Control device and control method thereof

• US 9,760,239 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Roh, Yeon-hee, Ko, Chang-seog, Yoo, Soung-min
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan S
• Application Number:
  US14/643,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A control device which controls a device is disclosed. The control device can be connected to at least one external device, and includes a display unit which generates and displays a frame; and a control unit which controls the display unit to add at least one frame corresponding to each of the at least one external device or to pre-installed applications. The control unit further controls the display unit to display corresponding content in each frame.

Claims

1. A control device, which is connectable to at least one external device, the control device comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to control the display to display a first screen and to display, in response to receiving a user input for controlling the external device, a second screen comprising the first screen reduced to a predetermined size and at least two other screens in a same layer,

wherein each of the at least two other screens comprises a content of an application that most recently executed in the external device.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two other screens comprise a screen corresponding to a first external device connected to the control device and a screen corresponding to a second external device connected to the control device.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to display broadcast programs currently received by the control device or display at least two other screens which reproduce contents provided from the first and second external devices connected to the control device.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display at least one of an icon corresponding to a type of contents or a guide text on the second screen and around the at least two other screens.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if one screen is selected from the second screen and the at least two other screens, the processor enlarges and displays the selected screen to cover an entire screen.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 1, the processor is configured to reproduce a content in a screen positioned in an outermost among the second screen and the at least two other screens and display only a still image of each of contents in other screens among the second screen and the at least two other screens.

12. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two other screens comprise screens corresponding to contents which are classified according to a type of content by applications installed in the control device.

6. A control method of a control device connectable to at least one external device, the control method comprising:

(a) displaying a first screen;

(b) receiving a user input for controlling the external device; and

(c) displaying, in response to receiving the user input, a second screen comprising the first screen reduced to a predetermined size and at least two other screens in a same layer, and

wherein each of the at least two other screens comprises a content of an application that most recently executed in the external device.

7. The control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least two other screens comprise a screen corresponding to a first external device connected to the control device and a screen corresponding to a second external device connected to the control device.

8. The control method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step (c) comprises displaying broadcast programs currently received by the control device or displaying at least two other screens which reproduce contents provided from the first and second external devices connected to the control device.

9. The control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step (c) comprises displaying at least one of an icon corresponding to a type of contents or a guide text on the second screen and around the at least two other screens.

10. The control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step (c) comprises, if one screen is selected from the second screen and the at least two other screens, enlarging and displaying the selected screen to cover an entire screen.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 6, the displaying the second screen and the at least two other screens comprises reproducing a content in a screen positioned in an outermost among the second screen and the at least two other screens and displaying only a still image of each of contents in other screens among the second screen and the at least two other screens.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least two other screens comprise screens corresponding to contents which are classified according to a type of content by applications installed in the control device.