Abstract:
A remote control having a touch-sensitive control panel and a transmission unit for transmitting encoded signals which are produced on the basis of a direction of movement of contact with successive regions of the control panel, regardless of the location at which contact is made with the control panel. It is also possible to produce encoded signals on the basis of a movement by the remote control in combination with a motion sensor.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a US national application of PCT/EP2009/005852 and claims priority to German application 102008037750.3 filed Aug. 14, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a remote control according to the preamble of patent claim  1 , as well as a method for remote control according to the preamble of patent claim  6 . 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Such a remote control is known from DE 196 53 840 A1. There, a handheld transmitter for a remotely activated central locking system in motor vehicles is shown, having a housing, a transmitting means, an electronic control circuit for controlling the transmitting means, and a solar cell, which supplies electrical energy to the control circuit. 
         [0004]    GB 2 396 046 A shows an alarm-code trailer with a housing of transparent plastic, inside which is arranged an incandescent bulb, which begins to shine in case of an alarm. Furthermore, two pushbutton switches are provided on the housing for activating and deactivating the alarm. 
         [0005]    US 2003/0206128 A1 shows a universal remote control with a transparent acrylic housing, inside which is arranged an incandescent bulb. The bulb can be lit and an acoustical transmitter activated by a locator device. 
         [0006]    DE 20 2005 015 165 U1 shows a remote controlled locking device for a motor vehicle, in which a keypad and a display of a touch screen are formed. 
         [0007]    Remote controls for the control of electronic appliances, such as television sets, radios, video recorders, satellite receivers, DVD players, but also other household appliances such as lighting fixtures, roll-down shutters, garage doors and the like, are quite common today. They usually have a housing with battery compartment, a printed circuit board with electronic components, a keypad and a transmitting unit, such as an infrared transmitting diode. One of the pushbuttons is normally used for switching the remote control on and off. The other pushbuttons are each assigned one or more functions, so that when the button is pressed an encoded infrared signal is sent out to the appliance being controlled. 
         [0008]    The problem with such remote controls is the large and unmanageable number of pushbuttons. Many remote controls have more than 40 buttons, whose functions the majority of users cannot take note of. 
         [0009]    EP 1 185 922 B1 therefore proposes, to simplify the use of a multimedia system, a scrolled cross point navigation on a user interface, which requires a remote control with only a few buttons, by which all available functions can be called up on a monitor screen, such as a television receiver. 
         [0010]    Instead of a keypad with individual mechanically activated pushbuttons, it has also been proposed to use a touch-sensitive keypad, generally known as a touch pad (see DE 199 08 406 A1, DE 100 13 444 A1, EP 0 813 743 B1) or also a so-called touch screen, i.e., a display device that is touch-sensitive at the same time (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,327, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,016 or EP 0 946 918 B1). 
         [0011]    Touch pads and touch screens are generally familiar and described, e.g., in WO 92/04724 A1 or DE 20 2007 001 624 U1. They work by various principles, including capacitive, resistive, optical or with sound waves (surface acoustic waves). These devices, subsumed as “touch-sensitive keypads” or “touch-sensitive control surfaces”, produce an electrical signal, which is generally coordinated distinctly with one or more places on their surface, which is touched by an object or a finger. 
         [0012]    It is thus possible to replace the functions of a keypad with individual mechanical buttons by a touch-sensitive keypad by assigning definite functions to definite regions of the keypad. 
         [0013]    In the aforementioned WO 92/04724, DE 199 08 406 A1, DE 100 13 444 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,016, the keypad is transparent and consists, e.g., of a transparent glass plate. 
         [0014]    The problem here, nonetheless, is that the user has to touch certain precisely predetermined areas in order to operate the remote control, which generally requires the user to look at the touch screen in order to touch the correct physical location for the desired function. This is difficult in darkened rooms, such as when watching television or showing a movie. There are also difficulties for persons with impaired vision, for example, if they are “far-sighted” (presbyopia) and require glasses for close-range vision, but not for the far range where the monitor screen is located. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The problem of the invention is therefore to improve the remote control of the aforementioned kind so that it can be operated perfectly without visual contact. 
