HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY AND GESTURE RECOGNITION

• US 20090153288A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Policarpo, Bull, William, Cannistraro, Alan, Hope, Eric James
• Granted Patent: US 9,767,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.100
• 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 digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• 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.

2. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the gesture received from the user comprises 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 gesture received from the user comprises 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 gesture received from the user comprises 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 gesture received from the user comprises 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 and hold 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 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.

9. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 1 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 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.

10. The handheld electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the media system remote control gesture comprises 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.

11. 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; and

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

12. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising:

at the media system, receiving the remote control command information;

at the media system, taking an action in response to the received remote control command information.

13. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising wirelessly transmitting status information to the handheld electronic device from the media system in response to the received remote control command information.

14. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising:

at the handheld electronic device, displaying confirmatory information on the touch screen display based on the media system remote control gestures.

15. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising:

displaying the status information on the handheld electronic device.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein displaying the status information comprises displaying status information selected from the group consisting of:

playback volume status information, display brightness status information, display contrast status information, and playback audio status information.

17. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising:

at the handheld electronic device, displaying confirmatory information on the touch screen display based on the media system remote control gestures, wherein the confirmatory information serves as a visual indicator that the media system remote control gestures have been received by the handheld electronic device.

18. The method defined in claim 11 wherein generating the remote control command information comprises generating a volume up command based on a swipe gesture.

19. The method defined in claim 11 wherein generating the remote control command information comprises generating a television channel change command.

20. The method defined in claim 11 wherein generating the remote control command information comprises generating an audio playback level adjustment command based on a swipe gesture.

21. The method defined in claim 11 wherein generating the remote control command information comprises generating media system parameter level adjustment command information to adjust a system parameter in the media system and wherein the media system remote control gesture comprises a swipe and hold gesture having a hold position, the method further comprising adjusting the system parameter at the media system to a level associated with the hold position.

22. 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;

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

at the media system, taking an action in response to the media system remote control command information.

23. The method defined in claim 22 further comprising:

at the media system, playing back content to a user with a media playback application, wherein the gesture includes a swipe; and

in response to the swipe, wirelessly transmitting media system remote control command information to the media system that directs the media system to adjust a level associated with 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.

24. The method defined in claim 22 further comprising:

at the media system, displaying a list of items on a display screen, wherein the gesture includes a swipe; and

in response to the 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.

25. The method defined in claim 24 wherein the gesture includes a tap, the method further comprising:

in response to the tap, playing 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.

26. A method in which a media system is remotely controlled with a handheld electronic device that has a touch screen display, wherein the media system has a media system status, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving gesture-based remote control command information from the handheld electronic device;

taking an action in response to the received gesture-based remote control command information that changes the media system status;

displaying information on the media system that reflects the change media system status; and

wirelessly transmitting the information on the changed media system status to the handheld electronic device from the media system.

27. The method defined in claim 26 wherein displaying the information comprises displaying status information selected from the group consisting of:

playback volume status information, display brightness status information, display contrast status information, and playback audio status information.

28. The method defined in claim 27 wherein wirelessly receiving the gesture-based remote control command information comprises wirelessly receiving a swipe gesture to change a media system volume setting.