WO2009107111A1

WO2009107111A1 - Text entry using infrared remote control

Info

Publication number: WO2009107111A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/050835
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shirley James
Original assignee: Nxp B.V.
Priority date: 2008-02-28
Filing date: 2009-03-02
Publication date: 2009-09-03

Abstract

Text can be entered in a TV system using the numeric keypad of the infrared remote control device that interfaces with the TV and set top box. The system selects between numeric entry and text entry based on a determined context that indicates the operational status of the system. For example, text entry mode may be selected for entering a web address during internet browsing, for entering terms when searching for recorded or upcoming broadcast programming, and so forth. Numeric entry mode produces inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and text input mode produces inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad. The button press sequences are stored and decoded to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode, and the results are displayed on the TV monitor.

Description

TEXT ENTRY USING INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL

The present invention relates generally to TV systems that implement applications that use text entry, and to systems and methods for providing such text entry using an infrared remote control device.

Home entertainment systems are becoming more powerful and complex, often providing applications other than simple audio and video streaming for viewing and user interaction through a TV monitor. For example, it is more and more common to find applications such as internet browsing, audio and video content management and customization, and multiple system networking controlled through TV monitors of home entertainment systems. Such applications use information captured from the user, often text-based information, which would be input using a full keyboard and mouse if the applications were being implemented on a personal computer or using a touch screen and/or keypad if the applications were being run on a PDA or phone.

Consumer devices for home entertainment systems, for example TVs, VCRs, set-top boxes, PVRs, DVD recorders, and so forth, typically use only a simple infrared remote control for user input. In cases where text input is desired, for example internet browsing viewed on the TV monitor, a wireless keyboard and mouse are provided, adding expense and inconvenience.

There are a number of devices commonly found around the home that are controlled using simple input devices such as an infrared remote control device. If only rudimentary control is required, then the simple set of buttons are sufficient (e.g., directional buttons up/down and left/right, an Enter or OK button, in some cases a pad of number keys, and special function buttons such as power, volume, color, and so forth). With increasingly sophisticated applications being offered to the user, more complicated and versatile input controls are generally desirable. For example, in the case of a TV internet browser, it is desirable for the user to be able to enter a web address. As another example, home entertainment systems can provide digital recording of programming and/or viewing guides that can be personalized and managed by naming folders, channels, genres or other preferences, providing criteria for recording, searching capabilities, and so forth. Current methods of text input on a TV monitor using an infrared remote control device include potentially laborious selection of the letters on a displayed keyboard. This involves pressing directional up/down and left/right buttons until the desired character is reached and then confirming the selection. This technique may be acceptable for entering three or four character channel names, but is too tedious and inefficient to be used for more involved text entry such as entering web addresses.

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to methods for use in a system that includes a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode and a text entry mode. Such methods include determining an operation- status indication for the multiple user interface applications, responsive to the operation-status indication selecting between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad, storing a plurality of numeric keypad button presses, sequencing and decoding the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode, and displaying results of the inputs on the TV monitor. Various aspects of the present invention are further directed to systems that include a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode and a text entry mode. Such systems include context detection circuitry to determine an operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications, entry mode selection circuitry responsive to the operation-status indication to select between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad, a memory buffer to store a plurality of numeric keypad button presses, a processor to sequence and decode the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode, and display control circuitry to produce results of the inputs for display on the TV monitor.

Various aspects of the present invention are further directed to methods for use in a system that includes a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode, a method for upgrading the system to accept text entry from the numeric keypad. Such methods include storing a program in a memory of the set top box, where the program is executable by a processor unit of the set top box to perform the steps of determining an operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications, responsive to the operation-status indication, selecting between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad, storing a plurality of numeric keypad button presses, sequencing and decoding the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode, and outputting results of the inputs for display on the TV monitor. The above summary is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure. The figures and detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments.

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system for text entry using the numeric keypad of an infrared remote control device in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 functionally illustrates a system for text entry using the numeric keypad of an infrared remote control device in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention; and FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of steps that can be implemented in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention including aspects defined by the appended claims.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing text input for user interaction with a TV monitor using the keypad of an infrared remote control device. In certain embodiments, the present invention can be implemented using existing equipment, thereby expanding the usage of existing systems while saving costs. In certain embodiments, text entry from the numeric keypad of an infrared remote control device is provided by storing sequences of repeated button presses and correlating the sequences with different character inputs. As such, rather than treating each button press as a separate input, text entry uses sequences of button presses so that the 26 characters of the alphabet, along with any additional special characters, can be mapped onto a 10 or 12 button numeric keypad (for example). Text entry mode may be used, for example, when entering a web address during internet browsing, when entering terms to search for recorded content or upcoming broadcast programming, when cataloging or personalizing recorded content or broadcast programming, and so forth.

Embodiments of the present invention are suitable for implementation with applications such as TV, STB, PVR, DVD recorder with Internet browsing, content management and organization and so forth, and can be used with any suitable application that makes use of text entry such as preference setting, recording or program searching, and so forth.

