Abstract:
A remote control (RC) has a touch pad and user touches on the pad are correlated to pad positions. The positions are sent to a remote display device and mapped to corresponding locations on the display of the display device as though the user were touching the display of the display device, not the touch pad of the RC.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 61/621,658, filed Apr. 9, 2012, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application relates generally to remote controls (RC) for controlling audio video display devices (AVDD) such as TVs. 
       II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Modern TVs such as the Sony Bravia (trademark) present native user interfaces (UI) to allow viewers to select an audio video (AV) input source, to launch non-broadcast TV applications such as video telephone applications (e.g., Skype), and so on. As understood herein, many viewers of TVs may prefer to access application-based UIs, with which many viewers may be as or more familiar than they are with native TV UIs, and which increase a viewer&#39;s range of choices by allowing a user to view application-based content such as Internet video. 
         [0004]    In any case, users continue to expect to control TVS using remote controls (RC). Conventionally, user input to consumer electronics products is mainly through buttons and a mouse except one with touch screen. As understood herein, however, user gestures and touch input are a convenient, easy and intuitive way for user to provide input specifically for devices offering entertainment like TV, set top box (STB), and devices supporting applications without touch screen. Since these devices are not hand held devices, they don&#39;t have touch screen but have remotes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A remote control (RC) for a video display device (VDD) uses touch gestures as a solution for ease of operation of entertainment devices. Both absolute touches are used, in which a track pad area of the RC is mapped to a screen area of the VDD and the track pad simulates screen display (touch screen) for the user, allowing the user to touch specific areas on the screen by touching the corresponding area on track pad. Touch inputs such as tap, press, etc. are sent to the VDD and the VDD processes the inputs as if they come from the (non-touch) display of the VDD. 
         [0006]    Additionally, various gestures can be derived based on movement of a user finger over the RC touch pad and can be mapped to various events depending on the application involved. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, a remote control (RC) includes a portable hand held housing, a touch sensitive surface on the housing, and a processor in the housing communicating with the surface. A wireless transmitter is controlled by the processor. A computer readable storage medium is accessible to the processor and bears instructions executable by the processor to configure the processor to receive a signal representing a touch on the surface, and determine a type of touch based on the signal representing a touch on the surface. The processor determines a location of the touch on the surface and transmits a signal representing the type of touch and the location of the touch to a video device. 
         [0008]    The location can be a geometric location on the surface, and specifically can be a location on a matrix grid system, and the signal sent to the display device indicates the geometric location. The type of touch may be a tap, a click characterized by greater finder pressure on the surface than a tap, a double tap, a long push characterized by pressure against an area of the surface for a period exceeding a threshold period, or a pinch. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, a remote control (RC) includes a portable hand held housing, a touch sensitive surface on the housing, and a processor in the housing communicating with the surface. A wireless transmitter is controlled by the processor. A computer readable storage medium is accessible to the processor and bears instructions executable by the processor to configure the processor to send touch-generated signals to a video device. The housing supports, in addition to the touch sensitive surface, a navigation rocker manipulable to move a screen cursor up, down, left, and right, a home key, a play key, a pause key, and a guide key. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, remote control (RC) has a touch pad and user touches on the pad are correlated to pad positions. The positions are sent to a remote display device and mapped to corresponding locations on the display of the display device as though the user were touching the display of the display device, not the touch pad of the RC. 
         [0011]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can be best understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a non-limiting example system in accordance with present principles; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of example RC logic; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of example video display device (VDD) logic; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of an example implementation of the VDD RC, showing side views exploded away from the plan view; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of an example implementation of the AVAM RC; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of an example implementation of the keyboard for either RC; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the touch pad of one of the RCs illustrating scroll areas; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of the touch pad of one of the RCs illustrating function areas; and 
           [0020]      FIGS. 9-12  are tables indicating various example touch types. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring initially to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a system generally designated  10  is shown. The system  10  includes a game console  12  and a disk player  14 . The system  10  also includes a display device  16  that includes a processor  18 , tangible computer readable storage medium  20  such as disk-based or solid state storage, a tuner  22 , display  24 , and speakers  26 . In some embodiments, the display device  16  may be, but is not limited to, a television (TV) such as a Sony Bravia high-definition television manufactured by Sony Corporation. In some examples, the TV processor executes a Linux operating system to provide applications apart from TV channel presentation. It is to be understood that the display device  16  may present on the display  24  and/or speakers  26  its own user interface (UI), referred to herein as a “native” UI under control of the processor  18 . 
         [0022]    The device  16  also includes an audio-visual (A/V) interface  28  to communicate with other devices such as the game console  12  and disk player  14  in accordance with present principles. The A/V interface may be used, e.g., in a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) context for communicating over an HDMI cable through an HDMI port on the display device  16  with, e.g., the game console  12 . However, other A/V interface technologies may be used in lieu of or in conjunction with HDMI communication to implement/execute present principles, as may be appreciated by those within the art. For instance, e.g., cloud computing, IP networks, national electrical code (NEC) communication, coaxial communication, fiber optic communication, component video communication, video graphics array (VGA) communication, etc., may be used. 
