FR2988873A1 - Control device for use in e.g. mobile telecommunication terminal, has control module triggering sending of command to device to be controlled in case of detection of concomitant action on user interface and movement of terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (TT1) has a movement detection module (MDCT) to detect that a terminal undergoes a movement among a set of predetermined movements. A processing module (MTRT) is associated with a user interface (INT), to detect an action of a user of the control device on a touch screen area of the user interface. A control module (MCMD) triggers a sending of a command to a device (TV1) to be controlled by the control device in case of detection of concomitant action and movement, where the command is a function of the detected movement and/or detected action. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a control method implemented by the control device (2) a computer program having instructions for implementing the control method (3) a recording medium readable by a data processor and storing a program for implementing the control method.

Description

The invention relates to the field of remote control of electronic equipment, and in particular a method and a control device.

Gyroscopic control systems have appeared. For example, there are applications for mobile terminal that can transform a mobile terminal equipped with an accelerometer or gyroscope into a real remote control. Such an application detects the movements experienced by the mobile terminal and makes it possible, for example, to control the movement of a cursor according to the movements detected. This is called a gyro control mode. The same principle can be used to interact on a software application regardless of are type: a video game, audiovisual content player, etc. This technique has the disadvantage of not dissociating a "voluntary" movement from an "involuntary" movement: consequently, commands can be triggered involuntarily, which can be particularly troublesome. Indeed, a mobile terminal is often used to implement applications of any type, especially for telephony applications, requiring a fast interaction, in case eg of incoming telephone call on the terminal. Thus the user is likely to move his terminal in such a way that an undesirable action is triggered following this movement.

In addition, the user must generally enter a particular operating mode to activate the gyroscopic control mode. Only when it is in the gyroscopic control mode can it control applications on that terminal by moving that terminal in space (up or down to zap, for example). Conversely, to prevent an "involuntary" movement being considered as an action on the device, the user must exit the gyro control mode, which represents an additional action tedious for the user. There is thus a need for a control method of a device to be controlled which makes it possible to simplify and make reliable the use of a control device, such as a mobile terminal, when it is used with a gyroscopic control mode.

One of the aims of the invention is to remedy problems, disadvantages or shortcomings of the state of the art and / or to make improvements thereto. According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a control device comprising: a motion detection module for detecting that the terminal undergoes at least one of a set of predetermined movements; a processing module, associated with a user interface, for detecting at least one action of a user of the control device on an element of said user interface; - A control module for triggering a sending of at least one command to a device to be controlled in case of concomitance between a detected action and a detected motion. The control device according to the invention thus combines, for the control of the device to be controlled, a gyroscopic control mode with an action performed on a user interface of the control device. This ensures that the movements experienced by the control device will be taken into account only if they are accompanied by an action on a user interface. This action is for example a support on a given area of a touch screen, a selection action and so on. In one embodiment, the control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command associated with the element of said user interface for which an action has been detected.

Thus, when one is in the presence of several interface elements on which an action can be performed, the user is allowed to trigger different commands by means of one and the same movement, depending on the action detected and / or according to the interface element for which an action has been detected. This considerably enriches the possibilities of gyroscopic control of a device to control, since, with one and the same basic movement, the user can trigger several command shipments depending on the action he chooses to perform. For example, when the action is a touch on a certain area of a touch screen, this action may trigger a different command depending on the area of the touch screen on which the user performs this support: adjust the sound volume of a device, change the audiovisual channel on a television, etc. In one embodiment, the control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command that is a function of the detected motion and / or the element of said user interface for which an action has been detected and / or of the action detected.

In an alternative embodiment, the control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command that is a function of both the detected motion and the action that has been detected. In this embodiment, it is possible with one and the same movement to trigger different commands, depending on the action detected and / or on the interface element for which an action has been detected. For example, by pressing a first zone and performing a horizontal sweep to the right, the user can increase the volume value of a device. Conversely, pressing this first zone and making a horizontal sweeping movement to the left, the user can decrease the value of the sound volume of this device.