It is a further aspect of certain embodiments of the present invention to switch between numeric input mode and text input mode, so that the infrared remote control keypad can be used for numeric input or text input. Whether button presses are treated as single-press numeric input or sequenced text input can be switched manually by the user, for example by a toggle switch provided on the remote control device, and/or automatically by detecting whether the system is running an application that expects text input. In certain embodiments, text entry mode is bypassed in the case of viewing video, so that numeric entry controls may be used. Numeric keypad button press sequence correlation to text characters can be made in any suitable fashion. For example, methods used in mobile phone text messaging to translate number key presses to text characters can be used. As another example, gesture or icon-based methods can be used to translate the physical gesture made by pressing a series of buttons into the text character that resembles that gesture (e.g., the sequence 2-1-4-5 resembles the letter "c"). From a user interface point of view, familiarity with the input method can be seen as a great marketing advantage. All user interfaces require a certain amount of training of the user, and so to have a large pool of pre-trained users can be an advantage to user acceptance.

The present invention therefore provides infrared remote control numeric keypad text entry methods for use in a system that includes a TV monitor and a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor. An operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications can be determined, for example using context control. In response to the operation-status indication, either numeric entry mode or text entry mode is selected for determining inputs to the set top box. In numeric entry, single button presses issue commands, whereas in text entry inputs to the set top box are produced based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad. In response to selecting text entry mode, the button press sequences are stored and decoded to generate text character inputs. As mentioned, in certain embodiments the text entry function is context- sensitive. As such, context detection is used to control whether text entry or numeric entry is enabled depending on factors such as user preferences, which application is running, and so forth. Context detection can be implemented in a number of ways depending on the complexity of the system. In various embodiments, context detection uses one or more of the following to determine whether text entry or numeric entry is desired: whether the top layer being displayed on the monitor is video (indicating numeric entry) or graphics (indicating text entry); the status of the media renderer; what is being displayed in the window or picture-in picture frame that is in focus; whether the frame buffer contents include static content, as would be the case when a user interface is being shown and is waiting for input (indicating text entry); whether the RGB outputs include low frequency content as would be the case for displaying a user interface screen (indicating text entry).

When the context control determines that the context calls for text entry mode, button press storing is enabled. The stored sequences of button presses can then be decoded into text characters based on the text entry method used. For example, when using text messaging style button sequencing for text entry, the sequence decoder counts how many times the same button has been consecutively pressed to determine the text character. The final character is determined, and the button press storage and sequencing is thereby reset, using any suitable cues or events such as a timeout (set period of idle time since last button press), a move-on (for example, the right cursor button), an Enter or OK button press, the beginning of a new sequence (for example, the pressing of a numeric keypad button that does not fit within the current sequencing), and so forth. The button press sequence, together with the context control output, are fed into a character decoder that determines the character to be sent to the application for display. The final character is determined by the value of the current character when a completion event occurs, such as a user acknowledgement that the correct character has been selected.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a system 100 that includes an infrared remote control device 110 for interfacing with a set top box 160 by sending infrared signals 140 via an infrared transmitter 130. The set top box 160 controls video and audio content displayed on TV monitor 150, and may optionally include features such as video recording and content management. The set top box 160 and/or the TV monitor 150 can optionally be interfaced with one or more other devices 170 such as a DVD player/recorder, a digital video recorder, a game console, and so forth. In some systems, the set top box and/or other devices may be integrated with the TV console, and in some systems the set top box and/or other devices are implemented as one or more stand-alone devices. The remote control device 110 can be any suitable remote control that at least includes a keypad 120, and that can optionally include other buttons, for example a set of directional buttons 125. In certain embodiments, the remote control also includes a switch to facilitate selection between text entry mode and numeric entry mode, for example to override a context-based selection of entry mode or to manually select entry mode in the absence of context detection.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates certain embodiments of the present invention in terms of functional blocks. The functional blocks shown can be implemented in software or hardware, and certain functional blocks may be implemented in the remote control device or the set top box as indicated in the discussions that follow. The context detection block selects between numeric entry mode and text entry mode based on a detected state of the system. Information about the system state can be provided by manual selection by the user, by analysis of signals provided to the TV by the set top box, and by analysis of the displayed content, as described above. Upon selection of text entry mode, the detected button presses are stored in a memory buffer included in the set top box or remote control device. The sequencing and decoding function is performed on the stored button presses to determine a candidate character (current character) that becomes the final character selection upon a confirmation event (time-out, OK, forward cursor, etc.). The final character selection is then displayed. The candidate characters can also be displayed as the numeric keypad buttons are being pressed to provide visual feedback to the user. When numeric entry mode is selected, the button presses can be decoded and displayed using decoding circuitry separate from that of text entry. Alternatively, numeric mode entry can use the same decoding circuitry after bypassing the button press storage.

