WO2007031941A2

WO2007031941A2 - Remote control

Info

Publication number: WO2007031941A2
Application number: PCT/IB2006/053238
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerrit Hollemans
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2005-09-15
Filing date: 2006-09-12
Publication date: 2007-03-22
Also published as: WO2007031941A3

Abstract

Laser pointers are useful, when pointing to a large display area of typically several square meters. Pointing at a display (3) of a home device (2) has the disadvantage, that the user is likely to point above, below or besides the screen. The remote control (1) comprises an output angle attenuation unit (45) to attenuate the movement of the laser beam so that the angular range for pointing on the display (3) is increased.

Description

Remote control

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a remote control using a radiation beam. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remote control for controlling one or more home devices with a laser beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

State of the art document US 2001/0030668 Al describes a method and a system for interacting with a display and other devices that use such displays. The US

2001/0030668 Al mentions three sources of errors occurring at systems interacting with displays. One of these is a dynamic error that arise out of the change in the geometry of the hardware, as well as the movement of the pointing device or its reflection on the display.

Thereby, a disparity between the actual location of the cursor and the location where it should be can occur. In such a case, a cursor shown on the display and the laser pointer are on different locations. The system known from US 2001/0030668 Al proposes to identify the disparity between the location of the pointing device on the display and the location of the computer's pointer representation and to correct it. As a result, the cursor is on the laser pointer.

The method and system known from US 2001/0030668 Al has the disadvantage of an increased inaccuracy, when the distance between the user and the display increases. For example, when the display has a high of about 65 cm and when the user sits at the distance of 3 m, the angle that the user can make to go from the top of the display to the bottom of the display is about 12°. This is very limited and the user is likely to point besides or above the screen. Hence, further errors can occur, when the user tries to interact with the display. EP 0 608 496 Al describes an electronic inclinometer and compass comprising a three axis inclination angle sensor for outputting electrical signals taken as a measurement of an inclination angle, and a three axis azimuth angle sensor for outputting electrical signals taken as a measurement of a bearing angle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a remote control for outputting at least a radiation beam in a pointing direction, which control allows an interaction with a display or another device with an increased accuracy. This object is solved by a remote control as defined in claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are mentioned in the dependent claims.

An advantage of the present invention is its broad field of application. For example, the user can interact with a television system, when he sits at a distance of a few meters to the television display, as usual, and also with a radio receiver standing in a different distance to the user. As a further advantage, the remote control of the invention allows to control with a high accuracy. For example, when moving the radiation beam over the display of the television system, the angular velocity of the spot on the display caused by the user due to a rotation of the remote control may be half of that without attenuation. Therefore, for some applications, the user may point on a small area of the screen from a relatively large distance, wherein the movement of the spot is attenuated so that an easy control of the television system is possible.

It is to be noted that the display or another device for interaction with the remote control is not necessarily a part of the remote control as claimed. The remote control as claimed in claim 1 does not necessarily receive a feedback from the controlled device. Also, the remote control can be sold without a display or another device and a later adaption to one or more devices is possible.

The measure as defined in claim 2 has the advantage that the mirrors can move very fast so that the influence of the output angle attenuation unit on the output angle of the radiation beam is quick. According to the measure as defined in claim 3 the direction of the change of the angle of reflection is in opposition to the rotational movement caused by the user. Therewith, when the user is moving the spot of the radiation beam inside a display or another area of another device, an attenuation of the movement is caused that is natural to the user. Thereby, according to the measure as defined in claim 4 the spot on the display is moving at least with a low velocity in the direction intended by the user. The measure as defined in claim 5 has the advantage that the range for an angular correction is increased as compared with only one mirror. But, also three or more mirrors can be used to reflect the radiation beam, wherein a number of mirrors may be fixed relative to a casing of the remote control. The measure as defined in claim 6 has the advantage that the spot caused by the radiation beam stays on the display or within another area defined by the preset range for the pointing direction, so that the ease of operation is improved and the control has a high reliability. According to the measure as defined in claim 7 the preset range is setable, for example, by pointing to the top left and the bottom right corner of the screen, or to even more points, if more are needed to calibrate more reliably. Hence, an adjustment of the remote control is very easy and the precision increases with the number of set-points selected by the user. According to the measure as defined in claim 8 two or more devices can be controlled with the same remote control. Thereby, the interaction area between the remote control and each of the displays as well as the distances to the user may be different, respectively. The measure as defined in claim 9 has the advantage that one of the devices is selected by easily pointing on the device and/or by operation of a selection element. The selection element may be a simple button that is pressed, when the user wants to control another device, or a selector switch for selecting the specific device directly.

