Electronic apparatus and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11106325-B2
Application number	US-201916256172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2019
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

An electronic apparatus recognizing the direction of the user motion for controlling a function of an external apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
communication circuitry configured to communicate with an external apparatus;
a plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor being arranged apart from the second sensor by a predetermined distance; and
a processor configured to:
obtain a first sensing value through the first sensor and a second sensing value through the second sensor,
identify an occurrence order between a first change time of the first sensing value and a second change time of the second sensing value based on the predetermined distance,
identify a direction of a user motion relative to the plurality of sensors based on the occurrence order, and
control the communication circuitry to transmit to the external apparatus a control command for controlling a function being executed by the external apparatus based on the direction of the user motion.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in a predetermined direction, and
wherein the processor is further configured to identify the user motion based on change in the first sensing value and the second sensing value.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify the user motion based on a pattern of the first sensing value and the second sensing value.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein of the first sensor comprises a proximity sensor and the second sensor comprises an optical sensor.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the optical sensor to sense a color of external light emitted from the external apparatus, and control a display to display an image with at least one color determined based on a color of the external light emitted from the external apparatus.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to display the image in a color different from the color of the external light emitted from the external apparatus.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one color comprises a plurality of different colors, and
wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to display the image with the plurality of different colors arranged in the predetermined direction.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to display the image with the at least one color based on a control signal received from the external apparatus.

9. A method of controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining a first sensing value of a first sensor among a plurality of sensors of the electronic apparatus;
obtaining a second sensing value of a second sensor among the plurality of sensors of the electronic apparatus;
identify an occurrence order between a first change time of the first sensing value and a second change time of the second sensing value based on the predetermined distance;
identifying a direction of a user motion relative to the plurality of sensors based on the occurrence order; and
transmitting to an external apparatus a control command for controlling a function being executed by the external apparatus based on the direction of the user motion.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in a predetermined direction, and
wherein the identifying the user motion comprises identifying the user motion based on change in the first sensing value and the second sensing value.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the identifying the user motion comprises identifying the user motion based on a pattern of the first sensing value and the second sensing value.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first sensor comprises a proximity sensor and the second sensor comprises an optical sensor.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the identifying the user motion comprises sensing a color of external light emitted from the external apparatus by the optical sensor, and displaying an image with at least one color determined based on a color of the external light emitted from the external apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the displaying of the image comprises displaying the image by displaying the image in a color different from the color of the external light emitted from the external apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one color comprises a plurality of different colors, and
wherein the displaying of the image comprises displaying the image with the plurality of different colors arranged in the predetermined direction.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the displaying of the image comprises displaying the image with the at least one color based on a control signal received from the external apparatus.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising a computer-readable codes, which when executed cause an electronic apparatus to perform a method of controlling the electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining a first sensing value of a first sensor among a plurality of sensors of the electronic apparatus;
obtaining a second sensing value of a second sensor among the plurality of sensors of the electronic apparatus;
identify an occurrence order between a first change time of the first sensing value and a second change time of the second sensing value based on the predetermined distance;
identifying a direction of a user motion relative to the plurality of sensors based on the occurrence order; and
transmitting to an external apparatus a control command for controlling a function being executed by the external apparatus based on the direction of the user motion.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hoyeon
• Lee Sangyoung
• Cho Kyuhyun
• Jeong Heeseok

Classifications

• H04N21/42222

  Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device · CPC title

• H04M2201/34

  Microprocessors · CPC title

• H04N21/41265

  having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device (unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204) · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title