Patent Publication Number: US-2009231296-A1

Title: Remote control transmitter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a remote control transmitter mainly for use in remote control operation of various types of electronic apparatus. 
     2. Background Art 
     In the recent enhancement of multi-functionality of various types of electronic apparatus, such as a television, video, and air conditioner, also a remote control transmitter for remote-controlling such an apparatus has been requested to securely perform various kinds of operation. 
     A description is provided of such a conventional remote control transmitter, with reference to  FIGS. 6 through 9 . 
     In the sectional view among these drawings, the dimension in the thickness direction is enlarged for ease of explanation of the structure. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a conventional remote control transmitter.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the conventional remote control transmitter. With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , electrostatic touch panel  2  is attached to a hole opened through the top face of case  1  made of an insulating resin, such as a polystyrene resin and an ABS resin. This electrostatic touch panel  2  is formed so that a plurality of strip-shaped current-carrying parts (not shown) are arranged on the top face or both top and bottom faces of a film-shaped sheet at predetermined intervals in the orthogonal directions. 
     Electrostatic touch panel  2  is housed between top covering  3  and bottom covering  4  both made of an insulating resin. Tail part  2 A that has electrodes (not shown) connected to the ends of the plurality of current-carrying parts of electrostatic touch panel  2  extends outwardly from the bottom face of bottom covering  4  on the right side thereof. 
     A plurality of wiring patterns (not shown) are formed on the top and bottom faces of wiring board  5 . Further, switch contact  6 , such as a push switch, is mounted on the top face of wiring board  5 . The bottom face of bottom covering  4  is in contact with push button  6 A protruding from the top face of switch contact  6 . Further, electrostatic touch panel  2  is electrically connected to the wiring patterns on wiring board  5  via tail part  2 A, a connector, or the like. 
     Operating body  7  made of a rubber or the like has a dome-shaped thin part formed in a lower portion thereof. The top face of operating body  7  protrudes from a through-hole through the top face of case  1  so as to be vertically movable. Further, on the bottom face of operating body  7 , movable contact  7 A is provided so as to face a plurality of fixed contacts  5 A formed on the top face of wiring board  5 , with a predetermined space provided therebetween. 
     On the top and bottom faces of wiring board  5 , transmission part  8  and controller  9  are formed. The transmission part formed of a light-emitting diode (LED), for example, transmits a remote control signal. The controller formed of a microcomputer, for example, is connected to transmission part  8 , electrostatic touch panel  2 , switch contact  6 , and the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A, via the wiring patterns. Cover  10  made of an insulating resin covers the bottom face of case  1 . 
     While a conventional remote control transmitter structured as above is directed toward an electronic apparatus to be operated, the top face of predetermined operating body  7  is pressed with a finger. This operation elastically deforms the dome-shaped thin part and moves operating body  7  downwardly. Thus movable contact  7 A on the bottom face of the operating body is brought into contact with the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A. Thereby, the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A are brought into electrical contact with each other via movable contact  7 A. In response to this electrical contact, controller  9  causes transmission part  8  to transmit an infrared remote control signal to the electronic apparatus. For example, a television is powered on/off or a channel is changed over by such remote control. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a menu that is displayed on the screen of an electronic apparatus to be controlled by the conventional remote control transmitter. With reference to  FIG. 8 , while an apparatus menu, for example, is displayed on display screen  31  of electronic apparatus  30  to be remote-controlled, the electrostatic touch panel is touch-operated so that a finger is in contact with the top face of top covering  3  and is horizontally and vertically slid thereon. With this operation, the finger is charged with a part of the electric charge on electrostatic touch panel  2 , which changes the capacitance of the current-carrying parts in the touch-operated portion. According to this change, controller  9  detects which portion of electrostatic touch panel  2  is touch-operated. 
     Then, controller  9  causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to this finger movement to the apparatus. Thus, for example, pointer  32  or the like displayed on display screen  31  moves vertically or horizontally, in the direction of the finger movement, so that an item in the apparatus menu, for example, is selected. 
     Further, while pointer  32  or the like is placed on the desired item of the apparatus menu, the top face of top covering  3  is pressed. This operation moves electrostatic touch panel  2  and bottom covering  4  downwardly, and the bottom face of bottom covering  4  presses push button  6 A of switch contact  6 . Thus electrical contact is established in switch contact  6 . Controller  9  detects the electrical contact and causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal. Then, a next menu, such as an apparatus operation menu, is displayed on the display screen of the electronic apparatus. 