In one embodiment of the control device, said control is intended to trigger an execution of an operation by said device to be controlled, said operation being an adjustment of the value of a configurable parameter of said device to be controlled, said value being increased or on the contrary diminished as a function of a determined direction of movement for the detected movement, said value being adjusted by an amount which is a function of a determined speed for the detected movement. In a simple and effective way, in a single gesture, the user can modify the value of a parameter of the desired quantity. In one embodiment of the control device, said command is intended to trigger an execution of an operation by said device to be controlled, said operation being a scrolling of a list of elements presented to a user in a user interface, the direction of movement being a function of a determined direction of movement for the detected movement, the scrolling speed being a function of a determined speed for the detected movement. In a simple and effective way, in a single gesture, the user can adjust the scrolling speed to a desired value. In one embodiment of the control device, said element is a determined zone of a touch screen and the detected action is a support in said determined zone or a crossing of said zone. The invention is particularly suitable for use with touch screens, on which a wide variety of user interface elements may be displayed by software. In such a case, the detected action is of the type on the screen, so easy to memorize, the command sent depending on the user interface element displayed in the support zone. The control possibilities are thus multiplied easily. In a variant of this embodiment, the processing module is configured to detect a maintenance of a support in said zone, the control module is configured to trigger a sending of several successive commands to the device to be controlled in case of simultaneous detection on the one hand, said maintenance for a minimum duration on said element of said user interface and, on the other hand, a movement of said set. This variant makes it possible, in a simple and intuitive way for the user to control the triggering of a sending of a plurality of commands and the duration of this sending, while remaining in the same gestural logic as the simple sending of an order isolated. In another variant of this embodiment of the control device: the processing module is configured to detect, following a support in said zone, one of a set of actions comprising: an output of said zone with maintenance a support on said touch screen and - a support end in said area of said touch screen, - the control module is configured to, in case of detection of an action of said set of actions, stop sending to destination of the device to be controlled in relation to said zone. This variant makes it possible, in a simple and intuitive way for the user to control the end of a sending of a plurality of commands, while remaining in the same gestural logic as simply sending an isolated command.

The invention also relates to a telecommunication terminal comprising a control device according to the invention or according to any one of the embodiments above. The various embodiments and variants mentioned above are combinable with each other for the implementation of the invention. The invention relates, according to a second aspect, to a control method implemented by a control device, comprising: a step of implementing motion detection means designed to detect that the control device undergoes at least one of a set of predetermined movements; a step of implementing means for detecting an action of a user on an element of a user interface of the control device; a step of triggering a sending of at least one command to a device to be controlled in case of concomitance between a detected action and a detected movement. The advantages stated for the device according to the invention can be directly transposed to the method according to the invention.

According to a preferred implementation, the various steps of the control method are in fact implemented by a software or computer program. This software comprises software instructions intended to be stored in a memory of the control device, loaded and then executed by a data processor of this control device. Accordingly, the invention is also directed to a program that can be executed by a computer or a data processor, which program includes instructions for controlling the execution of the steps of a control method. This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable shape. The invention also provides a data carrier readable by a data processor, and including instructions of a program as mentioned above. The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. More generally, the control device comprises means for implementing the steps of the control method. These means are software modules (software) and / or hardware (hardware).

In this context, the term "module" corresponds in this document to a software component, to a hardware component or to a set of hardware and / or software components, able to implement a function or a set of functions, according to what which is described below for the module concerned.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 schematically represents a example of a user interface to which the invention is applicable; FIG. 2 schematically represents an example of zone traversal of a user interface; FIG. 3 schematically represents a control device according to the invention; FIG. 4 represents a flowchart of one embodiment of the control method according to the invention. The invention is described in the exemplary case of the control of a device to be controlled TV1 in the form of a device for receiving and restoring audiovisual channels, comprising a set-top-box for the processing of audiovisual streams and a screen associated display. The control device TT1 can be integrated for example in a remote control of such a device to be controlled TV1 or in a terminal, for example a terminal equipped with telecommunication functions via a telecommunications network, fixed or mobile. The control device TT1 is shown schematically in FIG.

The control device TT1 comprises a hardware communication interface INT for sending signals via a local link to the device to be controlled TV1. It can be an interface for the emission of infrared signals, or radio signals answering the standard Wifi, Bluetooth, etc. In an alternative embodiment, the device to be controlled can also be integrated in the same equipment as the control device. When the device to be controlled is a software application executed on the same equipment as the control device, in the sending of command possibly results in a call of a function of the targeted software application. The control device TT1 comprises an ECR user interface, with or without a display screen, and comprises one or more interactive user interface elements: keyboard buttons or keys, or other actuatable hardware elements, and / or User interface elements displayed on the display screen. When the display screen is a touch screen, the displayed user interface elements can be selected and activated by pressing the screen area in which they are represented.

