Remote control device, remote control method, and remote control program

Abstract

The objective is to develop a remote control device that provides electronic devices with content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences. [Solution] The device comprises a multifaceted housing having multiple surfaces, an assignment unit that assigns functions to each surface of the multifaceted housing to execute one or more electrical devices, and a surface detection unit that detects the surface of the multifaceted housing facing directly upwards as a functional surface, a specification unit that, when the functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, identifies content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences indicated by the user information based on the user information, and a function execution unit that, when the functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, causes the electrical device to play the content identified by the specification unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control device that controls one of a plurality of electrical devices as a control target.

Background Art

[0002] A remote control device, so-called a remote controller (remote control), is designed to remotely operate home appliances such as televisions and audio devices. Conventionally, it has been mainstream to directly operate home appliances within the line of sight by infrared communication. However, in recent years, it has become possible to operate home appliances using RF (indicating a frequency that can be used as a carrier wave for wireless communication among radio waves and electrical signals) and Bluetooth.

[0003] Furthermore, due to technological evolution, the use of voice recognition and smartphone apps has enabled operations on home appliances at home from remote locations using voice commands, significantly improving convenience. Also, in a programmable universal remote control, since many electrical devices can be managed by one, it has also evolved as a system for collectively operating multiple home appliances.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a remote control device that remotely controls an electrical device to be a control target with a simpler operation and has a unique appearance and operation feeling. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a remote control device that includes a posture detection means for detecting the posture of a housing and a movement amount detection means for detecting the amount of movement, and operates an electrical device based on the detected posture and movement amount.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Although Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose remote control devices that manage many electrical devices and perform different functions depending on how they are used, these remote control devices do not describe how to provide optimal functions for each user based on the user's usage history.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to develop a remote control device that can be remotely controlled according to the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a polyfaceted housing having multiple faces, an assignment unit that assigns a function to be performed by one or more electrical devices to each face of the polyfaceted housing, a face detection unit that detects the face of the polyfaceted housing that is facing directly upwards as a functional face, an identification unit that, when the functional face is the face on which user information is set, identifies content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences indicated by the user information based on the user information, and a function execution unit that, when the functional face is the face on which user information is set, causes the electrical device to play the content identified by the identification unit.

[0009] In a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the assignment unit includes sub-functions related to the functions assigned to the faces of the polyhedron housing, and the sub-functions are assigned to at least the rotational direction with respect to the vertical axis when the face is a functional face. The remote control device further includes a rotation information acquisition unit that acquires information including the rotational direction with respect to the vertical axis as rotational information while keeping the functional face directly upward, and the function execution unit executes the sub-functions identified based on the rotational direction acquired by the rotation information acquisition unit.

[0010] In a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the assignment unit may assign a sub-function to at least a rotation angle with respect to the vertical axis when the surface is a functional surface, the rotation information acquisition unit may acquire information including the rotation angle with respect to the vertical axis as rotation information while keeping the functional surface directly upward, and the function execution unit may execute a sub-function identified based on the rotation angle acquired by the rotation information acquisition unit.

[0011] A remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention further comprises a content information acquisition unit that acquires content played by an electrical device as viewing history, and a specification unit that identifies attributes of the viewing history, including genre, and identifies receivable content that matches the genre of the viewing history from among the content provided by multiple streaming services as recommended content.

[0012] A remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention further comprises a content information acquisition unit that acquires content played by an electrical device as viewing history, and a identification unit further comprises a learning unit that trains a trained model as training data the correspondence between attributes of the viewing history, including genre, and the functional aspects and the corresponding users, and based on the learning results of the learning unit, it may identify receivable content from the content provided by the streaming service that matches the attributes of the viewing history, including genre, as recommended content for the user.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the rotation information acquisition unit acquires rotation information including the rotation angle of a clockwise rotation, the remote control device may transmit a control signal corresponding to the recommended content to the electrical equipment as a clockwise signal. When the rotation information acquisition unit acquires rotation information including the rotation angle of a counterclockwise rotation, the remote control device may transmit another control signal corresponding to the content to the electrical equipment as a counterclockwise signal.

[0014] In a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the function execution unit may transmit a control signal to a playback device, which is an electrical device, to play content.

[0015] In a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the function execution unit may transmit control signals for controlling electrical signals to devices other than the regeneration device as an electrical device.

[0016] A remote control method according to one embodiment of the present invention may include the following steps: an assignment step in which a computer of a remote control device having a polyfaceted housing having multiple faces assigns a function to be performed by one or more electrical devices to each face of the polyfaceted housing; an assignment step in which a specific face of the polyfaceted housing includes a face on which user information is set; a face detection step in which the face of the polyfaceted housing facing directly upwards is detected as a functional face; a specification step in which, when the functional face is a face on which user information is set, a specification step in which content matching the user's preferences indicated by the user information is identified from multiple streaming services based on the user information; and a function execution step in which, when the functional face is a face on which user information is set, the content identified in the specification step is played back on the electrical device.

[0017] A remote control program according to one embodiment of the present invention may cause a computer of a remote control device, which comprises a polyfaceted housing having multiple faces, to execute a function on each face of the polyfaceted housing in order to cause one or more electrical devices to run. A specific face of the polyfaceted housing may be configured to execute an assignment function, which includes a face on which user information is set; a face detection function, which detects the face of the polyfaceted housing that is facing directly upwards as a functional face; a specification function, which, when the functional face is a face on which user information is set, identifies content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences indicated by the user information based on the user information; and a function execution function, which, when the functional face is a face on which user information is set, causes the electrical device to play the content identified by the specification function. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the remote control device of the present disclosure, remote control according to the user is realized by using artificial intelligence.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a system diagram showing a configuration example of the system. [Figure 2] It is an external view showing an example of the remote control device of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the remote control device of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] It is an example of a drawing in which the functions shown in FIG. 2 are arranged. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the remote control device of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart diagram showing an operation example of the remote control device of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the electric device of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart diagram showing an operation example of the electric device of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a table showing an example of the correspondence relationship between the function surface, rotation information, and functions related to the remote control device of the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] <Embodiment> <Overview> FIG. 1 is an example of a system for causing the remote control device 1 according to the present embodiment to execute functions. As shown in FIG. 1, in the system according to the present embodiment, the remote control device 1, the electric devices 2 (electric device A21, electric device B22, electric device C23,..., electric device n24) are communicably connected by wireless communication via the network NW.

