Electronic device and method for controlling the same

• US 9,497,595 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Jeongeun, Kim, Seungman, An, Sungje
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US14/425,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• 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: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic device capable of providing route information and a method for controlling same. An electronic device capable of providing route information according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless communications unit, a search unit for searching out a destination inputted by the user, a display unit for setting, as a destination, one of the places searched out by the search unit and for displaying the route of the set destination, and a control unit for sending a control signal to control at least one electric home appliance based on an expected time of arrival at the destination.

Claims

1. An electronic device capable of providing route information, the electronic device comprising:

a wireless communication unit;

a display unit; and

a controller configured to;

cause the display unit to display a route to a destination;

calculate an estimated time of arrival at the destination along the route;

determine a home appliance of at least one home appliance and a first point along the route at which to transmit a control signal to the home appliance based on the estimated time of arrival;

cause the display unit to display, at the first point on the displayed route, a graphic object corresponding to the home appliance;

determine that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route, transmit the control signal that controls the home appliance,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

detect a drag input applied to the graphic object corresponding to the home appliance that is displayed at the first point on the displayed route;

move the graphic object to a second point along the route based on the detection of the drag input applied to the graphic object;

determine that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route, transmit the control signal that controls the home appliance.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to utilize near field communication, and

wherein the controller is configured to receive, from an external device through the wireless communication unit, a setting for controlling the at least one home appliance.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

load control time information related to an operation of the home appliance;

determine, based on the control time information related to the operation of the home appliance and based on the estimated time of arrival at the destination along the route, the first point along the route at which to transmit the control signal to the home appliance.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the control time information related to the operation of the home appliance is set by the user.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the control time information comprises at least one of operation start time information or operation end time information related to the home appliance.

6. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication unit is further configured to receive updated traffic information from at least one external server, and

wherein the controller is further configured to determine, based on the received traffic information, the point along the route at which to transmit the control signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to output, based on the traffic information, screen information on one region of the display unit, the screen information configured to enable the user to select a detour route.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to change, based on the control time information and in response to a user selection of the detour route, the point along the route at which to transmit the control signal to the home appliance.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output, adjacent to the graphic object on the display unit, control time information related to the home appliance corresponding to the graphic object.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output, on one region of the display unit, setting information related to the home appliance corresponding to the graphic object.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the setting information comprises at least one of an operation time or an operation setting of a home appliance corresponding to a graphic object that has a user'"'"'s touch input applied thereto, and

wherein at least part of the setting information is changed by a user selection.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the electronic device is within a predetermined range with respect to the first point; and

display the graphic object on the route based on the determination that the electronic device is within the predetermined range with respect to the first point.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a type of the home appliance; and

determine, according to the determined type of the home appliance, a type of the graphic object corresponding to the home appliance that is displayed at the first point on the displayed route.

14. A method of controlling an electronic device configured to provide route information, the method comprising:

setting a route to a destination;

displaying the route on a display unit of the electronic device;

calculating an estimated time of arrival at the destination along the route;

determining a home appliance and a first point along the route at which to transmit a control signal to the home appliance based on the estimated time of arrival;

displaying, at the first point along the route, a graphic object corresponding to the home appliance;

determining that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route, transmitting the control signal that controls the home appliance,

wherein the method further comprises;

detecting a drag input applied to the graphic object corresponding to the home appliance that is displayed at the first point on the displayed route;

moving the graphic object to a second point along the route based on the detection of the drag input applied to the graphic object;

determining that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route, transmitting the control signal that controls the home appliance.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

loading control time information related to an operation of the home appliance;

determining, based on the control time information related to the operation of the home appliance and based on the estimated time of arrival at the destination along the route, the first point along the route at which to transmit the control signal to the home appliance.

16. An automatic control system interoperable with an electronic device configured to provide route information, the system comprising:

an electronic device configured to transmit, based on an estimated time of arrival at a destination, a control signal that remotely controls at least one home appliance;

a home network server configured to remotely control a home appliance of the at least one home appliance based on receiving the control signal; and

at least one home appliance wirelessly connected to the home network server and remotely controlled by the home network server,

wherein the electronic device comprises;

a wireless communication unit;

a display unit; and

a controller configured to;

cause the display unit to display a route to the destination;

calculate the estimated time of arrival at the destination along the route;

determine the home appliance of the at least one home appliance and a first point along the route at which to transmit the control signal to the home appliance based on the estimated time of arrival;

cause the display unit to display, at the first point along the route, a graphic object corresponding to the home appliance;

determine that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the first point along the route, transmit the control signal that controls the home appliance,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

detect a drag input applied to the graphic object corresponding to the home appliance that is displayed at the first point on the displayed route;

move the graphic object to a second point along the route based on the detection of the drag input applied to the graphic object;

determine that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route; and

based on the determination that the electronic device has passed the second point along the route, transmit the control signal that controls the home appliance.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic device is configured to:

load control time information related to an operation of the home appliance;

determine, based on the control time information related to the operation of the home appliance and based on the estimated time of arrival at the destination, the first point along the route at which to transmit the control signal to the home appliance.