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

• US 20140258909A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Dae-Hyun, YU, Seung-dong, CHANG, Woo-yong, PARK, Eun-hee, HWANG, Chang-hwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,940,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• 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:

detecting a user input for selecting one of a plurality of user interfaces for switching channels, the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down and at least one of a user interface for inputting channel number and a user interface for displaying a list of channels;

displaying the selected user interface on the touch screen; and

transmitting a control signal to the electronic device according to an input via the selected user interface,

wherein the user interface for switching channels up and down comprises a first region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel up signal, and a second region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel down signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to an input, sequentially displaying each user interface of the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels on the touch screen according to a predetermined sequence.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of channels includes at least one of a list of all channels supported by the electronic device, a list of preferred channels and a list of history of channel selection.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, when the task is completed, the task user interface is no longer displayed on the touch screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device other than switching channels.

8. The method of claim 7, the user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device comprises at least one of a user interface for inputting characters, and a user interface for setting configurations of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to an input, sequentially displaying at least one of the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels and the user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device other than switching channels according to a predetermined sequence.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a menu for returning to a previous user interface on the touch screen.

11. 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 user interfaces for switching channels, the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down and at least one of a user interface for inputting channel number and a user interface for displaying a list of channels; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a control signal to the electronic device according to an input via the selected user interface displayed on the touch screen,

wherein the user interface for switching channels up and down comprises a first region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel up signal, and a second region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel down signal.

12. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein in response to the detected input, the touch screen displays each user interface of the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels according to a predetermined sequence.

13. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the list of channels includes at least one of a list of all channels supported by the electronic device, a list of preferred channels and a list of history of channel selection.

14. The remote control device of claim 11, 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 11, wherein the touch screen further displays a task user interface which controls a function relevant to a task currently performed by the electronic device

16. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein, when the task is completed, the touch screen no longer displays the task user interface.

17. The remote control device of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device other than switching channels.

18. The remote control device of claim 17, the user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device comprises at least one of a user interface for inputting characters, and a user interface for setting configurations of the electronic device.

19. The remote control device of claim 17, further comprising:

in response to the detected input, sequentially displaying at least one of the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels and the user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device other than switching channels according to a predetermined sequence.

20. The remote control device of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying a menu for returning to a previous user interface on the touch screen.

21. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program configured to cause a remote control device for controlling an electronic device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a user input for selecting one of a plurality of user interfaces for switching channels. the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down and at least one of a user interface for inputting channel number and a user interface for displaying a list of channels;

displaying the selected user interface on the touch screen; and

transmitting a control signal to the electronic device according to an input via the selected user interface,

wherein the user interface for switching channels up and down comprises a first region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel up signal, and a second region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel down signal.

22. The computer readable recording medium of claim 21, wherein the list of channels includes at least one of a list of all channels supported by the electronic device, a list of preferred channels and a list of history of channel selection.

23. The computer readable recording medium of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying a user interface for controlling a function of an electronic device other than switching channels.

24. The computer readable recording medium of claim 23, further comprising:

in response to the detected input, sequentially displaying at least one of the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels and the user interface for controlling a function of the electronic device other than switching channels according to a predetermined sequence.

25. The computer readable recording medium of claim 23, further comprising:

displaying a menu for returning to a previous user interface on the touch screen.

26. A system comprising:

an electronic device configure to receive a control signal from a remote control device and perform a plurality of functions including switching channels; and

a remote control device including a touch screen which detects an input for selecting one of a plurality of user interfaces for switching channels and a transmitting unit which transmits a control signal to the electronic device according to an input via the selected user interface displayed on the touch screen,

wherein the plurality of user interfaces for switching channels comprising a user interface for switching channels up and down and at least one of a user interface for inputting channel number and a user interface for displaying a list of channels; and

wherein the user interface for switching channels up and down comprises a first region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel up signal, and a second region displayed on the touch screen of the remote control device that when touched is configured to transmit a channel down signal.