[0021] The remote control device 1 is a device for operating electrical equipment or systems via wireless communication. Specifically, the remote control device 1 of this disclosure acts as a remote controller to cause home appliances to execute the functions installed in each home appliance. Furthermore, the remote control device 1 is configured to enable remote control of home appliances and the functions installed in each home appliance by transmitting control signals generated by user operations to each electrical equipment using infrared light or the like.

[0022] Electrical device 2 is an electrical product that uses electricity and, upon receiving a control signal from the remote control device 1, digitally processes the received control signal to perform its function. Specifically, multiple electrical devices 2 (electrical device A21, electrical device B22, electrical device C23, ..., electrical device n24) are controlled by the remote control device 1, and each electrical device has its own function. For example, electrical device A21 may function as a television, electrical device B22 may function as an air conditioner, and electrical device C23 may function as a lighting device. However, it is not limited to these examples; it is sufficient that electrical devices 2 can be controlled by the remote control device 1.

[0023] The network NW may include wireless networks and wired networks. For example, the network NW may be a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), wireless LANs, 4G, 5G, and 6G and later mobile communication systems. However, the network NW is not limited to these examples and may also be a public switched telephone network (PSTN), optical fiber, satellite communication network, etc. Furthermore, the network NW may be a combination of these.

[0024] The specifications of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment, and the mechanisms of each structure, will be described in detail below.

[0025] <Structure> Figure 2 is an example of an external view of the remote control device 1. In this embodiment, the remote control device 1 is a polyhedron, and may be an icosahedron as shown in Figure 2, or it may be a polyhedron housing such as a cube, octahedron, hexahedron, or rhombic triacontahedron, as long as the top surface is uniquely determined during use.

[0026] Each face of the remote control device 1 in this disclosure is assigned a function corresponding to that face. For example, when a user wants to turn a room light on or off, the user can place the remote control device 1 with the face showing the information specifying the electrical device to be controlled facing upwards, or hold the device so that the upward face faces upwards, and that upward face becomes the control face (function face), allowing the user to control the corresponding electrical device. For example, if the upward face shows a light bulb mark, the electrical device could be set to turn on the light fixture. In short, each face of the remote control device 1 is assigned a predetermined function, and the user only needs to select the face on which they want the electrical device 2 to perform the function and control the remote control device 1 accordingly.

[0027] <Physical configuration of remote control device 1> Next, the internal configuration of the remote control device 1 will be described. Figure 3 shows an example of the internal configuration of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment. The remote control device 1 comprises a multifaceted housing 10, a microcontroller 20, a 6-axis sensor 30, a transmitting unit 40, a power supply 50, and a circuit board 60. The details of each component will be described below.

[0028] The multifaceted enclosure 10 serves as an external case for the remote control device 1, housing components such as a microcontroller 20, a 6-axis sensor 30, a transmitter 40, a power supply 50, and a circuit board 60, which are installed inside the remote control device 1, and is configured to be easily operated by the user. The remote control device 1 has the circuit board 60 fixed inside the multifaceted enclosure 10, and the microcontroller 20, 6-axis sensor 30, transmitter 40, and power supply 50 are arranged on the circuit board 60. The circuit board 60 may be a so-called PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Specifically, the multifaceted enclosure 10 of this disclosure has multiple faces, and each face may have a display mark to realize a specific function. This display mark may be printed on the multifaceted enclosure 10, engraved, or displayed on a display panel provided on each face. Furthermore, not all faces are assigned a function. In addition, the material, size, color, etc. of the multifaceted enclosure 10 are not limited and may be any material, size, and color that is easy for the user to use. When the user rolls the remote control device 1 and places it with the side of the electrical device 2 that is to be used to perform the desired function facing upwards, the remote control device 1 will perform the function associated with the side that is facing directly upwards.

[0029] The microcontroller 20 is a computer that integrates a CPU, RAM (Random Access Memory, not shown), ROM (Read Only Memory, not shown), I / O ports, and other components into a single integrated circuit. Specifically, the microcontroller 20 identifies which side of the remote control device 1 is facing directly upwards, identifies the electrical equipment associated with that side, and processes control signals for that electrical equipment. The remote control device 1 also transmits control signals to the designated electrical equipment based on the analysis results of the microcontroller 20. For example, when a user uses the remote control device 1 to perform television functions, the microcontroller 20 may read the operation signals input by the user and transmit them to the television via infrared communication. In this case, the electrical equipment 2 (in this example, the television) performs functions such as turning the television ON / OFF or changing channels according to the received signal.

[0030] The 6-axis sensor 30 is a device that measures the angular velocity and acceleration in three axes when the user is rolling and rotating the remote control device 1. The rolling operation in this disclosure is an operation in which the user rolls the remote control device 1 held in their hand and, based on the result of rolling, causes a predetermined electrical device to execute a function corresponding to the face facing directly upwards. The rotating operation is an operation in which the remote control device 1 is rotated with one of its faces fixed as the top surface, with the central axis being a direction perpendicular to that top surface, and causes a predetermined electrical device to execute a predetermined function corresponding to the direction of rotation and the angle of rotation. Since each face of the remote control device 1 is assigned a function, the remote control device 1 may cause the electrical device 2 to execute the function that the user intends to perform based on the user's rolling and rotating operations.