When the display screen is not a touch screen, the displayed user interface elements can be selected and activated by pressing at least one button, button, etc. of the user interface. By activating a user interface element, here is meant to perform an action on that user interface element that triggers the execution of a function associated with that user interface element. The controller TT1 further comprises - a motion detection module MDTC for detecting that the controller TT1 undergoes at least one of a predetermined set of motions; a processing module MTRT, associated with the user interface of the control device TT1, for detecting an action of a user of the terminal on an element of this user interface; an MCMD command module for triggering a sending of at least one command to the device to be controlled TV1 in the event of simultaneous detection on the one hand, of an action on an element of said user interface and, on the other hand, , a movement of the predetermined set of movements. Motion Detection Module The detection MDTC module comprises one or more gyroscope-type motion sensors, accelerometer etc., capable of measuring the movements experienced by the control device TT1. The detection MDTC module also comprises a motion analysis module measured by the sensors, which determines whether the movement undergone by the control device is one of a set of predetermined motions. The movements of this set are chosen so as to be distinguishable from each other on the basis of the measurements made by the sensors. The distinction is made on the basis of the following analysis parameters, determined by the analysis module: - the direction of the movements (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, etc.), - the direction of the movement (up to down, down to top, etc.); the speed of the movement (lower or higher than a threshold, between a threshold v1 and another threshold V2, etc.).

The set of predetermined movements comprises for example the following eight movements: a horizontal or substantially horizontal movement, from right to left, with a speed below a threshold v1; - A horizontal or substantially horizontal movement, from right to left, with a speed greater than a threshold v2; - A horizontal or substantially horizontal movement, from left to right, with a speed lower than a threshold v1; - A horizontal or substantially horizontal movement, from left to right, with a speed greater than a threshold v2; - A vertical or substantially vertical movement, from top to bottom, with a speed lower than a threshold v1; - A vertical or substantially vertical movement, from top to bottom, with a speed greater than a threshold v2; - A vertical or substantially vertical movement, from bottom to top, with a speed below a threshold v1. - A vertical or substantially vertical movement, from bottom to top, with a speed greater than a threshold v2. The control module is notified by the detection MDTC module in case of detection of a movement of the set of movements. The notification sent for this purpose by the detection MDTC module includes an identification of the detected motion. The control module is further informed by the MDTC module for detecting the start and end times of each detected motion. When the detection module detects several successive movements, for example a horizontal back and forth movement, from right to left then from left to right, the detection module sends: - either a notification for each detected movement, - or a notification for the the most representative motion of the detected movements (the one of greater amplitude in general), - or still a notification for the first detected motion (subject possibly that it has a given minimum amplitude).

Process module associated with the user interface The processing module MTRT is designed to detect an action of a user of the terminal on an element of the user interface of the control device TT1. Such an action is for example an action of a button or a key or of another material element that can be actuated, this action being able in the case of a key and / or a button to be a support on this element or a relaxation of this element and / or a double support (two close supports, interspersed with a loosening), etc. According to another example, the detected action is a support on an area of the display screen in which a user interface element is represented, such as for example the circular zones A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D , E, F shown in Figure 1. Each of these areas is associated with a parameter or menu: volume, chain, menu, function "mute", etc. and will be used to trigger the sending of a command related to this setting or menu. In this case the processing module MTRT is designed to detect the start time and end of support (or relaxation) and deduce the duration of the support.

The MTRT processing module is further configured to detect the maintenance of a support in an area of a display screen in which a user interface element is represented. In particular, the processing module MTRT detects, following a support in an area of a display screen in which is represented a user interface element, a support end in the zone, the duration of the support being greater than a predetermined threshold value. In this case, the detected action is a long press. In a particular embodiment, the processing module MTRT is designed to detect the trajectory followed (by the finger or a pointing tool) on the surface of the screen during a support and to detect that this path passes over a path. area of the display screen in which a user interface element is represented. In this case, the processing module MTRT is designed to detect the instants of entry and exit of this zone and to deduce the duration of the support on this zone, corresponding in this case to the difference between the time of exit of the zone and the moment of entry into this zone. For this purpose, the processing module MTRT is configured for, following a support in an area of a display screen in which a user interface element is represented, detecting an output of the zone with maintenance of the support ( that is, no relaxation). In this case, the detected action is a zone crossing.

This type of action is shown schematically in FIG. 2, where it is seen that the finger of a user follows a trajectory P1 before passing on zone A and then follows a trajectory P2 while leaving zone A.

