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

• US 9,911,322 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• 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:
  US15/374,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20170092118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 341176, 345156, 345158, 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 3/038 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, in response to a first user command to execute a predefined application among a plurality of applications which are provided by the second electronic apparatus, 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, and to control the executed application according to a second user command received from the first electronic apparatus via the second communication unit,

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 1, wherein when the sensing unit operates in the power saving mode, the sensing unit consumes a minimum electric power.

4. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the control signal corresponds to the executed application in the second electronic apparatus.

5. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises information for switching the operation mode of the sensing unit between the active mode and the power saving mode.

6. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the second user command corresponds to a user button input received on the first electronic apparatus.

7. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein in response to the first user command, the second control unit is configured to control to operate in a non-pointing mode in which the second control unit controls the second electronic apparatus according to a user button selection on the first electronic apparatus, and in response to receiving information related to movement of the first electronic control apparatus while the second control unit operates in the non-pointing mode, the second control unit is further configured to switch from the non-pointing mode to a pointing mode in which the second control unit controls the display to display a pointer on the display.

8. The electronic system according to claim 7, wherein the second control unit controls not to display the pointer in the non-pointing mode.

9. The electronic system according to claim 7, 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.

10. The electronic system according to claim 7, 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.

11. The electronic system according to claim 7, 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.

12. 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, in response to a first user command to execute a predefined application among a plurality of applications which are provided by the display apparatus, 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 and to control the executed application according to a second user command received from the remote control apparatus via the communication unit,

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

13. The display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control signal corresponds to the executed application in the display apparatus.

14. The display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control signal comprises information for switching the operation mode of the sensing unit between the active mode and the power saving mode.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second user command corresponds to a user button input received on the remote control apparatus.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein in response to the first user command, the control unit is configured to control to operate in a non-pointing mode in which the control unit controls the display apparatus according to a user button selection on the remote control apparatus, and in response to receiving information related to movement of the remote control apparatus while the control unit operates in the non-pointing mode, the control unit is further configured to switch from the non-pointing mode to a pointing mode in which the control unit controls the display to display a pointer on the display.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control unit controls not to display the pointer in the non-pointing mode.

18. The display apparatus according to claim 16, 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.

19. The display apparatus according to claim 16, 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.

20. The display apparatus according to claim 16, 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.