Pointing device and controlling method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9940831-B2
Application number	US-201514853336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A pointing device and a controlling method thereof are provided. The controlling method of the pointing device includes transmitting an identification signal to an external device that is targeted by the pointing device according to a user input, receiving a reflected signal that is generated by reflecting the identification signal from a reflective surface attached to a surface of the external device, and analyzing the reflected signal and identifying the external device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a pointing device, the method comprising:
transmitting a multi-wavelength infrared signal to an external device that is pointed at by the pointing device;
receiving a reflection signal that is generated by reflecting a signal of a preset wavelength among the multi-wavelength infrared signal by a reflective surface attached to a surface of the external device;
comparing the preset wavelength of the reflection signal and a wavelength corresponding to each of a plurality of external devices based on wavelength information stored in the pointing device; and
identifying the external device corresponding to the preset wavelength of the reflection signal based on a result of the comparison,
wherein the wavelength information includes information on a wavelength corresponding to each of a plurality of external devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface is coated with a pigment that reflects the preset wavelength.

3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the multi-wavelength infrared signal is a multi-frequency signal, and
wherein the reflection signal is generated by amplifying or offsetting an amplitude of a preset frequency of the multi-frequency signal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a frequency selective surface (FSS) that amplifies or offsets the preset frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an operating signal corresponding to the identified external device, and
transmitting the operating signal.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining whether the identified external device is registered,
wherein, when the identified external device is registered, the generating of the operating signal comprises generating the operating signal based on an operating signal database.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether the identified external device is registered; and
outputting information regarding the identified external device when the identified external device is registered.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting with the identified external device for communication according to a user command;
receiving information related to content output by the identified external device; and
outputting the related information.

9. A pointing device comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input;
a transmitter;
a receiver; and
at least one processor configured to:
control the transmitter to transmit a multi-wavelength infrared signal to an external device according to the user input,
control the receiver to receive a reflection signal that is generated by reflecting a signal of a preset wavelength among the multi-wavelength infrared signal by a reflective surface attached to a surface of the external device,
compare the preset wavelength of the reflection signal and a wavelength corresponding to each of a plurality of external devices based on wavelength information stored in the pointing device, and
identify the external device corresponding to the preset wavelength of the reflection signal based on a result of the comparison,
wherein the wavelength information includes information on a wavelength corresponding to each of the plurality of external devices.

10. The pointing device of claim 9 , wherein the reflective surface is coated with a pigment that reflects the preset wavelength.

11. The pointing device of claim 9 , wherein the multi-wavelength infrared signal is a multi-frequency signal, and
wherein the reflection signal is generated by amplifying or offsetting an amplitude of a preset frequency of the multi-frequency signal.

12. The pointing device of claim 11 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a frequency selective surface (FSS) that amplifies or offsets the preset frequency.

13. The pointing device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate an operating signal corresponding to the identified external device, and
control the transmitter to transmit the operating signal.

14. The pointing device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine whether the identified external device is registered, and
when the identified external device is registered, generate the operating signal based on an operating signal database.

15. The pointing device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a display,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine whether the identified external device is registered, and
when the identified external device is registered, control the display to output information regarding the identified external device.

16. The pointing device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a display; and
a communicator configured to communicate with the identified external device,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
connect with the identified external device for communication according to a user command,
control the communicator to receive information related to content output from the identified external device, and
control the display to output the related information.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Min-Kyu
• Kuk Sung-Bin
• Kim Hark-Joon
• Park Mi-Ra
• Lee Sang-Il
• Kang Seong-Hoon

Classifications

• G08C23/04 Primary

  using light waves, e.g. infrared · CPC title

• H04B10/40

  Transceivers · CPC title

• G08C2201/71

  Directional beams · CPC title

• H04B10/1143

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title