Method of controlling function and electronic device supporting same

• US 10,290,205 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hye-Jin, Kim, Yoonsu, Bahn, Sahnghee, Jin, Youngkyu, Ha, Yeseul
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, K.
• Application Number:
  US15/409,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20170206779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method of controlling a function by an electronic device is provided. The method including: receiving first control information for controlling a function of at least one first external device, from the at least one first external device connected in communication using a communication interface; executing, by the electronic device, an application that provides at least one function; determining, from the at least one first external device, information associated with at least one second external device that provides a function corresponding to the at least one function of the application, and determining, from the first control information, second control information for controlling the corresponding function of the at least one second external device; and controlling, by the electronic device, the corresponding function of the at least one second external device at least based on the determined second control information.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a function by an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the electronic device, an input on a first object of an application;

displaying, by the electronic device, based on the input, a second object and a third object through a display of the electronic device, the second object being an object for separately controlling at least one function of at least one first external device, the third object being an object for controlling the function of the application and the at least one function of the at least one first external device at once; and

controlling at least one of the function of the application or at least one function of the at least one first external device, based on an input on the second object or the third object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one function of the at least one first external device is identical to the function of the application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching at least one second external device that is capable of being additionally connected when the application is executed; and

receiving, from the at least one second external device, information associated with at least one function of the at least one second external device when a communication connection with the at least one second external device is established.

4. The method of claim 1, function comprises:

displaying, with the first object mapped to the function of the application, an indication indicating that the at least one function of the at least one first external device exists.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the indication further comprises displaying a number of the at least one first external device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information associated with at least one function of at least one third external device from the at least one third external device which is connected with the electronic device using a communication interface of the electronic device;

executing, by the electronic device, the application among a plurality of applications of the electronic device; and

identifying, by the electronic device, the at least one first external device among the at least one third external device, wherein at least one function of the at least one first external device corresponds to the function of the application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the input on the first object is a first input, executing the function of the application; and

when the input on the first object is a second input, displaying the second object and the third object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first object, the second object, or the third object is displayed in a form of at least one of a toggle, a slider bar, or an input box according to an attribute of the at least one function of the at least one first external device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the function of the application includes at least one of a power control function, a volume control function, a brightness control function, an illumination control function, a temperature control function, or a music playback function.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when a communication connection with the at least one first external device is disconnected, restoring a control state of the at least one function of the at least one first external device to a control state before establishing the communication connection.

11. An electronic device for controlling a function, comprising:

a communication interface;

a display; and

a processor operably connected to the communication interface and the display, the processor configured to;

receive an input on a first object of an application;

control the display to display, based on the input, a second object and a third object, the second object being an object for separately controlling at least one function of at least one first external device, the third object being an object for controlling the function of the application and the at least one function of the at least one first external device at once; and

control at least one of the function of the application or at least one function of the at least one first external device, based on an input on the second object or the third object.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one function of the at least one first external device is identical to function of the application.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

search at least one second external device that is capable of being additionally connected when the application is executed using the communication interface; and

receive, from the at least one second external device, information associated with at least one function of the at least one second external device when a communication connection with the at least one second external device is established.

14. The electronic device of claim 11,

wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to

display, with the first object mapped to the function of the application, an indication indicating that the at least one function of the at least one first external device exists.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to display a number of the at least one first external device.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive information associated with at least one function of at least one third external device from the at least one third external device which is connected with the electronic device using the communication interface;

execute the application among a plurality of applications of the electronic device; and

identify the at least one first external device among the at least one third external device, wherein at least one function of the at least one first external device corresponds to the function of the application.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

when the input on the first object is a first input, execute the function of the application; and

when the input on the first object is a second input, control the display to display the second object and the third object.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, at least one of the first object, the second object, or the third object is displayed in a form of at least one of a toggle, a slider bar, or an input box according to an attribute of the at least one function of the at least one first external device.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the function of the application comprises at least one of a power control function, a volume control function, a brightness control function, an illumination control function, a temperature control function, or a music playback function.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to restore a control state of the at least one function of the at least one first external device to a control state before establishing a communication connection when the communication connection with the at least one first external device is disconnected.