System and method for controlling an electronic device

• US 10,313,147 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kangmin, Cho, Hyungrae, Kweon, Jihyeon, Oh, Seokmin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/661,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A system and method for controlling an electronic device based on a state of the electronic device and external information. A system includes an electronic device for providing a search word; a server for providing operation information for operating the electronic device based on the search word; and a managing device for acquiring the operation information corresponding to the search word, and controlling the electronic device based on the acquired operation information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic device by a managing device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the managing device, a search word for identifying a task to be performed using the electronic device and situation information of the electronic device;

acquiring, by the managing device, operation information associated with a function of the electronic device based on the received search word;

generating, by the managing device, a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods determined based on the situation information of the electronic device and the acquired operation information; and

controlling, by the managing device, the electronic device to perform the task based on the generated schedule,

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the acquired operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words, which is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words as the plurality of search words are received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the operation information comprises one of:

searching operation information stored in the managing device based on the received search word; and

transferring the received search word to a server and receiving the acquired operation information based on the search word from the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the generated schedule in a memory of the managing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the search word comprises receiving the search word via an input in the managing device or an input in a terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the acquired operation information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein outputting the acquired operation information comprises outputting the acquired operation information through at least one of a display included in the managing device and a display unit included in a terminal.

8. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, by a terminal, a search word for identifying a task to be performed using the electronic device and situation information of the electronic device;

transmitting, by the terminal, the received search word to a managing device;

transmitting, by the managing device, the search word to a server;

acquiring, by the server, operation information of the electronic device based on the search word;

transmitting, by the server, the acquired operation information associated with a function of the electronic device to the managing device;

generating, by the managing device, a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods determined based on the situation information of the electronic device and the acquired operation information; and

controlling, by the managing device, an operation of the electronic device to perform the task based on the generated schedule,

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the acquired operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words, which is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words as the plurality of search words are received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a communication unit for transmitting, to a managing device, a search word for identifying a task to be performed using the electronic device and situation information of the electronic device, and receiving a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods from the managing device; and

a controller for controlling an operation of the another electronic device to perform the task based on the schedule,

wherein the schedule is generated based on the situation information of the electronic device and operation information associated with a function of the electronic device acquired by the managing device, and

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words, which is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words as the plurality of search words are received.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising an input for receiving the search word.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task, and

wherein the operation information of the electronic device acquired by the managing device.

13. A managing device comprising:

a communication unit for receiving a search word for identifying a task to be performed using an electronic device and situation information of the electronic device, and receiving operation information of the electronic device corresponding to the search word; and

a device management controller for acquiring the operation information associated with a function of the electronic device based on the search word, generating a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods determined based on the situation information of the electronic device and the acquired operation information, and controlling the electronic device to perform the task based on the generated schedule,

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the acquired operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words as the plurality of search words are received.

14. The managing device of claim 13, further comprising a memory for storing the operation information.

15. The managing device of claim 13, further comprising an input for receiving the search word.

16. The managing device of claim 13, wherein the device management controller acquires the operation information by searching operation information corresponding to the search word, or by transmitting the search word to a sever and receiving the operation information from the server, searched based on the search word, and

wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task.

17. A terminal comprising:

an input for receiving a search word for identifying a task to be performed using an electronic device and situation information of the electronic device;

a radio frequency communication unit for transferring the received search word to a managing device, and receiving operation information associated with a function of the electronic device corresponding to the search word from the managing device; and

a terminal controller for controlling the electronic device to perform the task based on a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods,

wherein the schedule is generated based on the situation information of the electronic device and the received operation information,

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the received operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words, which is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words.

18. The terminal of claim 17, wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task, and

wherein the operation information of the electronic device is searched based on the search word by the managing device or by a server.

19. The terminal of claim 17, further comprising a terminal display for displaying of the received operation information and an operating situation of the electronic device depending on the search word.

20. A system comprising:

a terminal for providing a search word for identifying a task to be performed using an electronic device and situation information of the electronic device; and

a managing device for acquiring operation information of the electronic device corresponding to the search word, generating a schedule of the electronic device including an operation state of the electronic device to be performed by time periods determined based on the situation information of the electronic device and the acquired operation information associated with a function of the electronic device, and controlling the electronic device to perform the task based on the generated schedule,

wherein the situation information includes a home schedule of when a user is home, electric charges by time periods, and weather, and

wherein the acquired operation information comprises an operation information associated with a function for a plurality of search words, which is acquired by comparing a situation information and a function of the electronic device for each of the plurality of search words as the plurality of search words are received.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the managing device acquires the operation information by searching operation information corresponding to the search word, or by transmitting the search word to a sever and receiving the operation information, from the server, searched by the server based on the search word, and

wherein the operation information of the electronic device includes information of an item to perform the task.