Universal remote control with touch keyboard and mouse functions

Abstract

To provide a universal remote control configured to provide convenient control of home entertainment and smart home devices by implementing touch keyboard and touch mouse functions in a single remote control, thereby improving the convenience for a user.SOLUTION: A universal remote control includes: a touch pad; a display unit; a keyboard unit for selecting functions and inputting information; a central processing unit which controls information display of the display unit, calculates coordinate values input through the touch pad to convert coordinate data into mouse cursor display data of a device to be controlled, and controls wireless transmission of the mouse cursor display data; an infrared unit which converts the mouse cursor display data of the device to be controlled into an infrared signal and transmits the infrared signal; and a Bluetooth unit which transmits the mouse cursor display data of the device to be controlled wirelessly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a universal remote control with a touch keyboard function and a touch mouse function, and more particularly to a universal remote control with a touch keyboard function and a touch mouse function that can conveniently control home entertainment devices and smart home devices and improve user convenience by implementing the touch keyboard function and the touch mouse function in a single remote control. [Background technology]

[0002] Remote controls are commonly used for a variety of smart devices, such as televisions, DVD players, video recorders (VCRs), cable broadcasting devices, set-top boxes, audio systems, amplifiers, air conditioners, fans, air purifiers, smartphones, TAPs, and laptops.

[0003] The remote controls provided individually for each electronic device use infrared (IR), Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi as communication methods.

[0004] When transmitting infrared signals and radio signals, the remote control transmits the infrared signals and radio signals according to a control code individually specified for each manufacturer's electronic device in order to distinguish between electronic devices of a particular manufacturer and electronic devices of other manufacturers.

[0005] However, when various kinds of electronic devices are used at home, a corresponding number of remote controls are used, which makes it difficult to manage multiple remote controls. Also, when a user wants to select and use a new electronic device, he or she must replace the remote control each time, which is inconvenient.

[0006] To solve this problem, universal remote controls capable of controlling multiple electronic devices have been commercialized in recent years.

[0007] The introduction of such universal remote controls has made it possible to control various electronic devices with a single remote control, eliminating the need to control each electronic device with a separate remote control.

[0008] However, even when a single universal remote control is used to comprehensively control such various electronic devices, it is still complicated to use. Furthermore, the position of the operation button on the screen of the electronic device is selected based on a trackball or a multi-axis sensor, but the design of a remote control with a built-in trackball or multi-axis sensor is expensive and the operation of the remote control is inconvenient. In this case, when selecting a position based on a multi-axis sensor, it is difficult to input text or select an icon based on the position selection on the screen.

[0009] Meanwhile, with the recent spread of the Internet and the advent of the information age, the Internet has become an indispensable part of our lives. As a result, attempts to incorporate the Internet into real life have continued, and the Internet has already been incorporated and established in various fields such as finance, education, and commerce. Now, moving away from the concept of accessing the Internet through a PC, digital information appliances that combine existing home appliances with the Internet are being released.

[0010] A digital broadcast receiver (set-top box) is one such digital information appliance, and in addition to receiving digital broadcasts via the Internet, it also supports functions such as information search, shopping, and broadcast program downloads, enabling interactive services.

[0011] To access the Internet through a digital broadcast receiver and perform interactive services such as information search and shopping, it is essential to receive text from the user. In this case, the user must alternately look at the key buttons and the display unit while inputting the text, which has the drawback of taking a long time to input the text.

[0012] In order to solve the problem of remote controls, Patent Document 1 below discloses a remote control technology that enables easy text input.

[0013] The prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first step in which, when a virtual key included in a virtual keyboard is selected by a cursor operation unit provided on a remote control, a first signal assigned to the selected virtual key is input; a second step in which, when a key button provided on the remote control is selected, a second signal assigned to the selected key button is input; and a third step in which a control unit combines the first signal and the second signal to complete text and output it to a display unit. This configuration allows users to input any type of character even with a reduced number of key buttons on the remote control, simplifying and miniaturizing the remote control. In addition, users can input text more quickly by simultaneously using the touchpad and key buttons on the remote control.