[0031] Specifically, the 6-axis sensor 30 includes a three-axis accelerometer and an angular velocity sensor around the three axes, and can identify the upper surface of the remote control device 1 and detect the rotation of that upper surface.

[0032] On the other hand, the 6-axis sensor 30 further includes a gyro sensor that enables the measurement of rotational angular velocity. When the remote control device 1 is moving, the gyro sensor can measure the rotation angle of the remote control device 1 per unit time. Furthermore, the gyro sensor includes an X-axis gyro sensor, a Y-axis gyro sensor, and a Z-axis gyro sensor, thereby enabling the 6-axis sensor of this disclosure to detect the rotation angle of each axis.

[0033] The transmitter 40 is configured to transmit operation signals to the electrical device 2 according to instructions from the microcontroller 20. After the 6-axis sensor 30 measures the acceleration and angular velocity generated by the movement of the remote control device 1, the microcontroller 20 estimates the current attitude of the remote control device 1 based on the results obtained from the 6-axis sensor 30, and the transmitter 40 may transmit a function signal to the electrical device 2 indicating the function corresponding to that attitude of the remote control device 1. The function signal transmitted by the transmitter 40 may also be Bluetooth Low Energy®, infrared LED, or IR.

[0034] The power supply 50 is a specialized circuit board designed to regulate and distribute power to the components within the remote control device 1. Specifically, the power supply 50 is equipped with integrated circuit chips such as memory elements, a CPU, a lithium-ion battery, power terminals, capacitors, regulators, and protection diodes, and stabilizes the battery voltage to efficiently supply power to each component inside the remote control device 1.

[0035] The circuit board 60 has a configuration on which the power supply 50 is mounted. The power supply 50 of this disclosure is mounted on the circuit board 60, and in this case, even when the remote control device 1 is operated, the power supply 50 remains on the circuit board 60.

[0036] Figure 4 shows an example of an unfolded view of the remote control device 1 of the present disclosure. The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment is an icosahedron, and each face has a code indicating the function corresponding to that face. For example, the face with the baby code may be a child-use face, the face with the man code may be a father-use face, the face with the woman code may be a mother-use face, the face with the musical note code may be a volume control face that can adjust the volume of a predetermined electrical device, the face with the sun code may be a screen brightness adjustment face, the face with the moon code may be a television night-use face, and the face with the light bulb code may be a lighting device control face. However, the functions are not limited to these, and the function of each face will differ depending on the number and type of electrical devices 2. As an example, the functional faces according to this embodiment may be divided into functional faces 100 on which user information of the remote control device 1 is set, and functional faces 200 on which user information of the remote control device 1 is not set.

[0037] The functional surface 100 on which user information of the remote control device 1 is set is a surface that has functions set according to the user's preferences. For example, the owner of the remote control device 1 may set specific functions on predetermined surfaces for each user (child, father, mother). In this way, if a child operates the remote control device 1 and points the child's surface upwards, the remote control device 1 may transmit a signal corresponding to the child's surface to a predetermined electrical device 2, and the electrical device 2 may perform a function appropriate to that signal. If the father operates the remote control device 1 and points the father's surface upwards, the remote control device 1 may transmit a signal corresponding to the father's surface to the predetermined electrical device 2, and the electrical device 2 may perform a function appropriate to that signal. If the mother operates the remote control device 1 and points the mother's surface upwards, the remote control device 1 may transmit a signal corresponding to the mother's surface to the predetermined electrical device 2, and the electrical device 2 may perform a function appropriate to that signal.

[0038] Functional surfaces 200 of the remote control device 1 that do not have user information set are surfaces that are unique to the remote control device 1 and have functions that produce the same effect regardless of the user. For example, if a user points the volume control surface, brightness control surface, or night use surface shown in Figure 4 directly upwards and has the electrical device 2 perform the function, the electrical device 2 corresponding to that surface may perform the same function regardless of whether the user is a child or an adult.

[0039] <Configuration of Remote Control Device 1> Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration for performing the functions of the remote control device 1. The microcontroller 20 includes a first input unit 11 (surface detection unit 111, rotation information acquisition unit 112, content information acquisition unit 113), a first control unit 12, a first output unit 13, and a first storage unit 14. However, the configuration of this disclosure is not limited to the above, and components may be added or omitted depending on the functions of the remote control device 1.

[0040] The first input unit 11 is configured to receive input from the user to the remote control device 1. The first input unit 11 receives input of acceleration information and angular velocity information output from the 6-axis sensor 30 and identifies the input from the user. Furthermore, the first input unit 11 of this disclosure further includes a surface detection unit 111, a rotation information acquisition unit 112, and a content information acquisition unit 113. Each of these configurations will be described in detail below.

[0041] The surface detection unit 111 is configured to detect the surface of the polyhedron housing 10 that is facing directly upwards as the functional surface. When the user rolls the remote control device 1, the 6-axis sensor 30 senses and measures the acceleration of the remote control device 1. The rolling operation is the operation of rolling the remote control device 1 to change the functional surface to a different surface. Next, the surface detection unit 111 detects the surface that is currently facing directly upwards based on the acceleration measured by the 6-axis sensor 30. The first storage unit 14 stores information indicating the basic orientation of the microcontroller 20, the acceleration at that time, and the correspondence relationship with each surface, and detects the surface of the polyhedron of the remote control device 1 that is facing directly upwards based on the direction of gravitational acceleration detected by the 6-axis sensor 30. For example, when the user rolls the remote control device 1 forward to make surface A face directly upwards, the 6-axis sensor 30 measures the acceleration and may detect that surface A is the surface facing directly upwards and designate that surface A as the functional surface.

