Abstract:
A television system comprises a remote touch-controlled device and a television receiver apparatus. A graphical user interface (GUI) is run on the touch-controlled device to provide a display that matches at least partially with the display of the GUI run on the television receiver apparatus. A user can thereby intuitively manipulates the touch-controlled device assisted by its GUI to remotely control the operation of the television receiver apparatus.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present inventions relate to television systems, and more particularly, to a television system operable by a user with a remote touch-controlled device to perform a television application instruction. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    With technological advancement of television systems, people nowadays have access to ever-increasing information services, such as webpage browsing, information display, multimedia playing, games, and application software through a television system. 
         [0005]    However, even though a typical television system is multifunctional, its remote controller is still its sole input device to the detriment of ease of use. Some known applications propose to use a keyboard and a mouse for operating the television system. Some television sets may be also provided with tactile display screens to allow touch control, which usually requires higher cost and does not permit remote control. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a remote control method that allows a user to control a multifunction television system in an easy way. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Ease of use of a multifunction television system will be enhanced, if users can intuitively send a control signal to the multifunction television system from a remote controller. 
         [0008]    According to one aspect, a television system described herein can be operated via a remote touch control. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect, a television system described herein comprises a television receiver apparatus and a touch-controlled device. A graphical user interface (GUI) is run on the touch-controlled device to provide a display that matches another GUI displayed on the television receiver apparatus. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the television system comprises a television receiver apparatus and a touch-controlled device. The television receiver apparatus comprises: a television signal receiving unit for receiving a television signal containing television programs; a first driver running a first GUI; a first transceiver for receiving a control signal and transmitting an updating signal; and a processor for generating the updating signal, and performing a television application instruction provided by the first GUI in response to the control signal. The touch-controlled device comprises: a second driver for running a second GUI; a touch display unit for displaying the second GUI, and generating the control signal in response to a user&#39;s touch input to the touch-controlled device via the second GUI; and a second transceiver for receiving the updating signal and transmitting the control signal, wherein the second driver updates objects displayed by the second GUI to match with certain objects displayed by the first GUI according to the updating signal. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a television system; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing exemplary operation of the television system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3F  are schematic diagrams showing various graphical representations of matching objects between two GUIs; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a simplified block diagram showing an example of hardware configuration for the television system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a simplified diagram showing a television system  100 . The television system  100  comprises a television receiver apparatus  110  and a touch-controlled device  120 . The television receiver apparatus  110  can run a first graphical user interface (a first GUI) for display on a television screen (not shown). The touch-controlled device  120  can receive an updating signal from the television receiver apparatus  110 , update a second graphical user interface (a second GUI) (not shown) to match with the first GUI, and display the updated second GUI on a screen of the touch-controlled device  120 . Objects that are displayed by the second GUI can match with objects displayed by the first GUI. More details are described below in conjunction with  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 4 . 
         [0016]    The television receiver apparatus  110  can receive a television signal  130  containing television programs. The television signal  130  can be transmitted through a cable or via wireless transmission. The television signal  130  may originate from a satellite signal source, a wired signal source, a wireless signal source, or an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) signal source. 
         [0017]    A tuner or a decoder (not shown) is built in the television receiver apparatus  110  for processing the television signal. The television receiver apparatus  110  can be an information-processing device such as a set-top box, which is independent from a television set (not shown). In alternate embodiments, the television receiver apparatus  110  may also be integrated into the television set, in part or in whole. For instance, the television receiver apparatus  110  can comprise a television signal receiving unit (not shown) installed outside the television set, and comprises other functional units installed inside the television set. Examples of functional units in the television receiver apparatus  110  are depicted in  FIG. 4  and described below. 
         [0018]    The touch-controlled device  120  is a touch display device, and comprises a touch panel and a display. Examples of the touch-controlled device  120  include a smartphone with a tactile display screen, and a tablet computer. Alternatively, the touch-controlled device  120  may be a controller device with a tactile display screen capable of transmitting a control signal. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing exemplary operation of the television system  100 . The described television receiver apparatus  110  is exemplary a set-top box connected to a television set  140 . The screen of the television set  140  can display a first GUI  200  (hereinafter referred to as a television GUI) run on the television receiver apparatus  110 . The television GUI  200  displays a plurality of objects  141 ,  142 ,  143 ,  144  each associated with a television application instruction, an application program, or a multimedia file. In one example, the objects  141 - 144  may be associated with a switch power instruction, a channel selection instruction, a volume tuning instruction, and a mute instruction, respectively. In another example, the objects  141 - 144  may be associated with a meteorological application, an instant messaging application, a media playing application, and a news application, respectively. In yet another example, the objects  141 - 144  may be associated with four different available movies, respectively, wherein each of the objects bears an icon representative of a movie presented for selection. In another example, the objects  141 - 144  may be associated with a fast forward instruction, a rewind instruction, a pause instruction, and a play instruction for a multimedia file, respectively. 
