CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090320024A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YU, Seung-dong, CHANG, Woo-yong, PARK, Eun-hee, KIM, Dae-hyun, HWANG, Chang-hwan, EOM, Ju-il
• Application Number:
  US12/365,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20090320024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 for displaying a menu generated based on the media included in the devices within a home network. The control device includes a media information collection unit which collects information on media that can be processed by devices within a home network, a control unit which generates a task list for tasks that can be performed based on the collected information, and a display unit which displays the generated task list. A user thereby may control the devices within a home network using the menu generated based on the media included in the devices, making it possible to improve convenience to the user.

Claims

1. A control device, comprising:

a media information collection unit which collects information on media that is processed by devices within a home network;

a control unit which generates a task list for tasks that are performed based on the collected information; and

a display unit which displays the generated task list.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the collected information includes information on types of media, the display unit displays the tasks using icons corresponding to each type of media.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a task is selected from the task list, the control unit controls processing operations for the media corresponding to the selected task.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when a device that can perform the selected task has a plurality of operational modes, the control unit controls the device to operate in an operational mode corresponding to the selected task.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media information collection unit collects information on media periodically or according to user commands, and the control unit updates the task list according to the collected information.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit collects information on types of media included in the devices to generate the task list.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit collects titles of content included in the respective devices to generate the task list.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media information collection unit collects the information on the media included in the devices by receiving the information on the media directly from the devices.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media information collection unit collects the information on the media included in the devices by receiving the information on the media indirectly from one of the devices.

10. A control method, comprising:

collecting information on media that is processed by devices within a home network;

generating a task list for tasks that are performed based on the collected information; and

displaying the generated task list.

11. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the displaying the generated task list comprises displaying the tasks using icons corresponding to each type of media, when the collected information includes types of media,

12. The control method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

controlling processing operations for the media corresponding to a selected task, when a task is selected from the task list.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controlling of the processing operations comprises controlling a device to operate in an operational mode corresponding to the selected task, when the device that can perform the selected task has a plurality of operational modes.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the collecting of the information comprises collecting information on media periodically or according to user commands, and the generating of the task list comprises updating the task list according to the collected information.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the generating of the task list comprises collecting information on the types of media in the devices to generate the task list.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the generating of the task list comprises collecting titles of content included in the devices to generate the task list.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the collecting of the information comprises collecting the information on the media included in the devices by receiving the information on the media directly from the devices.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the collecting of the information comprises collecting the information on the media included in the devices by receiving the information on the media indirectly from one of the devices.