Function upgrade device, display apparatus and method for controlling display apparatus thereof

• US 9,648,397 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Kun-sok, Song, Hak-sup, Hong, Seong-seol, Lee, Soo-yong, Choi, Mi-jin, Lee, Sang-Il, Lee, Joo-whan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huerta, Alexander Q
• Application Number:
  US14/451,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20150046968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A function upgrade device, a display apparatus, and a method for controlling a display apparatus are provided. The function upgrade device may include a function unit configured to perform a function in conjunction with the display apparatus, a storage configured to store user information and an application related to the function unit, an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus and enable the function upgrade device to communicate with the display apparatus, and a controller configured to, when the display apparatus is connected to the function upgrade device through the interface, control the function unit to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus based on the user information and the application stored in the storage.

Claims

1. A function upgrade device which is connectable to a display apparatus and configured to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus, the function upgrade device comprising:

a function unit configured to perform a function in conjunction with the display apparatus, the display apparatus comprising a first processor configured to process data;

a storage configured to store user information and an application related to the function unit;

an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus and enable the function upgrade device to communicate with the display apparatus;

a controller configured to, when the display apparatus is connected to the function upgrade device through the interface, control the function unit to operate in conjunction with the display apparatus based on the user information and the application stored in the storage; and

a second processor configured to process the data,

wherein the controller is configured to selectively control one of the first processor or the second processor to perform the function and thereby process the data according to whether the first processor in the display apparatus performs the function, and

wherein the controller is further configured to download and store the function in the storage of the function upgrade device in response to determining that the function, to be performed, requires the function upgrade device and to download and store the function in a storage of the display apparatus in response to determining that the function, to be performed, does not require the function upgrade device.

2. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the display apparatus is connected to the function upgrade device through the interface and user authentication is performed through the display apparatus, the controller is configured to control the interface to transmit the user information to the display apparatus.

3. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user information comprises display apparatus setting information,

wherein the display apparatus is configured to change a setting of the display apparatus according to the display apparatus setting information transmitted from the function upgrade device.

4. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function to be performed in conjunction with the display apparatus is a game function, and the function unit comprises a graphic processor configured to perform the game function.

5. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function to be performed in conjunction with the display apparatus is a home gateway function, and the function unit comprises a communicator configured to communicate with a home device.

6. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function to be performed in conjunction with the display apparatus is a 5.1 channel audio output function, and the function unit comprises an audio processing module configured to process a 5.1 channel audio signal.

7. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the function to be performed in conjunction with the display apparatus is a health management function, and the function unit comprises a sensor and a camera to check a heath condition of a user.

8. A method for controlling a display apparatus, the method comprising:

performing user authentication when a function upgrade device is connected to the display apparatus;

in response to authenticating a user based on the performing of the user authentication, receiving user information from the function upgrade device;

changing a setting of the display apparatus based on the user information;

in response to receiving a user command to perform a function of the display apparatus, determining whether the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, requires the function upgrade device and generating a result of the determining,

selectively controlling one of a first processor included in the display apparatus and a second processor included in the function upgrade device to perform the function corresponding to the user command according to the result, and

downloading and storing the function corresponding to the user command in a storage of the function upgrade device in response to the result indicating that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, requires the function upgrade device, and downloading and storing the function corresponding to the user command in a storage of the display apparatus in response to the result indicating that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, does not require the function upgrade device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the performing comprises, when the result indicates that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which requires the function upgrade device, performing the function corresponding to the user command in conjunction with the function upgrade device, and when the result indicates that the function corresponding to the user command is not a function which requires the function upgrade device, performing the function corresponding to the user command independently by the display apparatus.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a command to download an application;

determining whether a function to be performed by the application is a function which requires the function upgrade device and generating a determination result of the determining of whether the function to be performed by the application is a function which requires the function upgrade device; and

when the determination result indicates that the function to be performed by the application is a function which requires the function upgrade device, downloading, by the display apparatus, the application and storing the application in the function upgrade device, and when the determination result indicates that the function to be performed by the application is not a function which requires the function upgrade device, downloading, by the display apparatus, the application and storing the application in the display apparatus.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting, by the display apparatus, usage history information of a user with respect to the display apparatus to the function upgrade device; and

storing, by the function upgrade device, the usage history information.

12. A display apparatus, comprising:

a first processor configured to process data;

a function unit configured to perform a function of the display apparatus;

an interface configured to connect the display apparatus to a function upgrade device comprising a second processor configured to process the data and enable the display apparatus to communicate with the function upgrade device; and

a controller configured to, when the function upgrade device is connected through the interface, control the function unit to receive user information from the function upgrade device by performing user authentication and change a setting of the display apparatus based on the user information, and when a user command to perform a function of the display apparatus is input, control the function unit to make a determination as to whether the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, requires the function upgrade device and selectively control one of the first processor or the second processor to perform the function corresponding to the user command and thereby process the data according to the determination,

wherein the controller is further configured to download and store the function in a storage of the function upgrade device in response to the determination indicating that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, requires the function upgrade device and to download and store the function in a storage of the display apparatus in response to the determination indicating that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which, to be performed, does not require the function upgrade device.

13. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the determination indicates that the function corresponding to the user command is a function which requires the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to perform the function corresponding to the user command in conjunction with the function upgrade device, and when the determination indicates that the function corresponding to the user command is not a function which requires the function upgrade device, the controller controls the display apparatus to perform the function corresponding to the user command independently.

14. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

an input configured to receive user commands; and

the storage,

wherein when a command to download an application is input through the input, the controller is configured to determine whether a function to be performed by the application is a function which requires the function upgrade device, and when the controller determines that the function to be performed by the application is a function which requires the function upgrade device, the controller downloads and stores the application in the function upgrade device, and when the controller determines that the function to be performed by the application is not a function which requires the function upgrade device, the controller downloads and stores the application in the storage.

15. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the interface to transmit usage history information of a user with respect to the display apparatus to the function upgrade device,

wherein the function upgrade device is configured to store the usage history information.

16. A function upgrade device, comprising:

a first processor configured to process data; and

a controller configured to, when the function upgrade device is connected to a display apparatus comprising a second processor configured to process the data, make a determination as to whether a command to process data may be carried out independently by the second processor included in the display apparatus, and selectively use one of the first processor of the function upgrade device or the second processor of the display apparatus according to the determination to process the data according to the command, and

wherein the controller is further configured to download and store the function in a storage of the function upgrade device in response to the determination indicating that the command to process data cannot be carried out independently by the second processor in the dismay apparatus and to download and store the function in a storage of the display apparatus in response to the determination indicating that the command to process data can be carried out independently by the second processor in the display apparatus.

17. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first processor of the function upgrade device and the second processor of the display apparatus each comprise image processors, and the command comprises a command to process image data.

18. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an interface configured to connect the function upgrade device to the display apparatus.

19. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the interface is implemented as a wireless interface.

20. The function upgrade device as claimed in claim 16, wherein in response to the determination indicating that the command to process data cannot be carried out independently by the second processor included in the display apparatus, the first processor of the function upgrade device processes the data according to the command.