MOBILE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160021531A1
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jihwan, KIM, Yongsin
• Granted Patent: US 9,241,257 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A mobile device and a control method thereof are disclosed. The control method of the mobile device includes receiving device information from at least one external device, detecting at least one controllable external device based on the received device information, and switching the mobile device to a sharing standby mode when the mobile device is charging or when an input to the mobile device is not sensed for a predetermined time. The mobile device in the sharing standby mode may switch to a personal mode or a sharing mode based on whether mobile device receives a personal authentication input.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a display unit;

a communication unit configured to communicate with external devices over a wired or wireless network and to receive device information from at least one of the external devices; and

a processor configured to control the display unit and the communication unit,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

detect at least one controllable external device from the external devices based on the received device information,

switch the mobile device to a sharing standby mode when the mobile device is charging or no input is sensed in the mobile device for a predetermined time,

switch the mobile device to a personal mode when the mobile device in the sharing standby mode receives a personal authentication input coinciding with predetermined personal authentication information, the personal mode comprising access to the mobile device and the at least one controllable external device, and

switch the mobile device to a sharing mode when the mobile device in the sharing standby mode receives an input other than the personal authentication input, the sharing mode comprising access only to the at least one controllable external device.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display a control interface configured to provide control of the at least one controllable external device on the display unit when the mobile device switches to the sharing mode.

3. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein

the processor is further configured to provide a list of the at least one controllable external device to the control interface based on the received device information, and

the list comprises at least one selected from a name, an icon, and a state of the at least one controllable external device.

4. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein

the processor is further configured to align the list based on the state of the at least one controllable external device, and

the state comprises at least one selected from a position, an operational possibility, and a function of the at least one controllable external device.

5. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to display the list on the display unit based on the position of the at least one controllable external device.

6. The mobile device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a memory, wherein

the processor is further configured to;

store a use history of the at least one controllable external device in the memory, and

align the list based on the stored use history.

7. The mobile device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a memory; and

a positioning unit configured to determine a position of the mobile device based on at least one selected from between a satellite and a network, wherein

the processor is further configured to;

store information of the external devices related to the position of the mobile device in the memory, and

provide a list of the at least one controllable external device to the control interface based on the received information of the external devices related to the position of the mobile device and the received device information, and

the list comprises at least one selected from a name, an icon, and a state of the at least one controllable external device.

8. The mobile device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a positioning unit configured to determine a position of the mobile device based on at least one selected from between a satellite and a network; and

an orientation sensing unit configured to sense an orientation of the mobile device, wherein

the processor is further configured to;

select one controllable external device from the at least one controllable external device based on the position and the orientation of the mobile device when the mobile device is in the sharing mode, and

display the control interface configured to provide control of the selected one controllable external device on the display unit.

9. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein

the processor is further configured to:

receive selection of one controllable external device from the list, and

display the control interface selected from a plurality of predetermined device control interfaces on the display unit based on type of the selected one controllable external device, and

the predetermined device control interfaces comprise control corresponding to different types of external devices and each type of external device.

10. The mobile device according to claim 9, wherein

the communication unit is further configured to access Internet over the wired or wireless network, and

the control corresponding to each type of external device comprises:

mirroring of display when the external device comprises a display means, and

tethering of data when the external device is accessible to the Internet.

11. The mobile device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a voice receiving unit, wherein

the processor is further configured to;

receive a voice input through the voice receiving unit and perform voice recognition based on the received voice input, and

control the at least one controllable external device based on the voice recognition.

12. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a user based on the received voice input,

match the identified user with each external device,

display a control interface configured to provide control of one of the at least one controllable external device matched with the identified user on the display unit when the mobile device in the sharing standby mode receives a voice input, and

control the matched external device based on the voice recognition.

13. The mobile device according to claim 2, wherein the control interface comprises an icon configured to trigger a personal authentication input receiving interface configured to receive the personal authentication input.

14. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a mode selection interface configured to provide selection of the personal mode or the sharing mode on the display unit when the mobile device switches to the sharing standby mode,

display a personal authentication input interface on the display unit upon receiving selection of the personal mode, and

switch the mobile device to the sharing mode upon receiving selection of the sharing mode.

15. The mobile device according to claim 14, wherein the personal authentication input comprises at least one selected from a password, a pattern, a fingerprint recognition, a voice recognition, and an iris recognition.

16. The mobile device according to claim 14, wherein the mode selection interface comprises at least one selected from between a guide for mode selection and an image corresponding to each mode.

17. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon receiving generation of an event for the mobile device when the mobile device is in the sharing standby mode or the sharing mode, display an indicator configured to indicate generation of the event on the display unit, and

restrict an input to the displayed indicator in the sharing standby mode or the sharing mode.

18. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a personal authentication input interface upon receiving generation of the event for the mobile device when the mobile device is in the sharing mode.

19. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to switch the mobile device from the sharing mode to the personal mode upon receiving the personal authentication input in response to the personal authentication input interface.

20. A method of controlling an external device using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving device information from at least one external device over a wired or wireless network;

detecting at least one controllable external device based on the received device information;

switching the mobile device to a sharing standby mode when the mobile device is charging or when an input to the mobile device is not sensed for a predetermined time;

switching the mobile device to a personal mode when the mobile device in the sharing standby mode receives a personal authentication input; and

switching the mobile device to a sharing mode when the mobile device in the sharing standby mode receives an input other than the personal authentication input, wherein

the personal mode comprises access to the mobile device and the at least one controllable external device, and

the sharing mode comprises access only to the at least one controllable external device.