Electronic apparatus, remote controller and error detecting method

• US 8,482,616 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Bong-ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M
• Application Number:
  US12/776,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 348/189, 348/180, 348552-553, 725/26, 725/34, 714/57
• US Class Current: 348/189
• 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 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The electronic apparatus includes; a user interface which generates a module mapping signal corresponding to one of the driving modules; a controller which determines whether an error has occurred in the driving module and an error warning unit which warns a user if it is determined that the driving module has an error. A remote controller includes a user selection unit through which a user individually selects a driving module and a communicating unit which outputs a module mapping signal corresponding to the driving module selected by a user. 109 An error detecting method includes receiving a module selection signal to select one of the driving modules; determining whether an error has occurred in the driving module; and warning a user when an error occurs in the driving module according to determination results.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus with a plurality of driving modules, comprising:

a display panel which displays a video signal;

a user interface which generates a module mapping signal corresponding to a driving module of the plurality of driving modules;

a controller which determines whether an error has occurred in the driving module corresponding to the module mapping signal; and

an error warning unit controlled by the controller and which warns a user of error information if it is determined that at least one driving module of the plurality of driving modules has an error,

wherein the error warning unit comprises at least one of a light emitting unit which outputs a flickering light and a sound outputting unit which outputs a warning sound, and

wherein the controller controls the light emitting unit to output the flickering light or the sound outputting unit to output the warning sound, when the display panel cannot display the video signal due to the at least one driving module of the plurality of driving modules having an error.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a remote control capable of remotely communicating with the controller.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote control comprises a plurality of buttons capable of selecting different ones of the plurality of driving modules.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote control comprises a predetermined button, and

wherein the controller identifies the module mapping signal corresponding to the driving module of the plurality of driving modules according to a number of control signals generated by the predetermined button.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote control comprises a touch panel that displays a graphic user interface for generating the module mapping signal, and interacts with the controller, and

wherein the controller controls the remote control to display the error information on the touch panel when the error occurs in the driving module of the plurality of driving modules corresponding to the module mapping signal.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing which accommodates the driving module,

wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of buttons formed in an outer surface of the housing.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a central processing unit which determines in a determination whether communication with the driving module of the plurality of driving modules is possible; and

a microcomputer which receives the module mapping signal and controls the error warning unit to indicate the error information according to the determination of the central processing unit.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the driving module of the plurality of driving modules comprises at least two among a panel driver which drives the display panel, a tuner which receives a broadcasting signal, an audio processor which processes an audio signal, a video processor which processes the video signal, a power supply which supplies power, an external input interface, and a storage which stores data about driving.

9. An electronic apparatus with a plurality of driving modules, comprising:

a display panel which displays a video signal;

a controller which determines whether an error has occurred in at least one driving module of the plurality of driving modules corresponding to a module mapping signal when the module mapping signal corresponding to the driving module of the plurality of driving modules is received; and

an error warning unit controlled by the controller, which warns a user of error information if it is determined that the driving module of the plurality of driving modules has an error,

wherein the error warning unit comprises at least one of a light emitting unit which outputs a flickering light and a sound outputting unit which outputs a warning sound, and

wherein the controller controls the light emitting unit to output the flickering light or the sound outputting unit to output the warning sound, when the display panel cannot display the video signal due to the at least one driving module of the plurality of driving modules having an error.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controller comprises:

a central processing unit which determines in a determination whether communication with the driving module of the plurality of driving modules is possible; and

a microcomputer which receives the module mapping signal and controls the error warning unit to indicate the error information according to the determination of the central processing unit.

11. An error detecting method of an electronic apparatus with a plurality of driving modules, the method comprising:

receiving a module selection signal to select a driving module of the plurality of driving modules;

determining whether an error has occurred in the driving module corresponding to the received module selection signal; and

warning a user of error information when an error occurs in the driving module according to the determining,

wherein the warning comprises outputting a flickering light or outputting a warning sound, when a display panel comprised in the electronic apparatus cannot display a video signal due to at least one driving module of the plurality of the driving modules having an error.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising determining by a central processing unit whether communication with the driving module is possible;

and

receiving by a microcomputer the module selection signal and controlling by the microcomputer an error warning unit to indicate the error information according to the determining by the central processing unit.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the module selection signal is received from a remote controller comprising a plurality of buttons capable of selecting different driving modules.