         [0016]    This problem is solved by the features indicated in patent claim  1 . Advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention are found in the subclaims. 
         [0017]    The basic principle of the invention is based on evaluating the direction of movement of the touching of the touch-sensitive control surface and then determining the correspondingly encoded signals of the remote control. Thus, this occurs independently of the precise place of touching the control surface. In other words, the user only needs to perform a movement “somewhere” on the control surface by moving his finger or some other object across the control surface, whereupon corresponding control signals are then generated depending on the direction of movement, and not the location. 
         [0018]    Often only four control commands are enough for a menu-controlled user operation, namely, the commands “UP”, “DOWN”, “LEFT” and “RIGHT”. These four control commands and the associated encoded signals are assigned predetermined directions of movement within predetermined regions. Thus, for four commands, it is enough to define four quadrants of a circle. For example, if one defines the vertical axis in a Cartesian coordinate system with the angle 0°, a first quadrant defined by the angles −45° to +45° would define a vertical direction V+. A quadrant with the angles 180°+/−45° would define a vertical direction V−. The other two quadrants in the region +/−90°+/−45° would define horizontal directions H+ and H−. 
         [0019]    Thus, to call up a function assigned to the direction V+, the user need only move along the keypad somewhere in the direction lying in the first quadrant (−45° to +45°). 
         [0020]    Of course, it is also possible to define more than four directions of movement, for example, by making the aforementioned regions more narrow and defining, say, eight segments, each with an angle range of 45°, so that one gets another four diagonal directions of movement and, thus, four additional commands. 
         [0021]    One can also produce predetermined signals by rapid back and forth movements in the same direction and also by short onetime or repeated touching of the same spot on the control surface, yet situated anywhere in space. 
         [0022]    For personalization of the particular user, an identification device can also be provided, e.g., in the form of a fingerprint reader, which is arranged either in one region of the touch-sensitive control surface or preferably outside of same on a narrow side surface of the remote control, in which case the user has to swipe his finger, preferably his thumb, along the fingerprint reader to a “reading” of his fingerprint. 
         [0023]    In the housing of the remote control, a position or motion sensor can also be arranged. In the case of a position sensor, a predetermined signal can be sent out to one or more remotely controlled appliances depending on the position of the remote control. It is especially preferable for the position sensor to send out a shutoff signal for the remotely controlled appliance, such as a television set, in one position of the remote control where the touch-sensitive control surface is pointing downward (toward the center of the earth). This signal, for example, places the remotely controlled appliance in a “standby” mode. On the other hand, when the remote control is turned over to a position where the touch-sensitive control surface is pointing upward, a turn-on signal is sent to one or more remotely controlled appliances, by which they are switched from “standby” mode to active mode. 
         [0024]    These signals can also be sent out when the remote control is placed on any of its edges, i.e., when the plane of the touch-sensitive control surface is pointing vertically. 
         [0025]    In addition, a motion sensor can also assign a definite encoded signal to predetermined movements, which is sent out automatically when the predetermined movement is executed. For example, the command for a select function can be connected to a predetermined movement of the remote control. The select function in this sense means the activation of a particular function displayed on a monitor screen. Here, once again, a predetermined signal to be sent is assigned in the remote control. 
         [0026]    Moreover, the remote control itself can be switched to a power-saving mode if no movement or change of position and no touching of the touch-sensitive control surface has occurred for a particular length of time. On the other hand, the remote control can be switched from the power-saving mode to an active operating mode when the remote control itself is moved or changes position, or when the touch-sensitive control surface is touched. 
         [0027]    Preferably, the touch-sensitive control surface entirely occupies a surface of the remote control. 
         [0028]    According to one modification of the invention, in a bidirectional operation of the remote control with an appliance being controlled, other movements with more complex motion patterns can also be activated, whereupon linear movements of touching successive regions of the control surface are deactivated. Here, for example, a circular movement with a full circle, a semicircle, a quarter circle, or also more complex movements like a plus sign, letters or numbers, are possible, and these motion patterns are also absolutely independent of the place of touching of the control surface. The simple function involving merely a single direction of movement and being independent of the length of the direction of movement must be deactivated, or else a more complex pattern with several different consecutive directions of movement would produce a plurality of commands. The switching to this modified operating mode preferably occurs as a function of a menu system of the remotely controlled appliance, resulting in a bidirectional operation between the remotely controlled appliance and the remote control. The remote control thus receives a corresponding switching signal from the remotely controlled appliance for this case. 
