Remote control with integrated position, viewer identification and optical and audio test

• US 8,823,782 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D., Seshadri, Nambirajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAWAZ, TALHA M
• Application Number:
  US12/982,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 348 41-162
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/349 Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/356 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/371 for tracking viewers with different interocular distances; for tracking rotational head movements around the vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/373 for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/378 for tracking rotational head movements around an axis perpendicular to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/38 for tracking vertical translational head movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 : additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 : for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast

Abstract

Remote control devices that support interaction by a viewer with a screen assembly of a display device are provided. The eyes of the viewer have a first position within a premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device. The remote control device has a second position within the premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device. The remote control device includes an input interface that receives viewer input, a communication interface that supports wireless transmissions, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry participates in a generation of location information relating to the first position of the eyes of the viewer. The processing circuitry causes the communication interface to make at least one wireless transmission relating to the generation of the location information. The processing circuitry, at least in part, causes a reconfiguration of the screen assembly based on the location information.

Claims

1. Remote control circuitry of a remote control device that supports interaction by a viewer with a screen assembly of a display device, the remote control device being held by the viewer during the interaction, the viewer having eyes, the eyes of the viewer having a first position within a premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device, the remote control device having a second position within the premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device, the remote control circuitry comprising:

an input interface that enables the viewer to select content to be viewed;

a communication interface that supports wireless transmissions;

processing circuitry that automatically determines the first position of the eyes of the viewer based at least on the second position of the remote control device, the second position of the remote control device being proximate to the viewer;

the processing circuitry causing the communication interface to make at least one wireless transmission relating to the determination of the first position; and

the processing circuitry, at least in part, causes a display characteristic of the display device to be changed based on the first position.

2. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, further comprising camera interface circuitry.

3. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry assists in a detection relating to the second position of the remote control device within the premises to determine the first position.

4. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the second position of the remote control device is determined external to the remote control device based on the at least one wireless transmission.

5. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the communication interface receives a plurality of wireless transmissions, and the processing circuitry determines the second position of the remote control device based on the received wireless transmissions.

6. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor component of the remote control device detects a hand of the viewer in contact with the remote control device.

7. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry generates at least one command based on the first position to change the display characteristic of the display device, and the communication interface transmits the at least one command from the remote control device.

8. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the remote control device includes at least one camera that captures at least one image of at least a portion of the screen assembly, the at least one image used to determine the first position.

9. The remote control circuitry of claim 8, wherein the remote control device includes at least one eyepiece, wherein the viewer is enabled to capture the at least one image of a portion of the screen assembly using the at least one camera while the at least one eyepiece is held in alignment with at least one eye of the viewer viewing the screen assembly through the at least one eyepiece.

10. The remote control circuitry of claim 8, wherein the captured at least one image includes an image of a test symbol displayed by the screen assembly.

11. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, wherein the display characteristic is a light manipulation characteristic of the screen assembly.

12. The remote control circuitry of claim 11, wherein the light manipulation characteristic relates to a three-dimensional presentation.

13. The remote control circuitry of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor component configured to capture information associated with the viewer;

wherein the input interface includes a display;

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to at least participate in a determination of an orientation of the eyes of the viewer;

wherein the selected content is displayed by at least one of the screen assembly or the display based on the determined orientation.

14. The remote control circuitry of claim 13, wherein the selected content is web content.

15. A method in a remote control device to support interaction by a viewer with a screen assembly of a display device, the remote control device being held by the viewer during the interaction, the viewer having eyes, the eyes of the viewer having a first position within a premises relative to the screen of the display device, the remote control device having a second position within the premises relative to the screen of the display device, the method comprising:

receiving a selection input by the viewer via an input interface of the remote control device to select content to be viewed;

automatically generating location information that indicates the first position of the eyes of the viewer based at least on the second position of the remote control device, the second position of the remote control device being proximate to the viewer;

making at least one wireless transmission including the location information; and

causing, at least in part, delivery of the content to be displayed via the display device based at least on the first position indicated by the location information and causing a display characteristic of the display device to be changed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the generation of the location information that indicates the first position comprises assisting in a detection relating to the second position of the remote control device within the premises.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing a reconfiguration of the screen assembly based on the location information, the reconfiguration comprising changing a light manipulation characteristic of the screen assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the light manipulation characteristic relates to a three-dimensional presentation.

19. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory containing computer-readable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, are configured to;

receive a selection input by a viewer via an input interface of a remote control device to select content to be viewed, the remote control device supporting interaction by the viewer with a screen assembly of a display device, the viewer having eyes that have a first position within a premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device, the remote control device having a second position within the premises relative to the screen assembly of the display device, the second position being at least one of being in reach of the viewer or being in a hand of the viewer;

automatically generate location information that indicates the first position of the eyes of the viewer based at least on the second position of the remote control device;

make at least one wireless transmission including the location information; and

cause, at least in part, delivery of the content to be displayed via the display device based at least on the first position indicated by the location information, and cause a display characteristic of the display device to be changed.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the computer-readable instruction, which, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to:

cause a reconfiguration of the screen assembly based on the location information, the reconfiguration comprising changing a light manipulation characteristic of the screen assembly.