The measure as defined in claim 10 has the advantage that the ease of operation is further improved. For example, when interacting with the display, the device may present two or more possible options, from which the user can select one. With this measure the spot caused by the radiation beam may jump between the areas on the screen related to the different options, when the user moves the remote control.

According to the measure as defined in claim 11 the inclino and/or orientation unit outputs an actual orientation of the remote control. This orientation may be made with reference to the polar axis of the earth, the magnetic north and a horizontal, or an other reference.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like reference signs and in which: Fig. 1 shows a remote control and a device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows the device from a direction II, as shown in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the remote control of the preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of the remote control according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a remote control 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The remote control 1 can be used to control a device 2, especially a home device 2. The home device 2 may comprise a display 3 to display a video, a picture or some other information. Further, an actual screen of a personal computer may be displayed by the display 3. The remote control 1 can interact with the home device 2. The home device 2 can therefor comprise some means to detect an actual location 4 of a spot produced by a radiation beam 5, wherein the radiation beam 5 is output by the remote control 1 in a pointing direction 6 towards the display 3.

The display 3 of the home device 2 has a height 7 and is placed in a distance 8 from the remote control 1, wherein the distance 8 is defined by a preferred position of the user sitting on a chair or such. From the height 7 and the distance 8 an angle 9 follows, that the user can make to go from a top 10 of the display 3 to a bottom 11 of the display 3. For example, when the height 7 of the display 3 is about 65 cm and the distance 8 is about 3 m, then the angle 9 is about 12°. This angle 9 is very limited and the user is likely to point above or below the display 3. The same applies to a width 12 of the display 3, as shown in Fig. 2, and the user is also likely to point besides the display 3.

The remote control 1 according to the preferred embodiment is arranged to influence an output angle 13 (shown in Fig. 3) defined with respect to an axis 14 of the remote control 1. In Fig. 1 the output angle 13 is 0°. When the remote control 1 is rotated, as shown by arrows 15, and hence the axis 14 of the remote control 1 is rotated, then the output angle 13 is influenced so that the resultant movement of the pointing direction 6 is attenuated. Therefore, the actual location 4 of the spot of the radiation beam 5 stays on the display 3, even when the axis 14 of the remote control 1 is rotated out of the angle 9. Further, the angular velocity of the pointing direction 6 is smaller than the angular velocity of the axis 14 of the remote control 1 so that a slow and precise motion of the spot at the actual location 4 is possible, even when the distance 8 is relatively large compared with the height 7 of the display 3. It should be noted that the remote control 1 of the invention is not limited to a home device 2 with a display 3 and can also be used in other applications. Further, the remote control 1 can be used to control two or more devices.

Fig. 2 shows the home device 2 in a front view from the direction II, as shown in Fig. 1. The display 3 of the home device 2 comprises a top left corner 20, a top right corner 21, a bottom right corner 22 and a bottom left corner 23. The operation and iunctionality of the remote control 1 is further described also with reference to Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the remote control 1 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The remote control 1 comprises a casing 25 with a front opening 26. The opening 26 of the casing 25 is closed with a transparent plate 27 made of glass or a transparent synthetic material. Inside the casing 25, chambers 28, 29 are provided.

A radiation emitting element 30 is located in the chamber 28 and outputs the radiation beam 5. First, the radiation beam 5 is incidented on a first mirror 31. Second, the radiation beam 5 is reflected from the first mirror 31 to a second mirror 32. Then, third, the radiation beam 5 is reflected from the second mirror 32 and passes through the transparent plate 27 out of the chasing 25 of the remote control 1.