         [0029]    The touch-sensitive control surface can work by any familiar principle. Preferable is a capacitive sensing of the surface. But pressure-sensitive sensors, ultrasound sensors working by the surface wave principle, heat sensors or optical sensors are also possible. 
         [0030]    The power supply of the remote control can come from solar cells, which charge a storage unit, such as a battery or a condenser. When using a battery, there can also be an inductive charging or a charging by galvanic contacts interacting with a charging station. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0031]    Further details of the invention will emerge from the following description of a sample embodiment in connection with the drawing, which shows: 
           [0032]      FIG. 1  a basic diagram of a multimedia system with a remote control according to the invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2  a schematic exploded diagram of a sample embodiment of a remote control according to the invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 3  a basic diagram to explain directions of movement; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4  [and  5 ] a schematic top view of a touch-sensitive control panel to explain control options; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  [and  7 ] a schematic top view of the control surface used in the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a multimedia system with a central control unit  1 , to which a television set  2  with a monitor screen  3  is connected, as well as a plurality of other multimedia appliances  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 , such as a video recorder  4 , a satellite receiver  5 , a CD player  6 , a DVD player  7 , while generally any given controllable electrical appliances can be hooked up, such as door openers, lighting controls, alarm systems, door locking systems, heating systems, video cameras, other household appliances, etc. Finally, the central control unit can also have other communication connections  8 , such as a connection to the Internet, a telephone network, or other communication networks. 
         [0038]    All appliances hooked up to the central control unit can be controlled from a remote control  10  in concert with the central control unit  1 , which is done, for example by a menu system, which is displayed on the monitor screen  3 . The menu system is organized in principle in the form of a matrix  11 , having a plurality of columns  12  and a plurality of rows  13 . Each field of the matrix is coordinated with an individual control command for one of the connected appliances. Each field of the matrix can be actuated via the remote control  10 , which preferably occurs in that the entire matrix  11  is moved by horizontal and/or vertical shifting so that a selected field is shifted into a focus region  14 , which is located permanently at a predetermined site of the monitor screen  3 . This menu system becomes especially clear when only one column  12  and one row  13  are visible and all other fields of the matrix are masked, as shown in  FIG. 1  by hatching. The focus region  14  is then situated at the intersection of the visible column  12  and the visible row  13 . 
         [0039]    As indicated by a vertical arrow  15  and a horizontal arrow  16 , the entire matrix can thus be “scrolled” vertically and horizontally, and only one field is always found in the focus region  14 . In this way, one can realize a selection of a particular field and, thus, a particular command by four movement commands, namely, the commands “UP”, “DOWN”, “LEFT” and “RIGHT”. If the desired field with the corresponding function for the particular appliance is in the focus region  14 , one only needs now a selection or activation command. Furthermore, it is advisable to also provide a “RETURN” command to go “backward” through various menu levels if need be. 
         [0040]    With such a menu system, one only needs in theory six control commands, but of course additional commands can also be provided for special applications. 
         [0041]    At least these mentioned six control commands and also any other additional control commands are generated by the keyless remote control  10  and relayed as encoded signals to the central control unit  1 , which is preferably done wireless with encoded infrared signals, as indicated by arrow  17 . 
         [0042]    The remote control  10  accordingly has a transmitting unit  18  with a transmitting diode and the central control unit  1  has a corresponding receiving unit  19  with a receiving diode  20 . In theory, a bidirectional communication can also be provided between the central control unit  1  and the remote control  10 , to relay feedback messages from the control unit  1  to the remote control  10  or to carry out an “update” of the software of the remote control  10 . 
