METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING CONTROLLED DEVICE INCLUDED IN NETWORK

• US 20100241966A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HAN, Sang-jun, HAN, Kuk-hyun, KIM, Hark-joon
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A method of controlling at least one controlled device at an external device outside a network including a control device and the controlled device is provided. The method includes transmitting a message accepting a control request requesting to control the controlled device in a session established with the control device; receiving and displaying an identifier for identifying the controlled device; and selectively controlling the controlled device via the control device based on an input generated using the displayed identifier.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one controlled device at an external device outside a network including a control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting a message accepting a control request requesting to control the controlled device in a session established with the control device;

receiving an identifier for identifying the controlled device;

displaying the received identifier; and

selectively controlling the controlled device via the control device based on an input generated using the displayed identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is an image representing the controlled device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selectively controlling the controlled device comprises:

receiving a user interface image of the controlled device;

displaying the user interface image according to a first input generated using the image representing the controlled device; and

transmitting a control command to control the controlled device to the control device based on a second input generated using the displayed user interface image.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selectively controlling the controlled device comprises:

receiving from the control device a control command menu for the controlled device to perform a predetermined function;

displaying the control command menu according to a first input generated using the image representing the controlled device; and

transmitting a control command to control the controlled device to the control device based on a second input generated using the displayed control command menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the identifier comprises receiving the identifier from an external server connected to the control device.

6. An apparatus for controlling at least one controlled device from outside a network including a control device and the controlled device, the apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit which transmits a message accepting a control request requesting to control the controlled device in a session established with the control device;

a reception unit which receives an identifier for identifying the controlled device;

a display unit which displays the received identifier; and

a control unit which selectively controls the controlled device via the control device based on an input generated using the displayed identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reception unit receives the identifier from an external server connected to the control device.

8. A method of controlling at least one controlled device in a network including the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting a control request requesting to control the controlled device to an external device with which a session is established;

receiving from the external device a message accepting the control request;

determining an identifier for identifying the controlled device;

transmitting the determined identifier to the external device; and

receiving from the external device a control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the identifier of the controlled device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifier is an image representing the controlled device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a user interface image regarding the determined controlled device to the external device,

wherein the receiving the control command comprises receiving the control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the user interface image.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting a control command-based menu regarding the determined controlled device to the external device; and

receiving a control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the control command-based menu.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the identifier comprises:

selecting the controlled device by using a tag reader for reading a tag if the controlled device comprises a tag having identification information of the controlled device; and

determining the identifier for the selected controlled device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the identifier comprises:

transmitting to the controlled device a signal generated based on a user touching a surface of a touch screen;

receiving information regarding the signal and an identification information of the controlled device, which are detected by the controlled device, through a communication channel;

selecting the controlled device based on the received information regarding the signal and the received identification information of the controlled device; and

determining the identifier for the selected controlled device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting the determined identifier comprises transmitting the determined identifier of the controlled device to a server which transmits an image to the external device.

15. An apparatus for controlling at least one controlled device in a network including the controlled device, the apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit which transmits a control request requesting to control the controlled device to an external device with which a session is established;

a reception unit which receives from the external device a message accepting the control request; and

a control unit which determines an identifier for identifying the controlled device,

wherein the transmission unit transmits the determined identifier to the external device, and

wherein the reception unit receives from the external device a control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the identifier of the controlled device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controlled device comprises a tag having identification (ID) information of the controlled device, and the control unit selects the controlled device by using a tag reader for reading the tag and determines the identifier for the selected controlled device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit transmits to the controlled device a signal generated based on a user touching a surface of a touch screen, receives information regarding the signal and identification information of the controlled device, which are detected by the controlled device, through a communication channel, selects the controlled device based on the received information regarding the signal and the received identification information of the controlled device, and determines the identifier for the selected controlled device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmission unit transmits the determined identifier of the controlled device to a server for transmitting an image to the external device.

19. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing a method of controlling at least one controlled device at an external device outside a network including a control device and the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting a message accepting a control request requesting to control the controlled device in a session established with the control device;

receiving an identifier for identifying the controlled device;

displaying the received identifier; and

selectively controlling the controlled device via the control device based on an input generated using the displayed identifier.

20. A computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method of controlling at least one controlled device in a network including the controlled device, the method comprising:

transmitting a control request requesting to control the controlled device to an external device with which a session is established;

receiving from the external device a message accepting the control request;

determining an identifier for identifying the controlled device;

transmitting the determined identifier to the external device; and

receiving from the external device a control command to control the controlled device, which is generated using the identifier of the controlled device.