In Fig. 3, an axis 33 perpendicular to the surface of the first mirror 31, and an axis 34 perpendicular to a surface of the second mirror 32 are shown. The radiation beam 5 incidents on the first mirror 31 under an angle 35 of incidence, and is reflected from the first mirror 31 under an angle 36 of reflection. Further, the radiation beam reflected from the first mirror 31 is incidented on the second mirror 32 under a angle 37 of incidence and reflected under an angle 38 of reflection with respect to the axis 34. By the law of reflection, the angle 35 of incidence equals the angle 36 of reflection, and the angle 37 of incidence equals the angle 38 of reflection, respectively.

The remote control 1 comprises a first bearing 41 to arrange a bearing of the first mirror 31. Further, the remote control 1 comprises a second bearing 42 to arrange a bearing of the second mirror 32. An actuator 43 acts upon the first mirror 31 to change an orientation of the axis 33 of the first mirror 31. Therewith, the angle 35 of incidence is changed so that the angle 36 of reflection is changed and the radiation beam 5 incidents under a different angle 37 of incidence and at a different location on the second mirror 32. Also, an actuator 44 is provided to incline the second mirror 32 so that an orientation of the axis 34 is changed. Hence, the angle 38 of reflection is also influenced by the actuator 44. As a result, the output angle 13 of the radiation beam 5 defined with respect to the axis 14 is influenced by the actual orientation of the axis 33 and the actual orientation of the axis 34.

The first mirror 31, the second mirror 32, the first bearing 41, the second bearing 42, the actuator 43, and the actuator 44 are elements of an output angle attenuation unit 45 which is arranged to influence the output angle 13 of the radiation beam 5.

A control unit 46 of the output angle attenuation unit 45 is connected with the actuators 43, 44 to control the actual output angle 13. The output angle 13 may vary, as shown by the arrows 47.

The remote control 1 comprises a movement detection unit 50. The movement detection unit 50 comprises an inclino and/or orientation unit which outputs an actual orientation of the axis 14 of the remote control 1 with respect to a specific axis of the earth. The actual orientation is received from the control unit 46 over a line 51. Further, the movement detection unit 50 stores some values of the orientation of the axis 14 of the remote control 1 and detects therefrom a rotational movement of the axis 14. Such a rotational movement is also output to the control unit 46 over line 51, for example, as an actual angular velocity.

The user may point to the top left corner 20 and then to the bottom right corner

22 of the display 3 to adjust a preset range for the remote control 1. This preset range has at least nearly the height 7 and the width 12 of the display 3. When controlling the home device 2, a range for the pointing direction 6 is limited to this preset range on the home device 2. For example, the output angle attenuation unit 45 having two mirrors 31, 32 may change the output angle 13 about 30° to 60° in either direction. This means 5 to 10 times more freedom of movement for the user compared to the 6° without attenuation in either direction. The additional freedom of movement achieved for the user depends on the size and number of mirrors 31, 32 and the size of the remote control 1.

The user may also point to the top right corner 21 and the bottom left corner

23 to increase the accuracy of the preset range. This is especially useful, when the user is not located perpendicular to the display 3 so that the display 3 is a trapezoid from the view of the user. Then, the preset range is defined by the set points represented by the corners 20, 21, 22, 23 so that the preset range has a trapezoid form.

Further, it may be difficult for the user to point to the corners 20, 21, 22, 23 of the display 3. For example, it is possible that the user points to a corner 52 of the home device 2 instead of pointing to the corner 20 of the display 3. As a solution, an adjustment picture may be shown on the display 3 of the home device 2. The adjustment picture shows a reference mark 53 near the top left corner 20, a reference mark 54 near the top right corner 21, a reference mark 55 near the bottom right corner 22, a reference mark 56 near the bottom left corner 23 and a reference mark 57 in the center of the display 3. The user can point to this reference marks 53 to 57 in an arbitrary order. The control unit 46 of the output angle attenuation unit 45 calculates the height 7 and the width 12 of the display 3 from the location of the reference marks 53 to 57 to set the preset range for limiting a range of the pointing direction 6.