[0014] However, this prior art adopts a method of displaying a virtual keyboard on the display device of the associated electronic device and transmitting text to the electronic device through interaction between the display device and the remote control, which has the disadvantages of making it inconvenient to implement the virtual keyboard and making it impossible to implement a wireless mouse function using the remote control. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent No. 10-2123306 (registered June 10, 2020) (Character input method and character input device using a remote control) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0016] Therefore, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned inconveniences of using individual remote controls for each general electronic device, the inconvenience caused by using a universal remote control, and the drawbacks of remote controls capable of text input as mentioned in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a universal remote control with a touch keyboard function and a touch mouse function. By implementing the touch keyboard function and the touch mouse function in a single remote control, home entertainment devices and smart home devices can be conveniently controlled, thereby improving user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] In order to achieve the above object, the universal remote control with touch keyboard function and touch mouse function according to the present invention comprises: a touchpad for receiving information via contact; a display unit connected to the touchpad for displaying information; a keyboard unit for selecting functions and inputting information; a central processing unit that controls the display of information on the display unit, calculates and processes coordinate values ​​input via the touch pad to generate coordinate data for a device to be controlled, converts the coordinate data into mouse cursor display data for the device to be controlled, and controls wireless transmission of the mouse cursor display data; an infrared unit that converts the mouse cursor display data of the controlled device into an infrared signal under the control of the central processing unit and transmits the infrared signal; and a Bluetooth® unit that converts the mouse cursor display data of the controlled device into a Bluetooth® signal under the control of the central processing unit and wirelessly transmits the Bluetooth® signal.

[0018] In response to the occurrence of a contact through the touchpad, the central processing unit executes a mouse mode display on the display unit, acquires and processes the contact coordinate values, generates coordinate values ​​for displaying a mouse cursor, and displays the mouse cursor on the controlled device.

[0019] The central processing unit displays a mouse cursor on the controlled device and performs function selection or data entry functions via the touchpad and / or keyboard unit.

[0020] The universal remote control described above uses the touchpad and display unit to perform mouse functions, thereby enabling intuitive selection of the location of the controlled device.

[0021] Furthermore, the universal remote control with touch keyboard and touch mouse functions according to the present invention comprises a battery unit that supplies driving power by charging power and discharging the charged power, and a power unit that appropriately converts the power discharged from the battery unit to power used in the universal remote control to supply driving power, and the battery unit is provided with wireless charging means for wirelessly receiving charging power. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, a touch keyboard function and a touch mouse function are implemented in a single remote control, which allows convenient control of home entertainment devices and smart home devices, thereby improving user convenience.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the present invention, various communication methods, TFT touch functions, and mouse functions are implemented in a single universal remote control, making it possible to achieve integrated operation of various smart devices such as televisions, DVD players, video recorders (VCRs), cable broadcasting devices, set-top boxes, audio systems, amplifiers, air conditioners, fans, air purifiers, smartphones, TAPs, and laptop computers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a universal remote control with touch keyboard and mouse functions according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the universal remote controller with touch keyboard and mouse functions according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a universal remote control with touch keyboard and mouse functions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms or words used in the present invention described below should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that are compatible with the technical idea of ​​the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best explain his / her invention.

[0027] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention. It should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for them at the time of filing this application.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a universal remote control 100 (hereinafter referred to as "universal remote control") with touch keyboard and mouse functions according to the present invention, which may include a battery unit 101, a power unit 102, a touchpad 103, a display unit 104, a keyboard unit 105, a central processing unit CPU 106, an infrared unit 107, a Bluetooth® unit 108, and a beep unit 109.

[0029] The battery unit 101 serves to charge power to supply driving power and to discharge the charged power. The battery unit 101 may include a rechargeable secondary battery, or may be equipped with a wireless charging means for receiving charging power wirelessly. A lithium-ion battery can be used. The battery unit 101 may also include a wired charging terminal (USB Type C) for wired charging.

[0030] The power unit 102 serves to appropriately convert the power discharged from the battery unit 101 into power used by the universal remote control 100 to supply driving power. The power unit 102 may include a DC / DC converter.

[0031] The touchpad 103 receives information through contact. For this purpose, a plurality of coordinates are set on the touchpad 103, and when a contact occurs, the touchpad 103 can output the coordinate value of the corresponding contact position. Various types of touchpads can be used as the touchpad 103.

[0032] The display unit 104 is connected to the touchpad 103 and serves to display information. The display unit 104 can be implemented as a color display. The touchpad 103 and the display unit 104 are combined to implement one TFT touch color display.

[0033] In this specification, the touchpad 103 and the display unit 104 perform a touch mouse function to intuitively display a cursor on the controlled device, thereby making it possible to easily select a position on the controlled device, and improving the convenience of user operation.

[0034] The keyboard unit 105 is used to select functions and input information. Unlike a normal keyboard for inputting information such as letters and numbers, the keyboard unit 105 can be implemented to enable function selection and information input using only a small number of buttons such as a menu input button, a guide button, volume up / down buttons, channel up / down buttons, a home button, a play button, and a double-speed play button.

[0035] The central processing unit CPU106 controls the information display on the display unit 104, calculates and processes coordinate values ​​input via the touchpad 103, generates coordinate data for the device to be controlled, converts the generated coordinate data into mouse cursor display data for the device to be controlled, and transmits it wirelessly.

