Digital device and control method thereof

• US 8,884,874 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Yongsin, Kim, Jongho, Lee, Doyoung, Kim, Jihwan, Chun, Sinae
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US14/151,387
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 345 21- 23, 345/156, 345/158, 455/41.3, 455/39, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/06 Consumer Electronics Control, i.e. control of another device by a display or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

Discussed are a digital device and a control method thereof. The digital device includes a communication unit configured to transmit/receive a signal with an external device; a gesture sensor unit configured to sense a gesture with respect to the digital device; and a processor configured to control the communication unit and the gesture sensor unit, wherein the processor is further configured to: provide a first mode corresponding to a first event when occurrence of the first event is detected; transmit a first signal, commanding provision of a second mode corresponding to a second event, to the external device when occurrence of the second event is detected during provision of the first mode; and switch from the first mode to the second mode when detecting a first gesture with respect to the digital device after transmission of the first signal.

Claims

1. A digital device comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit and receive a signal with an external device being operated by a user of the digital device;

a display unit configured to display an image;

a gesture sensor unit configured to sense a gesture with respect to the digital device; and

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

wherein the processor is further configured to;

when occurrence of an incoming call event is detected, execute an incoming call mode corresponding to the incoming call event,

when occurrence of an incoming message event is detected during the execution of the incoming call mode, transmit a first signal to the external device,

wherein the first signal is a control signal for the external device to execute an incoming message mode corresponding to the incoming message event, and to display an incoming message information detected by the digital device, and

when a first gesture being made by moving downward the digital device is detected, switch the digital device from the incoming call mode to the incoming message mode and display the incoming message information being displayed in the external device on the display unit.

2. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal is the control signal for the external device to execute the incoming message mode and to display the incoming message information until the external device detects a second gesture.

3. The digital device according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a second signal, and

wherein the second signal is a control signal being transmitted from the external device when the external device detects the second gesture.

4. The digital device according to claim 3, wherein, when detecting the first gesture and reception of the second signal after transmission of the first signal, the processor is further configured to switch from the incoming call mode to the incoming message mode.

5. The digital device according to claim 3, wherein, when detecting the first gesture and not detecting reception of the second signal after transmission of the first signal, the processor is further configured to switch from the incoming call mode to a multi-tasking mode corresponding to the incoming call event and the incoming message event.

6. The digital device according to claim 5, wherein the multi-tasking mode simultaneously provides a speakerphone response to the incoming call event and a message response to the incoming message event.

7. The digital device according to claim 2, wherein the second gesture is a gesture that the external device is moved upward.

8. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an input user interface to input a response message to the incoming message event in the incoming message mode.

9. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein, when occurrence of the incoming call event or the incoming message event is detected, the processor is further configured to provide a notification notifying of occurrence of the incoming call event or the incoming message event.

10. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal is the control signal controlling the external device to provide notification notifying of the incoming message event detected by the digital device.

11. The digital device according to claim 1, further comprising a position acquisition unit acquiring a position of the digital device.

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

receive a third signal regarding a first altitude of the external device from the external device, and

detect the first gesture when a second altitude of the digital device is less than the first altitude.

13. The digital device according to claim 1, further comprising a camera unit configured to capture an image,

wherein, when detecting a user image using the camera unit after transmission of the first signal, the processor is further configured to switch from the incoming call mode to the incoming message mode.

14. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein, when detecting a third gesture with respect to the digital device, the processor is further configured to re-switch from the incoming message mode to the incoming call mode.

15. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein the incoming message event is an incoming event which most recently occurs.

16. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein, when detecting the first gesture within a predetermined time after transmission of the first signal, the processor is further configured to switch from incoming call mode to the incoming message mode.

17. The digital device according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a wearable device.

18. A control method of a digital device comprising:

executing an incoming call mode corresponding to an incoming call event when occurrence of the incoming call event is detected;

detecting occurrence of an incoming message event during an execution of the incoming call mode;

transmitting a first signal to an external device being operated by a user of the digital device,

wherein the first signal is a control signal for the external device to execute an incoming message mode corresponding to the incoming message event, and to display an incoming message information detected by the digital device;

detecting a first gesture being made by moving downward the digital device; and

in response to the detected first gesture, switching the digital device from the incoming call mode to the incoming message mode and displaying the incoming message information being displayed in the external device on a display unit of the digital device.

19. The control method according to claim 18, wherein the first signal is the control signal for the external device to execute the incoming message mode and to display the incoming message information until the external device detects a second gesture.

20. The control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a second signal,

wherein the second signal is a control signal being transmitted from the external device when the external device detects the second gesture.

21. The control method according to claim 20, wherein the switching from the incoming call mode to the incoming message mode is performed when the first gesture and reception of the second signal are detected after transmission of the first signal.

22. The control method according to claim 20, further comprising, when detecting the first gesture and not detecting reception of the second signal after transmission of the first signal, switching from the incoming call mode to a multi-tasking mode corresponding to the incoming call event and the incoming message event.

23. The control method according to claim 22, wherein the multi-tasking mode simultaneously provides a speakerphone response to the incoming call event and a message response to the incoming message event.

24. The control method according to claim 19, wherein the second gesture is a gesture that the external device is moved upward.