       FIG. 9  is a drawing showing the next menu displayed on the screen of the electronic apparatus to be controlled by the conventional remote control transmitter. With reference to  FIG. 9 , when the top face of top covering  3  is vertically and horizontally touch-operated again with a finger in this state, controller  9  causes transmission of a remote control signal corresponding to this finger movement. For example, cursor  33  or the like displayed on the display screen is vertically and horizontally moved so that an item in the operation menu, for example, is selected. Pressing operation performed again in this state establishes electrical contact in switch contact  6 , and causes transmission of a remote control signal. For example, such operations as the playback and fast forward of a video tape, a disk, or the like are performed. 
     In this manner, in the conventional remote control transmitter, pressing operation of a plurality of operating bodies  7  allows remote control of various functions, such as a power-on/off and channel selection, of an apparatus. Further, repeated touching and pressing operation of electrostatic touch panel  2  allows sequential changeover in the apparatus menu, operation menu, or the like displayed on the display screen. For each operation of an apparatus, these selecting and determining operations are repeated so that the apparatus is remote-controlled. 
     For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2007-141269 is known as the information about conventional arts related to this invention. 
     However, in the above conventional remote control transmitter, the following actions are performed for such operations as a playback and fast forward shown in the apparatus operation menu, for example. First, the finger in contact with electrostatic touch panel  2  is moved so that an item in the operation menu, for example, is selected by touch operation. Next, electrostatic touch panel  2  is pressed for remote control of the apparatus. Such a complicated operation easily causes erroneous operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a remote control transmitter simply and securely operable without erroneous operation. 
     In the remote control transmitter, in response to a touch operation performed on an electrostatic touch panel in a liner or curved manner, a controller causes a transmission part to transmit a remote control signal. In response to only a touch operation of the electrostatic touch panel for drawing a predetermined linear or curved trajectory thereon, the controller causes transmission of a remote control signal corresponding to this touch operation and allows remote control of an apparatus. This structure eliminates the need for pressing operation. Thus a remote control transmitter simply and securely operable and preventing erroneous operation can be provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a remote control transmitter in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a menu that is displayed on the screen of an electronic apparatus to be controlled by the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on an electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4B  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on the electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4C  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on the electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4D  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on the electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5A  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on the electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5B  is a diagram showing a trajectory drawn by a finger on the electrostatic touch panel of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a conventional remote control transmitter. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the conventional remote control transmitter. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a menu that is displayed on the screen of an electronic apparatus to be controlled by the conventional remote control transmitter. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram showing a next menu that is displayed on the screen of the electronic apparatus to be controlled by the conventional remote control transmitter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, a description is provided of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 3 ,  FIGS. 4A through 4D , and  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
     In the sectional view among these drawings, the dimension in the thickness direction is enlarged for ease of explanation of the structure. 
     The elements similar to those described in Background art have the same reference marks, and the descriptions of those elements are simplified. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , electrostatic touch panel  12  is attached to a hole opened through the top face of case  1  made of an insulating resin, such as a polystyrene resin and an ABS resin. This electrostatic touch panel  12  is formed so that a plurality of strip- or square-shaped current-carrying parts (not shown) are arranged on the top face or both top and bottom faces of a film-shaped sheet at predetermined intervals in the orthogonal directions. 
     Electrostatic touch panel  12  is housed between top covering  3  and bottom covering  4  both made of an insulating resin. Tail part  12 A that has electrodes (not shown) connected to the ends of the plurality of current-carrying parts of electrostatic touch panel  12  extends outwardly from the bottom face of bottom covering  4  on the right side thereof. 
     Wiring board  5  is made of a paper phenol, glass epoxy, or the like. On the top and bottom faces of the wiring board, a plurality of wiring patterns (not shown) are formed of a copper foil, or the like. Further, switch contact  6 , such as a push switch, is mounted on the top face of wiring board  5 . Protrusion  4 A on the bottom face of bottom covering  4 A is in contact with push button  6 A protruding from the top face of switch contact  6 . Further, electrostatic touch panel  12  is electrically connected to the wiring patterns on wiring board  5  via tail part  12 A, connector  13 , or the like. 
