Integrated remote controller and method of selecting device controlled thereby

• US 20070013775A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Jin
• Application Number:
  US11/415,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013775A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/114
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

An integrated remote controller and a method of selecting a device controlled thereby are disclosed. The present invention is implemented such that it can store position data of devices to be controlled by the integrated remote controller; recognize devices around the integrated remote controller and displaying the devices; determine as to whether an angular velocity of the integrated remote controller is varied, if the recognized devices are plural; if the angular velocity is varied, sense movement direction of the integrated remote controller based on the angular velocity to search for a device to be controlled by a user; and display a control menu of the device to be controlled by the user.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing control devices of an integrated remote controller which displays icons of identified devices, comprising:

storing images of various types of devices as picture data;

taking images of the devices by a camera;

comparing images outputted from the camera with the picture data, and identifying the devices whose picture was taken by the camera; and

displaying icons of the identified devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture data includes images which are obtained in a state wherein pattern marks are attached onto the various types of devices, and wherein, when the pattern marks are searched in the image outputted from the camera, the pattern marks are compared with a plurality of pattern marks of the devices in the picture data, and the device whose picture was taken by the camera is identified.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture data includes images which are obtained in a state wherein color marks are attached onto the various types of devices, and wherein, when the color marks are searched in the image outputted from the camera, the color marks are compared with a plurality of color marks of the devices in the picture data, and the device whose picture was taken by the camera is identified.

4. An integrated remote controller comprising:

a recognition data storage unit to store picture data of devices which was obtained previously;

a controller to compare the images taken by a camera with picture data stored in the recognition data storage unit, such that the device in the image can be recognized; and

a display unit to display the recognized device.

5. The integrated remote controller of claim 4, wherein the picture data includes images which are obtained in a state wherein pattern marks or color marks are attached onto the various types of devices, and wherein, when the pattern marks or color marks are searched in the image outputted from the camera, the pattern marks or color marks are compared with a plurality of pattern marks or a plurality of color marks of the devices in the picture data, and the device whose picture was taken by the camera is identified.

6. The integrated remote controller of claim 4, wherein the controller restricts a range of picture recognition if the number of devices whose picture was taken by the camera is over the reference number, such that only the reference number of the devices can be displayed on the display.

7. An integrated remote controller comprising:

a transmitting/receiving unit to receive device identification signals transmitted from at least one device;

a recognition data storage unit to store the identification signals of the at least one device;

a controller to compare the transmitted identification signals with the identification signals stored in the recognition data storage unit, such that the device for the transmitted identification signal can be identified; and

a display unit to display the device identified by the controller.

8. The integrated remote controller of claim 7, wherein the identification signals comprises an identification number.

9. The integrated remote controller of claim 7, wherein the transmitting/receiving unit receives the device identification signals from the at least one device, if they transmit identification request signals to the plurality of devices.

10. The integrated remote controller of claim 7, wherein the controller receives the device identification signals periodically.

11. An integrated remote controller comprising:

a transmitting/receiving unit to perform communication with respective transmitting/receiving devices;

a recognition data storage unit to store a list of devices in which the respective transmitting/receiving devices are installed;

a controller to search for a device in which one of the transmitting/receiving devices is installed, based on the list, in which the transmitting/receiving device is connected to the transmitting/receiving unit; and

a display unit to display the device searched by the controller.

12. A method to recognize control devices of an integrated remote controller comprising:

receiving a device identification signals transmitted from at least one of a plurality of devices; and

comparing the received identification signals of the respective devices, which are in device identification signals, with stored identification signals, to identify the device transmitting the device identification signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the identified device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the device identification signals comprise an identification number.

15. A method to recognize control devices of an integrated remote controller comprising:

storing a list of devices in indoor spaces in which respective transmitting/receiving devices are installed;

recognizing one of the respective transmitting/receiving devices, in which the RF transmitting/receiving device is connected to the integrated remote controller;

searching for a device in which the transmitting/receiving device connected to the integrated remote controller is installed, based on the list; and

displaying the searched device.

16. An integrated remote controller comprising:

a picture-taking unit to take devices pictures of devices around the integrated remote controller;

a recognition data storage unit to store picture data, which is obtained by taking the devices pictures, and position data of the devices;

an angular velocity sensor to sense variation of an angular velocity when the integrated remote controller moves its position;

a controller to compare images taken by the picture taking unit with picture data stored in the recognition data storage unit, to recognize the device whose picture was taken, and recognizing a device to be controlled by the user, using the angular velocity sensed by the angular velocity sensor and the position data, if the recognized devices are plural; and

a display unit to display the device recognized by the controller or a control menu of the device to be controlled by the user.

17. The integrated remote controller of claim 16, wherein the controller serves to sense movement direction of the integrated remote controller based on the angular velocity, and search for a device in the movement direction based on the position data to select the device as a device to be controlled by the user.

18. The integrated remote controller of claim 17, wherein the controller searches for movement direction of the integrated remote controller when the magnitude of the angular velocity sensed by the angular velocity sensor is over a reference value.

19. The integrated remote controller of claim 16, wherein the controller restricts a range of picture recognition, if the number of the devices whose picture was taken by the picture taking unit is over a reference number, such that only the reference number of the devices can be displayed on the display.

20. An integrated remote controller comprising:

a communication unit to perform bi-directional communication with devices around the integrated remote controller;

a recognition data storage unit to store position data of the devices;

an angular velocity sensor to sense variation of angular velocity when the integrated remote controller moves its position;

a controller to recognize devices located around the integrated remote controller based on device identification signals transmitted from the devices, and recognizing devices to be controlled by the user, using the angular velocity sensed by the angular velocity sensor and the position data if the recognized devices are plural; and

a display unit to display the devices recognized by the controller or a control menu of the devices to be controlled by the user.

21. The integrated remote controller of claim 20, wherein the controller serves to sense the movement direction of the integrated remote controller based on the angular velocity, and select the device in the movement direction of the integrated remote controller as a device to be controlled by the user, based on the position data.

22. The integrated remote controller of claim 21, wherein the controller searches for the movement direction of the integrated remote controller when the magnitude of the angular velocity sensed by the angular velocity sensor is over a reference value.

23. The integrated remote controller of claim 20, wherein the communication unit includes an infrared transmitting/receiving unit or an RF transmitting/receiving unit.

24. A method to select control devices of an integrated remote controller comprising:

storing position data of devices to be controlled by the integrated remote controller;

recognizing devices around the integrated remote controller and displaying the devices;

determining as to whether an angular velocity of the integrated remote controller is varied, if the recognized devices are plural;

if the angular velocity is varied, sensing movement direction of the integrated remote controller based on the angular velocity to search for a device to be controlled by a user; and

displaying a control menu of the device to be controlled by the user.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recognizing a device located in the movement direction of the integrated remote controller referring to the position data, if the movement direction of the integrated remote controller is sensed, to select the device as a device to be controlled by the user.

26. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the recognizing operation is performed such that a picture taking unit of the integrated remote controller takes pictures of the devices, or an infrared transmitting/receiving unit of the integrated remote controller receives device identification signals of the devices, or an RF transmitting/receiving unit receives ID numbers of an RF transmitting/receiving device which is connected to the RF transmitting/receiving unit.

27. A method to recognize control devices of an integrated remote controller which displays icons of identified devices, comprising:

storing images of various types of devices as picture data;

receiving images of the devices;

comparing received images the picture data; and

identifying the devices.