Multimedia device having detachable controller functioning as remote control while detached

• US 9,075,575 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Corporation (OPTIS Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Corporation (OPTIS Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Choi, Nag-eui, Song, Byung-youn
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US13/610,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 340/4.11, 340/12.3, 345/156, 345/157, 341/176, 348/347
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface

Abstract

Provided is a multimedia device that has a detachable controller. The detachable controller may attach to a main body of a multimedia device and act as a control panel of the main body. Further, the controller may be detached from the main body of multimedia device and act as a remote controller of the multimedia device.

Claims

1. A multimedia device comprising:

a main body configured to process input data and to output multimedia data;

a controller configured to control a function of the main body; and

a controlling unit configured to change a user interface mode based on how a user is holding the controller,

wherein

the main body and the controller each comprise a joint configured to attach and detach the controller to and from the main body, and the controller is configured to function as a control panel of the main body while attached to the main body and to function as a remote control of the main body while detached from the main body,

the controller further comprises a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit configured to detect how a user is holding the controller,

the controlling unit is configured to display a first user interface input window or a second user interface input window in response to a signal by the first sensor unit, and a third user interface input window in response to the second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with both hands and to display a fourth user interface input window in response to the second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with one hand, and

the third user interface input window and the fourth user interface input window are different from each other.

2. The multimedia device of claim 1, wherein each of the joints comprises magnets that attach the main body and the controller to each other.

3. The multimedia device of claim 1, wherein one of the main body and the controller comprises a first sensor unit configured to detect an attached and detached state of the controller, and

the controller comprises:

an input unit configured to display two user interface modes; and

a controlling unit configured to change a user interface mode of the input unit based on the attached or detached state of the controller detected by the first sensor unit.

4. The multimedia device of claim 3, wherein the input unit comprises a touch screen panel,

the controlling unit is configured to display a first user interface input window on the touch screen panel in response to the first sensor unit detecting that the controller is attached to the main body and to display a second user interface input window on the touch screen panel in response to the first sensor unit detecting that the controller is detached from the main body, and

the first user interface input window and the second user interface input window are different from each other.

5. The multimedia device of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit, and a third sensor unit configured to detect a direction of the controller, and

the controlling unit is configured to change a user interface mode of the input unit based on the direction of the controller.

6. The multimedia device of claim 1, wherein the main body and the controller comprise a first connector and a second connector, respectively, electrically connecting to each other while the controller is attached to the main body.

7. The multimedia device of claim 6, wherein a control signal of the controller is transmitted through the first connector and the second connector while the controller is attached to the main body.

8. The multimedia device of claim 6, wherein the controller is charged through the first connector and the second connector while the controller is attached to the main body.

9. A method of controlling a multimedia device having a detachable controller that attaches to a portion of a front surface of a main body, the method comprising:

functioning as a control panel of the main body of the multimedia device while the controller is attached to the main body;

functioning as a remote control of the main body of the multimedia device while the controller is detached from the main body;

detecting how a user is holding the controller with a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit; and

changing a user interface mode based on how a user is holding the controller, by

displaying a first user interface input window or a second user interface input window in response to a signal by the first sensor unit,

displaying a third user interface input window in response to a second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with both hands, and

displaying a fourth user interface input window in response to the second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with one hand, and wherein

the third user interface input window and the fourth user interface input window are different from each other.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting an attached or detached state of the controller to or from the main body; and

changing a user interface mode of the controller based on the attached or detached state of the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a touch screen panel, and

the changing of a user interface mode of the controller comprises changing a user interface input window on the touch screen panel.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting how a user is holding the controller while the controller is detached from the main body; and

changing a user interface mode of the controller based on how the user is holding the controller.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a direction of the controller; and

changing a user interface mode of the controller based on the detected direction of the controller.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller transmits a control signal to the main body through a direct electrical contact while the controller is attached to the main body.

15. A controller for a multimedia device which is detachable from a main body of the multimedia device, comprising:

a controlling unit configured to change a user interface mode based on how a user is holding the controller;

a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit configured to detect how a user is holding the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to

function as a control panel of the main body while attached to the main body,

function as a remote control of the main body while detached from the main body,

display a first user interface input window or a second user interface input window in response to a signal by the first sensor unit, and

display a third user interface input window in response to a second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with both hands and display a forth user interface input window in response to the second sensor unit detecting that the user is holding the controller with one hand, and

the third user interface input window and the fourth user interface input window are different from each other.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises:

an input unit configured to display two user interface modes;

a first sensor unit configured to detect an attached and detached state of the controller; and

a controlling unit configured to change a user interface mode of the input unit based on the attached or detached state of the controller detected by the first sensor unit.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the input unit comprises a touch screen panel,

the controlling unit is configured to display a first user interface input window on the touch screen panel in response to the first sensor unit detecting that the controller is attached to the main body and display a second user interface input window on the touch screen panel in response to the first sensor unit detecting that the controller is detached from the main body, and

the first user interface input window and the second user interface input window are different from each other.

18. The controller of claim 15, further comprising a second sensor unit configured to detect how a user is holding the controller,

wherein the controlling unit is configured to change a user interface mode of the input unit based on how the user is holding the controller.