CONTROLLING DEVICE, CONTROLLED DEVICE, CONTROLLING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CONTROLLING AUTHORITY

• US 20110054641A1
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hur, Se-huhn
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/20
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways

Abstract

Systems and method for controlling a device are provided, including at least one controlling device and at least one controlled device. The controlling system includes a first controlling device which has controlling authority over the controlled device and a second controlling device which requests and receives the controlling authority over the controlled device from the first controlling device. Therefore, a controlling device may more easily and intuitively receive controlling authority from other devices.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a device, comprising:

a controlled device;

a first controlling device which has controlling authority for controlling the controlled device; and

a second controlling device which requests the controlled device to provide the controlling authority for the controlled device to the second controlling device, and which receives the controlling authority for the controlled device from the controlled device.

2. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein the controlled device determines whether to provide the controlling authority to the second controlling device.

3. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein the controlled device sends a request to the first controlling device to retrieve the controlling authority, and if the first controlling device does not respond to the request for retrieving the controlling authority, the controlled device provides the controlling authority to the second controlling device.

4. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein if the second controlling device requests the controlled device to provide the controlling authority, the controlled device transmits a message indicating that the controlling authority has been requested to at least one of the first controlling device and the second controlling device.

5. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein if the controlling authority is provided to the second controlling device, the controlled device transmits a message indicating that the controlling authority has been provided to the second controlling device to at least one of the first controlling device and the second controlling device.

6. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein if the first controlling device does not approve the request, the first controlling device transmits a message indicating disapproval of the retrieval of the controlling authority to at least one of the controlled device and the second controlling device.

7. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein the controlled device stores information regarding a state of ownership of the controlling authority for the controlled device.

8. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein if the second controlling device possesses information that an owner of the controlling authority for the controlled device is the first controlling device, the second controlling device requests the first controlling device to provide the controlling authority.

9. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein the first controlling device or the second controlling device displays a list of devices on a screen which are capable of being controlled by the first controlling device or the second controlling device, respectively, and wherein the first controlling device or second controlling device selects the controlled device from the list, and requests the selected controlled device to provide the controlling authority.

10. The system for controlling a device according to claim 1, wherein if the controlling authority is provided to the second controlling device, the first controlling device is deprived of the controlling authority.

11. A controlled device which is controlled by at least one controlling device, the controlled device comprising:

a transceiver receiving requests from one or more controlling devices to provide controlling authority for the controlled device;

a storage unit storing information regarding a state of ownership of the controlling authority; and

a controlling unit locating a device possessing the controlling authority based on the information regarding a state of ownership of the controlling authority, receiving the controlling authority from the located device possessing the controlling authority, and transmitting the controlling authority to the controlling device which requested the controlling authority.

12. A controlling device for controlling a controlled device, the controlling device comprising:

a transceiver which is requested to provide a controlling authority for the controlled device; and

a controlling unit which determines whether or not to provide the controlling authority and transmits a message to the controlled device indicating whether the controlling authority will be provided or denied.

13. A method for providing controlling authority, comprising:

receiving a request for providing controlling authority for a controlled device;

locating a device which possesses the controlling authority;

receiving the controlling authority from the device possessing the controlling authority; and

providing the controlling authority to a device which has requested the controlling authority.

14. The method for providing controlling authority according to claim 13, further comprising locating the device which possesses the controlling authority based on information regarding a state of ownership of the controlling authority for the controlled device.

15. A system for controlling a device, comprising:

a controlled device;

a first controlling device which has controlling authority for controlling the controlled device; and

a second controlling device which requests the first controlling device provide the controlling authority for the controlled device to the second controlling device, and which receives the controlling authority for the controlled device from the first controlling device.

16. The system for controlling a device according to claim 15, wherein the first controlling device determines whether to provide the controlling authority to the second controlling device.

17. The system for controlling a device according to claim 15, wherein if the first controlling device does not respond to the request for retrieving the controlling authority, the controlled device provides the controlling authority to the second controlling device.

18. A system for transferring control of a device between controlling devices, the system comprising:

at least two controlling devices capable of controlling a controlled device, wherein one of the at least two controlling devices possesses a controlling authority over the controlled device; and

a transferring unit which transfers the controlling authority over the controlled device from one controlling device to another controlling device at the request of one of the controlling devices.

19. A method for transferring control of a device between controlling devices, the method comprising:

determining possession of a controlling authority by a first controlling device which controls a controlled device;

requesting the controlling device with the controlling authority to transfer the controlling authority to a second controlling device; and

transferring the controlling authority from the first controlling device to the second controlling device.