Annular Selector Remote Control for TV Menu Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart television interaction methods are cumbersome and complex, making it difficult for users to easily navigate and select content due to the need for multiple button presses and back-and-forth navigation between levels and pages, which limits the diversity of interaction experiences.
Innovation Solution
An annular-selector based method and remote control that receives rotation information from an annular selector, allowing the menu or cursor to rotate on the display interface according to the rotational displacement, enabling intuitive selection of options by matching physical operations with visual effects, thereby simplifying the interaction process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional remote control buttons (Up, Down, Left, Right, OK, Return) are used for navigation, then the television can provide rich service contents and functions, but the operation becomes cumbersome and complex with multiple button presses required
Solution Approach 1:
The circular selector is segmented into multiple functional zones (first circular area for menu options, second circular area for sub-options) that can be independently selected. Users rotate the selector to navigate between segments and press OK to select, dividing the complex navigation task into simple sequential actions rather than requiring multiple button presses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a circular selector with rotational movement instead of linear button presses. The circular interface on both the remote control and television screen creates a natural mapping between physical rotation and visual cursor movement, making navigation more intuitive and reducing operational complexity while maintaining access to all functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple levels and pages are used to display all contents, then more choices can be provided on the television interface, but back-and-forth jumping between levels is required which increases operation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional multi-level hierarchical navigation to a two-dimensional circular interface where all options are accessible within a single visual level. The circular selector allows users to navigate through all content categories (online movies, applications, settings, etc.) in one continuous rotational motion without needing to enter or exit multiple nested pages, eliminating back-and-forth jumping.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional button pressing is used for selection, then the interface can provide rich interaction experiences, but the physical action does not match the visual effect which limits interaction diversity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a direct mapping between the circular rotational motion of the physical selector and the circular movement of the cursor on the television screen. When users rotate the selector clockwise or counter-clockwise, the cursor相应ly moves in the same direction on screen, providing intuitive action-effect matching that enhances interaction diversity and user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback on the television screen that mirrors the physical selector's position and movement. The cursor position, highlighted menu items, and animation effects all respond in real-time to the selector's rotation, creating a cohesive feedback loop that makes the interaction intuitive and satisfying.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides method and apparatus and remote control for annular-selector based television interaction. The method includes receiving rotation information of an annular selector sent by a remote control provided with the annular selector; obtaining a rotational displacement of a menu or cursor according to the rotation information; redrawing the menu or cursor on a display interface according to the rotational displacement, so as to control the menu or cursor to rotate according to the rotational displacement; and receiving a confirmation signal sent by the remote control, and selecting an option, corresponding to a position where the cursor is, on the menu. For operational designs of the annular selector, a menu interface is presented in an annular manner, and annularly rotational animations is adopted, so that an action of the user match a corresponding display on the television, thereby improving a human-computer interaction experiences.