Function upgrade device, display apparatus and method for controlling display apparatus thereof

• US 10,291,967 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-Il, Kang, Kun-sok, Song, Hak-sup, Lee, Joo-whan, Hong, Seong-seol, Lee, Soo-yong, Choi, Mi-jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Huerta, Alexander Q
• Application Number:
  US15/482,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A function upgrade device, a display apparatus, and a method for controlling a display apparatus are provided. The function upgrade device may include a function unit configured to perform a function in conjunction with the display apparatus, a storage configured to store user information and an application related to the function unit, an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus and enable the function upgrade device to communicate with the display apparatus, and a controller configured to, when the display apparatus is connected to the function upgrade device through the interface, control the function unit to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus based on the user information and the application stored in the storage.

Claims

1. A function upgrade device which is connectable to a display apparatus and configured to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus, the function upgrade device comprising:

an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus; and

a controller configured to,

in response to a user command for downloading an installation file of an application being input to the display apparatus, receive, through the interface, the installation file from the display apparatus, the installation file being received in response to the function upgrade device being required for an execution of a function performed by the application,

install the application based on the received installation file in the function upgrade device,

in response to the installed application being executed, control the function upgrade device to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus using the function performed by the executed application.

2. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the display apparatus is connected to the function upgrade device through the interface and user authentication is performed through the display apparatus, the controller is configured to control the interface to transmit the user information to the display apparatus.

3. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user information comprises display apparatus setting information,

wherein the display apparatus is configured to change a setting of the display apparatus according to the display apparatus setting information transmitted from the function upgrade device.

4. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function upgrade device further comprises a graphic processor configured to perform a game function in conjunction with the display apparatus.

5. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function upgrade device further comprises a communicator configured to communicate with a home device in conjunction with the display apparatus.

6. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function upgrade device further comprises an audio processing module configured to process a 5.1 channel audio signal in conjunction with the display apparatus.

7. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function upgrade device further comprises a sensor and a camera configured to check a heath condition of a user in conjunction with the display apparatus.

8. A method for controlling a display apparatus, the method comprising:

performing user authentication when a function upgrade device is connected to the display apparatus;

in response to authenticating a user based on the performing of the user authentication, receiving user information from the function upgrade device;

changing a setting of the display apparatus based on the user information;

in response to receiving a user command to perform a function of the display apparatus, determining whether the function corresponding to the user command requires the function upgrade device and generating a result of the determining;

receiving an installation file for an application to perform the function corresponding to the user command;

determining a target device corresponding to one among the display apparatus and the function upgrade device for the installation file to be stored in based on whether an application function of the application requires the function upgrade device;

transmitting the installation file of the application to the function upgrade device in response to determining the application function requires the function upgrade device; and

performing the function corresponding to the user command in conjunction with the function upgrade device using the application according to the result.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the performing comprises, when the result indicates that the function corresponding to the user command requires the function upgrade device, performing the function corresponding to the user command in conjunction with the function upgrade device, and when the result indicates that the function corresponding to the user command does not require the function upgrade device, performing the function corresponding to the user command independently by the display apparatus.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a command to download the application;

determining whether the application function requires the function upgrade device and generating a determination result of the determining of whether the application function requires the function upgrade device; and

when the determination result indicates that the application function requires the function upgrade device, downloading, by the display apparatus, the application and storing the application in the function upgrade device, and when the determination result indicates that the application function does not require the function upgrade device, downloading, by the display apparatus, the application and storing the application in the display apparatus.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting, by the display apparatus, usage history information of the user with respect to the display apparatus to the function upgrade device; and

storing, by the function upgrade device, the usage history information.

12. A display apparatus, comprising:

an interface configured to connect the display apparatus to a function upgrade device and enable the display apparatus to communicate with the function upgrade device; and

a controller configured to, when the function upgrade device is connected through the interface, control the interface to receive user information from the function upgrade device, perform user authentication and change a setting of the display apparatus based on the user information, and when a user command to perform a function of the display apparatus is input, determine whether the function corresponding to the user command requires the function upgrade device, control the display apparatus to receive an installation file of an application corresponding to the function, determine a target device corresponding to one among the display apparatus and the function upgrade device for the installation file to be stored in based on whether a function of the application requires the function upgrade device, control the target device to install the application using the installation file, and control the target device to perform the function corresponding to the user command using the application,

wherein the controller is configured to, in response to a user command for downloading an installation file of an application being input, transmit the installation file to the function upgrade device, the installation file being transmitted in response to the function upgrade device being required for an execution of a function performed by the application.

13. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the determination indicates that the function corresponding to the user command requires the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to perform the function corresponding to the user command in conjunction with the function upgrade device, and when the determination indicates that the function corresponding to the user command does not require the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to perform the function corresponding to the user command independently.

14. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

an input configured to receive user commands; and

a storage,

wherein when a command to download the application is input through the input, the controller is configured to determine whether the function requires the function upgrade device, and when the controller determines that the function requires the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to download and store the application in the function upgrade device, and when the controller determines that the function does not require the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to download and store the application in the storage.

15. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the interface to transmit usage history information of a user with respect to the display apparatus to the function upgrade device,

wherein the function upgrade device is configured to store the usage history information.

16. A function upgrade device, comprising:

a processor configured to process data; and

a controller configured to,

in response to a user command for downloading an installation file of an application being input to the display apparatus,

control the function upgrade device to receive the installation file from a display apparatus while the function upgrade device is connected to the display apparatus, the installation file being received in response to the function upgrade device being required for an execution of a function performed by the application, make a determination as to whether a command to process data may be carried out independently by another processor included in the display apparatus, and selectively use the processor of the function upgrade device according to the determination to process the data by performing the function according to the command using the application.

17. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the processor of the function upgrade device and the other processor of the display apparatus each comprise an image processor, and the controller is further configured to determine whether the function upgrade device is required for the command to process image data.

18. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus.

19. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the interface is implemented as a wireless interface.

20. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, wherein in response to the second determination indicating that the received command to process data cannot be carried out independently by the other processor included in the display apparatus, the processor of the function upgrade device processes the data according to the received command.