Method for controlling function and electronic device thereof

• US 10,096,301 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Jin-Ho, Park, Chan-Woo, Koh, Yoo-Kyung, Namkung, Joo, Han, Man-Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIBBEE, CHAYCE R
• Application Number:
  US14/737,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20150364113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 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 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/06 Consumer Electronics Control, i.e. control of another device by a display or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/22 Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

A method for operating an electronic device is provided. The method includes connecting to a Head Mounted Device (HMD), receiving an input through the HMD while the HMD is connected, and in response to the received input, performing a function corresponding to the received input.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

connecting to a Head Mounted Device (HMD);

receiving an input using at least one sensor which is disposed on a front surface of the electronic device while the electronic device is connected to the HMD, the front surface facing a face of a user of the HMD, wherein the input comprises at least one of a hand gesture, a pupil movement and depth information and is provided from the least one sensor which receives the input through at least one mirror disposed in the HMD, and wherein the electronic device includes a display disposed on the front surface of the electronic device; and

in response to the received input, performing a function corresponding to the received input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting to the HMD comprises connecting to the HMD through one of a communication connection and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the HMD comprises at least one sensor for receiving the input.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor disposed on the front surface of the electronic device comprises at least one of an image sensor, an iris sensor, an infrared sensor, and a light sensor, and

wherein the HMD further comprises at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input further comprises a head gesture and at least one of the head gesture, the hand gesture, the pupil movement and the depth information is based on a distance to an object, marker information, and information about whether the HMD is mounted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror is disposed inside the HMD to face the sensor of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the function corresponding to the received input comprises at least one of a function for controlling an image displayed on a display screen of the electronic device, a function associated with an application, and a function for controlling the display screen.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a connector configured to connect to a Head Mounted Device (HMD);

at least one sensor which is disposed on a front surface of the electronic device, the front surface facing a face of a user of the HMD;

a display which is disposed on the front surface of the electronic device; and

a processor configured to;

receive an input using the at least one sensor while the electronic device is connected to the HMD, wherein the input comprises at least one of a hand gesture, a pupil movement and depth information and is provided from the least one sensor which receives the input through at least one mirror disposed in the HMD; and

perform a function corresponding to the received input in response to the received input.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the connector comprises one of a communication module for communicating with the HMD and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) module.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the HMD comprises at least one sensor for receiving the input.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor of the electronic device comprises at least one of an image sensor, an iris sensor, an infrared sensor, and a light sensor, and

wherein the HMD further comprises at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the input further comprises a head gesture and at least one of the head gesture, the hand gesture, the pupil movement and the depth information is based on a distance to an object, marker information, and information about whether the HMD is mounted.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one mirror is disposed inside the HMD to face the sensor of the electronic device.

14. A mounted device comprising:

a docking portion configured to couple with an electronic device;

an optical portion configured to optically adjust a display screen of the electronic device coupled to the docking portion and to show the adjusted display screen; and

a reflector configured to provide an input comprising at least one of a hand gesture, a pupil movement and depth information to at least one sensor which is disposed on a front surface of the electronic device, the front surface facing a face of a user of the mounted device,

wherein the electronic device includes a display disposed on the front surface of the electronic device.

15. The mounted device of claim 14, wherein the reflector comprises at least one mirror disposed inside the mounted device to face the sensor of the electronic device.

16. The mounted device of claim 14, wherein the sensor of the electronic device comprises at least one of an image sensor, an iris sensor, an infrared sensor, and a light sensor, and

wherein the input further comprises a head gesture and at least one of the head gesture, the hand gesture, the pupil movement and the depth information is based on a distance to an object, marker information, and information about whether the mounted device is mounted.

17. A method for operating a mounted device, the method comprising:

coupling with an electronic device; and

providing, by a reflector, an input comprising at least one of a hand gesture, a pupil movement and depth information, to at least one sensor which is disposed on a front surface of the electronic device, the front surface facing a face of a user of the mounted device,

wherein the electronic device includes a display disposed on the front surface of the electronic device.