         [0043]    For the aforementioned commands for shifting the matrix in accordance with the arrows  15  and  16  and also for other control commands, the remote control  10  is designed so that these commands are called up merely by moving a finger or another object across a touch-sensitive control surface of the remote control  10  and not, as in the prior art, by touching fixed predefined regions of the switch surface. Similar to the direction of the arrows  15  and  16 , corresponding movements are to be performed on the control surface of the remote control  10 , as indicated by the arrows  21  and  22 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 2  shows the remote control  10  in an exploded representation. The remote control  10  has a housing  25  and a housing cover  26 , whose outside is provided almost entirely with a touch-sensitive control surface  27 , while the cover  26  and the control surface  27  are transparent. For example, the cover  26  consists of glass or a transparent plastic, such as acrylic glass. In the assembled state, the cover  26  is firmly and at least water spray-resistant connected to the housing  25 . The housing  25  can also be of glass or other transparent material. But it is also possible to make the housing from any other materials, especially plastics. All required components except for the control surface  27  are arranged inside the housing. Thus, the inside of the housing contains a microprocessor  28  as well as other electronic components  29 , one of which is a position sensor  30 . Another component can be a motion sensor  31 . Another component is a driver circuit  32  to actuate an infrared transmitting diode  33 , which can also be configured as a receiving diode in addition, and then the driver circuit  32  can also take on the function of a receiving unit. Moreover, the components contain at least one memory module  34 , which can also be integrated in the microprocessor  28 . Optionally, another memory module  35  is provided in the form of a so-called SIM card  35 . 
         [0045]    Optionally, an external interface  36  can be provided, for example, in the form of a familiar USB port (USB=Universal Serial Bus). 
         [0046]    Moreover, an identification device  37  is provided, which is a fingerprint reader, for example, being arranged here so that it points toward a narrow side  38  of the housing  25  and is thus separate from the control surface  27 . But it is also possible to arrange such a fingerprint reader in the control surface  27 . All components mentioned thus far are directly or indirectly connected by lines  39  to the microprocessor  28 . 
         [0047]    The power supply of the remote control  10  can come from a battery  40 , which is inductively charged by a coil  41 . Alternatively, the battery  40  can also be charged by the USB port  36 . Finally, it is also possible to place solar cells on the underside of the housing  25 , away from the control surface  27 , by which the battery  40  is charged. 
         [0048]    The entire remote control  10  has no buttons or mechanically activated external switches. Instead, it is activated solely by its position in conjunction with the position sensor  30  and possibly by certain movements in conjunction with the motion sensor  31  and also by the touch-sensitive control surface  27 . Thus, the remote control has a largely smooth housing, which not only creates a pleasing design, but also hinders the danger of penetration of dirt or moisture, and it is not subject to any danger of moving parts, such as switches, pushbuttons, etc., becoming mechanically damaged. 
         [0049]    The basic operation of the remote control occurs by moving a finger or other object over the control surface  27 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 3  will illustrate this. In the diagram depicted there, eight directions of movement are defined, namely: 
         [0051]    Vertical “UP” (V+), 
         [0052]    Vertical “DOWN” (V−), 
         [0053]    Horizontal “RIGHT” (H+), 
         [0054]    Horizontal “LEFT” (H−), 
         [0055]    Diagonal “LEFT UP” (D 1 +) 
         [0056]    Diagonal “RIGHT DOWN” (D 1 −), 
         [0057]    Diagonal “RIGHT UP” (D 2 +), and 
         [0058]    Diagonal “LEFT DOWN” (D 2 −). 
         [0059]    Each of these eight directions of movement is coordinated with a sector having an angle range of 22.5°. This means that a movement across the control surface  27  in a direction δ is investigated and assessed in terms of which of the sectors defined in  FIG. 3  it falls under. In mathematical terms, a vector is formed and its direction or angle δ is determined in relation to an axis, such as the longitudinal axis  42 . 
         [0060]    It is important that this occurs entirely regardless of the point on the control surface  27  where the movement is done, since only the direction or the angle position δ of the vector is what matters. 