         [0023]    Still in reference to  FIG. 1 , an audio-video application module (AVAM)  30  is shown as being connected to the Internet  32 . It is to be understood that the audio-video application module  30  includes a tangible computer readable storage medium  34  such as disk-based or solid state storage, as well as a processor  36 , a network interface  38  such as a wired or wireless modem or router or other appropriate interface, e.g., a wireless telephony transceiver, and an audio-visual interface  40  that is configured to communicate with the audio-visual interface  28  of the display device  16  and, if desired, any other modules in the system  10  such as the game console  12  and display player  14  over, e.g., HDMI connections or any of the other connection types listed above. The VAM  30  may execute an operating system than that executed by the TV processor. For instance, in an example embodiment the AVAM  30  is a Google TV module executing the Android operating system. 
         [0024]    Furthermore, it is to be understood that the processor  18  and processor  36 , in addition to any other processors in the system  10  such as in the game console  12  and  14 , are capable of executing all or part of the logic discussed herein as appropriate to undertake present principles. Moreover, software code implementing present logic executable by, e.g., the processors  18  and  36  may be stored on one of the memories shown (the computer readable storage mediums  20  and  34 ) to undertake present principles. 
         [0025]    Continuing in reference to  FIG. 1 , a remote commander (RC)  42  associated with the display device  16  and referred to herein as the “native” RC is shown. An RC  44  associated with the AVAM  30  is also shown. The RCs  42 ,  44  function according to description below, and are alike except for certain differences in keys and layouts discussed further below. 
         [0026]    The RCs  42  and  44  have respective processors  46  and  48 , respective computer readable storage mediums  50  and  52 , and respective one or more input devices  54  and  56  such as, but not limited to, touch screen displays and/or cameras (for sensing user gestures on a touch surface or imaged by a camera that are then correlated to particular commands, such as scroll left/right and up/down, etc.) keypads, accelerometers (for sensing motion that can be correlated to a scroll command or other command), microphones for voice recognition technology for receiving user commands. The RCs  42  and  44  also include respective transmitters/receivers  58  and  60  (referred to herein simply as transmitters  58  and  60  for convenience) for transmitting user commands under control of the respective processors  46  and  48  received through the input devices  54  and  56 . 
         [0027]    It is to be understood that the transmitters  58  and  60  may communicate not only with transmitters on their associated devices via wireless technology such as RF and/or infrared (i.e. the transmitter  58  under control of the processor  46  may communicate with a transmitter  62  on the display device  16  and the transmitter  60  under control of the processor  48  may communicate with a transmitter  64  on the AVAM  30 ), but may also communicate with the transmitters of other devices in some embodiments. The transmitters  58  and  60  may also receive signals from either or both the transmitter  62  on the display device  16  and transmitter  64  of the AVAM  30 . Thus, it is to be understood that the transmitters/receivers  58  and  60  allow for bi-directional communication between the remote commanders  42  and  44  and respective display device  16  and AVAM  30 . 
         [0028]    Now in reference to  FIG. 2 , the logic executed by an RC according to present principles is shown. For disclosure purposes, touch surface input will be assumed, it being understood that present principles apply to motion of the RC as sensed by an accelerometer, voice command as sensed by a microphone, non-touch gesture as sensed by a camera. At block  70 , a touch is received on the touch pad or surface of the RC at one or more locations on the touch pad. The type of touch is determined at block  72 , e.g., whether the touch is a soft or hard touch, sliding motion, indeed a release of pressure by a finger, which itself may be used to indicate a particular command. Various types of touches are divulged further below and include, among other touches, taps, clicks characterized by greater finder pressure on the touch surface than a tap, double taps, a long push characterized by pressure against an area of the touch surface for a period exceeding a threshold period, and pinched. Likewise, various types of motion of the RC as sensed by the accelerometer can be correlated to commands, e.g., a motion to the left can be interpreted as a command to “scroll left” while a motion to the right can be interpreted as a command to “scroll right”. Similarly, hand gestures imaged by the camera can be correlated to respective commands. 
         [0029]    Then, at block  74  the type of touch along with the location(s) of the touch on the pad are sent to a video device (VD) such as the display device  16  or AVAM  30 . The location is a geometric location on the display and in one implementation is a location on a matrix grid system, and the signal sent to the video device indicates the geometric location. 
         [0030]    Complementary logic that is executed by a video device receiving signals from the RC is shown in  FIG. 3 . At block  76  the type of touch and location of the touch are received from the RC. Block  78  indicates that the location received from the RC is registered to a geometrically equivalent location on a display controlled by the video device. For example, assume the touch surface of the RC has a matrix of touch points numbering 100 by 100, and the location received from the RC indicates a touch at point in the matrix 10 units from the top and 10 units from the right edge. Assume that the display controlled by the video device has a display 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels. At block  78  the video device converts the location signal from the RC to a geometrically equivalent location on its display by multiplying by ten, determining that the touch should be regarded as having occurred relative to the display controlled by the video device 100 pixels from the top and 100 pixels from the right edge of the display. 
