EP2487663B1 - Remote control - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a remote control according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a remote control is from the WO 99/62287 known.

More particularly, the invention relates to an infrared remote control for multimedia devices with two separate keypads, one of which has keypad essentially control buttons for controlling certain functions of a controlled device and the other keypad an alpha keyboard for entering letters or Texts or an alphanumeric keyboard for entering letters, numbers and other characters.

The WO 99/62287 A2 shows a remote control with two keyboards, one of which is pivotable relative to the other. The first keyboard is attached to a hinged lid of the second keyboard. A switch detects whether this lid is open or closed and activates one of two transmitting devices, which are arranged on two different side walls of the housing and thus have emission directions which are substantially perpendicular to each other.

In a variant shown there, the hinged lid has no independent keyboard but only holes through which the first keyboard is accessible. Depending on the folding position of the lid different functions are assignable to the keys of this keyboard.

From the European design 001223580-0001 is known a remote control, which is a substantially cuboid housing has, on one side of the first keypad and on the opposite side, the second keypad is arranged. The problem with this known remote control, however, is that the user involuntarily also actuates keys on the keyboard located in the current position below when seizing the remote control and thus triggers faulty signals. Also, by placing the remote control on a base, such as a table, a ... unwanted transmission takes place. To solve this problem could provide a position sensor, which determines which of the two keyboards facing up or down with only the upwardly facing keyboard is activated. Further, the arrangement of the two keyboards on opposite sides results in the user having to turn the remote control multiple times while inputting more complex commands until a complete input is done.

In mobile phones, it is known to design an upper and a lower housing part displaceable relative to one another, wherein the upper housing part has a display and the lower housing part has a keyboard. At rest, the upper housing part covers the lower housing part completely, so that the keyboard is hidden. When activated, the two parts are shifted against each other so that the keyboard is accessible. As a rule, the keyboard contains relatively few keys to which numerical values, i. Numerals are assigned, with a shift key, a mode can be selected in which the individual keys alpha characters, i. Letters are assigned. In most cases, a key is assigned a plurality of letters, which can be called up by repeatedly pressing the corresponding key. The input of texts is therefore very tedious and tedious.

Finally, it is also known in television sets, by pressing certain keys or key sequences on the TV to map a keyboard and the individual letters by so-called. Cursor keys on the Remote control and select the individual letter by pressing an "Enter" key or an "OK" key. Again, the operation is extremely tedious and time consuming.

The object of the invention is to further develop the remote control of the type mentioned in that either one or two keyboards are available to the user, a keyboard has conventional control buttons for the remote control of a multimedia device or a television set and the other keyboard keys for alpha characters or alpha numeric characters.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

The basic idea of the invention is to arrange in a housing of a remote control a sliding keyboard, which is displaceable between a fully inserted and a fully extended limit position. In the extended limit position, both keyboards are within the user's field of vision. The two keyboards can then lie substantially in one plane or in two planes forming an obtuse angle to each other. Furthermore, the remote control has two transmitting devices, in particular for infrared signals with different emission directions. In the housing, a sensor is provided, which determines whether the second keyboard is retracted or extended. Depending on the position of the second Keyboard is activated by either transmitter. The two transmitting devices are arranged on two different and approximately at right angles to each other side surfaces of the housing of the remote control.

It is further provided that, depending on the position of the second keyboard, at least some of the function keys of the first keyboard are assigned other functions than when the second keyboard has been retracted. This preferably refers to the functions of so-called cursor keys.

In a specific embodiment, the remote control has an elongated, in plan view, approximately rectangular housing when the second keyboard is retracted. The first keyboard with the control buttons then emits the infrared signals over one of the short end faces and is held by the user so that the longitudinal axis of the remote control points to the controlled device.

