REMOTE CONTROL HAVING MAGNETIC SENSORS FOR DETERMINING MOTIONS OF THE REMOTE CONTROL IN THREE DIMENSIONS THAT CORRESPOND TO ASSOCIATED SIGNALS THAT CAN BE TRANSMITTED FROM THE REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20070291112A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/735,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• 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: 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

Abstract

A remote control device includes a plurality of magnetic sensors that enable the remote control to determine its orientation in three dimensions, and to determine a change in orientation over time, wherein a user can move the remote control in a first motion relative to a first access to thereby cause a function of the remote control to be actuated, and wherein a user can move the remote control in a second motion relative to a second axis to thereby enable a second function to be actuated, and wherein a user can move the remote control in a third motion relative to a third axis to thereby enable a third function to be actuated.

Claims

1. A remote control system for transmitting commands that are determined by rotational and translational motions of a remote control, said remote control system comprising:

a sensor system disposed inside a remote control that is capable of determining what rotational and translational motions are performed by the remote control being moved in three dimensions; and

a memory for recording the rotational and translational motions of the remote control;

a processor for correlating the rotational and translational motions of the remote control to associated commands; and

a transmitter for sending the associated command from the remote control.

2. The remote control system as defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor system further comprises a magnetic sensing system for determining what rotational and translational motions are performed by the remote control.

3. A method for using rotational and translational motions of a remote control system to generate a command signal, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a remote control that includes a sensor system for determining what motion is performed by the remote control;

(2) moving the remote control by performing at least one motion;

(3) determining what motion has been performed;

(4) determining what command signal is associated with the motion that has been performed; and

(5) transmitting the command signal.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the step of enabling the remote control to perform a plurality of motions that can be grouped together as a single command.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the method further comprises the step of detecting motion from the group of motions comprised of rotational, translational, and combinations thereof.

6. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a magnetic sensor system for determining what motion is performed by the remote control.

7. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the step of temporarily recording the motion in a memory register for further processing.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(1) comparing the recorded motion to a list of possible motions to identify which motion has been performed by the remote control; and

(2) locating the command signal that is associated with the identified motion.

9. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting a transmitter for the remote control from the group of transmitters comprised of radio frequency transmitters and infra-red transmitters.