Remote controller, display apparatus for setting keys of the remote controller, and methods thereof

Abstract

A display device is disclosed. The device includes a first communication unit connected to a remote control, a second communication unit connected to an external device, a display, a memory, and a processor. When the processor receives a UI display command from an external device through the second communication unit, it controls the display to display a UI screen including a touch pad image of a remote control and a plurality of keys based on UI data stored in the memory. When at least one of the plurality of keys moves onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the external device, it transmits information of the at least one key to the remote control. Accordingly, the key setting of the remote control can be performed easily and quickly.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote control for displaying a key, a display device for setting a key displayed on the remote control, and methods thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Thanks to advancements in electronic technology, it has become common practice to control not only TVs but also various home appliances using remote controls. Typically, remote controls are equipped with multiple keys, and when a user presses a key, a control signal corresponding to that key's value is output. While remote controls equipped with RF (Radio Frequency) transmitters output control signals in the form of RF signals, remote controls that output control signals via Bluetooth communication are also being used recently.

[0003] Conventional remote controls have the location and function of their keys set according to specifications determined by the manufacturer. When home appliances have various functions, it is not possible to equip all the keys mapped to each function on a small remote control body, so the system is implemented to perform operations multiple times through the UI provided on the home appliance.

[0004] For example, in the case of TVs, users had to select a top-level menu from the initial UI and then sequentially navigate through sub-menus to find the desired sub-function. To resolve this inconvenience, remote controls equipped with shortcut keys directly mapped to desired functions were developed; however, there was a problem in that the process of mapping functions to the shortcut keys on the remote itself was inconvenient.

[0005] In particular, because recent home appliances have such a wide variety of functions, the inconvenience of having to go through multiple steps to find the desired function has increased.

[0006] Therefore, the need for a method to resolve this inconvenience has emerged. The problem to be solved

[0007] The present disclosure is in accordance with the aforementioned necessity, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a remote control that allow a user to quickly and easily perform key settings of the remote control, and methods for setting the same. means of solving the problem

[0008] A display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, devised for the purpose described above, comprises a first communication unit connected to a remote control, a second communication unit connected to an external device, a display, a memory, and a processor. Herein, when the processor receives a UI display command for setting keys of the remote control from the external device through the second communication unit, the processor controls the display to display a UI screen including a touch pad image of the remote control and a plurality of keys based on UI data stored in the memory. Furthermore, when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the external device, the processor transmits key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key to the remote control through the first communication unit.

[0009] The memory stores fixed key values ​​of keys that are set as default among keys corresponding to each of the total functions that can be provided by the display device, and the processor can generate a key value of the moved key as an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value when a key other than the keys set as default is moved onto the touch pad image.

[0010] Additionally, the processor can generate the UI screen by aligning all keys used for controlling the display device according to a preset alignment standard and displaying them all, and displaying a touch pad image corresponding to the touch pad of the remote control side by side on one side of all keys.

[0011] Alternatively, the processor may generate the UI screen to display multiple keys corresponding to multiple submenus when a key corresponding to a top menu including multiple submenus is selected among the multiple keys displayed on the UI screen.

[0012] Alternatively, the external device is a mobile device, and the processor can control the display to move a cursor on the UI screen according to the touch operation when a touch operation is input from the mobile device, and when a drag-and-drop operation is input from the mobile device while the cursor is displayed over a key, the display can move the key according to the drag-and-drop operation.

[0013] Meanwhile, a remote control key setting method for a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of: establishing communication with an external device and a remote control, respectively; receiving a UI display command for setting the key of the remote control from the external device, displaying a UI screen including a plurality of keys and a touch pad image of the remote control; when at least one of the plurality of keys in the UI screen is moved onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the external device, displaying the at least one key at a moved position within the touch pad image; and transmitting key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key to the remote control.

[0014] Here, if a key other than the default keys among the keys corresponding to each of the total functions that can be provided by the display device is moved onto the touch pad image, the step of generating the key value of the moved key as an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value set for the default keys may be further included.