     Operating body  7  made of a rubber, elastomer, or the like has a dome-shaped thin part formed in a lower portion thereof. The top face of operating body  7  protrudes from a through-hole through the top face of case  1  so as to be vertically movable. Further, on the bottom face of operating body  7 , movable contact  7 A is provided so as to face a plurality of fixed contacts  5 A formed on the top face of wiring board  5 , with a predetermined space provided therebetween. 
     On the top and bottom faces of wiring board  5 , transmission part  8  and controller  15  are formed. The transmission part formed of an LED, for example, transmits a remote control signal. The controller formed of a microcomputer, for example, is connected to transmission part  8 , electrostatic touch panel  12 , switch contact  6 , and the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A, via the wiring patterns. Cover  10  made of an insulating resin covers the bottom face of case  1 . 
     While a remote control transmitter of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention structured as above is directed toward an electronic apparatus to be operated, the top face of predetermined operating body  7  is pressed with a finger. This operation elastically deforms the dome-shaped thin part and moves operating body  7  downwardly. Thus movable contact  7 A on the bottom face of the operating body is brought into contact with the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A. Thereby, the plurality of fixed contacts  5 A are brought into electrical contact with each other via movable contact  7 A. In response to this electrical contact, controller  15  causes transmission part  8  to transmit an infrared remote control signal to the electronic apparatus. For example, a television is powered on/off or a channel is changed over by such remote control. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a menu that is displayed on the screen of an electronic apparatus to be controlled by the remote control transmitter of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 3 , while an apparatus menu, for example, is displayed on display screen  31  of electronic apparatus  30  to be remote-controlled, the electrostatic touch panel is touch-operated so that a finger is in contact with the top face of top covering  3  and is horizontally and vertically slid thereon. With this operation, the finger is charged with a part of the electric charge on electrostatic touch panel  12 , which changes the capacitance of the current-carrying parts in the touch-operated portion. According to this change, controller  15  detects which portion of electrostatic touch panel  12  is touch-operated. 
     Then, controller  15  causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to this finger movement to the apparatus. Thus, for example, pointer  22  or the like displayed on display screen  31  moves vertically or horizontally, in the direction of the finger movement, so that an item in the apparatus menu, for example, is selected. 
     Further, while pointer  22  or the like is placed on the desired item of the apparatus menu, the top face of top covering  3  is pressed. This operation moves electrostatic touch panel  12  and bottom covering  4  downwardly, and protrusion  4 A on the bottom face of bottom covering  4  presses push button  6 A of switch contact  6 . Thus electrical contact is established in switch contact  6 . Controller  15  detects the electrical contact and causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal. Thus an apparatus to be remote-controlled is selected. 
     In short, pressing operation of a plurality of operating bodies  7  allows remote control of respective functions of an apparatus, such as a powering on/off and channel selection. Touching and pressing operation of electrostatic touch panel  12  allows selection and determination of one of the apparatuses shown on display screen  31 . 
       FIGS. 4A through 4D ,  5 A, and  5 B are diagrams showing trajectories drawn by a finger on the electrostatic panel of the remote control transmitter of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     After one of the apparatuses shown on display screen  31  is determined, the top face of top covering  3  is touched with a finger so that the finger is horizontally and vertically moved in a linear or curved manner. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4A , the electrostatic touch panel is touch-operated so that the finger is moved toward the bottom right and sequentially toward the bottom left. This touch operation changes the capacitance of electrostatic touch panel  12  in the touched portion. According to this change in the capacitance of electrostatic touch panel  12 , controller  15  detects that electrostatic touch panel  12  is touch-operated so that a trajectory A 1  is drawn thereon. The controller also checks this trajectory A 1  against a plurality of pre-stored trajectories. For example, in a case of the trajectory A 1 , controller  15  causes transmission of a remote control signal for playback to the apparatus. Thus the playback of a video tape, disk, or the like is performed in the apparatus. 
     In another case, as shown in  FIG. 4B , electrostatic touch panel  12  is touch-operated so that the finger is moved in the downward direction and sequentially in the right direction to draw an L-shaped trajectory A 2 . In this case, controller  15  detects this trajectory A 2 , checks the trajectory A 2  against the stored trajectories, and causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal for pausing to the apparatus. 
