Multimedia device and method for controlling operation thereof

• US 9,304,613 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Joon-ho, Hwang, Ho-ik, Lee, Soo-hyun, Hwang, Byeong-cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/972,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 726/16, 340/4.4, 715863-866, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/162, 345/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• 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: G11B 20/00137 involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A multimedia apparatus and a method for controlling operations thereof are provided. The multimedia apparatus includes an input unit for receiving a selection signal, a sensing unit for sensing disposition of the multimedia apparatus, and a controller for, if the selection signal is input, performing different operations depending on the disposition. Accordingly, various operations of the multimedia apparatus may be controlled by simple manipulation.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a user command;

a sensing unit configured to sense an orientation of the apparatus while receiving the user command; and

a controller configured to perform different operations depending upon the orientation and an input method of the user command,

wherein mapping information on the different operations corresponding to the orientation and the input method of the user command is pre-stored.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input method of the user command is one of a button input, a user'"'"'s motion of shaking the apparatus, and a motion of snapping the apparatus, and

wherein the user command according to the button input is determined based on at least one of a button input time and the number of button inputs.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the different operations comprise at least one of controlling power, controlling a play or a stop, controlling a volume, controlling a change in a play list, controlling a play mode, controlling a change of a folder, and controlling a setting.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orientation is determined by a pitch angle, a roll angle, and an azimuth angle of the apparatus sensed by the sensing unit.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store the mapping information,

wherein the mapping information is changeable by a user, and

wherein the mapping information changed by the user is stored in the storage unit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an audio output unit configured to output a voice corresponding to the different operations.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface unit configured to;

perform wired or wireless communication with an external apparatus, and

transmit data for outputting the different operations as at least one of an audio signal and a video signal to an earphone that communicates with the apparatus.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an authentication unit configured to authenticate whether a user is an authorized user by using user identification information, if the user command is received.

9. A method of controlling an apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a user command;

sensing an orientation of the apparatus while receiving the user command; and

performing different operations depending upon the orientation and an input method of the user command,

wherein mapping information on the different operations corresponding to the orientation and the input method of the user command is pre-stored.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input method of the user command is one of a button input, a user'"'"'s motion of shaking the apparatus, and a motion of snapping the apparatus, and

wherein the user command according to the button input is determined based on at least one of a button input time and the number of button inputs.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the different operations comprise at least one of controlling power, controlling a play or a stop, controlling a volume, controlling a change in a play list, controlling a play mode, controlling a change of a folder, and controlling a setting.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the orientation is determined by a pitch angle, a roll angle, and an azimuth angle of the apparatus sensed by the sensing unit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mapping information is changeable by a user,

the method further comprising:

storing the mapping information changed by the user.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

outputting a voice corresponding to the different operations.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

performing wired or wireless communication with an external apparatus and for transmitting data for outputting the different operations as at least one of an audio signal and a video signal to an earphone that communicates with the apparatus.

16. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

authenticating whether a user is an authorized user by using user identification information if the user command is received.