The second keyboard is pushed out transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The user then has to turn the remote control in the plane of the first keyboard about 90 ° to operate the second keyboard. In this case, the first transmitter on the front side is deactivated by the said sensor and activates a second transmitter on the second keyboard remote longitudinal side of the remote control and at the same time, at least the cursor keys of the first keyboard are switched with respect to their function. The sensor can be a simple electrical Switch, a magnetic switch or other sensor that generates a signal indicating the position of the second keyboard.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf eine Oberseite der Fernsteuerung nach der Erfindung in ersten Betriebsart;

Fig. 2

eine Stirnansicht der Fernsteuerung der Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht der Unterseite der Fernsteuerung der Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Fernsteuerung nach der Erfindung in der zweiten Betriebsart mit ausgefahrener zweiter Tastatur;

Fig. 5

eine Stirnansicht der Fernsteuerung der Fig. 4;

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht der Fernsteuerung der Fig. 4; und

Fig. 7

eine Ansicht der Unterseite der Fernsteuerung der Fig. 4.

In the following the invention with reference to an embodiment in conjunction with the drawings will be explained in detail. It shows:

Fig. 1

a plan view of an upper side of the remote control according to the invention in the first mode;

Fig. 2

a front view of the remote control of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

a view of the base of the remote control of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4

a plan view of the remote control according to the invention in the second mode with extended second keyboard;

Fig. 5

a front view of the remote control of Fig. 4 ;

Fig. 6

a side view of the remote control of Fig. 4 ; and

Fig. 7

a view of the base of the remote control of Fig. 4 ,

In Fig. 1 the remote control 1 is shown in a first mode, in which the housing is oriented so that one side 2 forms an upper side having a first keyboard 3 with a plurality of keys, the operation of which triggers predetermined control functions to a controlled device, not shown.

Of particular importance here are four cursor keys 4, 5, 6, 7 which in this mode in the order named the functions "up", "down", "left" and "right" are assigned. These keys 4 to 7 are distributed on a circular path and in the middle of another key 8 is provided, which serves as a confirmation key.

On a front side 9 of the housing, which is approximately at right angles to the top 2, a first infrared transmitting unit 13 is arranged. A bidirectional operation may also be a transmitting / receiving unit. In the in Fig. 1 shown first operating position, the transmitting unit 13 is activated, ie when pressing one of the keys of the first keyboard 3 is emitted by it a coded infrared signal in a first emission direction 19.

The housing of the remote control has two side surfaces 10 and 11, which connect to the longitudinal sides of the top 2, wherein one of the side surfaces, here the side surface 11 is extremely narrow, so that the front view of the Fig. 2 or a cross section through the housing has almost the shape of a triangle.

Finally, the housing has an underside 15 which connects the two side surfaces 10 and 11 with each other and which is inclined to the top 2 at an acute angle, which is for example 25 ° here. The skilled person is, however, clear that the two side walls 10 and 11 may be the same length with the result that the housing then has a substantially rectangular cross section and the top 2 and the bottom 15 are substantially parallel to each other.

However, the arrangement of the top and bottom at an acute angle has some advantages, which will be explained below.

Disposed on the underside 15 is a slidable keyboard, referred to herein as a second keyboard 16, and as shown in FIG Fig. 4 represented, a so-called alpha keyboard is, which may have differently arranged keys depending on the country, for example in the form of the European QWERTY keyboard or the common in Anglo-Saxon QWERTY keyboard is constructed. The second keyboard 16 is parallel to the bottom 15 between two limit positions displaceable between a first fully retracted position, in which they in the plan view of Fig. 1 is not visible and a second fully extended position, the Fig. 4 is shown and in which the second keyboard is completely visible.

For facilitating the pushing out of the second keyboard 16, a recessed grip 17 is provided on which the second keyboard 16 can be gripped to engage it in the Fig. 3 shown in dashed lines and provided with the reference numeral 16 'position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the keyboard is pushed out on the side wall 11. On the other side wall 10, a second infrared transmitting device 14 is mounted, the infrared-coded signals from the side wall 10 in a second emission direction 20 radiates, which is approximately perpendicular to the first emission direction 16.