[0036] The central processing unit 106 can learn the infrared control functions of the devices to be controlled based on the programs for controlling home entertainment devices and smart home devices downloaded via the Bluetooth® unit 108.

[0037] Furthermore, the central processing unit 106 can perform a mouse mode display on the display unit 104. Furthermore, when a contact occurs via the touchpad 103, the central processing unit 106 can obtain and process the contact coordinate value to generate coordinate data for displaying a mouse cursor, and display the mouse cursor on the controlled device.

[0038] Furthermore, the central processing unit 106 can display a mouse cursor on the controlled device, thereby enabling function selection or data entry functions to be performed via the touchpad 103 and / or keyboard unit 105.

[0039] The infrared IR unit 107 responds to the control of the central processing unit 106 and serves to convert mouse cursor display data of the controlled device into an infrared signal and transmit it to the controlled device.

[0040] The Bluetooth® unit 108, in response to the control of the central processing unit 106, serves to convert mouse cursor display data of the controlled device into a Bluetooth® signal and transmit it wirelessly to the controlled device.

[0041] The Bluetooth® unit 108 is capable of two-way communication with the controlled device via Bluetooth® communication, and is capable of downloading programs for controlling home entertainment devices and smart home devices via various smart devices such as PCs, laptops, TAPs, smartphones, DVD players, and televisions.

[0042] The beeper unit 109 may, under the control of the central processing unit 106, transmit a beeper in response to an operation signal when a function is selected or data is input, thereby notifying the user of the operating status.

[0043] Hereinafter, the operation of the universal remote controller 100 having the touch keyboard function and the touch mouse function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0044] First, the battery unit 101 supplies driving power by discharging the power charged in the battery unit 101. Here, the battery unit 101 can charge the built-in battery by wirelessly receiving power transmitted from a wireless charger using a wireless charging means, or by receiving charging power supplied via a cable via a USB terminal.

[0045] The power unit 102 converts the DC power supplied from the battery unit 101 into the DC power required by each unit of the universal remote control 100 using a DC / DC converter, and supplies the converted DC power to the corresponding unit (S101).

[0046] When power is supplied, the central processing unit 106 starts up and executes mouse mode display on the display unit 104 (S102 to S103).

[0047] With the mouse mode displayed on the display unit 104, the user operates the menu selection button or the specific device selection button on the keyboard unit 105 to select the device to be controlled.

[0048] With the device to be controlled selected, the user touches a specific position on the touchpad 103 to control the device to be controlled (S104).

[0049] When a specific position is touched via the touchpad 103, the touchpad 103 transmits the coordinate value corresponding to the touched position to the central processing unit 106 (S105).

[0050] Here, it can be said that the screen displayed on the display unit 104 corresponds to the screen of the actual device to be controlled. That is, the upper left part of the screen of the display unit 104 can correspond to the upper left part of the screen of the device to be controlled, the lower left part of the screen of the display unit 104 can correspond to the lower left part of the screen of the device to be controlled, the upper right part of the screen of the display unit 104 can correspond to the upper right part of the screen of the device to be controlled, and the lower right part of the screen of the display unit 104 can correspond to the lower right part of the screen of the device to be controlled.

[0051] Coordinates are set on the screen of the display unit 104 in specific cell units, so when the user touches a specific position, the coordinate value of that position is generated and sent to the central processing unit 106.

[0052] The central processing unit 106 calculates the coordinate values ​​of the input position and generates coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor based on the calculation result (S107). Here, the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor means the contact position on the display unit 104, and can be said to correspond to the screen position of the device to be controlled.

[0053] The central processing unit 106 generates coordinate data for displaying a mouse cursor and transmits the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor via a communication unit for controlling the device to be controlled, i.e., the infrared unit 107 or the Bluetooth (registered trademark) unit 108. Here, the device to be controlled is pre-selected and the control method for the device to be controlled is pre-set, so by selecting a communication unit corresponding to the device to be controlled, it is possible to optimally transmit the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor to the device to be controlled (S108 to S109).

[0054] For example, when a controlled device transmits and receives data via infrared communication, coordinate data for displaying a mouse cursor is transmitted to the infrared unit 107, and the infrared unit 107 converts the received coordinate data for displaying a mouse cursor into an infrared signal corresponding to the controlled device and transmits it to the controlled device.

[0055] Furthermore, when the controlled device transmits and receives data via Bluetooth® communication, the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor is transmitted to the Bluetooth® unit 108, which converts the received coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor into Bluetooth® data and wirelessly transmits the Bluetooth® data to the corresponding controlled device. Here, the Bluetooth® unit 108 can minimize power consumption by using a wireless module RF such as low-power Bluetooth®.

[0056] The controlled device, upon receiving the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor, displays the mouse cursor at a screen position corresponding to the position of the coordinate data for displaying the mouse cursor.

