Remote control for interactive television
View Patent ↗An improved remote control for interactive televisions is disclosed. The conventional remote control is improved by adding a light-scope as a remote-pointing device for defining an aiming point on the television screen. The light-scope consists of a photo detector and a lens system that defines a very narrow filed of view. An LED, driven by an electric signal converted from the light signal entering the light-scope, is used to create a communicating light signal. The communicating light signal, which is to some extent a replica of the light emitted from the aiming point, is sent back to the television for determine the aiming point.
1. An improved remote control for a television having a cursor displayed on the television screen, comprising:
a remote control;
a conventional button fixed on said remote control, and the function of said conventional button being independent of where the cursor appears on the television screen;
a light-scope having a lens for defining a narrow filed of view and a photo detector for detecting the light signal passing through the lens, and said light-scope being fixed on said remote control and having the narrow filed of view defined by the lens aligned in the same direction as pointed by said remote control;
a light emitter driven by an electric signal that is converted from the light signal detected by the photo detector in said light-scope, for sending back to the television a communicating light signal representing the light signal emitted from the aiming point on the television screen pointed by said light-scope, whereby the television can display the cursor at that aiming point; and
a non-conventional button fixed on said remote control, and the function of said non-conventional button being depend on where said cursor appear on the television screen.
2. An improved remote control of claim 1 wherein said light emitter is an LED.
3. An improved remote control of claim 1 wherein the photo detector in said light-scope is selected from a group consisting of photo diode, photo transistor and photo Darlington.
4. An improved remote control of claim 1 further comprising an amplifier having the input connected to the photo detector in said light-scope and having the output connected to said light emitter.
5. An improved remote control for a television having a cursor displayed on the television screen, comprising:
a remote control;
a conventional button fixed on said remote control, the conventional button being selected from a group consisting of channel up and channel down, and the function of said conventional button being independent of where the cursor appears on the television screen;
a light-scope having a lens for defining a narrow filed of view and a photo detector for detecting the light signal passing through the lens, and said light-scope being fixed on said remote control and having the narrow filed of view defined by the lens aligned in the same direction as pointed by said remote control;
a light emitter driven by an electric signal that is converted from the light signal detected by the photo detector in said light-scope, for sending back to the television a communicating light signal representing the light signal emitted from the aiming point on the television screen pointed by said light-scope, whereby the television can display the cursor at that aiming point; and
a non-conventional button fixed on said remote control, and the function of said non-conventional button being depend on where said cursor appear on the television screen.
6. An improved remote control of claim 5 wherein said light emitter is an LED.
7. An improved remote control of claim 5 wherein the photo detector in said light-scope is selected from a group consisting of photo diode, photo transistor and photo Darlington.
8. An improved remote control of claim 5 further comprising an amplifier having the input connected to the photo detector in said light-scope and having the output connected to said light emitter.
9. An improved remote control for a television having a cursor displayed on the television screen, comprising:
a remote control;
a conventional button fixed on said remote control, the conventional button being selected from a group consisting of volume up and volume down, and the function of said conventional button being independent of where the cursor appears on the television screen;
a light-scope having a lens for defining a narrow filed of view and a photo detector for detecting the light signal passing through the lens, and said light-scope being fixed on said remote control and having the narrow filed of view defined by the lens aligned in the same direction as pointed by said remote control;
a light emitter driven by an electric signal that is converted from the light signal detected by the photo detector in said light-scope, for sending back to the television a communicating light signal representing the light signal emitted from the aiming point on the television screen pointed by said light-scope, whereby the television can display the cursor at that aiming point; and
a non-conventional button fixed on said remote control, and the function of said non-conventional button being depend on where said cursor appear on the television screen.
10. An improved remote control of claim 9 wherein said light emitter is an LED.
11. An improved remote control of claim 9 wherein the photo detector in said light-scope is selected from a group consisting of photo diode, photo transistor and photo Darlington.
12. An improved remote control of claim 9 further comprising an amplifier having the input connected to the photo detector in said light-scope and having the output connected to said light emitter.
13. An improved remote control for a television having a cursor displayed on the television screen, comprising:
a remote control;
a conventional button fixed on said remote control, the conventional button being selected from a group consisting of channel up, channel down, volume up, volume down, and mute, and the function of said conventional button being independent of where the cursor appears on the television screen;
a light-scope having a lens for defining a narrow filed of view and a photo detector for detecting the light signal passing through the lens, and said light-scope being fixed on said remote control and having the narrow filed of view defined by the lens aligned in the same direction as pointed by said remote control;
a light emitter driven by an electric signal that is converted from the light signal detected by the photo detector in said light-scope, for sending back to the television a communicating light signal representing the light signal emitted from the aiming point on the television screen pointed by said light-scope, whereby the television can display the cursor at that aiming point; and
a non-conventional button fixed on said remote control, and the function of said non-conventional button being depend on where said cursor appear on the television screen.
14. An improved remote control of claim 1 wherein said light emitter is an LED.
15. An improved remote control of claim 1 wherein the photo detector in said light-scope is selected from a group consisting of photo diode, photo transistor and photo Darlington.
16. An improved remote control of claim 1 further comprising an amplifier having the input connected to the photo detector in said light-scope and having the output connected to said light emitter.