Apparatus and method of interacting with a mobile phone using a TV system

• US 20030040334A1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Kyung
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of interacting with a mobile telephone are disclosed. The apparatus includes a remote control unit receiving a user command from a user and remotely transmitting the user command. It further includes a TV system recognizing the user command as a telephone function command and transmitting the function command to the mobile telephone if the user sets the TV system to Telephone Mode. The TV system further outputting an output data set received from the mobile telephone in response to the transmitted function command. Using the present invention, a user is able to interact with a mobile telephone using an interactive TV system by displaying the text/image data received from the telephone and by inputting various telephone function commands using a remote control unit. Upon receiving a function command from the TV system, the output data that the mobile telephone generates in response to the function command is transmitted to the TV system. Finally, the display unit of the TV system displays the text/image data and the speaker outputs the sound data. as a result, the user is able to conveniently interact with the mobile telephone using the display unit and the speaker of the TV system with a remotely control unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus of interacting with a mobile telephone, the apparatus comprising:

a remote control unit receiving a user command from a user and remotely transmitting said user command; and

a TV system connected to said mobile telephone, said TV system recognizing said user command remotely received from said remote control unit as a telephone function command and transmitting said function command to said mobile telephone if said TV system is set to a telephone mode by said user, said TV system further outputting an output data set received from said mobile telephone in response to said transmitted function command.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said TV system includes a display unit displaying text or image data included in said output data set.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said display unit initially displays a telephone key index if said TV system is set to said telephone mode in order to provide button information of said remote control unit in said telephone mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said TV system further includes a speaker outputting sound data included in said output data set.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said TV system recognizes said user command remotely received from said remote control unit as a TV function command and performing a corresponding TV function without transmitting any command to said mobile telephone if said TV system is set to a TV mode by said user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said user sets said TV system to said telephone mode or said TV mode by pressing a corresponding mode button provided on said remote control unit or on a key panel of said TV system.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said TV system includes a display unit displaying text or image data included in said output data set.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said display unit initially displays a TV key index if said TV system is set to said TV mode in order to provide button information of said remote control unit in said TV mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mobile telephone includes

a TV interface unit interfacing with said television system for receiving said function command from said TV system and transmitting said output data set to said TV system, and

a controller generating a control signal for generating said output data set in response to said function command and transmitting said generated output data set to said TV system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said TV system includes

a remote-control interface unit receiving said user command from said remote control unit,

a telephone interface unit interfacing with said mobile telephone for transmitting said function command to said mobile telephone and receiving said output data set from said mobile telephone,

a microcomputer generating a control signal for outputting said output data set received from said mobile telephone,

a video/audio signal processor combining text or image data included in said output data set with an original image data according to said control signal, and

a display unit displaying said combined data.

11. A method of interacting with a mobile telephone using a TV system with a remote control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a telephone key index on a TV display unit of said TV system if said TV system is set to a telephone mode by a user;

(b) receiving a first user command from said user through said remote control unit;

(c) recognizing said first user command as a telephone function command and transmitting said function command to said mobile telephone; and

(d) receiving an output data set that said mobile telephone generates in response to said transmitted function command and displaying image or text data included in said output data set on said TV display unit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step outputting sound data included in said output data set through a speaker.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of repeating the steps (b) to (d) until said user inputs no further user command.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of undisplaying said telephone key index from said TV display unit when said user inputs no further user command.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said telephone key index includes a mode indicator indicating whether said TV system is set to said telephone mode.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a TV key index on said TV display unit if said TV system is set to a TV mode by said user;

receiving a second user command from said user through said remote control unit; and

recognizing said second user command as a TV function command and performing a corresponding TV function without transmitting any command to said mobile telephone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said TV key index includes a mode indicator indicating whether said TV system is currently set to said TV mode.

18. A method of interacting with a TV system with a remote control unit for a mobile telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

checking whether said mobile telephone is connected to said TV system;

receiving a telephone function command that said TV system generates in response to a user command received from a user through said remote control unit; and

generating an output data set in response to said received function command and transmitting said output data set to said TV system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said output data set includes at least one of text, image, and sound data that said mobile telephone generates in response to said function command received from said TV system.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

checking whether any one of text, voice, and image messages is newly received from a message sender; and

transmitting said newly received message to said TV system.