Method and apparatus for controlling controlled device included in network

• US 9,417,792 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hark-joon, Han, Kuk-hyun, Han, Sang-jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/558,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A method of controlling at least one controlled device at an external device outside a network including a control device and the controlled device is provided. The method includes transmitting a message accepting a control request requesting to control the controlled device in a session established with the control device; receiving and displaying an identifier for identifying the controlled device; and selectively controlling the controlled device via the control device based on an input generated using the displayed identifier.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one controlled device via a control device by an external device outside a network including the control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the external device, a control request for controlling the controlled device from the control device;

transmitting, by the external device, a message for accepting the control request to the control device;

receiving, at the external device, an identifier for identifying the controlled device from the control device, the identifier being selected among a controlled device list displayed on the control device;

displaying the received identifier on the external device; and

selectively controlling, by the external device, the controlled device via the control device based on an input on the received identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is an image representing the controlled device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selectively controlling the controlled device comprises:

receiving, at the external device, a user interface image of the controlled device;

displaying, on the external device, the user interface image according to a first input generated using the image representing the controlled device; and

transmitting, by the external device, a control command to control the controlled device to the control device based on a second input generated using the displayed user interface image.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selectively controlling the controlled device comprises:

receiving, at the external device, from the control device a control command menu for the controlled device to perform a predetermined function;

displaying, on the external device, the control command menu according to a first input generated using the image representing the controlled device; and

transmitting, by the external device, a control command to control the controlled device to the control device based on a second input generated using the displayed control command menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the identifier comprises receiving the identifier from an external server connected to the control device.

6. An external apparatus for controlling at least one controlled device via a control device from outside a network including the control device and the controlled device, the external apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit a message for accepting a control request to the control device, the control request requesting to control the controlled device;

a reception unit configured to receive, from the control device, the control request for controlling the controlled device, and an identifier selected among a controlled device list displayed on the control device;

a display unit configured to display the received identifier; and

a control unit configured to selectively control the controlled device via the control device based on an input on the received identifier,

wherein the transmission unit and the reception units are implemented as hardware.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reception unit is further configured to receive the identifier from an external server connected to the control device.

8. A method of controlling at least one controlled device via a control device in a network including the control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the control device, a control request for controlling the controlled device to an external device;

receiving, at the control device, a message for accepting the control request from the external device;

displaying, on the control device, a controlled device list;

determining, by the control device, an identifier for identifying the controlled device from the controlled device list;

transmitting, by the control device, the determined identifier to the external device; and

receiving, at the control device, a control command to control the controlled device from the external device,

wherein the external device is outside the network including the control device and the controlled device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is an image representing the controlled device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, by the control device, a user interface image regarding the controlled device to the external device,

wherein the receiving the control command comprises receiving the control command to control the controlled device from the external device, which is generated using the user interface image displayed on the external device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, by the control device, a control command-based menu regarding the controlled device to the external device; and

receiving, at the control device, a control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the control command-based menu.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the identifier comprises:

selecting the controlled device by using a tag reader for reading a tag if the controlled device comprises a tag having identification information of the controlled device; and

determining the identifier for the selected controlled device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the identifier comprises:

transmitting, by the control device, to the controlled device a signal generated based on a user touching a surface of a touch screen;

receiving, at the control device, information regarding the signal and an identification information of the controlled device, from the controlled device;

selecting, by the control device, the controlled device based on the received information regarding the signal and the received identification information of the controlled device; and

determining, by the control device, the identifier for the selected controlled device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting the determined identifier comprises transmitting the determined identifier of the controlled device to a server which transmits an image to the external device.

15. A control apparatus for controlling at least one controlled device in a network including a control device and the controlled device, the control apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit a control request for controlling the controlled device to an external device;

a reception unit configured to receive a message accepting the control request from the external device;

a display configured to display a controlled device list; and

a control unit configured to deterrmine an identifier for identifying the controlled device from the controlled device list,

wherein the transmission unit is further configured to transmit the determined identifier to the external device,

wherein the reception unit is further configured to receive a control command to control the controlled device from the external device,

wherein the external device is outside the network including the control device and the controlled device, and

wherein the transmission unit and the reception unit are implemented as hardware.

16. The control apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controlled device comprises a tag having identification (ID) information of the controlled device, and the control unit is further configured to select the controlled device by using a tag reader for reading the tag and determine the identifier for the selected controlled device.

17. The control apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit to the controlled device a signal generated based on a user touching a surface of a touch screen, receive information regarding the signal and identification information of the controlled device, which are detected by the controlled device, through a communication channel, select the controlled device based on the received information regarding the signal and the received identification information of the controlled device, and determine the identifier for the selected controlled device.

18. The control apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmission unit is further configured to transmit the determined identifier of the controlled device to a server for transmitting an image to the external device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing a method of controlling at least one controlled device via a control device by an external device outside a network including the control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the external device, a control request for controlling the controlled device from the control device;

transmitting, by the external device, a message for accepting the control request to the control device;

receiving, at the external device, an identifier for identifying the controlled device from the control device, the identifier being selected among a controlled device list displayed on the control device;

displaying the received identifier on the external device; and

selectively controlling, by the external device, the controlled device via the control device based on an input on the received identifier.

20. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method of controlling at least one controlled device via a control device in a network including the control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the control device, a control request for controlling the controlled device to an external device;

receiving, at the control device, a message for accepting the control request from the external device;

displaying, on the control device, a controlled device list;

determining, by the control device, an identifier for identifying the controlled device from the controlled device list;

transmitting, by the control device, the determined identifier to the external device; and

receiving, at the control device, a control command to control the controlled device from the external device,

wherein the external device is outside the network including the control device and the controlled device.

21. A method of controlling at least one controlled device via a control device by an external device outside a network, the network including the control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the external device, a control request for controlling the controlled device from the control device;

transmitting, by the external device, a message for accepting the control to the control device;

receiving, at the external device, an identifier for identifying the controlled device from a controlled device list displayed on the control device;

displaying the received identifier on the external device; and

selectively controlling, by the external device, the controlled device via the control device based on an input on the received identifier.