         [0020]    The touch-controlled device  120  comprises a touch display unit  121 . The touch display unit  121  displays a second GUI  210  (hereinafter referred to as a touch-controlled GUI). In this embodiment, the touch-controlled device  120  is a smartphone having a tactile display screen (that is, the touch display unit  121 ). The touch-controlled GUI  210  displays objects which match objects displayed on the television GUI  200 . 
         [0021]    More specifically, objects are displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  in a way that allows a user to easily find matching between objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  and objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . More details are described below. Accordingly, the user can apply control via the touch-controlled GUI  210  so as to generate a control signal, such that the television receiver apparatus  110  performs a television application instruction provided by the television GUI  200  in response to the control signal. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the objects  131 - 134  displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  on the touch-controlled device  120  match with the objects  141 - 144  displayed by the television GUI  200 . The television GUI  200  is run by the television receiver apparatus  110  for display on the screen of the television set  140 . However, the television GUI  200  can also be provided by the television receiver apparatus  110  and displayed on any other type of displays. 
         [0023]    To allow the user to easily find correspondence between objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  and objects displayed by the television GUI  200 , the objects can be displayed on the touch-controlled device  120  according to any of the graphical representations shown in  FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3F , or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the displayed touch-controlled GUI  210  and the television GUI  200  may be identical. Referring to  FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3F , the graphical representation can be as follows. 
         [0024]    The amount of objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can correspond to the amount of objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3A , the television GUI  200  has six objects, and the touch-controlled GUI  210  also has six objects. 
         [0025]    The objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can correspond in position to the objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3B , the television GUI  200  displays three objects, namely two objects on the left and one object at the middle. Likewise, the touch-controlled GUI  210  can display three objects, two objects on the left and one object at the middle. 
         [0026]    The icons of the objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can be similar to the icons of the objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3C , assume that the television GUI  200  displays four objects with identical frames, namely the object positioned at the upper left corner that is represented by an icon of an airplane, the object positioned at the upper right corner that is represented by an icon of a telephone, the object positioned at the lower left corner that is represented by an icon of a camera, and the object positioned at the lower right corner that is represented by an icon of a musical note. Likewise, he touch-controlled GUI  210  also displays four objects represented by icons of an airplane, a telephone, a camera, and a musical note, respectively. Alternatively, for example, referring to  FIG. 3D , the television GUI  200  displays four frameless objects, namely the object positioned at the upper left corner represented by an icon of an airplane, the object positioned at the upper right corner that is represented by an icon of a telephone, the object positioned at the lower left corner that is represented by an icon of a camera, and the object positioned at the lower right corner that is represented by an icon of a musical note. Likewise, the touch-controlled GUI  210  also displays four frameless objects represented by icons of an airplane, a telephone, a camera, and a musical note, respectively. 
         [0027]    The color of the objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can match with the color of the objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3E , the television GUI  200  displays four objects in different colors, and thus the touch-controlled GUI  210  also displays four objects in different colors. 
         [0028]    The relative sizes of the objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can correspond to the objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . For example, referring to  FIG. 3F , the television GUI  200  displays four objects, namely the object  141  with the largest area, the objects  142 ,  144  with the same area but less than that of the object  141 , and the object  143  with the smallest area. Likewise, the touch-controlled GUI  210  also displays four objects, namely the object  131  with the largest area, the objects  132 ,  134  with the same area but less than that of the object  131 , and the object  133  with the smallest area. 
         [0029]    As indicated above, the touch-controlled GUI  210  displays objects that can match objects displayed on the television GUI  200 . In response to a user&#39;s touch on the touch display unit  121 , the touch-controlled device  120  generates a control signal that is transmitted to the television receiver apparatus  110 . In response to the control signal, the television receiver apparatus  110  performs a television application instruction provided by the television GUI  200 . 
