Electronic apparatus, control method thereof, remote control apparatus, and control method thereof

• US 8,988,271 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Eun-seok, Yoo, Ho-june, Choi, Sang-on, Soh, Byung-seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US14/269,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 345/156, 345/158, 348/734
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An electronic apparatus, control method thereof, remote control apparatus that controls the electronic apparatus, and control method thereof. The remote control apparatus includes a communication unit which communicates with the electronic apparatus; a user input unit which receives a user button selection indicating an input button; a sensing unit which senses movement of the remote control apparatus; and a control unit which controls the communication unit to transmit information about the user button selection to perform a function corresponding to the input button if the remote control apparatus is in a button input mode, and to transmit information about the movement of the remote control apparatus to the electronic apparatus to control the electronic apparatus by the movement if the remote control apparatus is in a motion recognition mode. Accordingly, controlling a game or a multimedia content is easier, and the user is provided with a new and interesting experience.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus which is configured to transmit remote control information to an external device, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a user input interface configured to receive a user input;

a sensing unit configured to sense a movement of the electronic apparatus, the sensing unit comprising at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor;

a communication unit configured to establish communication with the external device and

a control unit configured to control the electronic apparatus to transmit information corresponding to the sensed movement of the electronic apparatus to the external device, to control the sensing unit to operate in a power saving mode in response to detecting a predefined user input via the user input interface, to control the electronic apparatus to transmit information corresponding to a user input received via the user input interface while the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, to control the sensing unit to switch from the power saving mode to an active mode in response to sensing a spatial movement of the electronic apparatus by the sensing unit in the power saving mode,

wherein, after the sensing unit switches to the active mode, the control unit is configured to control the sensing unit to re-switch from the active mode to the power saving mode in response to receiving a predefined signal via the communication unit from the external device while the sensing unit is operating in the active mode, and

wherein the sensing unit consumes less power in the power saving mode than in the active mode.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the communication unit to transmit to the external device information about an operation mode of the electronic apparatus together with at least one of information about the user input and information regarding the movement of the electronic apparatus.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, while the sensing unit is operating in the active mode, the control unit controls the sensing unit to operate in the power saving mode when no movement of the electronic apparatus is sensed during a predetermined time period.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is operable in a first power state and a second power state, and wherein, when the sensing unit senses no movement of the electronic apparatus for a predetermined time duration while the sensing unit is in the first power state, the control unit is configured to control the sensing unit to transition from the first power state to the second power state.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein less power is consumed in the second power state of the sensing unit than in the first power state of the sensing unit.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the information corresponding to the user input is provided in a form other than the information corresponding to the sensed movement of the electronic apparatus.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, the control unit is further configured to block an electric power which is supplied to the sensing unit.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, the sensing unit consumes a minimum electric power.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predefined signal received from the external device comprises information for switching an operation mode for the sensing unit between the active mode and the power saving mode.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user input interface comprises a plurality of buttons including a four direction button for navigating.

11. An electronic system comprising:

a first electronic apparatus comprising;

a user input interface configured to receive a user input;

a sensing unit configured to sense a movement of the first electronic apparatus;

a first communication unit configured to establish communication with a second electronic apparatus; and

a first control unit configured to control the first electronic apparatus to transmit information corresponding to the sensed movement of the first electronic apparatus to the second electronic apparatus, to control the sensing unit to operate in a power saving mode in response to detecting a predefined user input via the user input interface, to control the first electronic apparatus to transmit information corresponding to a user input received via the user input interface while the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, to control the sensing unit to switch from the power saving mode to an active mode in response to sensing a spatial movement of the first electronic apparatus by the sensing unit in the power saving mode, and

the second electronic apparatus comprising;

a display configured to display an image;

a second communication unit configured to establish communication with the first electronic apparatus; and

a second control unit configured to control the display a pointer based on the information corresponding to the sensed movement of the first electronic apparatus and control the second communication unit to transmit signal to the first electronic apparatus,

wherein after the sensing unit switches to the active mode, the first control unit is further configured to control the sensing unit to re-switch from the active mode to the power saving mode in response to receiving a predefined signal via the first communication unit from the second electronic apparatus while the sensing unit is operating in the active mode, and

wherein the sensing unit consumes less power in the power saving mode than in the active mode.

12. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit to the second electronic apparatus information about an operation mode of the first electronic apparatus together with at least one of information about the user input and information regarding the movement of the first electronic apparatus.

13. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein, while the sensing unit is operating in the active mode, the first control unit controls the sensing unit to operate in the power saving mode when no movement of the first electronic apparatus is sensed during a predetermined time period.

14. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein the sensing unit is operable in a first power state and a second power state, and wherein, when the sensing unit senses no movement of the first electronic apparatus for a predetermined time duration while the sensing unit is in the first power state, the first control unit is configured to control the sensing unit to transition from the first power state to the second power state.

15. The electronic system according to claim 14, wherein less power is consumed in the second power state of the sensing unit than in the first power state of the sensing unit.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, the information corresponding to the user input is provided in a form other than the information corresponding to the sensed movement of the first electronic apparatus.

17. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein when the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, the first control unit is further configured to block an electric power which is supplied to the sensing unit.

18. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein when the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, the sensing unit consumes a minimum electric power.

19. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein the predefined signal received from the second electronic apparatus comprises information for switching an operation mode for the sensing unit between the active mode and the power saving mode.

20. The electronic system according to claim 11, wherein the user input interface of the first electronic apparatus comprises a plurality of buttons including a four direction button for navigating.