Connecting apparatus, electronic apparatus and control method thereof

• US 8,005,421 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Joo, Jae-il
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/698,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20070259615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/422.1, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/343
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/43637 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 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Disclosed are a connecting apparatus, an electronic apparatus and a control method thereof, the connecting apparatus, including: at least one connecting unit connectable to an outside device; a wireless-communicating unit which transmits or receives a wireless signal to or from an electronic apparatus; and a controller which receives information related to the outside device if the outside device is connected to the connecting unit, and which controls the wireless-communicating unit which outputs the information related to the outside device to the electronic apparatus through the wireless-communicating unit.

Claims

1. A connecting apparatus, comprising:

at least one connecting unit connectable to an outside device which provides content;

a wireless-communicating unit which is operable to receive a wireless control signal from an electronic apparatus and operable to transmit a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal to the electronic apparatus; and

a controller operable to detect first information, which is related to the content provided by the outside device if the outside device is connected to the connecting unit, and second information, which is related to a state of the outside device, and operable to control the wireless-communicating unit to output the detected first and second information to the electronic apparatus,

wherein if the first information is detected, the controller controls the wireless-communicating unit to transmit the first wireless signal including the first information to the electronic apparatus, and if a wireless control signal which controls an operation of the outside device based on a user selection is received from the electronic apparatus after transmitting the first wireless signal, the controller outputs a control command signal based on the wireless control signal to the outside device, and if the second information is detected after outputting the control command signal, the controller controls the wireless-communicating unit to transmit the second wireless signal including the second information to the electronic apparatus.

2. The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory unit, wherein the controller controls the memory unit to stores the first and second information.

3. The connecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the memory unit stores the first and second information, as received in real time from the connecting apparatus.

4. The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a driver which detects the first and second information, and a sub-controller which controls the driver.

5. The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting unit comprises at least one of an IEEE 1394 port and a USB port.

6. The connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation comprises a playing operation for playing the content on the outside device.

7. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a user selecting unit which outputs a control signal according to a selection by a user, wherein the control signal controls an operation of an outside device which provides content;

a wireless-communicating unit operable to wirelessly transmit the control signal output by the user selecting unit to a connecting apparatus, and operable to receive a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal from the connecting apparatus, the first wireless signal comprising first information related to the content provided by the outside device, the second wireless signal comprising second information related to a state of the outside device;

an output unit operable to output at least one of an image and a sound, wherein the at least one of the image and sound is based on the second information;

a memory unit which stores the information; and

a controller operable to control the output unit to output the at least one of the image and the sound, and operable to control the wireless communicating unit to wirelessly transmit the control signal controlling the operation of the outside device to the connecting apparatus,

wherein if the first wireless signal comprising the first information is received from the connecting apparatus through the wireless-communicating unit and if the selection is received from the selecting unit, the controller controls the wireless-communicating unit to wirelessly transmit the control signal to the connecting apparatus, and if the second wireless signal comprising the second information is received from the connecting apparatus through the wireless-communicating unit, the controller controls the output unit to output the at least one of the image and the sound.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a memory unit, wherein the memory unit stores the first and second information, as received in real time from the connecting apparatus.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the operation comprises a playing operation for playing the content on the outside device.

10. A method of controlling a connecting apparatus having at least one connecting unit connectable to an outside device which provides content, the method comprising:

connecting the connecting unit to the outside device;

receiving detecting first information, which is related to content provided by the outside device;

converting the detected first information into first wireless data;

outputting the first wireless data to an electronic apparatus through a wireless network;

receiving a wireless control signal from the electronic apparatus, wherein the wireless control signal is based on a user selection;

outputting a control command signal to the outside device, wherein the control command signal is based on the received wireless control signal and controls an operation of the outside device;

detecting second information, which is related to a state of the outside device, after outputting the control command signal; and

converting the detected second information into second wireless data; and

outputting the second wireless data to the to the electronic apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the operation comprises a playing operation for playing the content on the outside device.

12. A method of controlling an electronic apparatus including a selecting unit to output a control signal according to a user selection and an output unit to output at least one of an image and a sound, the method comprising:

receiving from a connecting apparatus a first wireless signal comprising first information related to content provided by an outside device;

receiving the control signal according to the user selection received through the selecting unit, wherein the control signal is operable to control an operation of the outside device according to the user selection;

outputting the control signal to the connecting apparatus through a wireless network system;

executing, by the outside device, a predetermined function corresponding to the received control signal;

receiving from the connecting apparatus, after outputting the control signal, a second wireless signal comprising second information related to a state of the outside device; and

outputting through the output unit the at least one of the image and the sound, wherein the at least one of the image and the sound is based on the second information.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the operation comprises a playing operation for playing the content on the outside device.