[0015] Additionally, the UI screen may be configured to display all keys used for controlling the display device by aligning them according to a preset alignment standard, and to display the touch pad image side by side on one side of all keys.

[0016] Alternatively, the method may further include the step of generating the UI screen to display multiple keys corresponding to multiple submenus when a key corresponding to a parent menu containing multiple submenus is selected among the multiple keys displayed on the UI screen.

[0017] Additionally, the step of displaying each of the at least one key at a moved position on the touch pad image may include the step of moving a cursor on the UI screen according to the touch operation when a touch operation is input from a mobile device connected to the display device, and the step of moving and displaying the one key according to the drag and drop operation when a drag and drop operation is input from the mobile device while the cursor is displayed over a key.

[0018] Meanwhile, a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a communication unit capable of being connected to a display device, a touch pad, a memory, and a processor. When a key setting function is executed and key information of at least one key and location information of at least one key are received from the display device through the communication unit, the processor stores the received key information and location information in the memory and controls the touch pad to display the at least one key at a location corresponding to the location information based on the stored information. When a touch operation is input to the touch pad, the processor identifies location information corresponding to the touch point, identifies a key value corresponding to the identified location information from the memory, and transmits a control signal corresponding to the identified key value to the display device through the communication unit.

[0019] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in a recording medium storing a program for performing a remote control key setting method of a display device, the remote control key setting method comprises: a step of displaying a UI screen including a touch pad image of a remote control and a plurality of keys; a step of displaying each of the at least one key at a position moved within the touch pad image when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved on the touch pad image according to a user operation input through an external device connected to the display device; and a step of transmitting key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key to the remote control.

[0020] Here, the remote control key setting method further includes the step of, when a key other than the default keys among the keys corresponding to each of the total functions provided by the display device is moved onto the touch pad image, generating a key value of the moved key as an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value set for the default keys.

[0021] The above remote control key setting method further includes the step of generating the UI screen to display a plurality of keys corresponding to a plurality of sub-menus when a key corresponding to a top menu including a plurality of sub-menus is selected among the plurality of keys displayed on the UI screen.

[0022] And, the plurality of keys displayed within the UI screen can be moved and displayed on the touchpad image according to drag-and-drop operations input from a mobile device connected to the display device.

[0023] Meanwhile, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, another display device comprises a communication unit connected to a remote control, a display, a memory, and a processor. When the processor receives a UI display command for setting the keys of the remote control from the remote control through the communication unit, the processor controls the display to display a UI screen including a touch pad image of the remote control and a plurality of keys based on UI data stored in the memory. When at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved to the touch pad image according to user operation input through the remote control, the processor transmits key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key to the remote control through the communication unit. Effects of the invention

[0024] According to the various embodiments described above, the user can easily and quickly set the keys provided by the remote control while viewing the screen of the display device. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0025] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a mobile device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for setting a key using the mobile device of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of a method for setting a key using a mobile device, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for setting a key using a remote control. FIGS. 8 to 10 are drawings showing UI screen configurations according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a remote control key setting method of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a remote control key setting method of a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0026] In this specification, various embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope to specific embodiments and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

[0027] In describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description is omitted.

[0028] Additionally, the following embodiments may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the technical concept of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0029] The terms used in this disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the rights. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” indicate the presence of such features (e.g., numerical values, functions, actions, or components such as parts) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0031] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or / and B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” may include all possible combinations of items listed together. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to cases including (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) both at least one A and at least one B.

[0032] Expressions such as "first," "second," "first," or "second" used in this disclosure may modify various components regardless of order and / or importance, and are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit said components.

[0033] Where it is stated that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "(operatively or communicatively) coupled with / to" or "connected to" another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that the said certain component may be directly connected to the said other component or connected through another component (e.g., a third component).

[0034] On the other hand, when it is stated that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component (e.g., a second component), it may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between said certain component and said other component.

[0035] As used in this disclosure, the expression “configured to” may be replaced, depending on the context, with, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of.” The term “configured to” may not necessarily mean only “specifically designed to” in hardware.