[0042] The rotation information acquisition unit 112 is configured to acquire the rotation direction and rotation angle as rotation information, with respect to the vertical axis, while maintaining the functional surface facing directly upwards. When the remote control device 1 maintains its functional surface facing directly upwards, the user may rotate the remote control device 1 clockwise or counterclockwise. In this case, the 6-axis sensor 30 may measure the angular velocity when rotating clockwise and the angular velocity when rotating counterclockwise and acquire them as rotation information. For example, if the user rotates the remote control device 1 clockwise by 30°, the rotation information acquisition unit 112 may acquire clockwise (rotation direction) and 30° (rotation angle) as rotation information.

[0043] The content information acquisition unit 113 is configured to acquire content played by electrical device 2 as viewing history when electrical device 2 is a television. Specifically, when a user uses the remote control device 1 to control electrical device 2 (television) and select content, the content information acquisition unit 113 may acquire the genre of content played by electrical device 2 (television), viewing information, etc. It may also acquire information indicating the user of the remote control device 1 at that time. If user information is associated with the surface facing directly upwards, the content information acquisition unit 113 may acquire the information of the user associated with that surface.

[0044] The first control unit 12 further comprises an assignment unit 121, a specification unit 122, a learning unit 1221, and a function execution unit 123, and is configured to analyze various information related to the remote control device 1. Each of these components will be described in detail below.

[0045] The assignment unit 121 is configured to assign one or more electrical devices 2 and the functions to be performed by the electrical devices 2 to each face of the polyfaceted housing 10. Specifically, the assignment unit 121 assigns control information for controlling the electrical devices 2 and control information corresponding to the functions to be performed by the electrical devices 2 to each face of the polyfaceted housing 10 of the remote control device 1. As an example, the assignment unit 121 may assign a functional face on which user information is set to a predetermined face of the polyfaceted housing 10, or it may assign a functional face on which user information is not set to a predetermined face of the polyfaceted housing 10.

[0046] Each face of the polyhedron housing 10 is associated with different control information. When a user operates the remote control device 1, the 6-axis sensor 30 senses the acceleration and angular velocity of the remote control device 1, and the face detection unit 111 detects the functional face. The first output unit 13 outputs the control information corresponding to that functional face to the electrical equipment 2 corresponding to that functional face. The control information according to this embodiment may be divided into switching signals (or rotation direction) for connecting to the electrical equipment 2, switching streaming services, users, and genres, and numerical signals (or rotation angle) for increasing or decreasing values ​​such as the electrical equipment 2, streaming services, users, genre-specific channels, volume, and temperature.

[0047] Furthermore, the functions assigned by the assignment unit 121 to the faces of the polyhedron housing 10 may include sub-functions related to those functions. If the functional face is oriented vertically, the assignment unit 121 of this disclosure may subdivide the functions of the electrical equipment 2 corresponding to that functional face depending on the direction of rotation and assign them to that functional face as sub-functions. Specifically, if the functional face of the remote control device 1 is determined, and the user rotates it clockwise or counterclockwise with that functional face as the reference face, the remote control device 1 may cause the electrical equipment 2 to further control sub-functions related to that direction of rotation. For example, if the face of the electrical equipment 2 (electric lighting device) is functioning as a functional face, when the user rotates the remote control device 1 clockwise, the remote control device 1 may cause the electrical equipment 2 (electric lighting device) to activate, and when the user rotates the remote control device 1 counterclockwise, the remote control device 1 may cause the electrical equipment 2 (electric lighting device) to terminate its function. In this way, the functions that a functional face can perform and its sub-functions may each be associated with a unique direction of rotation.

[0048] Furthermore, the assignment unit 121 of this disclosure may further assign sub-functions to each surface of the electrical equipment 2 by combinations of rotation direction and rotation angle. Specifically, once the functional surface and rotation direction of the remote control device 1 are determined, and the user rotates the device 1 by 0° or more according to a predetermined rotation direction with the functional surface as the reference surface, the remote control device 1 may further control the sub-functions related to the rotation angle of the electrical equipment 2. For example, if a surface of the electrical equipment 2 (air conditioner) functions as a functional surface and its sub-function is a temperature control function, the user may rotate the remote control device 1 clockwise by 30° to adjust the set temperature of the electrical equipment 2 (air conditioner) to 20°. The user may rotate the remote control device 1 clockwise by 60° to adjust the set temperature of the electrical equipment 2 (air conditioner) to 25°. The functions that a functional surface can perform and its sub-functions may each correspond to unique rotation information. Note that the rotation angle according to this embodiment may be any angle.

[0049] The identification unit 122 is configured to identify a user when the functional surface is one set by user information, and to identify content that matches the user's preferences from multiple streaming services. Specifically, the remote control device 1 may be further equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), and the remote control device 1 may provide the user with the most suitable functions based on the history acquired by the user operating the remote control device 1. For example, if the functional surface of the remote control device 1 is a television control surface, the identification unit 122 uses the content information acquisition unit 113 to acquire content information from the electrical equipment 2 (television) as viewing history when the user selects that surface, and identifies the attributes of that viewing history. The attributes of the viewing history (or content attributes) in this disclosure are not limited and may include the genre of the content, the playback time of the content, the broadcast time of the content, the broadcaster or service provider of the content, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, the identification unit 122 may identify receivable content from the content provided by multiple streaming services that matches the attributes of the aforementioned viewing history as recommended content. Specifically, the content information acquisition unit 113 acquires various content information that can be received from multiple streaming services. Then, based on the acquired content information, the identification unit 122 identifies content that matches the attributes of the viewing history as recommended content. For example, if the content information acquisition unit 113 acquires "Content A having attribute A" from the electrical device 2 as viewing history, the identification unit 122 may identify "Content B having attribute A" as recommended content from "Content B having attribute A", "Content C having attribute B", and "Content D having attribute B" acquired by the content information acquisition unit 113, as content B having attribute A matches "Attribute A" of "Content A having attribute A". Also, if multiple contents have the same attribute, the identification unit 122 may identify all of those contents as recommended content. However, the method for identifying recommended content is not limited. The content provided by each streaming service may already be classified by the streaming service provider, and the identification unit 122 may identify one piece of content from the content already classified on the streaming service. Alternatively, the identification unit 122 may integrate attribute information (e.g., viewer preferences, etc.) of the user of the electrical device 2 (in this embodiment, the viewer of the playback device) obtained from multiple streaming services, and identify recommended content based on the integrated attribute information. If the user attribute information obtained from multiple streaming services does not match the user attribute information stored in the database of the remote control device 1, the identification unit 122 may identify content from the content provided by multiple streaming services based on the viewer's viewing history, specifically content belonging to a genre with a relatively high number of plays in the viewing history, as recommended content.For example, if a viewer's viewing history includes anime A, anime B, foreign film A, foreign film B, and foreign film C, the number of times the foreign films have been viewed is higher than that of the anime, so the specific unit 122 may identify the foreign films provided by multiple streaming services as recommended content.

