Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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~EI~TO~ ~OR A DISPI~ jC~VICE
Technical Field of Inv~D~lon
The present invention relates to a selector
for controlling one or more selectable functions that
in turn cause a playback device to display or play a
desired entity, such as an image or music, and more
particularly is directed to a selector and associated
indexin~ means for selecting one or more displayable
entities from a recorded media.
BACRGRO~n~D OP q~lE INnnENrTION
With the increased usage of Compact Disc (CD)
as a storage media, the art has advanced such that
pictorial images are now being stored in addition to
music and other forms of digital information. The
ability to random access such information is one of the
most attractive features of CD systems. This random
access feature can be accomplished by a remote hand-
held transmitter that is activated by the userselecting a code sequence corresponding to the desired
function. This feature requires that the user
correctly associate the inputted code with the desired
function. For example, with a TV remote control, the
user wishing to view channel 13 must enter the code for
channel 13. When the number of selectable items
increases into the hundred range, it becomes
increasingly difficult to coordinate the desired
selection with the code that will affect this
selection. In the case of audio or pictorial image CDs
(Photo-CDs), the user identifies the code corresponding
to the desired selection and then enters the code that
corresponds to that selection. As can be appreciated
anything that can facilitate the ease and accuracy of
this selection process is highly desirable for the
user.
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One approach to improve selection accuracy is
described in U.S. Patent 4,712,105 entitled, ~Remote
Control Hand Apparatus for Operating Different
Modules~, by H.E.P. Kohler wherein is described a hand-
held remote control apparatus that lncorporates iconkeys which facilitates the activation of the desired
module. For example, an icon representation of a video
tape casette is used to designate the key on the remote
device used to activate a video tape casette recording
device.
An approach for visually identifying to a
user the different pictorial images recorded on a
storage media, such as a CD, is described in U.S.
Patent 4,805,039 entitled, ~Index Sheet, Method for
Making Same, Package of Same With Image Recording
Medium, and Container for Same Together With Image
Recording Medium~, by K. Otake. In that Patent, there
is disclosed a printed index sheet which has recorded
thereon a number of positive pictorial images
corresponding to the pictorial images contained on the
storage medium. In the preferred embodiment, the
images are stored in a numerical sequence corresponding
to the storage sequence of the images on the storage
medium. This enables the user to perceive a relative
location of a desired pictorial image with respect to
the total contents of the storage medium. This has
particular utility in selecting an image from a library
of CDs.
It is highly desirable to have a unit which
visually displays the pictorial images stored on the
storage medium or in the case of music a representation
of the recorded music, and permits the user to select
the desired image or music for display or playing by
merely touching the selected pictorial image or
representation. The present invention is directed to
providing this unique capability.
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S~NMARY 0~ INVENTION
In one preferred embodiment of the invention,
there is provided an index sheet on which a plurality
of pictorial images, corresponding to pictorial images
recorded on a storage medium, are displayed.
Overlaying this index sheet, is a transparent selection
means for providing a control signal that corresponds
to a pictorial image that is selected by a user
touching a finger onto the pictorial image. A hand-
held transmitter is coupled to the transparent
selection means for receiving the desired control
signal and for transmitting to a receiving playback
device code signals for causing the desired pictorial
image to be displayed on a monitor connected to the
playback device.
From the foregoing it can be seen that it is
a primary object of the present invention to provide an
improved hand-held remote selector for selecting and
causing the playing of digital information stored in a
playback device.
- It is another object of the present invention
to provide a selector that facilitates the selection
and the display of a pictorial image from a group of
stored pictorial images by the touching of a miniature
representation of the desired pictorial image.
Yet another object of the present invention
is the provision of a remote selector that can receive
a user selected index sheet, which visually indexes the
stored items on an associated storage medium, such that
a touching of a selected item, indexed on the index
sheet, causes the displaying or the playing of the
selected stored item.
The above and other objects of the present
invention will become more apparent when taken in
co~junction with the following description and drawings
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wherein like characters indicate like parts and which
drawings form a part of the present description.
BRIEF DESCRIpTION OF TH~ D~A~ING~
Figure 1 illustrates the components of a
pictorial image display system utilizing one version of
the hand-held remote transmitter of the present
invention.
Figure 2 illustrates an alternate means for
generating signals that are related to the touching of
an image on an index sheet.
Figure 3 illustrates a monolithic integrated
selection means incorporating the remote transmitter,
the index sheet, and a signal generator for providing
signals that are a function of the item selected from
the index sheet to the transmitter.
Figure 4 illustrates still another means for
generating control signals which means is connectable
to the remote hand-held transmitter of Figure 1.
Figure 5 illustrates another embodiment of
the control signal generator that is designed to
operate in conjunction with an open recording medium
package.
Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of
the control signal generator that is designed to
operate in conjunction with a closed transparent
package that holds the recording medium.
Figure 7 illustrates, in schematic diagram
form, a control signal generator and an embodiment of
the electronics of a remote hand-held transmitter.
