Patently Mobile recently discovered a newly published Samsung patent application in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office database revealing one of their latest inventions relating to a next generation remote controller. While the controller could apply to a computer monitor, a digital blackboard and/or used as a means of controlling a presentation, the main focus of the invention is squarely on controlling a Smart TV and its various menus.
Samsung's Next Generation Smart TV Remote Invention
Diving right in we're able to see Samsung's patent FIG. 2 presented below that illustrates a possible future TV remote that's in a circular plate form factor. The input device #200/TV Remote includes a power button #230 positioned on a lateral wall of the lower housing. There's a touch region #240 installed on the top of the upper housing #220, and a light feedback line #250 installed around the touch region.
With this structure, the TV remote is provided in such a manner that the upper housing can be rotated with respect to the lower housing. The upper housing is rotatable with respect to the lower housing but not separable from the lower housing.
The touch region serves as a general touch pad or a touch sensor. The touch region may be recessed from an upper plate of the upper housing at a predetermined depth in order to prevent the finger from being easily deviated from the touch region when it is touched with a user's fingertips.
The light feedback line forms a circular line around the touch region or along a top edge of the upper housing. The light feedback line is installed at a position where at least a part of it can be seen by a user's naked eyes when they grip the TV remote.
The light feedback line is formed by arranging light emitting diodes (LEDs) corresponding to one or more colors. The light feedback line is provided to vary in a light emitting state as a rotation amount or rotation angle of the upper housing increases when a user rotates the upper housing with respect to the lower housing. The variation in the light emitting state may be achieved by various methods. For example, the light feedback line may have a structure of varying in color of light, or varying in a light emitting position. Thus, a user can intuitively recognize an approximate rotation amount or rotation state of the upper housing.
For example, the light feedback line emits yellow light in an initial state where the upper housing 220 is not rotated, and varies in the color of the light in order of red, violet, blue, etc. as the upper housing 220 starts to rotate and increases in the rotation amount.
Samsung's patent FIG. 7 illustrates database #300 which is mapped so that the TV remote information can match the control command for controlling the operations of the TV.
The input information receivable from the TV remote may include "clockwise rotation", "counterclockwise rotation", "tap", "rightward pointing movement", "leftward pointing movement", etc. Of course, additional input information (not shown) may be involved in the database.
Samsung filed their U.S. patent application back in December 2014. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
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