Method and apparatus for wirelessly controlling devices peripheral to AV device

• US 7,561,215 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jong-wook, Kim, Hyo-dae, Kim, Jae-kwon
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/024,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/553, 348/552, 348/723, 348/705, 348/706, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 370/315, 725/81, 725/78, 725/90, 725/91, 725/93, 725/114, 725/116, 725/117, 725/74, 725/80, 725/82
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 9/00 Remote-control of tuned circuits; Combined remote-control of tuning and other functions, e.g. brightness, amplification mechanical remote-control arrangements H03J1/00 ; using a microprocessor H03J1/0025; constructional details of remote control switching devices H01H9/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus and method which integrates and automates AV system to control peripheral devices with one remote control including wireless bridge connected to peripheral devices through a network and a host device which receives a remote control input of a user, transmits a control signal to wireless bridge wirelessly, receives a video and an audio from the wireless bridge wirelessly, and displays received video and audio to user. A video device includes a wireless bridge transmitting a control signal for controlling a peripheral device to the peripheral device through a communication cable, receiving a response signal for the control signal from the peripheral device and receiving an AV signal from the peripheral device through an AV cable according to the control signal, and a host device for wirelessly receiving the inputted AV signal from the wireless bridge and displaying a video or an audio restored from the AV signal to user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling devices peripheral to an AV device comprising:

a) detecting peripheral devices existing on a network and connected to the network through communication cables and allocating device identification IDs to respective peripheral devices;

b) checking connection states of the peripheral devices by means of the allocated device identification IDs;

c) receiving a remote control key code from a user through a remote control, generating control signals for controlling at least a first peripheral device of the peripheral devices, and transmitting the generated control signals to the at least the first peripheral device of the peripheral devices;

d) transmitting a request requesting identification information of a second peripheral device of the peripheral devices to a third peripheral device of the peripheral devices;

e) receiving a response for the request from a peripheral device having no device identification ID; and

f) allocating a device identification ID to the peripheral device having transmitted the response.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving response signals comprising information on operation states according to the generated control signals, from the at least the first peripheral device of the peripheral devices having received the generated control signals.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a) comprises:

transmitting a request packet requesting inherent identification information of a second peripheral device of the peripheral devices to a third peripheral device of the peripheral devices connected to communicate with an AV device and the peripheral devices;

receiving a response packet for the request packet from a predetermined peripheral device having no device identification ID; and

allocating a device identification ID to the predetermined peripheral device having transmitted the response packet.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a) comprises:

receiving plug type information from respective peripheral devices to which the device identification IDs have been allocated;

selecting a second peripheral device having an output terminal from among the peripheral devices through the received plug type information, setting an output signal of the selected second peripheral device to be in an on state, and setting an output signal of other peripheral devices to be in on states; and

checking whether or not the output signal of the selected second peripheral device is inputted into a third peripheral device having an input terminal from among the other peripheral devices.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signals are generated by a host device of an AV device side according to an input of the remote control key code by the user, and transmitted to a wireless bridge of a video device side wirelessly.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wireless bridge of a video device side having received the remote control key code inputted to a host device generates the control signals according to the remote control key code.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control key code is selected from a predetermined on screen display (OSD) menu generated by a host device of a video device side.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the remote control key code is selected from a first predetermined on screen display (OSD) menu generated by a host device of a video device side; and

,

when the wireless bridge of the video device side having received the remote control key code has generated a second OSD menu and sent an ACK signal to the host device, the host device having received the ACK signal generates a third OSD menu by means of a bitmap image stored in a memory unit of the host device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the remote control key code is selected from a first predetermined on screen display (OSD) menu generated by a host device of a video device side; and

,

when the wireless bridge of the video device side having received the remote control key code has generated a second OSD menu and sent a bitmap image for generating the second OSD menu to the host device, the host device generates the second OSD menu by means of the bitmap image.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wireless bridge of a video device side codes and transmits an AV signal received from at least the first peripheral device of the peripheral device by a predetermined coding method, and a host device of the video device side decodes the coded AV signal received from the wireless bridge, thereby restoring the coded AV signal into voice and/or an image.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the input of the remote control key code by the user is received wirelessly by the host device from a remote control.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the input of the remote control key code by the user is received wirelessly by the host device from a remote control.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the remote control is separate from the host device.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the remote control is separate from the host device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a) comprises:

receiving plug information from respective peripheral devices to which the device identification IDs have been allocated;

selecting a second peripheral device having an terminal from among the peripheral devices through the received plug information, setting a signal of the selected second peripheral device to be in an on state, and setting a signal of other peripheral devices to be in on states; and

checking whether or not the signal of the selected second peripheral device is inputted into a third peripheral device having an terminal from among the other peripheral devices.