ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140147124A1
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, In-beom
• Application Number:
  US13/968,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20140147124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/111
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/69 Electrical arrangements in the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

An electronic device and a control method thereof includes an infrared module which receives an infrared control signal having a predetermined section-specific waveform from an infrared transmitter; a switching unit which turns on/off the infrared module; and a controller which controls the switching unit to alternately turn on and off the infrared module in a predetermined cycle for recognizing the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal. Thus, electric power consumed by an infrared module in a standby mode may be reduced while receiving a signal of an infrared transmitter.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an infrared module which receives an infrared control signal having a predetermined section-specific waveform from an infrared transmitter;

a switching unit which turns the infrared module on and off; and

a controller which controls the switching unit to alternately turn the infrared module on and off in a predetermined cycle for recognizing the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the switching unit so that the infrared module is turned off for approximately a half of a time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the switching unit so that the infrared module is turned on at least twice within the time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared module comprises an auto gain controller (AGC), and

the electronic apparatus further comprises a dummy resistor connected in parallel with the switching unit and allowing the auto gain controller to operate continuously while the infrared module is turned off.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared module consumes an electric current of approximately 300 μ

A or less in a standby mode of the electronic device.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the dummy resistor has resistance of approximately 500 kΩ

˜

3 MΩ

.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching module comprises a transistor connected to a ground terminal of the infrared module.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller comprises a microcomputer.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a control pin is allocated to the microcomputer, and the control pin is connected to a gate terminal of the transistor.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein if the infrared module receives the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal twice while being twice turned on, the microcomputer maintains an awake mode.

11. A method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

turning an infrared module on and off in a predetermined cycle for recognizing a predetermined section specific-waveform of an infrared control signal;

turning on the infrared module a first time;

receiving the infrared signal having the predetermined section-specific waveform while the infrared module is turned on the first time;

waking up a microcomputer;

turning off the infrared module;

turning on the infrared module a second time; and

maintaining the microcomputer in awake mode if the infrared module receives the infrared signal having the predetermined section-specific waveform while the infrared module is turned on the second time.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the turning on/off the infrared module comprises turning off the infrared module for approximately a half of a time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the turning on/off the infrared module comprises turning on the infrared module at least twice within the time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the infrared module comprises an auto gain controller (AGC), and

a dummy resistor is connected in parallel with the switching unit to allow the auto gain controller to operate continuously while the infrared module is turned off.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the infrared module consumes an electric current of approximately 300 μ

A or less in a standby mode of the electronic device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the dummy resistor has resistance of approximately 500 kΩ

˜

3 MΩ

.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the switching module comprises a transistor connected to a ground terminal of the infrared module.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the controller comprises a microcomputer.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a control pin is allocated to the microcomputer, and the control pin is connected to a gate terminal of the transistor.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein if the infrared module receives the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal twice while being twice turned on, the microcomputer maintains an awake mode.

21. A method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

turning on an infrared module a first time;

receiving an infrared signal having a predetermined section-specific waveform while the infrared module is turned on the first time;

turning off the infrared module;

turning on the infrared module a second time; and

maintaining a microcomputer in an awake mode if the infrared signal is received while the infrared module is turned on the second time.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the infrared module is turned off for approximately a half of a time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the infrared module is turned on and off at least twice within the time corresponding to the predetermined section-specific waveform of the infrared control signal.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the infrared module comprises an auto gain controller (AGC), and

a dummy resistor is connected in parallel with the switching unit to allow the auto gain controller to operate continuously while the infrared module is turned off.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein if the infrared module does not receive the infrared control signal while being turned on the second time, the microcomputer returns to a sleep mode.