[0057] Therefore, it is possible to use the universal remote control 100 to perform a wireless mouse function, and to easily select the screen position to be controlled.

[0058] Conventional remote controls with air mouse functions use a multi-axis sensor or a trackball, which has the disadvantages of being expensive and costly to incorporate into the remote control, and of being inconvenient to operate when using a multi-axis sensor to select a position.

[0059] On the other hand, the present invention can easily implement the wireless touch mouse function by using a TFT touch LCD without a built-in multi-axis sensor, so that the position on the screen can be selected intuitively, and at the same time, the position selection can be performed accurately and conveniently.

[0060] When a specific function is selected or data is input via the touchpad 103 or keyboard unit 105 with the mouse cursor displayed on the screen of the controlled device, the central processing unit 106 processes the specific function selection or data input and transmits the function selection or input data via the infrared unit 107 or Bluetooth® unit 108 according to the communication of the controlled device. As a result, the universal remote control 100 can replace a wireless keyboard.

[0061] As described above, the user can use the universal remote control 100 to perform the wireless mouse function and wireless keyboard function, so that text input, icon selection, etc. can be easily and conveniently performed.

[0062] Meanwhile, as another feature of the present invention, the central processing unit 106 can learn the infrared control functions of the devices to be controlled based on the programs for controlling home entertainment devices and smart home devices downloaded via the Bluetooth® unit 108.

[0063] Here, since the infrared control data may differ for each controlled device, learning the infrared control function means that, through learning, input data can be converted into data suitable for the controlled device so that an infrared signal suitable for the controlled device can be sent.

[0064] According to the present invention described above, by implementing touch keyboard functions and mouse functions in a single remote control, it is possible to conveniently control home entertainment devices and smart home devices, thereby improving user convenience.

[0065] In addition, according to the present invention, not only TFT touch function and mouse function but also various communication methods are implemented in a single universal remote control, making it possible to conveniently operate various smart devices such as televisions, DVD players, video recorders (VCRs), cable broadcasting devices, set-top boxes, audio systems, amplifiers, air conditioners, fans, air purifiers, smartphones, TAPs, and laptop computers in an integrated manner.

[0066] The present invention made by the inventor has been described in detail above based on the embodiments, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 100 Universal Remotes 101 Battery Unit 102 Power Unit 103 Touchpad 104 Display Unit 105 Keyboard Unit 106 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 107 Infrared unit 108 Bluetooth® unit 109 Beep Unit

Claims

1. A universal remote control with a touch keyboard function and a touch mouse function, a touchpad for receiving information via contact; a display unit connected to the touchpad for displaying information; a keyboard unit for selecting functions and inputting information; a central processing unit that controls the display of information on the display unit, calculates and processes coordinate values ​​input via the touchpad to generate coordinate data for a device to be controlled, converts the generated coordinate data into mouse cursor display coordinate data for the device to be controlled, and controls wireless transmission of the mouse cursor display coordinate data; an infrared unit that converts the mouse cursor display coordinate data of the control target device into an infrared signal under the control of the central processing unit and transmits the infrared signal; a Bluetooth® unit that converts the mouse cursor display coordinate data of the control target device into a Bluetooth® signal under the control of the central processing unit and wirelessly transmits the Bluetooth® signal; The central processing unit When performing a touch mouse function, the screen coordinates of the remote control are matched with the screen coordinates of the controlled device, and when performing control through the screen operation of the remote control, a mouse mode display is performed on the display unit, thereby selecting information at the same screen position of the controlled device and performing the function; When the mouse mode is displayed on the display unit, when a menu selection button or a specific device selection button on the keyboard unit is operated, the central processing unit recognizes the device to be controlled, and when a specific function is selected or data is input via the touchpad, or when a function is selected or data is input via the keyboard unit, the central processing unit converts the selected function or the input data into an infrared signal or a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal in accordance with a communication method corresponding to the device to be controlled, and wirelessly transmits the infrared signal or the Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal to the device to be controlled, thereby executing a wireless keyboard.

2. The universal remote control of claim 1 , wherein the Bluetooth® unit downloads programs for controlling home entertainment devices and smart home devices via Bluetooth® communication.

3. The universal remote control of claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit learns the infrared control functions of the controlled devices based on a program for controlling home entertainment devices and smart home devices.

4. The universal remote control of claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit uses the touchpad and the display unit to control a mouse function, thereby enabling intuitive selection of a location for the controlled device.

5. a battery unit that supplies driving power by charging and discharging the charged power; a power unit that appropriately converts the power discharged from the battery unit to power used in the universal remote control in order to supply driving power; The universal remote control according to claim 1 , wherein the battery unit includes a wireless charging means for receiving charging power wirelessly and / or a USB terminal for receiving charging power wiredly.

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