Figure 8 illustrates, by way of a timing
diagram, timing pulses that occur when the invention is
operated which illustration is useful in understanding
the operation of the electronics of Figure 7.
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Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment of
the invention wherein the selector is mounted onto the
player.
DE~CRIPTION OF THE PR~E~BF$~ EM~ODINEM~
Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the
full featured user system, 10, incorporating the
present invention. An index sheet, 12, has printed
thereon a plurality of miniature images, 13,
corresponding to the representations stored on a
storage medium, such as a CD disc, 20. The index
sheet, 12, is insertable into a housing, 14, having a
transparent overlay, 15, which permits viewing of the
miniature images, 13. The transparent overlay, 15,
takes the form of an X-Y coordinate signal generator
for generating a unique X-Y coordinate signal
corresponding to the position of a user's finger
touching the overlay, 15, which finger is also
positioned to select one of the miniature images, 13.
A hand-held remote transmitter, 18, receives the X-Y
coordinate signals from the transparent overlay, 15,
via a cable, 16. The remote transmitter, 18, transmits
- a control data signal to a receiver player, 22, which
in the case of a video player, a monitor or TV, 24,
would be connected to the player, 22. In the instance
where audio is the recorded indicia a pair of speakers,
24', and, possibly an amplifier (not shown) would also
be connected to an audio CD player, 22'. With the CD
disc, 20, corresponding to the index sheet, 12, having
been previously inserted into the player, 22, the
player, 22, responds to the transmitted signal to
access the selected stored indicia (image data or audio
data) and to cause its display on the display device,
24, or its playing on a speaker system. As previously
discussed the CD disk may have music recorded on it
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rather than images and the index sheet may have indicia
of the music recorded on the CD to enable an operator
to select a piece of music rather than an image but
additionally, there may be a combination of data
corresponding to text, images, music and so forth. The
main thrust of the present invention is not directed to
the type of data that is accessed by the present
invention but is directed to the accessing of data
merely by the touching of a visual representation of
the data by the user.
Figure 2 illustrates an alternate means for
generating a control signal that corresponds to the
selected miniature image, 13. The index sheet, 12, is
guided into position on a control signal generator
means, 30, by means of flanges, 38. A matrix of
pressure actuated sensors, 34, corresponds in position
to the locations of the miniature images, 13, on the
index sheet, 12, when the index sheet, 12, is fully
inserted into the generator means, 30. Each of the
pressure sensors, 34, provides a unique control signal
identifying its respective position in the formed
matrix. The unique control signal is passed over a
cable, 16, to a jack, 17, which is connectable to a
receptacle mounted into the remote transmitter, 18. A
flexible transparent film, 36, may be positioned over
the pressure sensors, 34, to provide physical
protection to the pressure sensors, 34, and their
associated electronics.
In operation, a user selects a desired image.
for example 13A, by pressing thereon, which pressure
activates the corresponding pressure sensor 34A, to
generate the unique control signal. In a like manner,
the selection of image 13B by pressure thereon
activates pressure sensor 34B, to generating a
corresponding unique control signal.
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Figure 3 illustrates a monolithic integrated
selection means incorporating the remote transmitter,
18, and the control signal generator, 30, into a rigid
hand-held unit, 40. This one-piece unit, aside from
eliminating the cable, 16, provides the user with a
unit that may be totally held in one hand.
Referring now to Figure 4, a case, 50, of the
type used to protectively house the CD disc, 20, and
the associated index sheet 12 is shown generally
fabricated from a transparent plastic material which
permits viewing of the index sheet 12 without removal
from the case 50. A frame member, 45, having alignment
tabs, 48, is positionable unto the case, 50. The frame
member, 45, additionally supports the transparent
overlay, 15, and the associated electronics feeding the
control signal to a cable, 16. Although not shown, it
is to be understood that the transmitter, 18, could be
rigidly affixed to the frame member, 45.
Another variation for the use of the
transparent overlay, 15, is illustrated in Figure 5.
The case, 50, is shown in a fully opened position along
its hinge line incorporating index sheets, 12, that are
positioned on the front and the back surfaces of the
case, 50. With the case, 50, laying flat in a fully
opened position, the transparent overlay, 15, is formed
of a size to cover both the front and the back surfaces
of the case, 50, thus permitting a selection from a
greater number of miniature images. Although not
specifically shown, it is to be understood that the
transmitter, 18, may be rigidly affixed to the
transparent overlay, 15.
Still another variation of the transparent
overlay 15, is illustrated in Figure 6. This variation
permits the case, 50, to remain closed while permitting
the selection of images from index sheets, 12, on both
the front and back surfaces of the case, 50. Again,
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although not shown, it is to be understood that the
transmitter, 18, could be rigidly affixed to the
transparent overlay, 15.
In Figure 7 there is disclosed one specific
arrangement of the electronics for achieving the
desired functions of the invention. It will be obvious
to those persons skilled in the art that many other
variations may also be used to achieve like results.
