Remote control system and method of television control

A remote control method controls a television (TV) set to perform functions using an electronic device. The method controls a camera connected with the electronic device to capture an image in front of the TV set when the TV set is turned on. The method analyzes the captured image to determine whether a hand image of a user exists in the captured image, and extracts the hand image from the captured image upon the condition that the hand image exists in the captured image to determine a hand sign of the user according to the extracted hand image. The method generates a remote control signal for controlling the TV set according to the determined hand sign, and controls the TV set to perform a function according to the remote control signal.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to remote control systems and methods, and more particularly to a system and method for remotely controlling a television.

2. Description of Related Art

Television (TV) sets that are controlled by a remote control are well known in the art. For example, a user can control a TV set to switch from one channel to another channel by pressing buttons of the remote control. A typical remote control includes a frame to support a plurality of mechanical function buttons that execute predetermined functions. The more functions the remote control has, the more buttons are disposed on the remote control. Therefore, the frame should be designed as large as possible to hold the function buttons. However, it is inconvenient for the user to operate remote controls with ever increasing function buttons to operate the TV set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an electronic device2connected with a television (TV) set1and a camera3. In the embodiment, the electronic device2can be used to remotely control the TV set1to perform various functions, such as switching from one TV channel to another TV channel, for example. The electronic device2includes a TV control system20, a storage system21, and a processor22. It should be apparent thatFIG. 1shows only one example of an architecture for electronic device2and may include more or fewer components than shown, or a different configuration of the various components in other embodiments. In one embodiment, the electronic device1may be a digital connector, or other computing device for controlling the TV set1.

FIG. 2shows a schematic diagram illustrating one example of detail connections of the TV set1, the electronic device2, and the camera3. The electronic device2is connected with the TV set1and the camera3through one or more electronic or wireless connections. The camera3may be a time of flight (TOF) camera mechanically located on the TV set1capable of capturing images in front of the TV set1. In one embodiment, the images may include image data and distance information between the camera3and an object captured by the camera3. Referring toFIG. 3, the camera3captures an image of a hand of a user in front of the TV set1. The hand image can be described in a three dimension (3D) coordinate system that include X-Y coordinate image data, and Z-coordinate distance data. In one embodiment, the X-coordinate value can represent a width of the hand image, such as 10 cm. The Y-coordinate value can represent a height of the hand image, such as 40 cm. The Z-coordinate distance data can represent a distance between the camera11and the hand, which can be calculated by analyzing the hand image. The captured images are analyzed by the TV control system20to control the TV set1to perform corresponding functions according to the analyzed result. Details of the analyzed method are provided below.

The TV control system20may include a plurality of functional modules comprising one or more computerized instructions that are stored in the storage system21, and executed by the processor22to perform operations of the electronic device2. The storage system21may be an internal storage device, such as a random access memory (RAM) for temporary storage of information and/or a read only memory (ROM) for permanent storage of information. The storage system21may also be an external storage device, such as a hard disk, a storage card, or a data storage medium. The processor22runs various computerized instructions stored in the storage system21to control the TV set1to perform various functions.

In one embodiment, the TV control system20includes an analysis module201, a generation module202, a control module203, and an updating module204. One or more computerized codes of the function modules may be stored in the storage system21and executed by the processor22. In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language. The software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM). The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other storage device.

The analysis module201is operable to control the camera3to capture an image in front of the TV set1in real time when the TV set1is turned on, and analyze the captured image to determine whether a hand image of a user (i.e., an image of a hand of a user) exists in the captured image. Upon the condition that the hand image exists in the captured image, the analysis module201is further operable to extract the hand image from the captured image, and determine a hand sign of the user according to the extracted hand image.

In one embodiment, the analysis module201analyzes the captured image by comparing the captured image with a plurality of standard 3D hand models, and determines whether the hand image exists in the captured image according to the comparison. The standard 3D hand models may be pre-collected by capturing a plurality of hand images of the user using the camera3, and stored in the storage system21. The standard 3D hand models may be stored in one or more databases of the storage system21according to the hand sign of each of the standard 3D hand models. The hand sign may be, for example, a thumb pointing in the up direction (e.g., M4ofFIG. 5), a forefinger pointing in the left direction (e.g., M3ofFIG. 5), the forefinger pointing in the right direction (e.g., M2ofFIG. 5), the forefinger pointing in the up direction (e.g., M0ofFIG. 5), and the forefinger pointing in the down direction (e.g., M1ofFIG. 5).