The control module is notified by the processing module MTRT when an action on an element of the user interface is detected. The notification sent for this purpose by the processing module MTRT includes an identification of the detected action. The control module is further informed by the MTRT module for processing the start and end times of each detected action. If this action is an almost instantaneous action as a key press, then these two instants can be identical, if the accuracy of the measurement clock of these moments does not make it possible to distinguish them. Control module The control module determines, on the basis of the notifications received from the processing module MTRT and the detection module MDTC, whether there has been simultaneous detection on the one hand, of an action on an element of the user interface and, on the other hand, a movement. By simultaneous detection is meant that the time interval during which the motion detection took place and the time interval during which the action was detected are not disjoint. It is therefore a concomitance - total or partial - between the detected action and the detected motion. The control module checks, for example, whether the detected action has started or ended at a time belonging to a time interval during which motion has been detected by the motion detection module MDTC. The control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command which is a function of the movement detected by the detection module MDTC and / or of the action detected by the processing module MTRT and / or the element of said user interface for which an action has been detected by the processing module MTRT. The command or commands sent by the processing module are intended to trigger an execution of an operation by the device to be controlled TV1 or a cancellation of an operation whose execution was triggered by a previous command sending. The operation whose execution is triggered upon receipt of such a command is for example an adjustment of the value of a configurable parameter of the device to be controlled TV1. The parameter configured is that associated with the user interface element for which an action has been detected by the processing module MTRT: it may be for example the sound volume of the device to be controlled. In this case, the nature of the change in the value of this parameter depends on the action detected on the user interface and / or the motion determined for the detected motion. In particular, the direction of variation of the value this parameter and / or the quantity of which this value is adjusted depends on: - the action detected on the user interface and / or the duration of the detected action (duration support, in particular); and / or - a determined direction of movement for the detected movement and / or a determined speed for the detected movement. For example, if the direction of movement is up and / or to the right, the value of the parameter is increased, the increment applied to the value being greater than the speed of movement is high. This value is decreased if, on the contrary, the direction of movement is downward and / or to the left, the decrement applied to the value being greater than the speed of displacement is high. According to another example, the nature of the modification (in particular increase or decrease of value and / or value of the increment) depends on the action detected on the user interface and / or the element of the user interface operated. . The nature of the modification depends for example on: - the area of the touch screen on which the user has pressed and / or the duration of the touch on this touch screen area; and / or - the actuatable material element that has been actuated and / or the action performed on this material element (support, release, etc.) and / or the duration of the action performed on this material element. In particular, the direction of variation of the value this parameter and / or the quantity of which this value is adjusted depends on the duration of the action detected (duration of the support, in particular).

The operation whose execution is triggered upon receipt of such a command is for example a scrolling of a list of elements presented to a user in a user interface of the device to be controlled. The list of elements is a list associated with the user interface element for which an action has been detected by the processing module MTRT: it may be for example a list of audiovisual contents or a list audiovisual channels accessible via the device to be controlled In this case, the scrolling mode depends on the action detected on the user interface and / or the movement determined for the detected movement. In particular, the scrolling direction and / or the scrolling speed depends on: the action detected on the user interface and / or the duration of the detected action (duration of the support, in particular); and / or - a determined direction of movement for the detected movement and / or a determined speed for the detected movement. It is thus understood that, when the control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command which is a function of: on the one hand, the movement detected by the detection module MDTC, on the other hand, action detected by the processing module MTRT and / or the element of said user interface for which an action has been detected, the possibilities of interaction become very numerous.

