Rotating Twist Remote Control Keyboard Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional remote control devices become confusing and unwieldy when a full keyboard is added, duplicating buttons and exacerbating user experience, as users struggle to operate programming receivers like TVs and set-top boxes efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A remote control device with a top portion and bottom portion that rotate, allowing the keyboard to be revealed laterally, sharing orientation with traditional buttons, and transmitting signals to the programming receiver to alter displays and provide user indicators, thus minimizing button duplication and user confusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a full keyboard is added to traditional remote control devices, then programming receiver functionality is improved, but device complexity and user confusion increase due to button duplication
Solution Approach 1:
The remote control device is divided into two rotatable portions: a first portion containing traditional selection members and a second portion containing a keyboard. This segmentation allows the keyboard functionality to be separated from the traditional remote control interface, enabling full programming receiver functionality without duplicating buttons on a single device body.
Solution Approach 2:
The two portions of the remote control device are rotatable relative to each other between a closed position (where the keyboard is concealed) and an open position (where the keyboard is accessible). This dynamic configuration allows the device to adapt its form factor based on usage context, providing keyboard functionality only when needed while maintaining a compact traditional remote appearance during normal operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a full keyboard is added to traditional remote control devices, then text input capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to user confusion and handedness issues
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable connection between the two portions allows the keyboard to be revealed or concealed based on operational needs. During normal remote control operation, the keyboard remains concealed maintaining familiar ergonomics. When text input is required, the portions are rotated to the open position, providing text input capability without permanently complicating the device layout or creating handedness issues.
3Ease of operation
If the keyboard is always visible, then text input accessibility is improved, but device compactness and traditional remote appearance are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard-containing second portion is effectively nested within or alongside the first portion in the closed position, with the keyboard concealed beneath or within the structure of the traditional remote control portion. This nesting approach allows the keyboard to be integrated into the device without permanently increasing its external dimensions, maintaining compactness while providing text input capability when the portions are rotated to the open position.
Data Source
AI summary
A remote control includes a top portion with programming receiver functionality selection members and a bottom portion with a keyboard. The two portions are rotatable between a closed position (where the top portion covers the keyboard) and an open position (where portions of the keyboard project laterally out from under the top portion). When the two portions are in the open position, the selection members and the keyboard share an orientation. The remote control may transmit signals to a programming receiver. The programming receiver may update a display based on signals received from the remote control device. In some implementations, the updated display transmitted by the programming receiver may be based at least in part on a context of a previous display. In various implementations, the remote control may provide indicators to a user. These indicators may be based on signals received from a programming receiver.