The remote control 1 comprises a receiving unit 60 to receive data about a specific area 61 and a specific area 62 on the display 3 of the home device 2. For example, while watching a football game, the specific area 61 may display an option to review the last 10 seconds of the game in slow motion, and the specific area 62 may display an option to store the last 10 seconds of the game on a storage means. The user may then want to make a choice between the option displayed in the specific area 61 or the option displayed in the specific area 62. In such a case, the control unit 46 of the output angle attenuation unit 45 controls the axis 33 of the mirror 31 and the axis 34 of the mirror 32 based on the data received by the receiving unit 60 so that the pointing direction 6 of the radiation beam 5 is either pointing the radiation beam 5 to the specific area 61 or the specific area 62. The user can then easily make his choice without taking a tedious aiming on one of the specific areas 61, 62. Further, the output angle attenuation unit 45 may control the output angle 13 so that the pointing direction 6 is only directed in one of the areas 61, 62, when the pointing direction 6 is inside or close to the area 61 or 62, respectively. Otherwise, the output angle attenuation unit 45 may control the output angle 13 so that the pointing direction 6 is directed to another location 4 on the display 3 without such an additional redirection.

The remote control 1 comprises a selection element 63 for changing the control from the home device 2 to one or more other devices. For example, when the user is pointing on the home device 2 and presses a button 64 of the selection element 63, then the home device 2 is selected for control. When the user directs the axis 14 or the pointing direction 6 to another device and/or presses the button 64, then the other device is selected for control. Hence, the remote control 1 can be used to control one or more devices. In certain cases, the user could be allowed to switch off the attenuation, for example with the button 64, or the control unit 46 may automatically switch it on or off depending on what device is controlled and the amount of communication that is possible between the controlled system and the receiving unit 60 of the remote control. By switching the attenuation off, the user is enabled again to simply point around in the living room or any other place in the house with a straight beam to activate, for example the lights, the tuner, or a radio receiver.

There is an alternative solution to address the issue of overshooting and leaving the display 3: a camera could be embedded in the remote control 1 and instead of an actual radiation beam 5 the resulting dot is rendered by the controlled home device 2 on its own screen. Apart from the image processing needed, the remote control 1 would not work intuitively anymore, if the controlled device 2 has no display 3 to render the resulting dot on the screen, for example, radio sets, amplifiers, DVD players, lights.

The proposed remote control 1 requires no extra communication with the controlled home device 2, for example, with respect to whether the beam is still on the screen, and works also with devices that do not have a display 3, i.e., it will beam a dot on the controlled device 2 indicating which device is controlled and potentially, what function is controlled, for example, by other aspects of the dot such as form, motion or color.

The movement detection unit 50 may comprise at least an accellerometer unit. The accellerometer unit outputs data about an actual rotation of the axis 14 of the remote control 1 to the control unit 46. In such a case, the control unit 46 is arranged to compute the actual orientation of the axis 14 of the remote control from this data.

