Display apparatus for supplying power to an external device and control method thereof

• US 8,773,365 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Chang-wan, Kang, Seung-soo
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, VIET DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/540,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 320/108
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/14 Detecting light within display terminals, e.g. using a single or a plurality of photosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Disclosed is a display apparatus including: a display unit; a power supply unit which supplies power to at least one external device; and a controller which displays on the display unit an at least one indicating image indicating an at least one power supply area of the display unit supplying power to the at least one external device, and controls the power supply unit to supply power to the at least one external device placed on the at least one power supply area in a wireless manner.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

a power supply unit which supplies power to an external device;

a controller which displays a graphic user interface (GUI) on the display unit if a user'"'"'s input is sensed, determines whether the external device is placed on the GUI, and controls the power supply unit to charge the external device with power supplied from the power supply unit if it is determined that the external device is placed on the GUI, wherein the GUI indicates a power supply area of the display unit supplying power from the power supply unit;

a user location detector which detects a location of a user with respect to the display apparatus,

wherein the controller displays a message related to the GUI on a part of the display unit adjacent to the location of the user detected by the user location detector,

wherein the GUI is displayed on the display unit before the external device is placed on the GUI and the GUI is displayed in a fixed location on the display unit.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an external device detector which detects whether the external device is placed on the GUI, wherein

the controller controls the power supply unit to supply power to the external device if the external device detector detects the external device.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the external device detector comprises at least one from among a piezo electric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a photo sensor.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user input unit, wherein

the controller displays the GUI if a command is inputted through the user input unit.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller further displays a message related to the GUI if a different command is inputted through the user input unit.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a touch detector which detects a touched location on the display unit, wherein

the controller displays the GUI if a command is inputted through the touch detector.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller displays a message related to the GUI on the touched location of the display unit.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller stops displaying the GUI if it is determined that power supply to the external device is completed.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a displaying side of the display unit is arranged to be opposite to an installation surface of the display apparatus.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the message indicates where to place said external device.

19. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays a plurality of GUIs on the display unit.

20. The display apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the GUIs correspond to power supply areas.

21. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is powered ON, and the controller determines whether the external device is placed on the GUI, only while the GUI is displayed on the display unit.

10. A control method of a display apparatus, the control method comprising:

displaying a graphic user interface (GUI) on a display unit if a user'"'"'s input is sensed;

determining whether the external device is placed on the GUI; and

charging the external device if it is determined that the external device is placed on the GUI, wherein the GUI indicates a power supply area on the display unit,

wherein the displaying the GUI on the display unit is performed before the external device is placed on the GUI, and

wherein the displaying the message related to the GUI comprises;

detecting a location of a user with respect to the display apparatus inputting the command; and

displaying the message on a part of the display unit adjacent to the detected location of the user,

wherein the displayed GUI is displayed at a fixed location on the display unit.

11. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the charging the external device comprises detecting whether the external device is placed on the power supply area;

and

supplying power to the external device if the external device is detected.

12. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the displaying the GUI on the display unit comprises receiving a command;

and

displaying the GUI corresponding to the command.

13. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the displaying the GUI corresponding to the command comprises displaying a message related to the GUI.

14. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the inputting the command comprises touching the display unit.

15. The control method according to claim 14, wherein the displaying the GUI on the display unit further comprises detecting a touched location of the display unit;

and

displaying a message related to the GUI on the detected location of the display unit.

16. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the charging the external device comprises suspending the display of the GUI on the display unit if it is determined that the power supply to the external device is completed.

18. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the message indicates where to place said external device.