When context detection is built into the remote control device in the form of a user-active switch or by other means, it may also be desirable to include button press storage in the remote control. For example, when text entry mode is selected on the remote control, a memory buffer within the remote control stores the button press sequences. In response to an event signaling the end of a sequence (e.g., time-out, OK or Enter button press, the start of a new sequence, etc.), a code can be sent to the set top box for decoding. Alternatively, the remote control device can include a button sequence decoder so that the final selected character is transmitted directly to the set top box. The remote control can also include a clear button to clear out the contents of the button press buffer. To facilitate correct character choice, the remote control may include an electronic display that displays the decoded character based on the stored button press sequence so that the user can be sure what character or instruction is ultimately being sent to the application.

In certain embodiments, the present invention is implemented using existing equipment upgraded to include text entry capability from the numeric keypad of the infrared remote control device. For example, software or firmware can be uploaded into an existing set top box, the software/firmware implementing algorithms for context detection, button press storing, and character decoding in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In the case of set top box, games console or other audio visual device, new software or firmware may be uploaded by using a broadcast signal from a service provider via a data channel in the multiplex, by inserting an upgrade optical disk, USB key or other format of flask disk into a port of the device, or by internet updates (scheduled or use-selected) in the case the device has a wired or wireless network connection. Software or firmware upgrades for remote control devices having programmable microcontrollers can be implemented by a flash upgrade in the field. Otherwise, the remote control can be replaced as a routine matter, and with relatively low cost. By way of summary, FIG. 3 illustrates steps performed in exemplary embodiments of the present invention. A system context is determined, and based on the determined context, a text entry mode or a numeric entry mode is selected. In text entry mode, sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad of the infrared remote control device are used to produce text character inputs to the set top box. This is done by storing the button press sequences and correlating them to text characters. In numeric entry mode, single button presses of the numeric keypad of the infrared remote control device are used to produce numeric character inputs to the set top box. When final character inputs are determined, for example by user confirmation of candidate character inputs, the results are displayed on the TV monitor. In addition to the above, the various processing approaches described herein can be implemented using a variety of devices and methods including general purpose processors implementing specialized software, digital signal processors, programmable logic arrays, discrete logic components and fully-programmable and semi-programmable circuits such as PLAs (programmable logic arrays). For example, the above algorithms are executed on a microcomputer (a.k.a. microprocessor) in connection with certain embodiments, and as may be implemented as part of one or more of the devices shown in the figures.

While the present invention has been described above and in the claims that follow, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a system that includes a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode and a text entry mode, a method comprising: determining an operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications; responsive to the operation-status indication, selecting between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad; storing a plurality of numeric keypad button presses; sequencing and decoding the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode; and displaying results of the inputs on the TV monitor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications includes determining whether the TV monitor is displaying graphics or video as a top layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the TV monitor is displaying graphics or video as a top layer includes determining a status indication of a media rendering circuit in the set top box.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the displayed top layer is a window or picture-in-picture frame.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the TV monitor is displaying graphics or video as a top layer includes analyzing frame buffer contents for static content.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the TV monitor is displaying graphics or video as a top layer includes analyzing RGB outputs of the set top box for low frequency content.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the TV monitor is displaying graphics or video as a top layer includes analyzing images displayed by the TV monitor using a detector array located in the remote control device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying potential text character results during text input mode based on keypad button presses prior to generating the text character input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the potential text character results are displayed on the TV monitor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the potential text character results are displayed on a display located on the remote control device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of numeric keypad button presses is stored in a memory buffer located in the remote control device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses are sequenced and decoded in the remote control device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of numeric keypad button presses is stored in a memory buffer located in the set top box.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses are sequenced and decoded in the set top box.

15. A system that includes a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode and a text entry mode, the system comprising: context detection circuitry to determine an operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications; entry mode selection circuitry responsive to the operation-status indication to select between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad; a memory buffer to store a plurality of numeric keypad button presses; a processor to sequence and decode the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode; and display control circuitry to produce results of the inputs for display on the TV monitor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the context detection circuitry resides in the set top box.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the context detection circuitry resides in the remote control device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the entry mode selection circuitry resides in the set top box.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the entry mode selection circuitry resides in the remote control device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory buffer resides in the set top box.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory buffer resides in the remote control device.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor resides in the set top box.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor resides in the remote control device.

24. For use in a system that includes a TV monitor, a set top box to control and select among multiple user interface applications for viewing on the TV monitor, and an infrared remote control device having a numeric keypad to interface with the set top box in a numeric entry mode, a method for upgrading the system to accept text entry from the numeric keypad, the method comprising storing a program in a memory of the set top box, the program executable by a processor unit of the set top box to perform the steps of: determining an operation-status indication for the multiple user interface applications; responsive to the operation-status indication, selecting between the numeric entry mode and the text entry mode, the numeric entry mode producing inputs to the set top box responsive to single button presses of the numeric keypad, and the text input mode producing inputs to the set top box based on sequences of button presses of the numeric keypad; storing a plurality of numeric keypad button presses; sequencing and decoding the stored plurality of numeric keypad button presses to generate text character inputs for use in text input mode; and outputting results of the inputs for display on the TV monitor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein storing the program in a memory of the set top box is performed by uploading firmware containing the program from a central location remote from the set top box.