[0051] If recommended content is identified and the remote control unit 1 is rotated clockwise by the user's control, the remote control unit 1 may transmit the recommended content and the corresponding control signal to the electrical device 2 (playback terminal) as a clockwise signal. Conversely, if recommended content is identified and the remote control unit 1 is rotated counterclockwise by the user's control, the remote control unit 1 may transmit the recommended content and the corresponding control signal to the electrical device 2 (playback terminal) as a counterclockwise signal.

[0052] The learning unit 1221 is configured to train a pre-trained model using the attributes of the viewing history, including genre, and the correspondence between the functional aspects and the corresponding users as training data. For example, if electrical device 2 is a playback device and the user corresponding to its functional aspects is a "child", the content information acquisition unit 113 acquires the content history played by electrical device 2 (playback device) in terms of its functional aspects as the "child's" viewing history, and the identification unit 122 identifies the attributes of that viewing history (for example, genre A). In this case, the learning unit 1221 learns the correspondence between "child" and "genre A". In other words, if "child" frequently watches content of "genre A", the learning unit 1221 may learn the correspondence between "child" and "genre A" as training data. In addition to genre, various attributes (metadata) are associated with the videos that have been watched, and by learning this metadata, the user's preferences can be identified in more detail.

[0053] The function execution unit 123 is configured to cause the electrical device 2 to execute a function assigned to the surface of the remote control device 1 that is facing directly upwards. Specifically, if the function surface facing directly upwards is the surface on which user information is set, the function execution unit 123 may cause the electrical device 2 (playback device) to play the recommended content identified by the identification unit 122. If the function surface facing directly upwards is the surface on which user information is not set, the function execution unit 123 may cause the electrical device 2 (devices other than the playback device) to execute a sub-function corresponding to the rotation direction and rotation angle acquired by the rotation information acquisition unit 112.

[0054] The first output unit 13 is configured to output control signals to the electrical device 2 for controlling the electrical device 2. Specifically, after the user rolls and rotates the remote control device 1, the microcontroller 20 measures the orientation of the remote control device 1 based on the sensing information acquired by the 6-axis sensor 30, and then the first output unit 13 may output operation signals to the electrical device 2 corresponding to its function and orientation.

[0055] The first storage unit 14 is a storage medium that stores various programs and data required for the operation of the remote control device 1. The first storage unit 14 may be implemented using, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, but is not limited to these. The first storage unit 14 may also be implemented using cloud storage.

[0056] <Example of operation of remote control device 1> Figure 6 shows an example of the operation of the remote control device 1. When the user operates the remote control device 1, the surface detection unit 111 first identifies the surface of the remote control device 1 that is facing directly upwards when the user finishes rolling it, and detects it as a functional surface (step S601).

[0057] Subsequently, the remote control device 1 determines whether the functional surface is one on which user information is set or one on which user information is not set (step S602). If the functional surface is one on which user information is set (YES in step S602), the identification unit 122 identifies content that matches the user's preferences as recommended content based on the user's viewing history obtained from the content information acquisition unit 113 (step S603).

[0058] Next, the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal to the electrical device 2 to play one of the aforementioned recommended contents (step S604). Subsequently, the remote control device 1 of this disclosure determines whether or not to acquire rotation information (step S605). If rotation information is not acquired (NO in step S605), the remote control device 1 does not transmit a signal to switch the content to the electrical device 2. Conversely, if rotation information is acquired (YES in step S605), the remote control device 1 determines whether the rotation is clockwise or counterclockwise based on the received rotation information (step S606). If the rotation direction is clockwise (YES in step S606), the remote control device 1 identifies the content that matches the attributes (e.g., genre) of the aforementioned recommended content and has the electrical device 2 play it as the next video (step S607). If the rotation direction is counterclockwise (NO in step S606), the remote control device 1 identifies the content that matches the attributes (e.g., genre) of the aforementioned recommended content and has the electrical device 2 play it as the previous video (step S608).

[0059] For example, the identification unit 122 identifies "Recommended Content A," "Recommended Content B," and "Recommended Content C" that match the user's viewing history attributes, and before the user performs the next rotation operation, the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal to the electrical device 2 to play "Recommended Content A," causing the electrical device 2 to play it. Alternatively, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal to the electrical device 2 based on the rotation information acquired from the rotation information acquisition unit 112. For example, if the rotation information acquisition unit 112 receives clockwise rotation information, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal corresponding to "Recommended Content B" to the electrical device 2 as a clockwise signal. If the rotation information acquisition unit 112 receives counterclockwise rotation information, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal corresponding to "Recommended Content C" to the electrical device 2 as a counterclockwise signal.

