Additional information is available online at http://www.interlinkelectronics.com.
Revolutionary Remote Control Enables Gesture And Telephony Control Over Interactive TV Applications
Interlink Electronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: LINK), a world leader in the development of intuitive interface controls, will unveil a revolutionary new Interactive TV remote control solution at the California Cable Television Association's Western Convention and Exhibition (Los Angeles Convention Center, December 15th -17th Booth 3254). Using Interlink Electronics' new Interactive Remote Control (IRCô) technologies, Multiple Services Operators (MSOs) and content providers can offer subscribers an intuitive, single-handed remote control that will serve as the user's primary interface to the spectrum of digital TV services. The new solution, utilizing Interlink's patented VersaPad? input technologies and patented RemoteLinkô wireless communication scheme, enables new capabilities including remote gesture control of home electronic devices, keyboard-less text entry and wireless telephony. ""The number of U.S. digital cable and satellite TV subscribers is projected to increase from 13.7 million in 1999 to more than 40 million by the year 2005,"" said Steve Branton, Home Entertainment Market Manager, Interlink Electronics. ""Driving this growth are interactive TV services such as movies-on-demand, electronic-shopping, e-mail messaging and TV-based Internet access. To achieve mass market acceptance of these services, MSOs will need to offer their subscribers an intuitive remote control interface: one that supports easy on-screen navigation, text entry and telephony functions-features not found on traditional 'button-cluttered' home remote controls."" The Gesture-Based Remote Control Interface Perhaps the most intuitive way to operate on-screen TV controls such as Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) would be to reach out and touch them. The finger-activated pad on the Interactive Remote Control lets you do this from the comfort of your couch. Simply touch the pad in the same relative location as the control appearing on your screen and repetitive arrow keying is eliminated. Channel selection, volume level and media transport controls such as ""Pause"" and ""Play"" typically require a multitude of buttons on home remotes. The IRC concept replaces these with a single finger input pad. Simply swipe your fingertip right or left across the pad to control VCR or DVD transport functions, or up or down to change channels. Need to change channels in the dark? Just write the channel number directly on the pad with your fingertip. The IRC finger-activated input pad replaces as many as 25 control buttons-eliminating the ""button-clutter"" common to home remote controls. In addition, some interactive TV services such as e-mail, Internet browsing and e-shopping require text entry. Unfortunately, existing wireless keyboard solutions add unacceptable complexity, clutter and cost to the home interactive TV use model. Remote control text entry using the IRC is accomplished by finger-activated character recognition. Alternatively, text may be entered using an advanced on-screen keyboard. RemoteLinkTM Enables Telephony Emerging telephony applications such as e-mail voice clips and audio postcards require a home remote control capable of audio capture and transmission. Interlink Electronics' Interactive Remote Control pairs an integrated microphone with the company's patented optical communications link, RemoteLink Technology. RemoteLink boasts a data bandwidth wide enough to carry stereo quality sound- paving the way for integration of telephony into interactive television services. About Interlink Electronics Interlink Electronics, Inc. is an international leader in the development of intuitive interface technologies and solutions. Products include interactive remote controls, pen input pads, wireless keyboards and integrated mouse pointing devices. With OEM customers including Mitsubishi, SONY, InFocus Systems, SHARP, IBM, Microsoft, and NEC, the Company maintains offices in Camarillo, California and Tokyo, Japan.