Abstract:
The present invention allows for multiple letters, characters, numbers, strokes and symbols to be assigned to a given physical key on a physical keypad residing in a hand held remote control device used for DATA entry on the viewing screen of an electronic device and the methodology of automatically displaying and inserting the assigned DATA assigned to that physical key on the viewing screen of the electronic device. As the user continues to touch/press said physical key on the external remote control keypad, a software module will display and bring into focus the DATA assigned to the appropriate time duration of the continued touch/press of said physical key in a visual manner on the viewing screen of the electronic device and will continue rotating thru the assigned DATA as long as the physical key touch/press continues. When the user releases the touch/press of said physical key, said software module will present the DATA assigned to that time duration to the display software for insertion into the active DATA entry area on the display screen.

Description:
[0001]    Assignment and characteristics of multiple letters, characters, numbers, strokes and symbols to an individual physical key on a physical keypad integrated into an external remote control device and used for data input on the screen of the electronic device. 
         [0002]    This application claims priority from provisional application No. 62/062,841, filed Oct. 11, 2014, the entire contents of which are herewith incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    The field of invention relates to physical key pads residing in hand-held remote control devices which are used on electronic devices such as, but not limited to, TV sets, multimedia players, game consoles, or any other electronic devices where said external remote control is used to provide character input on the viewing screen of the electronic device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    The advent of devices such as Smart TV&#39;s, streaming media-players, optical media players, and game consoles has driven the requirement for users of these electronic devices to enter a great deal of data required for the proper setup and operation of the electronic device. These requirements can include inputting personal information required for setup and registration, search terms, license acceptances, personal favorites indicators and content selections among other functions. This data entry task is today typically handled by the use of a virtual keyboard embedded in the firmware of the electronic device, where such virtual keyboard can be operated by either a touch screen mode if supported, or by using an external device such as an external IR/WiFi/Bluetooth remote control device with an embedded physical keypad, or by interfacing an external wired or wireless physical keyboard for the inputting of DATA such as letters, characters, numbers, strokes and symbols as well as text and navigation entries. Using a keypad on an external remote control can be very frustrating for the user, as it requires the sustained use of what are known as the remote transport keys (up/down &amp; right/left) in order to move the selection focus to the proper character on the virtual keyboard within the electronic device. When smart devices began to appear, full keyboards began to be virtualized. These are also often referred to as soft keyboards. These keyboards are displayed on a portion of the display screen of the electronic device, generally at the bottom of the display screen. Typically a virtual/soft keyboard will display a QWERTY based keyboard design of a-z where an additional key has a “Shift” function which changes the appearance of the keyboard to all capital letters. If the user wants to enter a complete word in capitals they have to press the shift key prior to entering each letter in the word or engage a “Caps Lock” key, if supported by the device. Often, if the user wants to enter numbers and symbols they often must press another special key that gives them access to numbers and symbols on another layer of their virtual/soft keyboard. When they have finished entering the numbers and symbols from that secondary layer, they must often then press another special key to revert back to the lower case alpha library shown of the first layer of the virtual/soft keyboard. Because of the need to use the transport keys on the external remote control to bring into focus the desired character, it often requires the user to execute many more transport key movements than would have been required if using the technology referenced in this disclosure. 
       PROBLEM STATEMENT 
       [0005]    What is needed is a method of simplifying and improving the DATA entry process on non-touch screen electronic devices such as TV, streaming media-players and game consoles that rely on external remote control units to supply user input to the electronic device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0007]    The shortcomings of relying on the transport keys on an external remote control device to bring the desired data into focus on the viewing screen of the electronic device are evident in the level of user frustration that exists in the market. Embedding a new character selection methodology into an external remote control can drastically reduce the amount of effort required to enter data as well as reducing the expense of embedding the technology into the display device. This methodology will also enable users to save keystrokes (and time) by using the DATA assigned to said key more quickly, as it can be accessed by the continued touch/press of said physical key on the external remote control device, which causes the DATA assigned to said physical key to come into focus in a rotary fashion. 
