Method for controlling nearby electronic device based on user status and electronic device thereof

• US 10,401,807 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jo, Han-Kyung, Kim, Do-Yoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Ly D
• Application Number:
  US14/952,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20160154392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 700 12
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for operating an electronic device. A status of a user wearing the electronic device is determined using a sensor disposed in the electronic device. An operational status of a nearby electronic device is wirelessly controlled according to the status.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying, by a wearable electronic device, a motion status of a user wearing the wearable electronic device using a sensor disposed in the wearable electronic device, wherein the motion status of the user comprises at least one of a sleep status, a wake-up status, an exercise status, and a movement status of the user;

in response to identifying the motion status of the user, identifying a subcategory status of the identified motion status of the user wearing the wearable electronic device, wherein the subcategory status includes a more detailed user status of the identified motion status;

detecting, by the wearable electronic device, a nearby electronic device;

determining an appropriate control for the nearby electronic device according to the identified motion status and the identified subcategory status; and

wirelessly controlling, by the wearable electronic device, an operational status of the nearby electronic device according to the appropriate control,

wherein the subcategory status of the sleep status includes one of a para-sleep status and an ortho-sleep status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the nearby electronic device includes at least one of a mobile electronic device, a home electronic device, and an automotive electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly controlling the operational status of the nearby electronic device comprises wirelessly controlling at least one of a power, a screen brightness, an audio level, and an alarm output of the nearby electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the nearby electronic device comprises:

automatically detecting the nearby electronic device through wireless communication with the wearable electronic device;

or

manually detecting the nearby electronic device based on a selection by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational status of the nearby electronic device is wirelessly controlled through at least one of BlueTooth (BT), WiFi, and WiFi-Direct.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to wirelessly controlling the operational status of the nearby electronic device, confirming the operational status of the nearby electronic device and storing the operational status in the wearable electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the identified motion status of the user is the sleep status, storing the identified motion status in the electronic device without displaying an indication at the wearable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, if the identified motion status of the user changes from the sleep status to the wake-up status, restoring the operational status of the nearby electronic device to a previous operational status that existed prior to the sleep status.

9. A wearable electronic device comprising:

a measurement module configured to identify a motion status of a user wearing the wearable electronic device;

a communication module configured to communicate with a nearby electronic device; and

a processor is configured to;

control the measurement module to identify the motion status of the user using a sensor disposed in the wearable electronic device, wherein the motion status of the user comprises at least one of a sleep status, a wake-up status, an exercise status, and a movement status of the user,

in response to identifying the motion status of the user, identify a subcategory status of the identified motion status of the user, wherein the subcategory status includes a more detailed user status of the identified motion status,

detect the nearby electronic device,

determine an appropriate control for the nearby electronic device according to the identified motion status and the identified subcategory status,

control the communication module to wirelessly control an operational status of the nearby electronic device according to the appropriate control,

wherein the subcategory status of the sleep status includes one of a para-sleep status and an ortho-sleep status.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein

the nearby electronic device includes at least one of a mobile electronic device, a home electronic device, and an automotive electronic device.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein, in wirelessly controlling the operational status of the nearby electronic device, the processor is further configured to wirelessly control at least one of a power, a screen brightness, an audio level, and an alarm output of the nearby electronic device.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the nearby electronic device is automatically detected through wireless communication with the wearable electronic device or is manually determined based on a selection by the user.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor wirelessly controls the operational status of the nearby electronic device through at least one of BlueTooth (BT), WiFi, and WiFi-Direct.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein, prior to wirelessly controlling the operational status of the nearby electronic device, the processor is further configured to confirm the operational status of the nearby electronic device and to store the operational status in the wearable electronic device.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein, if the identified motion status of the user is the sleep status, the processor is further configured to store the identified motion status in the wearable electronic device without displaying the identified motion status at the wearable electronic device, and

wherein, if the identified motion status of the user changes from the sleep status to the wake-up status, the processor is further configured to restore the operational status of the nearby electronic device to a previous operational status that existed prior to the sleep status.

16. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program for performing a method for operating a wearable electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying, by a wearable electronic device, a motion status of a user wearing the wearable electronic device using a sensor disposed in the wearable electronic device, wherein the motion status of the user comprises at least one of a sleep status, a wake-up status, an exercise status, and a movement status of the user;

in response to identifying the motion status of the user, identifying a subcategory status of the identified motion status of the user wearing the wearable electronic device, wherein the subcategory status includes a more detailed user status of the identified motion status;

detecting, by the wearable electronic device, a nearby electronic device;

determining an appropriate control for the nearby electronic device according to the identified motion status and the identified subcategory status; and

wirelessly controlling, by the wearable electronic device, an operational status of the nearby electronic device according to the appropriate control,

wherein the subcategory status of the sleep status includes one of a para-sleep status and an ortho-sleep status.