In one embodiment, the standard 3D hand models of which the hand sign is a thumb pointing in the up direction are stored in a first database. The standard 3D hand models of which the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the left direction are stored in a second database. The standard 3D hand models of which the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the right direction are stored in a third database. The standard 3D hand models of which the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the up direction are stored in a fourth database. The standard 3D hand models of which the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the down direction are stored in a fifth database. Thereupon, the analysis module201may determine the hand sign of the user by comparing the extracted hand image with the standard 3D hand models of the databases.

The generation module202is operable to generate a remote control signal for controlling the TV set1according to the determined hand sign. In one embodiment, the generation module202generates a first signal for changing a current TV channel of the TV set1up when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the right direction, a second signal for changing the current TV channel down when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the left direction, a third signal for activating a TV program menu of the TV set1when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the up direction, a fourth signal for terminating the TV program menu when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the down direction, and a fifth signal for starting a TV program that is selected from the TV program menu when the hand sign is the thumb pointing in the up direction.

The control module203is operable to control the TV set1to perform a corresponding function according to the remote control signal. For example, if the remote control signal is the first signal, the control module203changes the current TV channel up. If the remote control signal is the second signal, the control module203changes the current TV channel down. If the remote control signal is the third signal, the control module203controls the TV set1to drive the TV program menu for the user to select a TV program from the TV program menu. If the remote control signal is the fourth signal, the control module203controls the TV set1to terminate the TV program menu. If the remote control signal is the fifth signal, the control module203controls the TV set1to start a TV program that is selected from the TV program menu.

The updating module204is operable to update the TV program menu by downloading TV program names from a TV network system, and store the updated TV program menu into the storage system21. In one embodiment, the TV network system provides different TV programs by a broadcast television provider, such as the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), or Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), for example. A user may search the TV program menu for a favorite program, and switch the current TV channel to the channel of the favorite program by making a corresponding hand sign towards the camera3.

FIG. 4is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for remotely controlling a TV set using the electronic device2ofFIG. 1. In the embodiment, the control method can remotely control the TV set1to perform various functions. Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In block S01, the electronic device2is activated when the TV set1is turned on.

In block S02, the analysis module201controls the camera3to capture an image in front of the TV set1in real time.

In block S03, the analysis module201analyzes the captured image by comparing the captured image with a plurality of standard 3D hand models stored in the storage system21. As described above, the standard 3D hand models may be pre-collected according to a plurality of hand signs of a user uses in front of the electronic device2to control the TV set1.

In block S04the analysis module201determines whether a hand image exists in the captured image according to the analysis result. If the hand image exists in the captured image, block S05is implemented. Otherwise, if the hand image does not exist in the captured image, block S02is repeated. The analysis module201may analyze the captured image to determine whether the hand image exists in the captured image using the method as described above.

In block S05, the analysis module201extracts the hand image from the captured image, and determines a hand sign of the user according to the extracted hand image. In one embodiment, the hand sign may be, for example, a thumb pointing in the up direction (e.g., M4ofFIG. 5), a forefinger pointing in the left direction (e.g., M3ofFIG. 5), the forefinger pointing in the right direction (e.g., M2ofFIG. 5), the forefinger pointing in the up direction (e.g., M0ofFIG. 5), and the forefinger pointing in the down direction (e.g., M1ofFIG. 5). The hand sign may be determined by comparing the extracted hand image with the standard 3D hand models stored in the databases of the storage system21. Details of which are described above.

In block S06, the generation module202generates a remote control signal for controlling the TV set1according to the determined hand sign. For example, the generation module202generates a first signal for changing a current TV channel of the TV set1up when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the right direction, a second signal for changing the current TV channel down when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the left direction, a third signal for activating a TV program menu of the TV set1when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the up direction, a fourth signal for terminating the TV program menu when the hand sign is the forefinger pointing in the down direction, and a fifth signal for starting a TV program that is selected from the TV program menu when the hand sign is the thumb pointing in the up direction.

In block S07, the control module203controls the TV set1to perform a corresponding function according to the remote control signal. For example, if the remote control signal is the first signal, the control module203changes the current TV channel of the TV set1up. If the remote control signal is the second signal, the control module203changes the current TV channel down. If the remote control signal is the third signal, the control module203drives the TV program menu of the TV set1for the user to select a TV program from the TV program menu. If the remote control signal is the fourth signal, the control module203terminates the TV program menu. If the remote control signal is the fifth signal, the control module203controls the TV set1to start a TV program that is selected from the TV program menu.

In some embodiments, the control method may further update the TV program menu in real time from the TV network system. In detail, the updating module204updates the TV program menu by downloading TV program names from a TV network system, and stores the updated TV program menu into the storage system21. Thereby, the user can search the TV program menu to select a favorite program, and switch from the current channel to the channel of the favorite program by making a corresponding hand sign towards the camera3.