The overlay, 15, is coupled to the hand-held remote
transmitter, 18, by means of a cable, 16. Within the
overlay there is shown a plurality of switches arranged
in a matrix fashion with the positioning (spacing) of
the switches corresponding to the positioning of the
indicia on the index sheets. A matrix code block, 95,
operates in conjunction with the overlay key activation
to provide output signals indicative of the position of
the key that is depressed. Although one type of
overlay key matrix is shown to satisfy the enabling
embodiment requirement, it is well known that other
types of touch screens (overlays) are available which
will work equally as well in the present invention.
The output signals provided by the matrix code block,
95, are generally denoted X-Y coordinate signals. The
X-Y coordinate signals are directed to the input of a
look up table, 100. The look-up table, 100, transforms
the X-Y coordinate signals to signals corresponding to
the numbers that are associated with the keys of the
remote hand held-transmitter that if pressed directly
would cause the remote player to respond as directed.
It is to be appreciated that a se~uence of key strokes
are necessary to have a standard VCR, CD player and or
TV remote control unit cause the proper selection or
channel to be played. In a like manner, it would be
necessary to duplicate these sequences when an image or
piece of music is to be played. Therefore, the output
of the look-up table, 100, is directed to a sequencer,
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110, which operates to genexate a string of pulses that
correspond to the entire sequence of key strokes that
would cause the player to access and display the stored
(recorded) entity. The sequence of pulse signals are
transmitted by the remote transmitter, 18, to the
player, 22. The transmitter, 18, is of the standard
type that utilizes an integrated circuit chip, 130, and
a key select matrix, 120. The outputs, SENON through
SEN6N, are directed as inputs to the A input of a
multiplexer, 122. The B input to the multiplexer
receives the pulse sequences from the sequencer, 110.
A select input, labeled S on the multiplexer, 122,
selects either the signals on the A or the B inputs to
be applied to the chip, 130. This selection input is
toggled between the A input, as the default input, and
the B input by sensing the presence of the first pulse
of a code sequence being generated at the output of the
sequencer, 110. A logic gate, 112, which may be an
OR~ gate receives as inputs any signal that might
occur on the sequencer outputs labeled ~N-6N. When
any signal is sensed the S input to multiplexer, 122,
is switched to pass the signals on the B input to the
inputs of chip, 130.
In operation, selecting an image by
depressing the overlay, 15, sends an X-Y coordinate
signal to the look-up table, 100. The output of the
LUT and a display flag (set when the overlay panel, 15,
is pressed at any valid picture location) are sent to
the sequencer, 110, which provides outputs that are a
unique sequence of signals that emulate the (up to) 4
key-strokes that can be required to display an image or
cause the playing of a musical rendition. These 4 key-
strokes include 3 key-strokes of numerals (from O to 9)
to select an image number from 1 to 100 and a key-
stroke that corresponds to the display or play command.As previously stated these outputs from the sequencer,
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110, are designed to emulate the actions that result
from depressing a sequence of key commands from a
remote control transmitter that utilizes, for example,
the SAA3004 remote control transmitter chip, 130,
manufactured by Philips.
The remote control transmitter, 18, becomes
active when the first signal from the sequencer, 110,
is sent or by the pressing of a key on the keyboard
matrix, 120. This results in the pull-up devices
within chip, 130, being switched on so that the applied
driver signals are sensed for the decoding of the sub-
system address and the mode of transmission as
described in the technical data sheet for the SAA3004
chip. Once a unique sequence (or a key-stroke packet
that includes closing the key, starting the scan,
sending the transmitted word, and releasing the key for
at least the minimum release time) is started, the
transmitted sequence will always be completed after the
key is released (or after the first of 4 key-stroke
information is sent from the sequencer, 110). A
minimum release time, trel in Figure 8, is required
between key-strokes sent by the sequencer before a new
key-stroke packet is sent by the sequencer. In Figure
8, the time between these packets is arbitrarily chosen
to be twice trel. The second key-stroke packet is then
sent. As before, this packet causes the pull-up device
to be switched on and the sensing of the driver signals
that ultimately (through the SAA3004 chip) result in a
flashed or modulated transmission of a key-stroke word.
In the particular implementation shown in Figure 7, the
sequencer is adjusted so that each word is repeated
during the course of each key-stroke sequence. Figure
8 shows the timing resulting from sending 4 key-stroke
packets.
Figure 9 illustrates the selector, 30, being
mounted onto or integral with a player, 22. The index
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sheet, 12, having images, 13, corresponding to the
entities recorded on the CD, 12, is inserted into the
selector, 30, with the associated CD being inserted
into the player, 22. The operator touches the desired
image, 13, and the player, 22, accesses the image on
the CD, 20, causing the image to be displayed on the
monitor, 24. For a CD having music recorded thereon
the monitor, 24, can be replaced or supplemented with a
set of speakers, 24', and amplifier, if needed.
While there has been shown what are
considered to be the preferred embodiments of the
invention, it will be manifest that many changes and
modifications may be made therein without departing
from the essential spirit of the invention. It is
intended therefore, in the annexed claims, to cover all
such changes and modifications as may fall within the
true scope of the invention.
