Input apparatus, display apparatus and control method thereof

• US 9,794,506 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Eun Nim, Lim, Woo Youl, Jang, Sung Gook, Cha, Young Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nathnael, Paulos M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANDERS, JUSTIN B
• Application Number:
  US15/060,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20160277699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 348734
• 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 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• 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 input apparatus, a display apparatus, and control methods thereof are disclosed. The input apparatus for the display apparatus includes a user input device configured to receive a user'"'"'s input; communication circuitry configured to communicate with the display apparatus; a driver configured to provide a driving force to drive the input apparatus to move; and at least one processor configured to control the driver to move the input apparatus to a preset location corresponding to a user'"'"'s location in response to a preset event so that a user can take and use the input apparatus. Thus, a movable input apparatus comes to a user by itself and provides user-friendly interaction, thereby improving a user'"'"'s convenience.

Claims

1. A remote input apparatus for a display apparatus, comprising:

at least one touch sensor of the remote input apparatus configured to sense a touch input received from a user;

communication circuitry configured to communicate with the display apparatus;

and

at least one processor configured to move the remote input apparatus to a preset location by rolling the remote input apparatus having a substantially spherical shape toward the preset location in response to a preset event,

wherein the touch sensor comprises;

a first area configured to receive the touch input along a first touch path of the substantially spherical remote input apparatus with a first finger; and

a second area configured to receive the touch input along a second touch path of the substantially spherical remote input apparatus with a second finger.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to apply a driving force to move the input apparatus, and

wherein the input apparatus is driven by the driver to roll toward the preset location.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preset event comprises one or more of a user'"'"'s operation to a user input device provided in the display apparatus, a user'"'"'s input using another terminal apparatus paired with at least one of the display apparatus and the input apparatus, a user'"'"'s voice, a user'"'"'s motion and a user positioned in front of the display apparatus.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preset location comprises a first location distant from a front of the display apparatus by a first distance, and a second location distant from the first location by a second distance.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the driver to move the input apparatus from the preset location to a third location by a third distance if the input apparatus is not picked up by the user or does not sense an obstacle in the preset location.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a storage configured to store a value corresponding to the preset location, wherein

the at least one processor is configured to update the stored value with a value corresponding to a location where the input apparatus is picked up by a user or senses an obstacle.

7. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first area is configured to sense a pressure or motion due to touch with the first finger;

and

the second area is configured to sense a pressure or motion due to touch with the second finger, and

the first area and the second area are respectively positioned corresponding to the first finger and the second finger when the substantially spherical input apparatus is held in one hand.

8. The input apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the communication circuitry to transmit a command corresponding to one of channel change and volume control to the display apparatus in response to a swiping operation to the first area, and to transmit a command corresponding to the other one of the channel change and the volume control to the display apparatus in response to a swiping operation to the second area.

9. The input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit comprising output circuitry, the output unit configured to operate corresponding to operations of the input apparatus, wherein

the output unit comprises one or more of a vibrator, a light emitting diode, and a sound output unit.

10. A method of controlling a remote input apparatus for communicating with a display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a preset event;

moving the input apparatus to a preset location by rolling the input apparatus which has a substantially spherical shape toward the preset location in response to receiving the preset event, and

wherein the input apparatus comprises at least one touch sensor comprising a first area configured to receive the touch input along a first touch path of the substantially spherical input apparatus with a first finger and a second area configured to receive the touch input along a second touch path of the substantially spherical input apparatus with a second finger.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the input apparatus comprises a driver configured to apply a driving force to move the input apparatus, and

the moving the input apparatus to the preset location comprises driving the input apparatus by applying the driving force of the driver to the input apparatus to cause the input to roll toward the preset location.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the preset event comprises one or more of a user'"'"'s operation to a user input device provided in the display apparatus, a user'"'"'s input using another terminal apparatus paired with at least one of the display apparatus and the input apparatus, a user'"'"'s voice, a user'"'"'s motion and a user positioned in front of the display apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the preset location comprises a first location distant from a front of the display apparatus by a first distance, and a second location distant from the first location by a second distance.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising moving the input apparatus from the preset location to a third location by a third distance if the input apparatus is not picked up by the user or does not sense an obstacle in the preset location.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

storing a value corresponding to the preset location; and

updating the stored value with a value corresponding to a location where the input apparatus is picked up by a user or senses an obstacle.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the first area is configured to sense a pressure or motion due to touch with the first finger and

the second area is configured to sense a pressure or motion due to touch with the second finger, and

the first area and the second area are respectively positioned corresponding to the first finger and the second finger when the input apparatus is held in one hand, the input apparatus being substantially spherical.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting a command corresponding to one of channel change and volume control to the display apparatus in response to a swiping operation to the first area; and

transmitting a command corresponding to the other one of the channel change and the volume control to the display apparatus in response to a swiping operation to the second area.