CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090313578A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOO, Soung-min, ROH, Yeon-hee, KO, Chang-seog
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A control device which controls a device is disclosed. The control device can be connected to at least one external device, and includes a display unit which generates and displays a frame; and a control unit which controls the display unit to add at least one frame corresponding to each of the at least one external device or to pre-installed applications. The control unit further controls the display unit to display corresponding content in each frame.

Claims

1. A control device, which is connectable to at least one external device, the control device comprising:

a display unit which generates and displays a current frame; and

a control unit which controls the display unit to generate and display additional frames corresponding to each of the at least one external device or pre-installed applications and display content corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications in each additional frame.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to reduce a size of the current frame and display the additional frames corresponding to each of the external devices or the pre-installed applications on at least one side of the reduced frame.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to reproduce within the each additional frame either content of the at least one external device or of the pre-installed applications corresponding to the additional frame, or a content list for the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications corresponding to the additional frame.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to arrange and display the current frame and the additional frames in a row.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit navigates among the arranged frames according to a user input.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display the arranged frames in a three-dimensional array, so that the arranged frames overlap each other in a sequence according to contents recently accessed by the at least one external device and the pre-installed applications.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit navigates up and down or right and left among the arranged frames.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein, if one of the arranged frames is selected, the control unit enlarges and displays the selected frame to cover an entire screen.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control unit controls an operation of one of the at least one external devices or pre-installed applications corresponding to the selected frame.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

an input unit which receives a user command,

wherein at least one of a number of displayed frames, a deletion of a displayed frame, an addition of a displayed frame, a size of a displayed frame, and an order of display of displayed frames is set through the input unit.

11. A control method of a control device, which is connectable to at least one external device, the control method comprising:

generating and displaying a current frame;

generating and displaying additional frames corresponding to each of the at least one external device or pre-installed applications according to content included in the devices; and

displaying, in each frame, content corresponding to each of the at least one external devices or the pre-installed applications.

12. The control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the generating and displaying additional frames comprises:

reducing a size of the current frame; and

displaying the additional frames, corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications, on at least one side of the reduced frame.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

arranging and displaying the current frame and the additional frames in a row.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising navigating among the arranged frames according to a user input.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the arranged frames are displayed in a three-dimensional array, so that the arranged frames overlap each other in a sequence according to contents recently accessed by the at least one external device and the pre-installed applications.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising navigating up and down or right and left among the arranged frames.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

if one of the arranged frames is selected, enlarging and displaying the selected frame so as to cover an entire screen.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

controlling an operation of one of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications corresponding to the selected frame.

19. A computer recording medium including an execution program for executing a control method of a control device, which is connectable to at least one external device, the control method comprising:

generating and displaying a current frame;

generating and displaying additional frames corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications according to content included in the devices; and

displaying, in each frame, content corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications.

20. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 19, wherein the generating and displaying additional frames comprises:

reducing a size of the current frame; and

displaying the additional frames, corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications, on at least one side of the reduced frame.

21. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 19, wherein the displaying, in each frame, content corresponding to each of the at least one external device or the pre-installed applications comprises arranging and displaying the current frame and the additional frames in a row.

22. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the arranged frames are displayed in a three-dimensional array, so that the arranged frames overlap each other in a sequence according to contents recently accessed by the at least one external device and the pre-installed applications.

23. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the control method further comprises:

navigating up and down or right and left among the arranged frames.

24. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 22, wherein the control method further comprises:

if one of the arranged frames is selected, enlarging and displaying the selected frame so as to cover an entire screen.

25. The computer recording medium as claimed in claim 24, wherein the control method further comprises:

controlling content of a pre-installed application corresponding to the selected frame.