[0036] Instead, in some situations, the expression “device configured to do something” may mean that the device is “capable of doing something” together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase “processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C” may mean a dedicated processor for performing those operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) capable of performing those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

[0037] In the embodiments, a 'module' or 'part' performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Additionally, a plurality of 'modules' or a plurality of 'parts' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented by at least one processor, except for the 'module' or 'part' that needs to be implemented in specific hardware.

[0038] Meanwhile, various elements and areas in the drawings are depicted schematically. Accordingly, the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing depicted in the attached drawings.

[0039] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below using the attached drawings.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 1, the display device may be implemented as a TV, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and the present embodiment may be implemented in various electronic devices equipped with a display. For example, in addition to a standard TV, it may be implemented in products such as a large format display (LFD), digital signage, digital information display (DID), video wall, projector display, refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioner, vacuum cleaner, smart speaker, kiosk, etc. Furthermore, the present embodiment may also be implemented in a set-top box or other control device connected to the display device. For convenience of explanation, the device will be referred to as a display device in the following description.

[0041] According to FIG. 1, a display device (100) communicates with a remote control (200). The remote control (200) includes a touch pad (210). An image corresponding to a key of the remote control (200) is displayed on the touch pad (210). This image may be called a soft key or a soft button, but in this specification, it is referred to as a key.

[0042] The display device (100) displays an image corresponding to the touch pad (210) of the remote control (200), i.e., a touch pad image (30), and a UI screen (10) including a plurality of keys (20-1 to 20-n) (n is a positive integer). The plurality of keys (20-1 to 20-n) represent images of keys required for controlling the display device (100). For example, various number keys, a power key, an external input mode selection key, a channel up / down key, a volume up / down key, a menu key, a confirmation key, etc. may be included.

[0043] The display device (100) moves at least one of a plurality of keys (20-1 to 20-n) from the UI screen (10) onto the touchpad image (30) and displays it according to user operation. The display device (100) transmits key information of the key moved into the touchpad image (30) and information about the final movement position of the key to the remote control (200). The key information may include information such as the name of the key, the key type, and the key value. The remote control (200) stores the transmitted information. The remote control (200) identifies a point corresponding to the movement position of the key on the touchpad (210) and displays the corresponding key at that point. In this way, the keys of the remote control (200) are set. When the setting is completed, the remote control (200) stores the setting information, and when the remote control (200) is used, the keys are displayed on the touchpad (210) based on that information.

[0044] User operations for moving the key position in FIG. 1 can be implemented in various ways depending on the embodiment.

[0045] For example, user operations can be input using a mobile device connected directly to the display device (100) or indirectly through an external server or network.

[0046] As another example, if the display device (100) itself supports a touch screen function, the user may set up a remote control key by inputting a touch operation to move a key directly on the UI screen (10) to the touch pad image (30).

[0047] As another example, user operation can be input using the remote control (200) itself.

[0048] In addition, the user may select a specific key and move it to the touchpad image (30) using methods such as voice recognition or motion recognition. For example, in the case of voice recognition, when the user says the name of a specific key, the corresponding key is displayed at a point on the touchpad image (30), and the display position of the corresponding key can be adjusted by recognizing the user's voice referring to up, down, left, and right. In the case of motion recognition, a cursor is displayed on the screen according to the position of the user's palm, and when the user clenches their fist while the cursor is displayed over a specific key, the corresponding key is selected. In this state, when the user moves the position of their fist, the display position of the key is moved accordingly, and when the user opens their fist at a point on the touchpad image (30), the corresponding key is fixedly displayed at that position.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 2, the display device (100) includes a first communication unit (110), a second communication unit (120), a display (130), a memory (140), and a processor (150).

[0050] The first communication unit (110) is a component for communicating with a remote control.

[0051] The second communication unit (120) is a component for performing communication with an external device.