It should be noted that the output angle attenuation unit 45 is arranged to change the pointing direction 6 of the radiation beam 5 in two directions. The actuators 43, 44 are therefor arranged to incline the mirrors 31, 32 in two directions, respectively. When the mirrors 31, 32 have small angles that they reach, further elements such as lenses may be provided in the optical path of the radiation beam 5 to enable a larger range for the output angle 13.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of the remote control 1 according to an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, only one mirror 31 is provided. Hence, the output angle attenuation unit 45 comprises the mirror 31, the bearing 41, the actuator 43 and the control unit 46. The radiation beam 5 incidents on the mirror 31 with an angle 35 of incidence of nearly 45° to achieve an output angle 13 of 0°. Tilting the mirror 31 in the direction 47 then changes the output angle 13, as shown in Fig. 4. Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such modifications to the inventive concept are intended to be covered by the appended claims in which the reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Further, in the description and the appended claims the meaning of "comprising" is not to be understood as excluding other elements or steps. Further, "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality, and a single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several means recited in the claims. Also, the wavelength of the radiation beam is not limited to the visible spectrum.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Remote control (1) for outputting at least a radiation beam (5) in a pointing direction (6), especially laser pointer control for a home device (2), which remote control comprises a radiation emitting element (30), an output angle attenuation unit (45) and a movement detection unit (50), wherein said radiation emitting element (30) is arranged for emitting said radiation beam (5), wherein said output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to influence at least an output angle (13) of said radiation beam (5) defined with respect to an axis (14) of said remote control (1), wherein said movement detection unit (50) is arranged to detect at least a rotational movement of said axis (14) of said remote control in at least a direction, and wherein said output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to control said output angle (13) of said radiation beam (5) so that a change of said pointing direction (6) of said radiation beam (5) is attenuated with respect to said rotational movement detected.

2. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized in that said output angle attenuation unit (45) comprises at least a mirror (31) and at least an actuator (43), that said radiation emitting element (30) is arranged for emitting said radiation beam (5) at least indirectly to said mirror (31), that said mirror (31) is arranged to reflect said radiation beam (5) in an angle of reflection (36), and that said actuator (43) is arranged to turn said mirror (31) to change said angle of reflection so that said output angle (13) of said radiation beam (5) is changed.

3. Remote control according to claim 2, characterized in that said output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to change said angle (36) of reflection of said radiation beam (5) at said mirror (31) so that a direction (47) of said change of said output angle (13) is in opposition to a direction (15) of said rotational movement detected.

4. Remote control according to claim 3, characterized in that an amount of said change of said output angle (13) is less than an amount of said rotational movement detected.

5. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized in that said output angle attenuation unit (45) comprises a first mirror (31), at least a second mirror (32), a first actuator (43) and at least a second actuator (44), that said radiation emitting element (30) is arranged for emitting said radiation beam (5) at least indirectly to said first mirror (31), that said fist mirror (31) is arranged to reflect said radiation beam (5) at least indirectly towards said second mirror (32) in a first angle (36) of reflection, that said second mirror (32) is arranged to reflect said radiation beam (5) in a second angle (38) of reflection, and that said first actuator (43) is arranged to turn that first mirror (31) to change said first angle (36) of reflection and said second actuator (44) is arranged to turn said second mirror (32) to change said second angle (38) of reflection so that said output angle (13) of said radiation beam (5) is changed.

6. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized in that said output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to limit a range of said pointing direction (6) in at least a direction to a preset range.

7. Remote control according to claim 6, characterized in that said preset range is setable with reference to a at least two different set points (20, 21, 22, 23; 53, 54, 55, 56, 57).

8. Remote control according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that a first preset range is set with reference to a first device, which device is arranged to interact at least indirectly with said remote control, and that at least a second preset range is set with reference to a second device, which second device is arranged to interact at least indirectly with said remote control, wherein said output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to limit said range of said pointing direction (6) in at least a direction either to said first preset range or said second preset range in dependence of an actual selection.

9. Remote control according to claim 8, characterized in that said first device is selected, when said axis (14) of said remote control is directed towards said first device and/or a selection element (63) is operated, and that said second device is selected, when said axis (14) of said remote control is directed towards said second device and/or said selection element (63) is operated.

10. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized by a receiving unit (60) arranged to receive data about at least a specific area (61, 62) on the device (2), wherein the output angle attenuation unit (45) is arranged to direct said pointing direction (6) of said radiation beam (5) in said specific area (61; 62), when said pointing direction (6) is close to said specific area (61; 62).

11. Remote control according to claim 1 , characterized in that said movement detection unit (50) comprises at least an inclino and/or orientation unit, which inclino and/or orientation unit outputs an actual orientation of said axis of said remote control with respect to a specific axis of the earth.

12. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized in that said movement detection unit (50) comprises at least an accellerometer unit, which accellerometer unit outputs an actual rotational movement of said axis of said remote control.