3D-to-2D Projection Algorithm for Remote Control Using Smartphone: Enhancing Smartphone Capability for Costless Wireless Audio Visual Consumer Appliance Control

Abstract

Consumer visual appliances like televisions (TVs) and personal computer (PCs) have rapidly been developed. From old, one complete unit heavy box TV or PC, we now have a compact, small-sized box called as set-top-box (STB) TV or notebook for TVs and PCs respectively. A STB TV package always comes with a dedicated remote control for interacting with STB TV package. In addition, PCs have also been used with mouse as controller. In these appliances, controller functions as means of user interaction to the appliances. The price of controller unit is expensive and contributes to significant total cost of an appliance whole package. Eliminating the necessity of buying dedicated controller will mean a significant price reduction. Meanwhile, current released smartphones model are mainly accelerometer and gyroscope built-in. Therefore, if we develop an algorithm in software-based application for smartphone, smartphone will replace dedicated controller to function just like universal remote control. We develop a client-server software application to enable our smartphone controlling TVs or PCs. Our software simulation uses smartphone-computer connection via wireless RF communication channel (Bluetooth); leveraging smartphone capability to function as a substitute of remote control. The economical price of consumer appliances like a STB TV package can be greatly reduced as remote control shipment is no longer necessary when customers have smartphone with our software installed. Upon successful deployment, we perceive in future that we will enable a new user experience of remote control in ubiquitous computing device when this remote control is able to store user channel preferences, interface to wider appliances or electronic computing devices, and as well as to access consumer appliances remotely.