[0052] The communication method of the first and second communication units (110, 120) may vary depending on the specifications of the display device and remote control, etc. Specifically, communication can be performed using communication methods such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Zigbee, wired / wireless LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), Ethernet, IEEE 1394, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), and USB (Universal Serial Bus). In this embodiment, the first communication unit (110) communicates with the remote control (200) via Bluetooth, and the second communication unit (120) communicates with an external device via Wi-Fi or wired / wireless LAN.

[0053] The display (130) is a component for displaying various screens. The display (130) can be implemented as a display including a self-emissive element or as a display including a non-emissive element and a backlight. For example, it can be implemented as various types of displays such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) display, an LED (Light Emitting Diodes), a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), and a QLED (Quantum dot light-emitting diodes). Meanwhile, the display (130) can be implemented as a touch screen combined with a touch sensor, a flexible display, a rollable display, a 3D display, or a display in which multiple display modules are physically connected.

[0054] The display (130) displays various video screens processed by the processor (150), as well as UI screens such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0055] The memory (140) is a component for storing various programs and data required for the operation of the display device (100). The memory (140) is electrically connected to the processor (150) and stores data required for various embodiments of the present disclosure. Depending on the purpose of data storage, the memory (140) may be implemented in the form of a memory embedded in the display device (100) or in the form of a memory that can be attached to and detached from the display device (100).

[0056] In the case of memory embedded in the display device (100), it may be implemented as at least one of volatile memory (e.g., DRAM (dynamic RAM), SRAM (static RAM), or SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM), etc.), non-volatile memory (e.g., OTPROM (one time programmable ROM), PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable and programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable ROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash or NOR flash, etc.), hard drive, or solid state drive (SSD). Additionally, in the case of memory that is detachable from the display device (100), it may be implemented in the form of a memory card (e.g., CF (compact flash), SD (secure digital), Micro-SD (micro secure digital), Mini-SD (mini secure digital), xD (extreme digital), MMC (multi-media card), etc.), external memory connectable to a USB port (e.g., USB memory).

[0057] The processor (150) can perform operations according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by being electrically connected to the memory (140) and executing at least one instruction stored in the memory (140). Specifically, the processor (150) may be implemented as a digital signal processor (DSP) that processes digital video signals, a microprocessor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Artificial Intelligence (AI) processor, a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), or a Time Controller (TCON). However, it is not limited thereto, and may include or be defined by one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a controller, an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or an ARM processor. Additionally, the processor (150) may be implemented as a System on Chip (SoC) or Large Scale Integration (LSI) with a built-in processing algorithm, or may be implemented in the form of an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

[0058] As described above, when the second communication unit (120) is connected to an external device, the user of the external device can input a user command for setting the keys of the remote control. Accordingly, the processor (150) receives a UI display command for setting the keys of the remote control from the external device through the second communication unit (120).

[0059] When a UI display command is received, the processor (150) configures a UI screen (10) including a touchpad image (30) of a remote control (200) and a plurality of keys (20-1 to 20-n) based on UI data stored in memory (140). The processor (150) controls the display (130) to display the UI screen (10).

[0060] When at least one of the multiple keys on the UI screen moves onto the touchpad image (30), the processor (150) transmits the key information of the moved key and the information about the position of the move to the remote control through the first communication unit (110). The transmission of information may be performed immediately whenever a key moves onto the touchpad image (30), or it may be performed collectively after all key movement operations are completed.

[0061] Key information may include information regarding the name of the key, the key value, the shape and size of the key displayed within the touchpad (210), color, etc. A key value refers to a value for specifying the operation of the display device (100). Key values ​​may be configured in various sizes and forms depending on the manufacturer. For example, if composed of a 0xFF 2-byte HEX code, key values ​​can be set for a total of 255 keys. According to an embodiment, all key values ​​for all keys to control the display device (100) may be determined and stored in memory (140), but if the total number of keys exceeds 255, key values ​​for some keys may not be determined. Therefore, in one embodiment, fixed key values ​​set for some keys that are set by default may be stored in memory (140). For other keys excluding such keys, the processor (150) generates arbitrary key values ​​excluding fixed key values. For example, for frequently used keys on the remote control (200), such as the power key, volume up / down key, channel up / down key, direction adjustment key, menu key, confirmation key, number key, etc., fixed key values ​​of 0x00 to 0x34 may be set respectively. In this state, if a key corresponding to a function such as "enter movie screen mode" moves to the touchpad image (30), the processor (150) can generate the key value of the corresponding key as 0x35, which is not a fixed key value, and provide it to the remote control (200). The new key value may be created sequentially while excluding the fixed key value, or it may be created randomly.