       EMBODIMENTS 
       [0008]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
       Definitions 
       [0009]    Continued press of said physical key: The measurement of elapsed time of the continued touch/press of a physical key located on the physical keypad or physical keyboard. 
         [0010]    DATA: This represents the common and uncommon representations of letters, characters, numbers, strokes, symbols, and URLs used to communicate and can support multiple language sets as well as scientific notation. 
         [0011]    DATA assigned to said physical key: This represents the letters, characters, numbers, strokes, symbols, and URLs that have been assigned from a plurality of arrays, for use by a individual physical key on the external remote control device. 
         [0012]    Data Character: Any one of the letters, characters, numbers, strokes, symbols, or URLs defined in the above definitions. 
         [0013]    Designated data entry area on the viewing screen of an electronic device to be controlled: A data entry location displayed on the display screen of an electronic device being controlled. 
         [0014]    Duration of Time: The elapsed time during which DATA assigned in sequence to that physical key is in focus. 
         [0015]    Electronic Device: A device containing a microprocessor and memory with computational capabilities. 
         [0016]    External remote control device—An external device, usually hand-held, that can be hard wired to an electronic device to be controlled or may be connected to the electronic device to be controlled via a wireless communications link that is used to send control signals to the electronic device to be controlled 
         [0017]    In Focus: The letter, character, number, stroke, symbol or URL that is currently at the top of the priority stack to be inserted into the designated data entry area of the viewing screen of the electronic device. 
         [0018]    Order of Sequence: The order of assignment of letters, characters, numbers, strokes, symbols and URLs to said physical key in a hierarchical manner. 
         [0019]    Physical Keyboard—Used interchangeably with Physical Keypad 
         [0020]    Physical Keypad—A collection of physical data input buttons or keys on an external remote control device. 
         [0021]    Rotary Effect: The circular repetition of DATA assigned to said physical key, once the total time duration assigned to said physical key has been completed and the touch/press of said physical key continues 
         [0022]    Termination of the touch/press of a physical key: The release by the user of the continued touch/press of the physical key. 
         [0023]    Touch Sensitive Viewing Screen: A display device for displaying DATA from an electronic device to a user that is constructed to respond to touch directly to the surface of the display screen. 
         [0024]    Non-Touch Sensitive Viewing Screen: A display screen for displaying DATA from an electronic device to a user that is NOT constructed to respond to touch directly to the surface of the display device. 
         [0025]    Viewing Screen of an Electronic Device: A display screen for presenting DATA from an electronic device to a user 
         [0026]    Virtual Keyboard: Can also be defined as a soft keyboard that is displayed on the viewing screen of an electronic device and is used for DATA entry. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    Now referencing the drawings where: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a depiction of the hand held remote control device with the necessary components shown. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a depiction of a generic hand held remote control device with a typical 10 key keypad and a depiction of a keypad compliant with the invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a depiction of an array of displayable data characters and smaller arrays which contain data characters assigned from the larger array of data characters. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a depiction of an array of displayable data characters and smaller arrays assigned to each key of the keypad where the index replaces the actual displayable data character. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a depiction of one array of assigned data characters assigned to a single key residing in the keypad and how the character in focus changes once a user presses and does not release the corresponding key. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a depiction of the display screen of an electronic device where the data input area is shown with 2 data characters being displayed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals have been used to designate like or analogous elements. 
