Mobile terminal and method for controlling camera-mounted external device

• US 10,540,073 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Junsoo, Oh, Joohyeon, Park, Jungmin, Kim, Hyunju
• Primary Examiner(s): Blaufeld, Justin R.
• Application Number:
  US15/024,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,310 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a mobile terminal comprising: a wireless communication unit for receiving an image acquired by a camera mounted on an external device; a display unit for outputting the image and receiving a first touch input that is continuously applied for transmitting a wireless signal for changing the capturing range of the camera; and a control unit for switching the image to a control screen for receiving a second touch input for controlling the external device when the capturing range of the camera based on the first touch input reaches a preset limited range. The control unit controls the display unit to switch the image to the control screen in a continuous manner on the basis of the direction of the continuous first touch input.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit capable of receiving an image obtained by a camera mounted on an external device wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal;

a display unit capable of outputting the image, and receiving a first touch input applied thereto to transmit a wireless signal for changing a capturing range of the camera; and

a controller capable of;

switching the image into a control screen adapted to receive a second touch input for controlling the external device, when the capturing range of the camera reaches a preset limit, and

in response to receiving the second touch input, controlling the external device without changing the capturing range of the camera or otherwise moving the camera,

wherein the controller controls the display unit to switch the image into the control screen in a continuous form based on a direction of the applied first touch input, and

wherein the controller controls the display unit to enlarge the image captured by the camera when a touch input is applied to the image captured by the camera.

2. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a memory capable of storing at least one image obtained by the camera.

3. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the control screen corresponds to a first control screen including a shape of an appearance of the external device and button images for controlling the external device.

4. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the control screen corresponds to a second control screen including an image associated with internal structures of the external device, and button images for receiving touch inputs to control the respective internal structures, so as to control the external device.

5. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the controller, when the second touch input is continuously applied to the display unit in an output state of the first control screen, controls the display unit to output a second control screen, the second control screen including an image associated with internal structures of the external device, and button images for receiving touch inputs to control the respective internal structures.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display unit to switch the control screen back into the image, in response to a third touch input applied to the display unit in an output state of the control screen.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller controls the wireless communication unit to transmit a control signal so that the external device controls an operation of the camera, based on the third touch input, and

wherein the controller controls the wireless communication unit to receive an image captured by the camera, starting from one limit selected based on the third touch input.

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller controls the wireless communication unit to receive an image captured in a second direction, opposite to a first direction, based on a third touch input continuously applied in the first direction.

9. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller controls the display unit to restrict an output of a partial region of the control screen when the control screen is moved in response to the third touch input, and

wherein the display unit outputs an image obtained by the camera, continuously with one edge of the control screen.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller generates a control command for zooming the camera in based on an applied region of a fourth touch input, when the fourth touch input is applied to the image, and

wherein the controller controls the display unit to output a third control screen for controlling another device included in the image when the fourth touch input is continuously applied.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display unit to gradually adjust transparency of the image or gradually adjust an output region of the image while the image is switched into the control screen.

12. A control system, comprising:

an external device including a camera, the camera being capable of generating an image by capturing an external environment; and

a mobile terminal capable of receiving the image,

wherein the external device is wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal,

wherein the mobile terminal comprises;

a wireless communication unit capable of receiving a wireless signal associated with the image;

a display unit capable of outputting the image and receiving a first touch input for adjusting a capturing range of the camera; and

a controller capable of controlling the display unit to output a control screen when the capturing range reaches a limit, the control screen being adapted to receive a second touch input for controlling the external device,

wherein in response to receiving the second touch input, the controller is configured to control the external device without changing the capturing range of the camera or otherwise moving the camera, and

wherein the controller controls the display unit to enlarge the image captured by the camera when a touch input is applied to the image captured by the camera.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the touch input applied to the display unit corresponds to a control command for zooming the camera in for enlarging an image of the external device.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the touch input applied to the display unit corresponds to a control command for zooming the camera out, and

wherein the control screen includes at least one control image for receiving a touch input to control the external device.

15. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving an image obtained by a camera mounted on an external device wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal;

outputting the image on a display unit;

transmitting a wireless signal for changing a capturing range of the camera, in response to a first touch input applied to the display unit;

outputting an image according to the changed capturing range;

switching the image into a control screen adapted to receive a second touch input for controlling the external device, when the capturing range reaches a limit;

controlling the external device without changing the capturing range of the camera or otherwise moving the camera in response to receiving the second touch input; and

enlarging the image captured by the camera when a touch input is applied to the image captured by the camera.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting a control command based on the second touch input to the external device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising switching the control screen back into the image when the first touch input is continuously applied while the control screen is output.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the display unit is controlled to switch the control screen back into the image, in response to a third touch input different from the first touch input, while the control screen is output, and

wherein the first and third touch inputs are applied onto the display unit in opposite directions to each other.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the display unit is controlled to switch the control screen back into the image, in response to a third touch input different from the first touch input, while the control screen is output, and

wherein the first and third touch inputs applied to the display unit during the output of the image correspond to control commands for zooming in and zooming out the camera, respectively.