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

• US 9,542,838 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• 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:
  US14/637,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20150179060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 345/156, 345/158, 348/734
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system comprising:

a first electronic apparatus comprising;

a plurality of buttons comprising a plurality of direction keys;

a sensing unit operable in one of an active mode and a power saving mode, configured to sense a movement of the first electronic apparatus;

the sensing unit comprising at least one from among a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor;

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

a first control unit configured to transmit information corresponding to the movement of the first electronic apparatus which is sensed by the sensing unit in the active mode, the information being transmitted to the second electronic apparatus via the first communication unit, and

the second electronic apparatus comprising;

a display;

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

a second control unit configured to control the display to display a pointer in a pointing mode based on the information corresponding to the movement of the first electronic apparatus transmitted from the first electronic apparatus and in response to switching from the pointing mode to a non-pointing mode, to transmit a control signal via the second communication unit to the first electronic apparatus so that the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode,

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

2. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit is configured to control the sensing unit to operate in the power saving mode in response to detecting a predefined user input via the plurality of direction keys.

3. The electronic system according to claim 2, wherein the first control unit is configured to transmit to the second electronic apparatus via the first communication unit information corresponding to a user input received via the plurality of direction keys while the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode.

4. The electronic system according to claim 3, wherein the first control unit is configured to control the sensing unit to switch from the power saving mode to the active mode in response to sensing a spatial movement of the first electronic apparatus by the sensing unit in the power saving mode.

5. The electronic system according to claim 3, 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.

6. The electronic system according to claim 3, 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.

7. The electronic system according to claim 1, 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.

8. The electronic system 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 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.

9. The electronic system according to claim 8, wherein less power is consumed in the second power state of the sensing unit than in the first power state of the sensing unit.

10. The electronic system according to claim 1, 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.

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

12. The electronic system according to claim 1, 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.

13. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit controls not to display the pointer in the non-pointing mode.

14. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the operation mode of the second electronic apparatus is switched from the pointing mode to the non-pointing mode in response to a user manipulation with respect to the second electronic apparatus.

15. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the operation mode of the second electronic apparatus is switched from the pointing mode to the non-pointing mode in response to a signal indicating a button selected by a user input.

16. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein when the second electronic apparatus operates in the non-pointing mode, the second control unit controls a user-indicated spot in the display based on a user input with respect to the plurality of direction keys.

17. A display apparatus comprising:

a display;

a communication unit configured to establish communication with a remote control apparatus having a sensing unit operable in one of an active mode and a power saving mode, the sensing unit comprising at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor; and

a control unit configured to control the display to display a pointer in a pointing mode based on information corresponding to the movement of the remote control apparatus received via the communication unit, and in response to switching from the pointing mode to a non-pointing mode, to transmit a control signal via the communication unit to the remote control apparatus so that the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode,

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

18. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control signal corresponds to at least one of a function, an application and a content which is being executed in the display apparatus.

19. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the switching from the pointing mode to the non-pointing mode depends on a menu of the display apparatus.

20. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control signal comprises information for switching the operation mode for the sensing unit between the active mode and the power saving mode.

21. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to control the communication unit to transmit the control signal when the display apparatus is turned on.

22. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein in response to receiving information corresponding to a user button input via the communication unit from the remote control apparatus, the control unit is configured to control to operate in the non-pointing mode.

23. The display apparatus according to claim 22, wherein in response to receiving information corresponding to movement of the remote control apparatus via the communication unit from the remote control apparatus, the control unit is configured to control to operate in the pointing mode.

24. The display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the information corresponding to the user button input is provided in a form other than the information corresponding to the movement of the remote control apparatus.

25. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein in response to receiving information about the operating mode of the remote control apparatus via the communication unit from the remote control apparatus, the control unit is configured to control to operate in the pointing mode based on the received information about the operating mode of the remote control apparatus.

26. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit controls not to display the pointer in the non-pointing mode.

27. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the operation mode of the display apparatus is switched from the pointing mode to the non-pointing mode in response to a user manipulation with respect to the display apparatus.

28. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the operation mode of the display apparatus is switched from the pointing mode to the non-pointing mode in response to a signal indicating a button selected by a user input.

29. The display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein when display apparatus operates in the non-pointing mode, the control unit controls a user-indicated spot in the display based on a user input with respect to the plurality of direction keys.