         [0035]    Now referencing  FIG. 1  where depicts an embodiment of the invention. In this depiction, remote control device  12  contains microprocessor  14 , memory  16  containing operating system (OS)  17 , software program (SWP)  21 , and data  19 . In this depiction, microprocessor  14  receives signals from keypad  20 . These signals are in the form of digital data that identifies a key being pressed on keypad  20 . The digital data allows microprocessor  14  to identify an array of letters, characters, numbers, strokes, symbols otherwise referred to as the “data characters” assigned to the key being pressed (see  FIG. 3 ). On initial detection of the key being pressed microprocessor  14  will send the first data character of the array of data characters via transmitter  18  to a device containing a display screen (not shown). Transmitter  18  may send the data character to the display screen via RF signals emitted by antenna  24  or via IR signals emitted by IR emitter  26 . Modern televisions, for example, can generally receive control signals and data via RF through protocols such as wifi (802.11) or Bluetooth, or via some proprietary RF protocol. They can also generally receive control signals via IR protocols used by typical hand held remote controllers. 
         [0036]    Now referencing  FIG. 2  where  40  depicts a typical hand held remote control device  42  and a keypad ( 62 ) compliant with the present invention. In this depiction, a number of buttons and keys are present on remote control device  42 . Note that a “guide” button  44  and a “pwr” button  46  are present at the top of the remote control device. This device also contains a series of input mode buttons  48  which will cause remote control device  42  to send a switch input mode for a TV. In this depiction, switch input mode includes TV (antenna), AV (external component input), C (cable), or HD (HDMI). In this depiction, remote control device also has buttons for navigation and OK selection  50 , mute  52 , last channel  54 , volume control up and down  56 , channel up and down  58 , and a keypad  60  which is limited to numerical digits 0-9, a minus sign and IN (input mode). Also shown in this depiction is a keypad  62  that may be substituted for the standard keypad  60 . Note that keypad  62  contains 12 keys like standard keypad  60 . Also note that keypad  62  has additional characters represented on keys 2-0 and * and # keys. Keypad  62  is a compliant keypad of the invention. In this depiction, if a user presses key 2 of keypad  62 , the number “2” will be sent to the television which will display the character in the data input area of the display. If the user continues to press key 2, after some assigned duration, the remote control device  42  will send a “backspace” character to the television followed by the letter “a” to the television Likewise, if the user continues to press key 2, remote control device  42  will send, after the appropriate time duration, a “backspace” character followed by the letter “b”, and likewise the letter “c” after which, if the user continues to press the selected key, remote control device will send a backspace to the television followed by the number “2”. This rotor effect will continue until the user releases the key and the character that was present when the key is released will be the character placed into the data input area of the display. 
         [0037]    Now referencing  FIG. 3  Where  80  depicts displayable data character array  82  and smaller arrays assigned to specific keys of keypad  62 . For the sake of clarity, only the arrays for three keys (“2”, “4”, and “7” are shown. Note that each key array contains two columns where one column contains a sequence of data characters and the other column contains a series of numbers which represent in milliseconds the amount of time the data character in the adjacent data character column will remain on the display screen before the next data character in the data character array will be displayed. Note that keypad array  84  for key “2” contains four data characters these being “2”, “a”, “b”, and “c”. Keypad array 86 for key “4” contains four data characters these being “4”, “g”, “h”, and “i”. Keypad array 84 for key “7” contains four data characters these being “7”, “p”, “q”, and “r”. When the remote control device is booted, software program  21  will assign data characters from data character array  82  to the array assigned to each key resident in keypad  62  and will assign the number of milliseconds each data character will remain on the display if the user does not release the key he is currently pressing. 
         [0038]    Now referencing  FIG. 4  where  90  depicts displayable data character array  82  and one of a plurality of smaller arrays assigned to specific keys of keypad  62 . For the sake of clarity, only the array for one key is shown, that being the “2” key. Note that this key array contains two columns where one column contains an index to each of a sequence of data characters “2”, “a”, “b”, and “c”. The second column contains a series of numbers which represent in milliseconds the amount of time the data character in the adjacent data character column will remain on the display screen before the next data character in the data character array will be displayed. Data character array  82  contains the same data in both  FIGS. 3 and 4  while key array  84  contains the actual sequential data characters key array  92  contains an index back to individual data characters in data character array  82 . 