The control device TT1 is configured to trigger a sending of several identical successive commands, related to a screen area, to the device to be controlled TV1: - in case of simultaneous detection of a hold for a predetermined minimum duration ( that is to say a long support of minimum duration) of a support in this zone and a movement of the predetermined set of movements to be detected or - in case of simultaneous detection of a crossing of this zone d screen and a movement of the predetermined set of movements to be detected. Thus, if the screen area is an area associated with a configurable parameter (such as the volume of the device to be controlled), the device to be controlled TV1 sends several commands, each command to increase or decrease the value of this parameter. a predetermined quantity. The number of orders sent is for example even greater than the duration of this support / this zone crossing is large. In a particular embodiment, the direction of variation of the value of this parameter and / or the quantity of which this value is adjusted depends on a determined direction of movement for the detected movement and / or a determined speed for the movement. motion detected. In another particular embodiment, when the detected action is a zone crossing, the direction of variation of the value of this parameter and / or the quantity of which this value is adjusted depends on a direction of movement determined for the first time. crossing zone and / or a determined speed for crossing the zone. In the case where processing module MTRT detects, after entering a screen area, an exit from the screen area with a support maintained, the control module MCMD is configured to stop sending commands successive to the device control TV1 control related to this area. In the case where processing module MTRT detects, following a maintenance of a support in a screen area, a end of support in this screen area, the command module MCMD is configured to stop sending the successive commands to the control device TV1 control related to this area. Control method The control method is described with reference to FIG. 4. The steps 201 and 202 execute in parallel with each other, and in parallel with step 203 as well. In addition, there may be several executions of step 201 or step 202 for a single execution of step 203. In step 201, the detection MDTC detects a movement among a determined set of movements. The detection MDTC module notifies the MCMD control module of this detection, the notification comprising an identification of the detected motion as well as the start and end times of detection. Optionally, the notification includes information on the direction and speed of the detected motion. In step 202, the processing module MTRT detects an action on an element of the user interface. The processing module MTRT notifies the control module MCMD of this detection, the notification comprising an identification of the detected action as well as the start and end times of detection. Optionally, the notification includes information on the characteristics of this action: long press, zone crossing, etc. In step 203, the control module MCMD waits to receive at least one notification from the processing module MTRT or the detection module MDTC. Then, the MCMD control module determines, on the basis of the notifications received from the processing module MTRT and the detection module MDTC, whether there has been detection of at least one movement by the detection MDTC module simultaneously with at least one detection of an action by the processing module MTRT. In the case of a positive response, the command MCMD sends one or more commands to the device to be controlled. Otherwise, no order is sent. The command or commands sent are a function of the movement (s) detected simultaneously with at least one action and / or the action (s) detected simultaneously with a movement and / or with the interface element for which an action has been detected.

The determination of the commands to be sent is adapted to the needs of the user interface. The mode of determination of these commands by the MCMD module has been described below. In step 204, the MCMD control module sends the command or commands determined in step 203. Then executes the command again. step 203.35

Claims (6)

REVENDICATIONS1. A control device (TT1) comprising - a motion detection module (MDTC) for detecting that the terminal undergoes at least one of a set of predetermined motions; a processing module (MTRT), associated with a user interface, for detecting at least one action of a user of the control device on an element of said user interface; - A control module (MCMD) to trigger a sending of at least one command to a device to control (Ni) in case of concomitance between a detected action and a detected motion. Control device (M) according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to trigger a sending of at least one command which is a function of the detected movement and / or the detected action and / or the element of said user interface for which an action has been detected. Control device (TT1) according to claim 1, wherein said command is intended to trigger an execution of an operation by said device to be controlled (Ni) or a cancellation of an operation whose execution was triggered by a previous sending order. A control device (TT1) according to claim 1, wherein said control is for triggering execution of an operation by said control device (N1), said operation being an adjustment of the value of a configurable parameter of said device to control (N1), said value being increased or on the contrary decreased according to a determined direction of movement for the detected movement, said value being adjusted by an amount which is a function of a determined speed for the detected movement. Control device (T1-1) according to claim 1, wherein said command is intended to trigger an execution of an operation by said device to be controlled (N1), said operation being a scrolling of a list of elements presented to a user in a user interface, the direction of movement being a function of a determined direction of movement for the detected movement, the scrolling speed being a function of a determined speed for the detected movement. Control device (M) according to claim 1, wherein said element is a determined area of a touch screen and the detected action is a support in said determined zone or a crossing of said zone. Control device (TT1) according to claim 6, in which - the processing module (MTRT) is configured to detect a holding of a support 10 2. 15 3. 20 4. 25 5. 30 6. 357. 8. 9. 10. 25 11. 12. 30 in said zone, the control module (MCMD) is configured to trigger a sending of several successive commands to the device to be controlled (TV1) in case of detection simultaneous on the one hand, said maintenance for a minimum period on said element of said user interface and, on the other hand, a movement of said set. Control device (TT1) according to claim 7, wherein - the processing module (MTRT) is configured to detect, following a support in said zone, one of a set of actions comprising: - an output of said zone with a support on said touch screen and - a support end in said zone of said touch screen, - the control module (MCMD) is configured for, in case of detection of an action of said set of actions, stop sending to the control device (TV1) command related to said zone. Telecommunication terminal comprising a control device (TT1) according to any one of the preceding claims. A control method implemented by a control device (TT1) comprising: - a step of implementing motion detection means (MDTC) designed to detect that the control device undergoes at least one of a set of movements predetermined; a step of implementing means for detecting an action of a user on an element of a user interface of the control device; a step of triggering a sending of at least one command to a device to be controlled (TV1) in case of concomitance between a detected action and a detected movement. A computer program comprising software instructions for implementing a method according to claim 10 when said program is executed by a data processor. A data processor-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program comprising program code instructions for performing the steps of a method according to claim 10.