         [0030]    The television application instruction can include, without limitation, a switch power instruction, a channel selection instruction, a volume tuning instruction, a signal source switching instruction, a mute instruction, an application program execution instruction, an application program selection instruction, a menu page scrolling instruction, a game execution instruction, an e-book reading instruction, or a fast forward instruction, a rewind instruction, a pause instruction, and a play instruction for a multimedia file. For example, an object of the television GUI  200  can have an icon representing a switch power, an icon representing channel selection, an icon representing a volume tuning function, an icon representing a signal source switching function, an icon representing a muting function, an icon representing an application program, an icon representing a multimedia file, an icon representing a menu page scrolling function, and an icon representing an e-book reading function. The touch-controlled GUI  210  displays objects, which match the objects displayed on the television GUI  200 , wherein the objects are indicative of the aforesaid television application instructions, respectively. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the television GUI  200  can be run on the television receiver apparatus  110  of the television system  100  for displaying objects. The television receiver apparatus  110  transmits an updating signal to the touch-controlled device  120 . The touch-controlled GUI  210  may be run on the touch-controlled device  120  for manipulation by a user. The objects displayed by the touch-controlled GUI  210  can match with the objects displayed by the television GUI  200 . The touch-controlled device  120  updates the objects displayed via the touch-controlled GUI  210  according to the updating signal. The touch-controlled device  120  sends a control signal to the television receiver apparatus  110  in response to a user&#39;s touch on the screen of the touch-controlled device  120 . In response to the control signal, the television receiver apparatus  110  performs a television application instruction displayed via the television GUI  200 . The control signal and the updating signal are transmitted between the television receiver apparatus  110  and the touch-controlled device  120  according to any wireless protocol, such as WiFi protocol. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing an example of hardware configuration for the television system  100 . The television receiver apparatus  110  can include a television signal receiving unit  111 , a first driver (hereinafter referred to as a television driver)  112 , a first transceiver (hereinafter referred to as a television transceiver)  113 , and a processor  114 . The touch-controlled device  120  can include the touch display unit  121 , a second driver (hereinafter referred to as a touch-controlled driver)  122 , and a second transceiver (hereinafter referred to as a touch-controlled transceiver)  123 . 
         [0033]    The television signal receiving unit  111  receives a television signal containing television programs through a cable or via wireless transmission. The television signal may originate from a satellite signal source, a wired signal source, a wireless signal source, or an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) signal source. The television signal receiving unit  111  is a tuner or a decoder. The television driver  112  provides a television GUI (not shown) to be displayed on the screen of a television set (not shown). One or multiple objects can be displayed via the television GUI. For example, the objects can be associated with a television application instruction, an application program, a multimedia file, etc. The first transceiver  113  can receive a control signal from the touch display unit  121 , and transmits an updating signal. The processor  114  generates the updating signal, and performs a television application instruction presented for selection by the television GUI in response to the control signal from the television transceiver  113 . The television application instructions include, without limitation, a switch power instruction, a channel selection instruction, a volume tuning instruction, a signal source switching instruction, a mute instruction, an application program execution instruction, an application selection instruction, a menu page scrolling instruction, a game execution instruction, an e-book reading instruction, or a fast forward instruction, a rewind instruction, a pause instruction, and a play instruction for a multimedia file. 
         [0034]    The touch-controlled GUI (not shown) can be run on the touch-controlled driver  122  of the touch-controlled device  120 . The touch display unit  121  displays the touch-controlled GUI, and issues a control signal in response to a user&#39;s touch on the screen of the touch-controlled device  120 . The touch-controlled transceiver  123  receives the updating signal from the processor  114 , and transmits the control signal provided by the touch display unit  121 . In response to the updating signal, the touch-controlled driver  122  updates the objects displayed via the touch-controlled GUI to match with objects displayed in the television GUI. In one embodiment, the touch-controlled driver  122  can update the touch-controlled GUI almost at the same time as the television driver  112  updates the television GUI according to the updating signal. Objects displayed via the touch-controlled GUI on the touch-controlled device  120  can thereby always real-time match with the objects displayed in the television GUI. 
         [0035]    It will be appreciated that the functional units described in connection with the television receiver apparatus  110  and touch-controlled device  120  have been shown separately for clarity only. In other embodiments, one or more of these functional blocks may also be combined into an integrated unit. Each of these functional units can be selectively implemented in the form of special purpose hardware, software, or a combination thereof. 
         [0036]    With the television system  100 , the remote touch-controlled device  120  can run a touch-controlled GUI that displays objects matching with objects displayed by a television GUI run on the television receiver apparatus  110 . Control of the television receiver apparatus  110  by using the touch-controlled device  120  can be therefore facilitated. A user&#39;s touch input to the touch-controlled device  120  via the touch-controlled GUI can have the touch-controlled device  120  generate a control signal. In response to the control signal, the television receiver apparatus  110  performs a television application instruction provided by the television GUI. 
         [0037]    Embodiments described herein are provided for illustration only. Equivalent changes or modifications to the embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the claims defined herein.