Remote control system and method for portable terminals

• US 9,922,546 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Yeong-Hyo, Sung, Jong-Hi
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US14/021,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 455417-419, 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

Provided are a remote control system and method for controlling portable terminals. The remote control system includes a control terminal which is a portable terminal that performs a remote control operation, a target terminal which is a portable terminal that is subject to the remote control operation performed by the control terminal, and a remote control management server which determines whether the control terminal and the target terminal are heterogeneous, and if the two terminals are heterogeneous, converts messages respectively transmitted from the control terminal and the target terminal to a format conforming to corresponding receiving terminals.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

generating, upon detecting a remote control event for remote control of a target terminal, a remote control request message including information on the target terminal;

transmitting the remote control request message to a remote control management server;

receiving, from the remote control management server, a remote control grant message from the target terminal;

checking, upon receiving the remote control grant message, whether a remote control event is received;

outputting, upon receiving the remote control event, data corresponding to the remote control event; and

transmitting the data corresponding to remote control event to the remote control management server, which, if the target terminal is a different type from the electronic device, converts the data to a format conforming to the target terminal based on checked specification information of the electronic device and the target terminal, before transmitting the data on to the target terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after transmitting the remote control request message;

receiving a request for a password for authentication from the remote control management server at the request of the target terminal and transmitting the password to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control event is a remote control command for controlling the target terminal, the output data comprise a remote control command message including the remote control command, and the output data comprising the remote control command message is transmitted to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control event is a remote control end event, the data comprises a remote control end message, and the data including the remote control end message is transmitted to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising;

receiving a remote control end message from the target terminal via the remote control management server;

transmitting to the remote control management server a message indicating completion of remote control; and

ending the remote control.

6. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a remote control request message from a remote control management server, wherein the remote control request is from a control terminal;

determining, upon receiving the remote control request message, validity of the remote control request by performing an authentication process;

generating, if the remote control request is valid, a remote control grant message and transmitting the remote control grant message to the remote control management server, which transmits the remote control request to the control terminal;

receiving data from the remote control management server which was output by the control terminal;

generating a remote control response message concerning the data to be processed by the electronic device; and

transmitting the remote control response message to the remote control management server, which, if the control terminal is a different type from the electronic device, converts the remote control response message to a format conforming to the control terminal based on checked specification information of the electronic device and the control terminal, before transmitting it on to the control terminal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the validity of the remote control request comprises, if the authentication process is based on:

a password, sending a password request to the control terminal via the remote control management server, and upon receiving the password, the authentication is determined by comparing the received password with a password stored in a memory;

registered terminal information, checking whether a control terminal information to be authenticated is included in a control grant list stored in the memory; and

a user, the user of the electronic device performs the authentication.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising, when the received data is a remote control command message from the control terminal via the remote control management server, executing a remote control command included in the remote control command message.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, the remote control response message includes data to be converted, which data is periodically output.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the received data includes at least one of video data and audio data.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a remote control end event;

generating a remote control end message; and

transmitting the remote control end message to the control terminal via the remote control management server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a corresponding remote control end message from the control terminal via the remote control management server;

outputting a message indicating completion of remote control; and

ending the remote control.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a controller; and

a communication unit,

wherein the controller is configured to;

generate, upon detecting a remote control event for remote control of a target terminal, a remote control request message including information on the target terminal and transmitting the remote control request message a remote control management server;

receive, from the remote control management server, a remote control grant message from the target terminal;

check, upon receiving the remote control grant message, whether a remote control event is received;

output, upon receiving the remote control event, data corresponding to the remote control event; and

transmit the data corresponding to remote control event to the remote control management server, which, if the target terminal is a different type from the electronic device, converts the data to a format conforming to the target terminal based on checked specification information of the electronic device and the target terminal, before transmitting the data on to the target terminal, and

wherein the communication unit is configured to, under the control of the controller, communicate with the remote control management server.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a request for a password for authentication from the remote control management server at a request of the target terminal and to transmit the password to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the remote control event comprises a remote control command for controlling the target terminal, the output data comprises a remote control command message including the remote control command, and the output data including the remote control command message is transmitted to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the remote control event comprises a remote control end event, the output data comprises a remote control end message, and the data comprising the remote control end message is transmitted to the target terminal via the remote control management server.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon receiving a remote control end message from the target terminal via the remote control management server, output a message indicating completion of remote control, transmitting the message indicating completion of remote control to the target terminal via the remote control management server, and ending the remote control.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a controller; and

a communication unit,

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a remote control request message from a remote control management server, wherein the remote control request is from a control terminal;

determine, upon receiving the remote control request message, whether the remote control request is valid by performing an authentication process;

generate, if the remote control request is valid, a remote control grant message and transmit the message to a remote control management server, which transmits the remote control request to the control terminal;

to

receive data from the remote control management server which was output by the control terminal;

generate a remote control response message concerning the data to be processed by the electronic device; and

transmit the remote control response message to the remote control management server, which, if the control terminal is a different type from the electronic device, converts the remote control response message to a format conforming to the control terminal based on checked specification information of the electronic device and the control terminal, before transmitting it on to the control terminal;

wherein the communication unit is configured to, under the control of the controller, communicate with a remote control management server.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein determining the validity of the remote control request comprises, if the authentication process is based on:

a password, sending a password request to the control terminal via the remote control management server, and upon receiving the password, the authentication is determined by comparing the received password with a password stored in a memory;

registered terminal information, checking whether a control terminal information is included in a control grant list stored in the memory; and

a user, the user of the electronic device performs the authentication.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon receiving data comprising a remote control command message from the control terminal via the remote control management server, execute a remote control command included in the remote control command message.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to output periodically data within a time interval when the received data comprises remote control command including data to be periodically output by the electronic device.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the received data includes at least one of video data and audio data.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon detecting a remote control end event, generate a remote control end message and transmit the remote control end message to the control terminal via the remote control management server.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon receiving a corresponding remote control end message from the control terminal via the remote control management server, output a message indicating completion of remote control and ending the remote control.