[0060] On the other hand, if the functional surface is one for which user information is not set (NO in step S602), the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal to the electrical equipment 2 to execute the function corresponding to that functional surface (step S609). For example, if the functional surface is one that controls the ON / OFF of an electric lighting device, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal to the electrical equipment 2 (electric lighting device) to execute the function corresponding to the rotation information acquired by the user's operation.

[0061] <Configuration of electrical equipment 2> From here, an example of the configuration of electrical equipment 2 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a block diagram of an example of the configuration of electrical equipment 2 of this disclosure. Specifically, electrical equipment 2 includes a communication unit 21, a second output unit 22, a second input unit 23, a second control unit 24, a display unit 25, and a second storage unit 26. However, the configuration of this disclosure is not limited to the above, and components may be added or omitted depending on the type of electrical equipment 2. For example, if electrical equipment 2 is an air conditioner, the configuration of electrical equipment 2 may further include a temperature control unit, and if electrical equipment 2 is a television, the configuration of electrical equipment 2 may further include a channel switching unit. Each component will be explained below.

[0062] The communication unit 21 is configured to send and receive control signals for the electrical equipment 2. Specifically, the communication unit 21 of this disclosure has components of a computer or communication equipment and performs functions related to sending and receiving data via the internet, telephone lines, or other communication protocols. The communication unit 21 of this disclosure may also correspond to, for example, a router, modem, or communication module.

[0063] The second output unit 22 is configured to output control signals processed by the electrical device 2 to the remote control device 1 or other external terminals in order to realize the functions of the electrical device 2. For example, if the electrical device 2 is a television, the second output unit 22 may output audio information and image information to the outside. If the electrical device 2 is a radio, the second output unit 22 may output audio information to the outside. If the electrical device 2 is an air conditioner, the second output unit 22 may output hot air or cold air to the outside.

[0064] The second input unit 23 is hardware that receives control signals received by the communication unit 21. For example, the second input unit 23 may be configured to input clockwise and counterclockwise signals generated when the user rotates the remote control device 1 to the electrical equipment 2, or, if the electrical equipment is a lighting device, it may be a switch that turns the lighting device on or off.

[0065] The second control unit 24 is configured to analyze various information and control signals input from the second input unit 23 and to execute functions corresponding to those control signals. For example, if the electrical device 2 receives a clockwise signal from the remote control device 1 via the second input unit 23, the second control unit 24 may analyze the clockwise signal and cause the electrical device 2 to execute a function corresponding to the clockwise signal. Alternatively, if the electrical device 2 receives a control signal regarding the rotation angle from the remote control device 1 via the second input unit 23, the second control unit 24 may analyze the control signal regarding the rotation angle and cause the electrical device 2 to execute a function corresponding to that rotation angle.

[0066] The display unit 25 is configured to display content provided by a streaming service to the user of the remote control device 1 when the electrical device 2 is a television. Specifically, the display unit 25 of this disclosure functions as a screen, and the second control unit 24 analyzes the control signals and various information received from the remote control device 1 and displays them on the display unit 25. However, the display unit 25 is not an essential component of the electrical device 2. If the electrical device 2 is an air conditioner, the display unit 25 does not need to be installed.

[0067] The second storage unit 26 is similar to the first storage unit 14 mounted on the remote control device 1, and is a storage medium that stores various programs and data required for the operation of the electrical device 2. The second storage unit 26 may be implemented by, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, cloud storage, etc.

[0068] <Example of operation of electrical device 2> From here, we will use Figure 8 to explain an example of the operation of electrical device 2 when it is a regeneration device. Figure 8 is an example of a flowchart in which electrical device 2 analyzes the control signals received from the remote control device 1 and executes its functions.

[0069] First, the electrical device 2 (playback device) receives a control signal from the remote control device 1 via user operation (step S801). The control signal according to this embodiment may include a control signal indicating the direction of rotation and a control signal indicating the angle of rotation. Subsequently, the electrical device 2 (playback device) displays the content corresponding to the control signal on the display unit 25 (step S802). In this case, the content displayed without rotating the remote control device 1 may be used as the initial content.

[0070] Next, the electrical device 2 (playback device) determines whether or not to receive clockwise rotation information from the remote control device 1 (step S803). If the electrical device 2 (playback device) receives clockwise rotation information from the remote control device 1 (YES in step S803), the electrical device 2 (playback device) may display content that matches the attributes of the initial content as the next video on the display unit 25 (step S804). The method for identifying the next video in this disclosure is not limited, and the identification unit 122 first identifies the attributes of the initial content. Thereafter, the identification unit 122 may identify the next video as one of the contents that matches the attributes of the initial content from among the various contents provided by various streaming services.

[0071] When the electrical device 2 (playback device) receives information rotated counterclockwise from the remote control device 1 (NO in step S803), the electrical device 2 (playback device) may display content that matches the attributes of the initial content as the previous video on the display unit 25 (step S805). The method for identifying the previous video is the same as for the next video, and after identifying the attributes of the initial content, the identification unit 122 may identify one of the contents that matches the attributes of the initial content from among the various contents provided by various streaming services as the fast-forward content.

[0072] However, the next video and the fast-forward content according to this embodiment are different content, and if a certain content is identified as the next video, that content may no longer be identified as the previous video. For example, if the identification unit 122 identifies "Content B" and "Content C" that match the attributes of the initial content "Content A", the electrical device 2 (playback device) may display "Content B" first as the next video based on the clockwise signal received from the remote control device 1. Since "Content B" has already been set as the next video, when the electrical device 2 (playback device) receives a counterclockwise signal from the remote control device 1, the remaining "Content C" may be automatically identified as the fast-forward content and displayed on the display unit 25.

