Remote control apparatus of wireless communication terminal and method for performing function thereof

• US 20070057762A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Ki-Tae, Oh, Gi-Sok, Han, Seung-Jea
• Application Number:
  US11/496,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.260
• 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 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote control apparatus of a wireless communication terminal and a method for performing a function thereof. The apparatus includes an input unit for selecting remote control target equipment, and inputting a remote control command; a controller for setting a remote control mode for remotely controlling the remote control target equipment, informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled, enabling the remote control target equipment to perform initialization, and detecting input through the input unit as input of the remote control command in the remote control mode; and a transceiver for generating a message for informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled or a wireless signal corresponding to the remote control command and transmitting the generated message or wireless signal to the remote control target equipment, or receiving a wireless signal from the remote control target equipment.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus in a wireless communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an input unit for selecting remote control target equipment, and inputting a remote control command;

a controller for, upon detection of the selection, setting a remote control mode for remotely controlling the remote control target equipment, informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled, enabling the remote control target equipment to perform initialization, and detecting input through the input unit as an input of the remote control command in the remote control mode; and

a transceiver for generating a message for informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled or a wireless signal corresponding to the remote control command and transmitting the generated message or wireless signal to the remote control target equipment, or receiving a wireless signal from the remote control target equipment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote control target equipment is a digital broadcasting receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wireless signal is a Bluetooth signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a display unit for displaying EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information received from the digital broadcasting receiver through the transceiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the input unit includes a keypad having a plurality of keys.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the input unit includes a display unit including a touch pad, the display unit for an input screen including a plurality of key.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the input unit displays a remote controller user-interface menu to enable selection of the digital broadcasting receiver as the remote control target equipment, and displays a model name menu of the digital broadcasting receiver to enable a model selection of the digital broadcasting receiver.

8. A remote control apparatus in a wireless communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an input unit for selecting a digital broadcasting receiver as remote control target equipment, and inputting a remote control command;

a controller for, upon detection of the selection, setting a remote control mode for remotely controlling the remote control target equipment, informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled, enabling the remote control target equipment to perform initialization, and detecting input through the input unit as input of the remote control command in the remote control mode;

a transmitter for generating a first wireless signal corresponding to the remote control command detected by the controller, and transmitting the generated first wireless signal to the remote control target equipment; and

a transceiver for generating a message of informing the remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled or a second wireless signal corresponding to the remote control command and transmitting the generated message or second wireless signal to the remote control target equipment, or receiving a second wireless signal from the remote control target equipment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the remote control target equipment is the digital broadcasting receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the input unit displays a uni-direction/bi-direction communication mode menu and enables selection of a communication mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, after the second wireless signal for informing to be remotely controlled is transmitted to the digital broadcasting receiver, the controller automatically converts to a uni-direction communication mode and performs remote control, if a response from the digital broadcasting receiver is not received.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication terminal is a wireless telephone.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication terminal is a wireless telephone.

14. A method for performing a remote control function of a wireless communication terminal, the method comprising:

checking whether any remote control target equipment is selected;

upon detection of the selection, displaying a uni-direction/bi-direction communication mode menu;

upon selection of the uni-direction communication mode menu, displaying a user interface for performing the remote control function;

upon selection of the bi-direction communication mode menu, informing the selected remote control target equipment to be remotely controlled, and displaying a user-interface for performing the remote control function;

upon detection of channel selection through the user interface, informing the remote control target equipment of the channel selection; and

when a channel is tuned, in a bi-direction communication mode, displaying information received from the remote control target equipment together with the user-interface for performing the remote control function.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of checking whether any remote control target equipment is selected includes:

displaying a remote controller user interface menu showing remote control target equipments and

upon user'"'"'s selection of specific remote control target equipment from the displayed menu, detecting the user'"'"'s selection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the remote control target equipment includes the digital broadcasting receiver.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the uni-direction communication mode includes an infrared light communication mode, and the bi-direction communication mode includes a Bluetooth communication mode.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication terminal includes a wireless telephone.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein digital broadcasting channel information is displayed together with the user interface for performing the remote control function.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein, if a response to the informing is not received from the selected remote control target equipment, conversion to a uni-direction communication mode is performed, and the user-interface for performing the remote control function is displayed.