         [0031]    Proceeding to block  80 , based on the type of touch and geometrically equivalent display location, the video device correlates the touch signal to a command, which is executed at block  82  by the video device. Thus, for example, knowing a tap was received and knowing what selector element of a user interface corresponds to the geometrically equivalent display position determined at block  78 , the video device knows what the user manipulating the RC and viewing the display intended to select by the touch, and by the nature (type) of the touch knows which one of potentially multiple commands, each associated with a type of touch, the user intended by the selection of the selector element. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  shows an example implementation of the display device RC  42  shown in  FIG. 1 , while  FIG. 5  shows an example implementation of the AVAM RC  44  shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the RC  42  includes a portable hand held housing  84  that holds the above-described touch sensitive surface  54 , processor, wireless transmitter, and computer readable storage medium. In addition to the touch sensitive surface, a navigation rocker  86  is on the housing and is manipulable to move a screen cursor up, down, left, and right, as shown by the arrows on the rocker  86 . Note that the rocker  86  may not actually physically rock about axes but may include four separate touch areas or switches. Also, a home key  88 , a play key  90 , a pause key  92 , and a guide key  94  are on the housing as shown to respectively cause a controlled display to show a home menu, play a video, pause the video, and present a program guide. The play and pause keys may be below (relative to the user, i.e., closer to the user&#39;s torso) the touch pad  54  as shown while the home and guide keys and rocket  86  may be above the touch surface. 
         [0033]    Also supported on the housing is a subtitle key  96  manipulable to cause a video device in wireless communication with the RC to present subtitles on a display. Moreover, an input key  98  is manipulable to cause a video device in wireless communication with the RC to change a content input to a display. A microphone  99  may be supported on the housing for voice command input. Above the input key  98  are side-by-side power keys  100  for energizing and deenergizing a controlled display device and an associated amplifier. Additional keys may include a back key  102  for causing a controlled device to return to a previous menu or screen and letter keys A-D  104 , each with a distinctive geometric boundary as shown, for inputting respective control signals typically in response to a display prompting input of a particular letter for a particular command or service. All of these keys are also contained on the RC  44  in  FIG. 5  as shown, except that the input key  98  on the RC  42  of  FIG. 4  is below the power keys  100  while on the RC  44  in  FIG. 5  is in the same row as the power keys. Also, the RC  44  in  FIG. 5  contains a digital video record (DVR) key  104  to cause commands to be sent a DVR. 
         [0034]    As also shown in  FIG. 4 , it being understood that the side surfaces of the RC  44  shown in  FIG. 5  may include identical structure, the left side surface  106  of the RC  42  includes an indicator light  108  such as a light emitting diode (LED) to indicate the presence of a communication link between the RC  42  and a controlled device. A release button  110  may also be provided to release a battery cover of the device. On the right side surface  112  are volume up/down selectors  114  and channel up/down selectors  116 , and a second button  118  to release a battery cover of the device. Just below the touch pad  54  a “function” indicator light  120  may be disposed on the housing to indicate a function currently invoked. Either RC  42 ,  44  may be coupled to a keyboard  122  shown in  FIG. 6  with function light  124  which may be illuminated at the same time as the function light  120  on the RC so that both the keyboard and RC indicate a connection therebetween exists. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show that the touch surface  54  of the RC  42  (with the same disclosure applying to the touch surface of the RC  44 ) may include dedicated regions which, when touched, invoke particular predetermined commands. Specifically, a right scroll area  130  may be defined along a right edge  132  of the touch sensitive display  54 . Responsive to a user stroke in the right scroll area  130 , the RC processor sends a signal to a video device to move a screen presentation (such as a cursor or series of thumbnails) up or down in the direction of the stroke. Likewise, a bottom scroll area  134  may be defined along a bottom edge  136  of the touch sensitive surface, and responsive to a user stroke in the bottom scroll area  134 , the RC processor sends a signal to a video device to move a screen cursor left or right in the direction of the stroke. In one implementation, the scrolling of the cursor continues as long as the user&#39;s finger remains on contact with the surface  54 , whether moving or nor and whether inside the scroll area or not. Scrolling stops when the user&#39;s finger is released from the surface. Accordingly, in this example a release of pressure by a finger is interpreted as command to “stop scrolling”. Note that the areas  130 ,  134  may not be invoked as described until a user presses for a predetermined time on a predetermined keying area of the touch surface, such as the right bottom corner  138 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 8  shows additional dedicated areas of the touch surface  54  that may be defined. A fast reverse key area  140  may be defined on a first corner (such as the left bottom corner as shown) of the surface  54 . Responsive to a user touch in the fast reverse key area  140 , the RC processor sends a signal to a video device to play content currently being played by the video device in fast reverse. Also, a fast forward key area  142  may be defined on a second corner (such as the right bottom corner as shown) of the surface. Responsive to a user touch in the fast forward key area, the RC processor sends a signal to a video device to play content currently being played by the video device in fast forward. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 9-11  illustrate various example non-limiting touch types and their definitions, while  FIG. 12  correlates certain touch types to specific commands for multiple applications listed in the left column of  FIG. 12 . 
         [0038]    While the particular REMOTE TOUCH GESTURES is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.