media system.

4. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the gestures received from the user comprise a swipe and hold gesture, wherein the remote control command information is based on the swipe and hold gesture, and wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to wirelessly transmit the remote control command information based on the swipe and hold gesture to the media system.

5. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the gestures received from the user comprise a swipe, hold, and reposition gesture, wherein the remote control command information is based on the swipe, hold, and reposition gesture, and wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to wirelessly transmit the remote control command information based on the swipe, hold, and reposition gesture to the media system.

6. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the wireless communications circuitry comprises wireless communications circuitry that operates according to an IEEE 802.11 wireless standard.

7. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the wireless communications circuitry comprises wireless communications circuitry that is configured to operate in a local area network radio-frequency communications band and in at least one cellular telephone communications band.

8. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the media system remote control gestures comprise an upward swipe gesture that increments a media system parameter in the media system that is selected from a group consisting of:

a volume parameter, a screen brightness parameter, a screen contrast parameter, and an audio equalization parameter, and wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to wirelessly transmit the remote control command information based on the upwards swipe gesture to the media system to increment the media system parameter.

9. A method of remotely controlling a media system with a handheld electronic device that has a touch screen display and wireless communications circuitry, the method comprising:

at the handheld electronic device, receiving media system remote control gestures from a user with the touch screen display;

at the handheld electronic device, generating remote control command information based on the received media system remote control gestures, wherein generating the remote control command information comprises generating an audio playback level adjustment command based on a swipe gesture; and

wirelessly transmitting the remote control command information to the media system with the wireless communications circuitry.

10. A method of wirelessly controlling a media system with a user device having a touch screen display on which a user makes gestures including swipes and taps, comprising:

at the media system, displaying a list of items on a display screen;

receiving the gestures with the touch screen display;

wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information that is based on the gesture to the media system from the user device, wherein wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information comprises;

in response to a swipe, wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information to the media system that directs the media system to adjust a highlight position within the displayed list of items; and

in response to a tap, wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information to the media system that directs the media system to play back a media item for the user with the media system, wherein the media item corresponds to the highlight position within the displayed list of items.

11. A method of wirelessly controlling a media system with a user device having a touch screen display on which a user makes a gesture, comprising:

receiving the gesture with the touch screen display; and

wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information that is based on the gesture to the media system from the user device, wherein wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information comprises;

in response to a swipe gesture, wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information to the media system that directs the media system to adjust a parameter selected from the group consisting of;

a playback volume for the media playback application, a pause command for the media playback application, a forward command for the media playback application, and a reverse command for the media playback application.