Electronic apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 9,552,057 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Sang-jin, Kwon, Yong-hwan, Kim, Jung-geun
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US13/687,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20130169525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 704/246, 704/275, 704/276
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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

Abstract

An electronic apparatus and a control method thereof are provided, which displays first voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the electronic apparatus, and if a command to control an external device connected to the electronic apparatus is received, changes the first voice guide information and displays second voice guide information to indicating voice commands available to control the external device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a content and first voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the electronic apparatus;

receiving a command to display second voice guide information corresponding to a plurality of external devices connected to the electronic apparatus;

in response to the received command, displaying the second voice guide information including a plurality of voice commands corresponding to the plurality of external devices while the content is displayed;

receiving a voice command corresponding to an external device of the plurality of external devices; and

in response to the received voice command, displaying third voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the external device corresponding to the received voice command while the content is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising searching a plurality of voice guide information stored in the electronic apparatus to find the third voice guide information that corresponds to the external device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is a television, and the first voice guide information comprises at least one of a voice command regarding power control, a voice command regarding operating the external device, a voice command regarding a channel setting, and a voice command regarding a volume setting, and

wherein the external device is one of a digital versatile disc player and a Blu-ray disc player, the third voice guide information comprises at least one of a voice command regarding power control of the external device, a voice command regarding operating the external device, and a voice command regarding a playback setting of the external device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the first voice guide information is displayed, and if a first voice command contained in the first voice guide information is received, controlling the electronic apparatus according to the first voice command; and

if the third voice guide information is displayed, and if a third voice command contained in the third voice guide information is received, generating a control signal corresponding to the third voice command and transmitting the generated control signal to the external device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the third voice guide information is displayed, and if a voice command corresponding to one of the voice commands included in the third voice guide information is received, generating a control signal corresponding to the voice command; and

wirelessly transmitting the generated control signal to a relay device which transmits the generated control signal to the external device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the generated control signal is transmitted to the relay device by using Bluetooth communication, and

wherein the relay device converts the transmitted control signal into an infrared (IR) signal and transmits the converted IR signal to the external device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first voice guide information and the second voice guide information each include an icon which indicates that an operation mode of the electronic apparatus is a voice control mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first guide information and the second voice guide information are displayed on a bottom of a screen on which content is displayed on the electronic apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a voice command received through a voice input device to control the external device.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a voice input unit which receives a command;

a display; and

a controller which controls the display to display a content and first voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the electronic apparatus, in response to receiving a command to display second voice guide information corresponding to a plurality of external devices connected to the electronic apparatus, display the second voice guide information including a plurality of voice commands corresponding to the plurality of external devices while the content is displayed, and in response to a command to select an external device of the plurality of external devices, display third voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the external device corresponding to the received voice command while the content is displayed.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a storage unit which stores a plurality of voice guide information, wherein the controller searches the plurality of stored voice guide information of the storage unit to find the third voice guide information corresponding to the external device.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electronic apparatus is a television, and the first voice guide information comprises at least one of a voice command regarding power control, a voice command regarding operating the external device, a voice command regarding a channel setting, and a voice command regarding a volume setting, and

wherein the external device is one of a digital versatile disc player and a Blu-ray disc player, the third voice guide information comprises at least one of a voice command regarding power control of the external device, a voice command regarding operating the external device, and a voice command regarding a playback setting of the external device.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an external terminal input unit which connects the electronic apparatus to the external device, wherein,

if the first voice guide information is displayed, and if a first voice command contained in the first voice guide information is received, the controller controls the electronic apparatus according to the first voice command, and

if the third voice guide information is displayed, and if a third voice command contained in the third voice guide information is received, the controller generates a control signal corresponding to the third voice command and transmits the generated control signal to the external device.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a network interface unit which performs communication with a relay device that communicates with the external device,

wherein if the third voice guide information is displayed, and if a voice command corresponding to one of the voice commands included in the third voice guide information is received, the controller generates a control signal corresponding to the voice command, and wirelessly transmits the generated control signal to the relay device to transmit to the external device.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the generated control signal is transmitted to the relay device by using Bluetooth communication, and the relay device converts the transmitted control signal into an infrared (IR) signal and transmits the converted IR signal to the external device.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first guide information and the second voice guide information each include an icon which indicates that an operation mode of the electronic apparatus is a voice control mode.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first guide information and the second voice guide information are displayed on a bottom of a screen on which content is displayed on the electronic apparatus.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the command is a voice command received through the voice input device to control the external device.

19. A method for controlling a device, the method comprising:

displaying a content and first voice guide information including a plurality of first commands to control the device and a second command to display second voice guide information corresponding to a plurality of external devices connected to the device;

receiving the second command;

in response to receiving the second command, displaying second voice guide information including a plurality of voice commands corresponding to the plurality of external devices while the content is displayed;

receiving a voice command of the plurality of voice commands corresponding to the an external device; and

in response to the received command, displaying third voice guide information indicating voice commands available to control the external device corresponding to the received command while the content is displayed.