     Similarly, in a case of a trajectory A 3  showing a movement from the left to the right in the central portion of electrostatic touch panel  12  as shown in  FIG. 4C , controller  15  causes transmission of a remote control signal for fast-forwarding. In a case of a trajectory A 4  showing a movement from the top right to the bottom left as shown in  FIG. 4D , the controller causes transmission of a remote control signal for stopping. Accordingly, a video tape, disk, or the like is fast-forwarded or stopped. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5A , in a case of touch operation where the finger is continuously moved clockwise to draw a ring shape, controller  15  detects this ring-shaped trajectory B 1 , checks the trajectory against the stored trajectories, and detects the number of rotations. Then, for example, a remote control signal for increasing sound volume is transmitted to the apparatus repeatedly at the number of times equal to the number of rotations. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5B , in another case of touch operation where the finger is continuously moved counterclockwise to draw a ring-shaped trajectory B 2 , controller  15  causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal for decreasing sound volume to the apparatus repeatedly at the number of times equal to the number of rotations. 
     In this manner, electrostatic touch panel  12  is touch-operated so that linear trajectories, such as the trajectories A 1  through A 4 , or curved trajectories, such as the trajectories B 1  and B 2 , are drawn. Further, controller  15  detects such a predetermined trajectory, and checks the trajectory against the plurality of pre-stored trajectories. Transmission part  8  transmits remote control signals corresponding to these touch operations. Thus, with only a touch operation for drawing predetermined trajectories, various kinds of remote control operation of a video tape, disk, apparatus, or the like can be performed. 
     In other words, in response to only a touch operation of electrostatic touch panel  12  for drawing a predetermined linear or curved trajectory thereon, controller  15  causes transmission of a remote control signal corresponding to the touch operation and allows remote control of the apparatus. This structure eliminates the need for pressing operation and thus prevents occurrence of erroneous operation. Further, remote control can be ensured by a simple operation of only touching. 
     The above descriptions have been provided for a structure where in response to a touch operation performed on electrostatic touch panel  12  in a linear or curved manner, controller  15  detects a predetermined trajectory of this touch operation, checks the trajectory against a plurality of pre-stored trajectories, and causes transmission of a remote control signal for a corresponding operation. However, the present invention can be implemented in a structure where the remote control transmitter transmits a trajectory of the touch operation as a predetermined remote control signal without change, and the apparatus on the receiver side checks the remote control signal against a plurality of trajectories stored therein and performs a corresponding operation. 
     Further, while electrostatic touch panel  12  is touch-operated in a liner or curved manner, controller  15  or the apparatus on the receiver side may ignore any operation other than the above touch operation. This structure can prevent erroneous operation of the apparatus, even when electrostatic touch panel  12  or operating body  7  is inadvertently operated. For example, during a touch operation with a forefinger for drawing the trajectory A 1  or B 1 , a middle finger inadvertently touches the other portion of electrostatic touch panel  12 . In such a case, controller  15  ignores this inadvertent operation, and does not cause transmission of a remote control signal corresponding to this operation. Alternatively, the apparatus on the receiver side ignores this operation and only performs the operation corresponding to the predetermined trajectory. This structure can prevent erroneous operation of the apparatus and provide a more user-friendly operation. 
     In this manner, in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment, controller  15  causes transmission part  8  to transmit a remote control signal, in response to a touch operation of electrostatic touch panel  12  performed in a linear or curved manner. This structure eliminates the need for pressing operation. Only a touch operation of electrostatic touch panel  12  for drawing a predetermined trajectory allows remote control of the apparatus. Thus a remote control transmitter simply and securely operable and preventing erroneous operation can be provided. 
     The above descriptions have been provided for a structure where a push switch is mounted on the top face of wiring board  5  to form switch contact  6 . However, the present invention can be implemented in another structure using various types of switch contact. For example, a plurality of fixed contacts are provided on the top face of wiring board  5 . Further, an operating body similar to operating body  7  may be formed above the fixed contacts so that a movable contact formed on the bottom face thereof faces the fixed contacts. Alternatively, a dome-shaped movable contact made of a conductive sheet metal may be placed on the fix contacts on the top face of wiring board  5 . 
     The above descriptions have been provided for a structure where transmission part  8  is formed of an LED, for example, and transmits an infrared remote control signal to the electronic apparatus. However, the transmission part may be formed of an antenna, and a remote control signal of a radio wave may be transmitted. 
     The remote control transmitter of the present invention is simply and securely operable without erroneous operation, and is useful mainly for operating various types of electronic apparatus.