In the housing of the remote control, a sensor 18 is arranged, which detects the state of the second keyboard 16, namely whether it is fully retracted or fully extended. This sensor 18 may be a simple electrical switch that is mechanically actuated by the displacement of the second keyboard 16. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of switches or sensors may be used, such as magnetically actuated switches or capacitively actuated switches that provide a corresponding electrical signal depending on the retracted or extended position of the second keyboard 16.

To operate the second keyboard 16, the user is the remote control in the in Fig. 4 rotated position shown so that the second keyboard 16 points to the user and the side wall 10 with the second infrared transmitter 14 toward the device to be controlled. When extended second keyboard 16 this is substantially in a plane to the bottom 15 of the housing. The user then sets the remote control with the bottom 15 on a table, the second keyboard 16 is oriented horizontally and the first keyboard 3 is inclined at an obtuse angle toward the user. By means of the switch 18, the second IR transmission unit 14 is activated in this position of the second keyboard 16 and the first IR transmission unit 13 is deactivated. In addition, some of the keys, specifically the four cursor keys 4, 5, 6 and 7, are reprogrammed in function, ie other coded infrared signals are assigned to these keys. The key 4, which is in the operating mode of Fig. 1 has the function "up", receives in the second mode, the in Fig. 4 is shown, now the function "left". Similarly, the key 5 is assigned the function "right", the key 6 the function "down" and the key 7 the function "up" so that the arrow symbols shown on these keys 4 to 7 correspond to the orientation of the remote control according to FIG Fig. 4 are adjusted.

The assignment of the other keys of the first keyboard 3, however, can remain unchanged, but - depending on the application - even with these keys, an assignment of other functions can be made.

In the position of Fig. 4 The user can now enter any texts via the alpha-keyboard 16 in the usual way and send out via the second IR-transmitting unit 14.

If the user wants to switch back to the first operating mode (without second keyboard 16), he pushes the second keyboard 16 in turn completely into the bottom 15 of the housing, which in turn activates the first IR transmitting unit 13, the second IR transmitting unit 14 is deactivated and the function of said keys 4 to 7 is switched back to the first mode.

Claims (5)

1. Remote control, comprising a housing, a first keypad (3) having a multilicity of keys (4-8) for entering control commands,
   a second keypad (16) for inputting letters or other symbols,
   wherein said second keypad (16) is slideable relative to the first keypad (3) between a first and a second limit position,
   with a sensor (18) that in dependence of the position of the second keypad (16) generates an output signal,
   two transmission means (13, 14) provided on the housing, for transmission of coded signals, each of which is enabled only in response to the output signal of the sensor (18),
   wherein the two transmission devices (13, 14) are placed on two different side walls (9, 11) of the housing, so that transmission directions (19, 20) of the two transmission devices (13, 14) are perpendicular to each other,
   and wherein different control signals are associated with predetermined keys (4, 5, 6, 7) of the first keypad (3) in response to the output signal of the sensor (18),
   characterized in
   that the second keypad (16) is slideable relatively to the first keypad (3) between the first and the second limit position, and
   that the keys of the first keypad and the second (3, 16) are accessible from the same side of the remote controller in the extended limit position of the second keypad (16).
2. Remote control according to claim 1, characterized in that the first keypad (3) and said second keypad (16) in the extended limit position of the second keypad (16) an at an obtuse angle (α) to each other.
3. Remote control according to claim 2, characte rized in that the angle (α) is greater 165° and less than 180°.
4. Remote control according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the predetermined keys (4, 5, 6, 7) of the first keypad (3), to which in dependence on the output signal of the sensor (18), different control signals are assigned, are cursor keys, by which a movement direction of a cursor is controllable.
5. Remote control of any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sensor (18) is a magnetic sensor or a capacitance sensor which as a function of the relative position of the second keypad (16) with respect to the first keypad (3) generates the output signal.

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