Control apparatus and method

• US 8,089,352 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microinfinity, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microinfinity, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Kyu-Cheol, Lee, Jung-Hwan, Park, Won-Jang, Sakong, Byung-Chun, Kim, Sang-Bum
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/230,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20090066533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/517, 340/518, 340/825.22, 340520-525, 345/158, 345/156, 702/141, 455/466
• US Class Current: 340/517
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

Provided are a control apparatus and method. The control apparatus includes: a measurement module which measures a motion of the control apparatus due to an external force; and a signal generation module which generates a signal corresponding to the measured motion, wherein the signal is transmitted to a display device to adjust a state of the display device according to the signal.

Claims

1. A control apparatus comprising:

a measurement module which measures a motion of the control apparatus due to an external force;

a signal generation module which generates a signal corresponding to the measured motion, wherein the signal is transmitted to a display device to adjust a state of the display device according to the signal; and

a key setting module which selects one of predetermined modes and sets the state of the adjusted display device,

wherein the predetermined modes comprise at least one of a screen brightness control mode, a sound volume control mode, a screen position control mode, a content control mode, a content selection mode, a menu selection mode, a screen enlargement movement mode, and a screen stabilization mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion includes rotation centering on at least one of an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are perpendicular to one another.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement module comprises at least one of an inertial sensor, a magnetic sensor, a vision sensor, an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor, and a sonar sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state of the display device comprises at least one of the screen brightness, sound volume and screen position of the display device, content adjustment, content selection, selection of menus indicated in the display device, screen enlargement movement, and screen stabilization.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device trapezoids the screen thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device top-corner or bottom-corner the screen thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device rotates the screen thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device adjusts the sound volume thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device adjusts the screen brightness thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device executes a rewind function or a fast forward function.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device moves to contents preceding or following contents that are currently being reproduced.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device converts the selection of the menu indicated in the display device.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device moves to a screen connected to the screen displayed in the display device.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the display device stabilizes the screen displayed in the display device.

15. A control method comprising:

measuring a motion of a control apparatus due to an external force;

generating a signal corresponding to the measured motion;

transmitting the signal to a display device to adjust a state of the display device; and

selecting one of predetermined modes and setting the state of the adjusted display device,

wherein the predetermined modes comprise at least one of a screen brightness control mode, a sound volume control mode, a screen position control mode, a content control mode, a content selection mode, a menu selection mode, a screen enlargement movement mode, a screen stabilization mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion includes rotation in a direction of at least one of an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are perpendicular to one another.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the state of the display device comprises at least one of the screen brightness, sound volume and screen position of the display device, content adjustment, content selection, selection of a menu displayed in the display device, screen enlargement movement, and screen stabilization.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises trapezoiding the screen of the display device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises top-corner or bottom-corner the screen of the display device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises rotating the screen of the display device.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises adjusting the sound volume of the display device.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises adjusting the screen brightness of the display device.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises executing a rewind function or a fast forward function.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises moving to contents preceding or following contents that are currently being reproduced.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises converting selection of the menu displayed in the display device.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises moving to a screen connected to the screen displayed in the display device.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the control apparatus rotates in the direction of at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, the adjusting of the state of the display device comprises stabilizing the screen displayed in the display device.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein, in the measuring of the motion of the control apparatus, the control apparatus comprises at least one of an inertial sensor, a magnetic sensor, a vision sensor, an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor, and a sonar sensor to measure the motion thereof.