         [0061]    This is explained in connection with  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In  FIG. 4 , various touch-sensitive elements are represented in the form of circles. If one moves his finger anywhere on the control surface  27  over these elements, individual regions (circles) will be touched one after the other in time, being represented in  FIG. 6  as black, dark points. From these, a vector can be formed, corresponding to the arrows shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , subtending an angle δ relative to the principal axis  42 . 
         [0062]    All arrows shown in  FIG. 4  have an angle δ relative to a principal direction, corresponding to a longitudinal axis  42 , that falls within the sector designated D 2 + in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0063]    In similar fashion, all arrows shown in  FIG. 5  have an angle δ that falls within the sector designated V+ in  FIG. 3 . Each time that an angle δ coordinated with one of the arrows is recognized in one of the sectors, a coordinated encoded command is sent out as an infrared signal. The length of the arrows in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is of lesser importance. For a clear identification of a movement, only a certain minimum length is predefined, for example, in order to distinguish between a movement and a repeated touching (so-called double click) of more or less the same location. 
         [0064]    For many applications, it is sufficient to provide only four movement commands, corresponding to V+, V−, H+, H−. In this case, the individual sectors can be broader, i.e., for example, +/−45° to each principal direction. 
         [0065]      FIG. 6  shows, in a top view of the touch-sensitive switching surface, a series of dark points in the center region that are touched in succession. Generally, one can already form a vector  46  from the starting and end point  44  and  45  and evaluate it. However, the certainty of identification is heightened by taking into account also the other points traveled with a mathematical method and forming the vector  46  from this. 
         [0066]    At the right of  FIG. 6  is shown a special region  44 , which can be reserved for special functions. For example, it is desirable in the remote control of television sets to be able to select the special function “loud” and “quiet” for the sound without calling up the menu controls, wherein a movement upward in this special region  44  increases the loudness and a downward movement decreases it. For other very often used special functions, such as channel changing of television sets, other special regions can be provided, being advisedly arranged near the edge of the control surface  27 , such as a special region  44   a  in  FIG. 6 , which is reserved for the function “RETURN”, by which the user can go back one menu level. 
         [0067]      FIG. 7  shows that other movements are also possible to trigger predefined commands, such as the movement in the form of a full circle  48  or a semicircle  49 , while here again the direction of rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise) can be taken into account. In practice, of course, one will stay with simple geometrical figures, in order to keep the operation simple, but more complex patterns are also possible, such as letters, numbers, or other symbols. Thus, encoded signals will be generated by the transmitting unit in dependence on several successive directions of movement of the touching of successive regions of the control surface, and this again is absolutely independent of the particular place of the touching. In order to distinguish linear movements with only a single direction of movement (as shown in  FIG. 6 ), for the recognition of more complex patterns (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) the remote control must be switched to a different operating mode, which is preferably done by the central control unit  1  ( FIG. 1 ), and then a bidirectional operation between the control unit  1  and the remote control  10  will occur. In this operating mode, which is activated in dependence on a menu system of the control unit, movements with only a single direction of movement are ignored, or else a starting movement along a more complex pattern would generate a vector with one direction of movement. 
         [0068]    Another important special function for practical use that one primarily reserves for the select function is when a region is only briefly tapped once or twice, without performing a movement along a longer path. Here again it is entirely irrelevant which spot on the control surface is touched in this way, so that the user does not have to touch a precisely predefined region, as is the case with a so-called touch screen. 
         [0069]    To simplify the operation further, the control surface  27  can also be outfitted with a visual display. Acoustic sounds can also be generated in dependence on particular signals emitted ( 17  in  FIG. 1 ), in order to give the user an acoustic confirmation. 
         [0070]    As mentioned in the beginning, certain movements can be detected by the motion sensor  31  ( FIG. 1 ) and transformed into corresponding encoded control signals when predetermined threshold values are reached. The control commands triggered by movements can also be used to select different appliances for control and thus corresponding menus. It is also of special importance that remotely controlled appliances can be switched on and off by the motion sensor  31  or the position sensor  30 . 
         [0071]    It is also possible, when using a “touch screen”, to depict the respective menu or matrix  11  of  FIG. 1  on the touch-sensitive control surface  27 .