REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING OTHER DEVICES USING THE SAME

• US 20100103125A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• 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
• Application Number:
  US12/481,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control

Abstract

Provided is a method of controlling an electronic device by using a remote control device comprising a touch screen, the method including selecting one of a plurality of functions supported by the electronic device via the touch screen, sequentially displaying a plurality of user interfaces, usable for controlling the function selected with an input detected by the touch screen, one-by-one, and controlling the electronic device by using one of the plurality of user interfaces that are sequentially displayed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device by using a remote control device comprising a touch screen, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of functions supported by the electronic device via the touch screen;

sequentially displaying each of a plurality of user interfaces on the touch screen, the plurality of user interfaces being usable for controlling the selected function with an input detected by the touch screen; and

controlling the electronic device by using one of the plurality of user interfaces that are sequentially displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected function is a function of switching channels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of user interfaces includes at least two selected from a group comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down, a user interface for inputting channel numbers, and a user interface for displaying a list of channels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first user interface, which is either a most frequently used user interface or a user interface designated by a user in advance, is displayed first in the sequentially displaying of each of the plurality of user interfaces on the touch screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input detected by the touch screen is generated by touching the touch screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input detected by the touch screen is generated by sliding while maintaining touch from a first location to a second location across the touch screen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a task user interface which controls a function relevant to a task currently performed by the electronic device is further displayed on the touch screen when the plurality of user interfaces are sequentially displayed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, when the task is completed, the task user interface is no longer displayed on the touch screen.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a current one of the plurality of user interfaces being displayed on the touch screen is changed by generating a switch command detected by the touch screen, the switch command indicating a request for the touch screen to display another one of the plurality of user interfaces.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the switch command is generated by touching the touch screen.

9. A remote control device for controlling an electronic device, the remote control device comprising:

a touch screen which detects an input for selecting one of a plurality of functions supported by the electronic device and sequentially displays each of a plurality of user interfaces for controlling the selected function; and

a control unit which controls the electronic device through use of one of the plurality of user interfaces that are sequentially displayed.

10. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the selected function is a function of switching channels.

11. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of user interfaces includes at least two selected from a group comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down, a user interface for inputting channel numbers, and a user interface for displaying a list of channels.

12. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the touch screen displays a first user interface, which is either a most frequently used user interface or a user interface designated by a user in advance, first from among the plurality of user interfaces.

13. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the input detected by the touch screen is generated by touching the touch screen.

14. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the input detected by the touch screen is generated by sliding while maintaining touch from a first location to a second location across the touch screen.

15. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the touch screen further displays a task user interface which controls a function relevant to a task currently performed by the electronic device when the plurality of user interfaces are sequentially displayed.

16. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein, when the task is completed, the touch screen no longer displays the task user interface.

20. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein a current one of the plurality of user interfaces being displayed on the touch screen is changed by generating a switch command detected by the touch screen, the switch command indicating a request for the touch screen to display another one of the plurality of user interfaces.

21. The remote control device of claim 20, wherein the switch command is generated by touching the touch screen.

17. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing a method of controlling an electronic device by using a remote control device comprising a touch screen, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of functions supported by the electronic device via the touch screen;

sequentially displaying each of a plurality of user interfaces on the touch screen, the plurality of user interfaces being usable for controlling the selected function with an input detected by the touch screen; and

controlling the electronic device by using one of the plurality of user interfaces that are sequentially displayed.