[0073] Subsequently, electrical device 2 (playback device) determines whether a different function has been selected by the user (step S806). If electrical device 2 (playback device) receives a control signal regarding a change in its function (YES in step S806), electrical device 2 (playback device) may not function and may switch to another electrical device 2. Conversely, if electrical device 2 (playback device) does not receive a control signal regarding a change in its function (NO in step S806), electrical device 2 (playback device) may again determine whether to receive rotation information rotated clockwise and identify the content.

[0074] <Data> From here, the types of control signals according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a table showing an example of the correspondence between the functional aspects, rotation information, and functions of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment. The control signals according to this embodiment may be divided into three patterns: functional aspect determination type control signals, rotation direction determination type control signals, and rotation direction and rotation angle determination type control signals. Each control signal will be explained below.

[0075] A functional-determining control signal is a control signal that causes electrical equipment 2 to perform a function simply by the user determining the functional aspect of the remote control device 1. For example, if the user designates the functional aspect 3 as the aspect corresponding to an air conditioner, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal corresponding to that functional aspect 3 (rotation information 4 with no rotation direction and a rotation angle of 0°) to the electrical equipment 2 (air conditioner) to turn on the electrical equipment 2. In this way, if the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal corresponding to a functional aspect to a predetermined electrical equipment 2, and the electrical equipment 2 performs the function corresponding to that control signal, then that control signal corresponding to the functional aspect may be considered a functional-determining control signal.

[0076] A rotation direction determination type control signal is a control signal that, after the functional surface has been determined, causes the electrical device 2 to execute a function simply by the user rotating the remote control device 1. For example, if the functional surface 3 of the remote control device 1 is an indoor lighting control surface, when the user rotates it clockwise, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal corresponding to that clockwise rotation (clockwise rotation information 4) to the electrical device 2, thereby increasing the brightness of the electrical device 2. Conversely, when the user rotates it counterclockwise, the remote control device 1 may transmit a control signal corresponding to that counterclockwise rotation (counterclockwise rotation information 4) to the electrical device 2, thereby decreasing the brightness of the electrical device 2. In this way, if the remote control device 1 executes a function in the electrical device 2 simply by receiving information about the direction of rotation, then the information about the direction of rotation and the corresponding control signal may be considered a rotation direction determination type control signal.

[0077] The rotation direction and rotation angle determining control signal is a control signal that, after the functional surface has been determined, causes the user to rotate the remote control device 1 in a certain direction and at a certain angle to cause the electrical device 2 to execute a function. For example, if the user designates the functional surface 3 as the surface corresponding to the user control surface (i.e., the surface on which user information is set), the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal corresponding to the rotation information 4 to the electrical device 2 based on the rotation information 4 obtained from the user's rolling and turning operations. After receiving the control signal, the electrical device 2 may execute the function corresponding to the rotation information 4. For example, if the rotation information 4 is a 30° clockwise rotation, the electrical device 2 may display the next video A1 that matches the attributes of video A that match the user's preference, or if the rotation information 4 is a 30° counterclockwise rotation, the electrical device 2 may display a fast-forward video A2 that matches the attributes of video A that match the user's preference. Thus, when the remote control device 1 receives rotation information relating to a combination of rotation direction and rotation angle and executes a function on the electrical device 2, the control signal corresponding to the rotation information relating to the combination of rotation direction and rotation angle may be a control signal that determines the rotation direction and rotation angle.

[0078] The above is a description of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment. However, this embodiment is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the embodiments described above and may be realized by appropriately combining the parts described above. Also, lower-level embodiments may be referenced in any of the higher-level embodiments. Furthermore, the effects described above are examples, and the effects achieved by each embodiment are not limited to those described above. Also, each embodiment may achieve, for example, at least one of the effects described above.

[0079] <Variation> (1) The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may further have a microphone for performing a voice recognition function. For example, the user inputs a command to the remote control device 1 via the microphone. In this case, the remote control device 1 may analyze the voice information input by the user and cause the electrical device 2 to perform a function corresponding to the analyzed voice information.

[0080] (2) The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may further have a customization function. For example, the function corresponding to the surface on which user information is set may be freely set by the user. For example, the function corresponding to the surface on which user information is set may simultaneously include an air conditioner control function, an electric lighting function, and an audio speaker function. In this case, when the user rotates 30° clockwise, the remote control device 1 transmits a control signal corresponding to the air conditioner control function to the electrical equipment 2. When the user rotates 60° clockwise, the remote control device 1 switches from the air conditioner control function to the electric lighting function and transmits a control signal corresponding to the electric lighting function to the electrical equipment 2. Also, when the user rotates 90° clockwise, the remote control device 1 may switch from the electric lighting function to the audio speaker function and transmit a control signal corresponding to the audio speaker function to the electrical equipment 2.

[0081] (3) The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may further have functions that are controlled by a mobile terminal or an application. For example, the remote control device 1 is connected to the user's mobile terminal via a network NW and can receive operation commands entered by the user from the user's mobile terminal. The operation commands received by the remote control device 1 and the corresponding control signals may be transmitted to the electrical equipment 2 to cause the electrical equipment 2 to execute a function.

[0082] (4) The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may further have a function to enable charging by sunlight. For example, the solar panel mounted on the remote control device 1 is composed of multiple photovoltaic cells, and electrons in the cells acquire energy from the light they receive. This energy difference causes electron movement, which generates an electric current, and the remote control device 1 may be charged by storing the generated current in a rechargeable battery.

[0083] (5) The remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may further have a backlight function. For example, the remote control device 1 may be equipped with a backlight to improve visibility so that it can be easily operated at night or in dark places.

