Estimating control feature from remote control with camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016248961-A1
Application number	US-201615144094-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 21, 2011
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus estimates control features of remote controls comprising cameras for detecting light points from beacons located at or near devices that are to be controlled via the remote controls by letting the cameras further detect light points from non-beacons. Processors estimate the control features in response to information from the detections of the light points. The non-beacons comprise noise sources or any other sources different from the beacons. Memories store per time-interval the information per detection. The light coming from the beacons may be modulated light and the light coming from the non-beacons may be other light. The information may comprise coordinates, sizes and intensities of light points per detection and per time-interval. The control feature may comprise a pointing position, a distance, a rotation, a tilt, a location, a speed, an acceleration, a movement and/or a zoom of the remote control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A remote control device comprising:
a sensor; and a processor configured to:
receive, from the sensor, an input from at least one beacon source wherein the input from a corresponding one of the at least one beacon source is received in at least one of: a first time period and a second time period; and
receive, from the sensor, an input from at least one non-beacon source wherein the input from a corresponding one of the at least one non-beacon source is received in at least one of: the first time period and the second time period,
determine the received inputs is present in the first time period and the second time period;
determine a change of corresponding ones of the available received inputs between the first time period and the second time period;
estimate a change of the remote control device based on the determined change of received inputs; and
determine a control function of the remote control device based on the estimated change.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control feature comprises at least one of: a pointing position, a distance from a second device, a rotation, a tilt, a location with respect to the second device, a speed, an acceleration, a movement and a zoom.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of: a camera, an IR sensor and a visible light sensor.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the received inputs from the at least one beacon source is a light having a known modulation.

5 . The device of claim 1 , the processor further configured to:
develop a map for each of the first time period and the second time period, each of the maps being determining with regard to a known coordinate, wherein a position of each of the received beacon inputs and the received non-beacon inputs is determined on a corresponding map, wherein the change of corresponding ones of the available received inputs between the first time period and the second time period represents a change in position of the received inputs between the first and second maps.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the maps comprise:
at least one of: a size and an intensity of each of the received inputs.

7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein a position of each of the at least one beacon sources is known with respect to said coordinate.

8 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmitter, wherein the processor is configured to:
transmit, through the transmitter, data associated with the determined control feature.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the data associated with the determined control feature provides an instruction.

10 . A control system comprising:
a controlling device comprising:
a detection unit; and
a transmitting unit; and
a controlled device comprising:
a receiving device; the control system further comprising:
at least one beacon source; and
a processing unit configured to:
receive, from the detection unit, at least one input associated with a transmission from at least one of the at least one beacon source in at least one of: a first time period and a second time period;
receive, from the detection unit, at least one second input in at least one of: the first time period and in the second time period, the at least one second input associated with a transmission from a corresponding source not associated with the at least one beacon source;

determine which of the received inputs is present in the first time period and the second time period;
determine a change between each of the available received inputs;
estimate a change of the controlling device based on the determined change of received inputs;
determine a control function of the controlling device based on the estimated change; and
transmit, through the transmitter, data associated with the determined control function.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processing unit is located in one of: within one of: the controlling device and the controlled device.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one beacon source is located, with respect to the controlled device in at least one of: external to and internal to.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the control feature comprises at least one of: a pointing position, a distance from a second device, a rotation, a tilt, a location with respect to the second device, a speed, an acceleration, a movement and a zoom.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the detection unit is at least one of: a camera, an IR sensor and a visible light sensor.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the received inputs from the at least one beacon source is a light having a known modulation.

16 . The system of claim 10 , the processing unit further configured to:
develop a map for each of the first time period and the second time period, each of the maps being determining with regard to a known coordinate, wherein a position of each of the received beacon inputs and the received non-beacon inputs is determined on a corresponding map, wherein the change of the available received inputs represents a change in position of the received inputs between the first and second maps.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the maps comprises:
at least one of: a size and an intensity of each of the received inputs.

18 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a memory in communication with the processing unit, the memory storing the received inputs and the received second inputs of each of the first time period and the second time period.

19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the source not associated with the at least one non-beacon source represents at least a noise source.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first time period and the second time period are dis-joint in time.

21 . A method, operable in a processing unit, for controlling a controllable device, the method causing the processing unit to:
receive, through a sensor, at least one input signal, at least one of the at least one input signal associated with a beacon, in each of a plurality of non-time overlapping time slots; generate a map of the received at least one input signal for each of the plurality of non-time overlapping time slots, wherein each map representing a position of each of the received at least one input signal; determine which of the received input signals is available in at least two maps; determine a change of a position of the received input signals between the at least two maps; determine a control function of based on the determined change position; and generate a control signal comprising information associated with the determined control function.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the control function comprises at least one: a pointing position, a distance from a second device, a rotation, a tilt, a location with respect to the second device, a speed, an acceleration, a movement and a zoom.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of: a camera, an IR sensor and a visible light sensor.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the received input from the at least one beacon source is a light having a known modulation.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein The device of claim 1 , wherein the received input is from an unmodulated light source.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the maps comprise:
at least one of: a si

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Gritti Tommaso
• Van Grinsven Petrus Augustinus Maria

Classifications

• H04N23/66 Primary

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• G08C17/00 Primary

  Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link · CPC title

• G06F3/033 Primary

  Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user {, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks}; Accessories therefor (digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041) · CPC title

• G08C2201/32

  Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device · CPC title

• G01S1/00

  Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith (position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00) · CPC title