Intelligent electronic device and method of operating the same

• US 10,402,625 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sung, Won-Kyu, Kim, Jangwoon, Baik, Jaeho, Shin, Wonho, Lee, Byungchan, Lee, Joo-Hyung, Jeong, Woohyeok, Son, Dong-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Cerullo, Liliana
• Application Number:
  US15/462,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/025 LAN communication management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/16 Digital picture frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

An electronic device and a method of operating the same are provided. The electronic device includes a base, a fixed head disposed on an upper portion of the base, a drive unit that is disposed in an inner space of the fixed head, a movable head that surrounds at least a portion of the fixed head and is arranged to be movable by being fixed to at least a portion of the drive unit, at least one sensor module that is disposed in at least a portion of the movable head, and at least one processor that detects an input by the sensor module and controls the drive unit to cause the movable head to move in a determined direction according to an input detection parameter. Other various embodiments may be made.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a fixed head disposed on an upper portion of the base;

a drive unit that is disposed in an inner space of the fixed head;

a movable head that surrounds at least a portion of the fixed head and is arranged to be movable by being fixed to at least a portion of the drive unit;

at least one sensor module that is disposed in at least a portion of the movable head or the base;

at least one processor; and

at least one or more computer programs configured to be executed by the at least one processor, wherein the one or more computer programs include instructions to at least;

detect, via the sensor module, an input, and

control, via the drive unit, to cause the movable head to move in a determined direction according to a parameter corresponding to the detected input,

wherein the drive unit comprises;

a rotation plate,

a first drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a first axis, and

a second drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the first drive unit comprises;

the rotation plate disposed to be capable of self-rotating within the fixed head,

a first fixing piece fixed to the rotation plate,

a first gear disposed to be rotated coaxially with the rotation plate, and

a first drive motor disposed within the fixed head and including a pinion gear engaged with the first gear, and

wherein a portion of the movable head is fixed to the first fixing piece such that the movable head fixed to the first fixing piece is moved when the first gear is rotated according to driving of the first drive motor is driven.

2. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the movable head comprises a display, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is directed toward a direction of the input with reference to the display.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first drive unit and the second drive unit operate alone or together under a control of the at least one processor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor module comprises at least one of:

an image sensor configured to detect a movement of an external object,

a sound detecting sensor configured to detect an external sound,

a temperature sensing sensor configured to detect an external temperature,

an odor sensor configured to detect an external odor, or

an atmospheric pressure sensor configured to detect an atmospheric pressure.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input comprises at least one of a gesture of an external object, an external sound, an external temperature, or an external atmospheric pressure.

6. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the movable head further comprises an output device, and

wherein the output device comprises at least one of a speaker device, a microphone device, a vibration device, or a visual indicator device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the second drive unit comprises:

a second gear disposed on a gear fixing shaft extending from the first fixing plate to be rotated with the first fixing piece, and

a second drive motor disposed on the rotation plate and including a pinion gear engaged with the second gear, and

wherein the movable head fixed to the first fixing piece is moved when the second gear is rotated according to the driving of the second drive motor.

8. A method of operating an intelligent electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting, by an electronic device, a user based on a received acoustic speech;

moving, by the electronic device, a display of the intelligent electronic device to face the user; and

executing, by the electronic device, a function through the display,

wherein the electronic device comprises;

a base,

a fixed head disposed on an upper portion of the base,

a drive unit that is disposed in an inner space of the fixed head,

a movable head that surrounds at least a portion of the fixed head and is arranged to be movable by being fixed to at least a portion of the drive unit, and

at least one sensor that is disposed in at least a portion of the movable head or the base, and

wherein the drive unit comprises;

a rotation plate,

a first drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a first axis, and

a second drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis,

wherein the first drive unit comprises;

the rotation plate disposed to be capable of self-rotating within the fixed head,

a first fixing piece fixed to the rotation plate,

a first gear disposed to be rotated coaxially with the rotation plate, and

first drive motor disposed within the fixed head and including a pinion gear engaged with the first gear, and

wherein a portion of the movable head is fixed to the first fixing piece such that the movable head fixed to the first fixing piece is moved when the first gear is rotated according to driving of the first drive motor is driven.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, by the electronic device, a face from captured image data; and

moving, by the electronic device, the display to correspond to the face.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

tracking, by the electronic device, the face during execution of the function; and

moving, by the electronic device, in response to the tracking of the face, the display to correspond to the face.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, by the electronic device, a distance from the intelligent electronic device to the user,

wherein the executing of the function comprises;

determining a screen to be displayed based on the distance, and

displaying the screen.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the moving of the display comprises rotating the display about at least one of three mutually orthogonal axes that pass through the intelligent electronic device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the executing of the function comprises:

displaying a screen that displays the function to be executed;

detecting a control command based on the received acoustic speech; and

controlling the function based on the control command.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the display is implemented as a touch screen, and

wherein the executing of the function further comprises detecting the control command based on a signal input to the touch screen.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a fixed head disposed on an upper portion of the base;

a drive unit that is disposed in an inner space of the fixed head;

a movable head that surrounds at least a portion of the fixed head and is arranged to be movable by being fixed to at least a portion of the drive unit and includes display disposed on the movable head;

at least one sensor that is disposed in at least a portion of the movable head or the base; and

at least one processor functionally connected to the display and the drive unit,

at least one memory storing one or more computer programs configured to be executed by the at least one processor, wherein the one or more computer programs include instructions to at least;

detect a user based on a received acoustic speech,

move the display to face the user, and

execute a function through the display,

wherein the drive unit comprises;

a rotation plate,

a first drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a first axis, and

a second drive unit configured to move the movable head such that the movable head is rotatable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis,

wherein the first drive unit comprises;

the rotation plate disposed to be capable of self-rotating within the fixed head,

a first fixing piece fixed to the rotation plate,

a first gear disposed to be rotated coaxially with the rotation plate, and

a first drive motor disposed within the fixed head and including a pinion gear engaged with the first gear, and

wherein a portion of the movable head is fixed to the first fixing piece such that the movable head fixed to the first fixing piece is moved when the first gear is rotated according to driving of the first drive motor is driven.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a camera configured to capture image data,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

detect a face in the image data, and

move the display to correspond to the face.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the drive unit to rotate the display about at least one of three mutually orthogonal axes that pass through the electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

display a first screen in response to the movement of the display, and

display a second screen in response to processing of the acoustic speech.