[0084] (6) The remote control method of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may include an assignment step in which a computer of the remote control device, which comprises a polyfaceted housing having multiple faces, assigns one or more electrical devices and functions to be performed by the electrical devices to each face of the polyfaceted housing, wherein the faces of the polyfaceted housing include a face on which user information is set; a face detection step in which the face of the polyfaceted housing facing directly upwards is detected as a functional face; a specification step in which, when the functional face is the face on which user information is set, the user is identified and content matching the user's preferences is identified from a plurality of streaming services; and a function execution step in which, when the functional face is the face on which user information is set, the content identified in the specification step is played back on the electrical device. The remote control device 1 may then perform functions according to this method.

[0085] (6) The remote control program of the remote control device 1 according to this embodiment may include an assignment function that assigns one or more electrical devices and functions to be executed by the electrical devices to the computer of the remote control device, which comprises a polyfaceted housing having multiple faces, to each face of the polyfaceted housing, wherein the faces of the polyfaceted housing include an assignment function that includes a face on which user information is set, a face detection function that detects the face of the polyfaceted housing that is facing directly upward as a functional face, a specification function that identifies the user and identifies content that matches the user's preferences from a plurality of streaming services when the functional face is the face on which the user information is set, and a function execution function that causes the electrical device to play the content identified by the specification function when the functional face is the face on which the user information is set. The remote control device 1 may execute functions according to this program. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1 Remote control device 11. First Input Section 111 Face Mountain Section 112 Rotation Information Acquisition Unit 113 Content Information Acquisition Unit 12 First Control Unit 121 Allocation Section 122 Specific part 1221 Learning Department 123 Function Execution Unit 13. First Output Section 14 1st memory section 2. Electrical equipment 21 Communications Department 22 Second Output Section 23 Second Input Section 24 Second Control Unit 25 Display section 26 2nd memory section 10 Multi-sided enclosure 20 Microcontrollers 30 6-axis sensors 40 Transmitter 50 power supply 60 circuit boards 100 Functional aspects where user information is set 200 Functional aspects for which user information is not set

Claims

1. A multifaceted housing having multiple surfaces, Functions for operating one or more electrical devices are assigned to each face of the multifaceted housing, and a specific face of the multifaceted housing includes an assignment unit that includes a face on which user information is set, A surface detection unit detects the surface of the multifaceted housing that is facing directly upwards as the functional surface, When the aforementioned functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the identification unit identifies content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences indicated by the user information, When the functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the electrical device includes a function execution unit that causes the content identified by the identification unit to be played back on the electrical device. Remote control device.

2. The aforementioned allocation unit is The functions assigned to the faces of the aforementioned multifaceted housing may include sub-functions related to those functions. The sub-function is assigned to at least the rotational direction, with respect to the vertical axis when the surface is the functional surface. The remote control device is The device further includes a rotation information acquisition unit that, while maintaining the aforementioned functional surface facing directly upward, acquires information including the rotational direction around the vertical axis as rotational information, The aforementioned function execution unit, The rotation information acquisition unit executes the sub-function identified based on the rotation direction acquired by the rotation information acquisition unit. The remote control device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned allocation unit is The sub-function is assigned to at least a rotation angle with respect to the vertical axis when the surface is the functional surface. The rotation information acquisition unit, While maintaining the aforementioned functional surface facing directly upwards, information including the rotation angle around the vertical axis is acquired as the rotation information. The aforementioned function execution unit, The rotation information acquisition unit executes the sub-function identified based on the rotation angle acquired by the rotation information acquisition unit. The remote control device according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned remote control device is The device further comprises a content information acquisition unit that acquires the content played by the aforementioned electrical device as viewing history, The specified part is, Identify the attributes of the aforementioned viewing history, including genre. From the content provided by multiple streaming services, receiveable content that matches the genre of the viewing history is identified as recommended content. The remote control device according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned remote control device is The device further comprises a content information acquisition unit that acquires the content played by the aforementioned electrical device as viewing history, The specified part is, The system further includes a learning unit that uses the attributes of viewing history, including genre, and the correspondence between the aforementioned functional aspects and the corresponding users as training data to train a pre-trained model. Based on the learning results of the learning unit, the system identifies content from the content provided by the streaming service that matches the user's viewing history, including attributes such as genre, and identifies it as recommended content. The remote control device according to claim 3.

6. When the rotation information acquisition unit acquires rotation information including the rotation angle for a clockwise rotation, the remote control device transmits a control signal corresponding to the recommended content to the electrical device as a clockwise signal. When the rotation information acquisition unit acquires rotation information including the rotation angle for a counterclockwise rotation, the remote control device transmits another control signal corresponding to the content to the electrical device as a counterclockwise signal. The remote control device according to either claim 4 or claim 5.

7. The aforementioned function execution unit, A control signal is transmitted to the playback device, which is an electrical device, to play the content. The remote control device according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned function execution unit, To transmit control signals to devices other than the regeneration device as electrical equipment, for controlling electrical signals. The remote control device according to claim 1.

9. A computer for a remote control device, which has a multifaceted enclosure having multiple sides, Assignment step: Assigning functions to operate one or more electrical devices to each face of the polyfaceted housing, and including a face on which user information is set for a specific face of the polyfaceted housing. A surface detection step in which the surface of the multifaceted housing that is facing directly upwards is detected as a functional surface, When the functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the identification step involves identifying content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences indicated by the user information, based on the user information. When the functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the function execution step of playing the content identified in the specific step on the electrical device is executed. Remote control method.

10. A computer for a remote control device, which has a multifaceted enclosure having multiple sides, A function to operate one or more electrical devices is assigned to each face of the multifaceted housing, and a specific face of the multifaceted housing includes an assignment function that includes a face on which user information is set, A surface detection function that detects the surface of the multifaceted housing that is facing directly upwards as the functional surface, When the aforementioned functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the functional surface includes a feature that identifies content from multiple streaming services that matches the user's preferences as indicated by the user information, When the aforementioned functional surface is the surface on which the user information is set, the function execution function executes the function that causes the electrical device to play the content identified by the specific function. Remote control program.

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