         [0039]    Now referencing  FIG. 5  where  100  depicts data character  84  which contains displayable characters “2”, “a”, “b”, and “c”. When a user presses the “2” key residing on keypad  62 , remote control device  42  under control of software program  21  will transmit data character “2” to a display device such as a television which will display the transmitted data character (“2”) in the data input area on the display screen. If the user continues to press the “2” key, time TT 2  ( 102 ) will expire and remote control device will then transmit a “backspace” data character to the television which will cause cursor  118  to backup and display a space after which remote control device will then transmit the next data character in sequence, which in this depiction, will be the “a” data character which the television will then display at the current cursor position. If the user does not release the pressed key, software program  21  will continue, every time the timer value (TT 2 , TTa, TTb, and TTc) associated with its displayable data character expires, send a back space followed by the next sequential data character to be displayed. Once data character “c” is displayed and its associated timer value expires, software program  21  will send a backspace followed by the first sequential data character in data key array  84  which in this case if the data character “2”. This loop action will continue until the user releases the key “2” and whatever displayable data character is currently being displayed will remain in data input area  116  at the current cursor  118  position prior to cursor  118  being advanced by the television to the next character position. 
         [0040]    Now referencing  FIG. 6  where  110  depicts the invention embedded within remote control device  42 . Shown on remote control device  42  is a keyboard  62  which is compatible with the invention. In this depiction, the user has selected an application on his television  112 . The application has displayed a virtual keyboard  114  that can be navigated using the Up, Down, Left, and Right arrow keys or buttons as depicted in  FIG. 2 , object  50 . In the current depiction of  FIG. 6 , the user has already entered a single character, that being “2”. The user next presses the “4” key ( FIG. 2  keyboard  60 , depiction of the “4” key) and has waited for 3 character times until the “h” data character is displayed. As soon as the “h” character is displayed, cursor  118  will be advanced to the next blank input character space. In the current depiction the cursor appears under the character current being displayed and to the right of that character. To the eye, the cursor will be momentarily displayed in both positions because when the current data character timer expires, remote  42  will transmit a “backspace” data character to television  112 . This will cause cursor  118  to be backed up and displayed after which remote  42  will transmit the next data character, which in this depiction is the data character “h” which will be displayed and the cursor will advance to the next character space. For a short amount of time, cursor  118  may appear to the user as being in both positions. When the user has entered all of the characters he intended to enter he will press the “OK” button depicted in  FIG. 2  object  50  or some other suitable button that terminates the data input mode of the television. Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other techniques of synchronization can be used. For example while  FIG. 7  shows file closing events and file deleting events causing the file to be changed on the duplicate partition, this can be done at time intervals instead. 
         [0041]    Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
         [0042]    The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can be part of a computer system that also has a user interface port that communicates with a user interface, and which receives commands entered by a user, has at least one memory (e.g., hard drive or other comparable storage, and random access memory) that stores electronic information including a program that operates under control of the processor and with communication via the user interface port, and a video output that produces its output via any kind of video output format, e.g., VGA, DVI, HDMI, display port, or any other form. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. These devices may also be used to select values for devices as described herein. 
         [0043]    The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal. 
         [0044]    In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory storage can also be rotating magnetic hard disk drives, optical disk drives, or flash memory based storage drives or other such solid state, magnetic, or optical storage devices. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blue-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. The computer readable media can be an article comprising a machine-readable non-transitory tangible medium embodying information indicative of instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in computer implemented operations comprising the actions described throughout this specification. Operations as described herein can be carried out on or over a website. The website can be operated on a server, computer, or operated locally, e.g., by being downloaded to the client computer, or operated via a server farm. The website can be accessed over a mobile phone or a PDA, or on any other client. The website can use HTML code in any form, e.g., MHTML, or XML, and via any form such as cascading style sheets (“CSS”) or other. 
         [0045]    Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein. 
         [0046]    Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed. 
         [0047]    The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.