Method of controlling devices using widget contents and remote controller performing the method

• US 8,555,188 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Su-hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/401,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 715/774, 715/853, 715/708, 715/716, 715/718, 715/719, 715/762, 715/763, 715/767, 715/771, 715/810, 715/811, 715/825, 715/835, 715/863, 345/173, 345/176
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself

Abstract

Provided is a method of controlling devices by using a remote controller. The method includes downloading a widget program for the devices to the remote controller; generating control widget contents for controlling the devices using the widget program; displaying the control widget contents for controlling the devices at the remote controller; and controlling one of the devices according to a control command of a user that is input by using the displayed control widget contents.

Claims

1. A method of controlling devices performed by a remote controller, the method comprising:

downloading a widget program for the devices to the remote controller;

displaying control widget contents for controlling the devices, which are generated at the remote controller by using the widget program, each of the control widget contents correspond to one device from among the devices; and

controlling the devices according to a control commands that are input by using the displayed control widget contents,

wherein the control widget contents are used to control functions allocated to each of the devices to perform functions of the devices, and wherein each of the devices is associated with different control widget contents for controlling each device independently of the other devices,

wherein a position of the control widget contents is modifiable by touching and dragging the control widget contents,

wherein the control widget contents comprise at least one button, and the displaying the control widget contents comprises adding or deleting at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents or changing a position of at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents, and

wherein each respective control widget contents can be independently resized and wherein if the control widget contents are not used, the control widget contents can be at least partially hidden.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading the widget program comprises downloading the widget program from one of a server, a memory, and the devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the devices comprises controlling the devices by using radio frequency communications or infrared ray communications,

the method further comprising, before controlling the devices, identifying a device to be controlled and registering the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the devices comprises controlling each of the devices independently according to control commands that are input by using the control widget contents that are generated for controlling each of the devices when a plurality of devices are controlled.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the position of the at least one of the control widget contents and the button comprises:

inputting a touch and drag signal; and

changing the position of the control widget contents that are displayed according to the touch and drag signal and the position of the button included in the control widget contents.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the changing the position at least one of one of the control widget contents and the button comprises, when a plurality of control widget contents are displayed, displaying the plurality of control widget contents overlapping control widget contents for other devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control widget contents comprise at least one button,

the method further comprising:

downloading a widget edition program for editing the control widget contents; and

editing at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents by using the widget edition program.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the editing the at least of one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents comprises editing at least one of color, size, and shape of the at least one of the button and the control widget contents.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the editing the at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents comprises:

editing the at least one of the control widget contents and the button for each of the users according to edition commands that are received for each of a plurality of users; and

storing a screen containing at least one of the control widget contents that are edited for each of the users and the button together with an identifier for identifying the users.

19. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 1.

10. A remote controller comprising:

a widget manager which generates control widget contents for controlling a plurality of devices by using a widget program for the devices;

wherein the control widget contents are used to control functions allocated to each of the devices to perform functions of the devices, and wherein each of the devices is associated with different control widget contents for controlling each device independently of the other devices,

a display unit which displays the control widget contents, wherein each of the control widget contents correspond to one device from among the devices;

a user interface through which control commands for the devices are input by using the displayed control widget contents;

a controller which generates control signals for the devices according to the control command; and

a communication unit which downloads the widget program and transmits the control signals to the devices,

wherein a position of the control widget contents is modifiable by touching and dragging the control widget contents,

wherein the control widget contents comprise at least one button, and the widget manager adds or deletes at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents or changes a position of the at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents, and the display unit displays the at least one of the control widget contents and the button that is added or deleted or has changed position, and

wherein each respective control widget contents can be independently resized and wherein if the control widget contents are not used, the control widget contents can be at least partially hidden.

11. The remote controller of claim 10, wherein the communication unit downloads the widget program from one of a server, a memory, and the devices.

12. The remote controller of claim 10, wherein the controller identifies and registers the devices, and the communication unit transmits the control signal to the devices by using radio frequency (RF) communication or infrared ray communication.

13. The remote controller of claim 10, wherein the controller controls each of the devices independently according to control commands that are input by using the control widget contents that are generated for each of the devices when a plurality of devices are controlled.

14. The remote controller of claim 10, wherein a touch and drag signal is input through the user interface, and the widget manager changes the position of the control widget contents that are displayed according to the touch and drag signal input and the position of the button included in the control widget contents.

15. The remote controller of claim 14, wherein, when a plurality of control widget contents are displayed, the widget manager displays the plurality of control widget contents overlapping control widget contents for other devices, and the display unit displays the plurality of overlapping control widget contents.

16. The remote controller of claim 10, wherein the control widget contents comprise at least one button, and the communication unit downloads a widget edition program for editing the control widget contents, and the widget manager edits at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents by using the widget edition program.

17. The remote controller of claim 16, wherein the widget manager edits at least one of color, size, and shape of at least one of the button and the control widget contents.

18. The remote controller of claim 17, further comprising a memory unit in which information for generating the control signals by using the control commands is stored, wherein the widget manager edits at least one of the control widget contents and the button for each of a plurality of users according to edition commands that are received for each of the users;

and the memory unit stores a screen containing at least one of the control widget contents that are edited for each of the users and the button together with an identifier for identifying the users.

20. A method controlling a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

downloading a widget program to a remote controller;

generating, at the remote controller, control widget contents for controlling the devices, using the widget program;

wherein the control widget contents are used to control functions allocated to each of the devices to perform functions of the devices, and wherein each of the devices is associated with different control widget contents for controlling each device independently of the other devices,

displaying the control widget contents on a screen of the remote controller, wherein each of the control widget contents correspond to one device from among the devices;

receiving a control command that is input using the displayed control widget contents; and

transmitting to the device a wireless signal to control the devices according to the control command,

wherein a position of the control widget contents is modifiable by touching and dragging the control widget contents,

wherein the control widget contents comprise at least one button, and the displaying the control widget contents comprises adding or deleting at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents or changing a position of at least one of the control widget contents and the button included in the control widget contents, and

wherein each respective control widget contents can be independently resized and wherein if the control widget contents are not used, the control widget contents can be at least partially hidden.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the control widget contents are displayed as a graphical user, interface on the screen of the remote controller.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the generating comprises generating a plurality of independent control widget contents for controlling the plurality of devices, respectively, using the widget program,

the method further comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of devices to be controlled by using the displayed control widget contents.