Control device, broadcast receiver, method for controlling broadcast receiver, and method for providing service

• US 10,298,990 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Joo-youn, Kwon, Yong-hwan, Kim, Jung-a, Lee, Bum-jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Trang U
• Application Number:
  US14/854,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 348734, 348552, 348553, 348569, 348563, 348564, 348565, 345173, 345 21, 345 22, 345 23
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A control device is provided. The control device includes a communication interface unit which requests and receives menu information from a broadcast receiver, a determination unit which determines a control mode of the control device, a user interface unit which displays the received menu information in a user interface window according to the determined control mode, and a control unit which, if a command to control the broadcast receiver is input through the user interface unit, controls the communication interface unit to transmit the input control command to the broadcast receiver.

Claims

1. A control device which controls a broadcast receiver, comprising:

a communication interface unit configured to communicate with the broadcast receiver;

a touch display unit configured to receive a touch input;

a sensor configured to sense an orientation of the control device being held by a user; and

a control unit configured to;

identify whether the control device is in a vertical mode or a horizontal mode based on the orientation sensed by the sensor,

receive, via the communication interface unit, information regarding an operation mode of the broadcast receiver, and

control the touch display unit to display a user interface (UI) corresponding to the operation mode from among a plurality of UIs for controlling the broadcast receiver based on the received information in response to identifying that the control device is in the vertical mode and to display a content received from the broadcast receiver, in a full screen size of the touch display unit, in response to identifying that the control device is in the horizontal mode, the content being a same content which is currently displayed on a screen of the broadcast receiver.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to request and receive a screen information from the broadcast receiver in the horizontal mode, and

wherein the screen information comprises an information regarding the content which is currently displayed on the screen of the broadcast receiver.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a gyro sensor.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the orientation is a vertical direction with respect to the user, identify a control mode as the vertical mode, and when the orientation is a horizontal direction with respect to the user, identify the control mode as the horizontal mode.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the touch display unit to display a pre-stored UI window corresponding to the operation mode of the broadcast receiver in the vertical mode.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the touch input for controlling the broadcast receiver is input through the touch display unit, control the communication interface unit to transmit a control command corresponding to the touch input to the broadcast receiver.

7. A method for controlling a broadcast receiver using a control device, the method comprising:

sensing, by a sensor, an orientation of the control device being held by a user;

identifying whether the control device is in a vertical mode or a horizontal mode based on the orientation sensed by the sensor;

receiving information regarding an operation mode of the broadcast receiver;

displaying, on a touch display unit of the control device, a user interface (UI) corresponding to the operation mode from among a plurality of UIs for controlling the broadcast receiver based on the received information in response to identifying that the control device is in the vertical mode; and

displaying, on the touch display unit, a content received from the broadcast receiver, in a full screen size of the touch display unit, in response to identifying that the control device is in the horizontal mode, the content being a same content which is currently displayed on a screen of the broadcast receiver.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising requesting and receiving a screen information from the broadcast receiver in the horizontal mode,

wherein the screen information comprises an information regarding the content which is currently displayed on the screen of the broadcast receiver.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sensing comprises sensing the orientation using a gyro sensor.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the identifying comprises:

when the orientation is a vertical direction with respect to the user, identifying a control mode as the vertical mode, and

when the orientation is a horizontal direction with respect to the user, identifying the control mode as the horizontal mode.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the displaying the UI comprises displaying a pre-stored UI window corresponding to the operation mode of the broadcast receiver in the vertical mode.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

when a touch input for controlling the broadcast receiver is input through the touch display unit, transmitting a control command corresponding to the touch input to the broadcast receiver.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium where a program which controls a broadcast receiver using a control device is stored, wherein the program, when executed by a computer, is configured to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

controlling a sensor to sense an orientation of the control device being held by a user;

identifying whether the control device is in a vertical mode or a horizontal mode based on the orientation sensed by the sensor;

receiving information regarding an operation mode of the broadcast receiver;

displaying, on a touch display unit of the control device, a user interface (UI) corresponding to the operation mode from among a plurality of UIs for controlling the broadcast receiver based on the received information in response to identifying that the control device is in the vertical mode; and

displaying, on the touch display unit, a content received from the broadcast receiver, in a full screen size of the touch display unit, in response to identifying that the control device is in the horizontal mode, the content being a same content which is currently displayed on a screen of the broadcast receiver.