[0062] The remote control (200) stores received information and displays various keys on the touch pad (210) based on the information.

[0063] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a remote control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 3, the remote control (200) includes a touch pad (210), a memory (220), a communication unit (230), and a processor (240).

[0064] The touch pad (210) is a component equipped with display and touch functions. The touch pad (210) may be composed of a display panel and a touch detection panel. The display panel may be made of one of the various display elements mentioned in FIG. 2. The touch detection panel is placed at the bottom of the display panel to detect whether there is a touch at each point on the display panel.

[0065] Various programs and data required for the operation of the remote control are stored in the memory (220). For example, the memory (220) stores key information for each key to be displayed on the touch pad (210) and information regarding the display location thereof.

[0066] The communication unit (230) is a component for performing communication with the display device (100). As mentioned in FIG. 2, the communication method can be implemented as one of various methods, but in this embodiment, the case of communication using Bluetooth is assumed and described.

[0067] The processor (240) receives various key information received from the display device (100) through the communication unit (230) and location information for displaying the keys. The processor (240) stores the received information in the memory (220). This remote key setting operation can be performed after Bluetooth pairing between the remote control (200) and the display device (100) is established, and thereafter, it can be performed at any time according to a user request.

[0068] When the processor (240) receives new key information and location information by re-performing the remote key setting operation, it updates the information stored in the memory (220) based on the received information. Accordingly, the newly modified keys are displayed at a designated location on the touchpad (210).

[0069] A user who wishes to use the remote control simply touches a key displayed on the touch pad (210). The processor (240) identifies location information corresponding to the touch point touched by the user and identifies a key value corresponding to the identified location information from the memory (220). The processor (240) configures a control signal corresponding to the identified key value and transmits it to the display device (100) through the communication unit (230). Accordingly, the display device (100) performs the operation desired by the user.

[0070] In the embodiments described above, the external device may be a mobile device such as a mobile phone, tablet PC, laptop PC, PDA, e-book, MP3 player, smart speaker, etc., or a device such as a relay server, cloud server, etc. FIG. 4 describes an example of the operation of an external device implemented as a mobile device.

[0071] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Although the mobile device may be implemented as various products, FIG. 4 illustrates a case where it is implemented as a mobile phone. According to FIG. 4, a processor (not shown) of a mobile device (300) displays icons (311, 312) of various applications installed in memory (not shown) on a display (310). Among the applications are control applications for controlling the operation of various electronic products installed in a specific environment (e.g., a home or office). The control application is connected to various electronic devices within the environment via Internet of Things (IoT) technology and can transmit and receive various control signals and data.

[0072] When the user selects an icon (312) corresponding to such a control application, the mobile device executes the control application and displays an execution screen (320). The execution screen (320) displays menus for various electronic devices that can be controlled by the mobile device (e.g., TV, air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.). Assuming the device providing the remote key setting function is a TV, when the user selects the TV menu (321), a remote key setting menu (331) may be displayed on the TV control screen (330). When the user selects the remote key setting menu (331), a UI screen (340) for setting the remote key is displayed on the display (310) of the mobile device (300).

[0073] On the UI screen (340), various messages (341) for guiding the remote key setting method and an operation area (342) for receiving user operations are displayed. The user can input various operations such as a touch operation of touching a point in the operation area (342), a long touch operation of touching a point for a certain period of time or longer, a continuous touch operation of touching multiple times consecutively within a certain period of time, and a drag-and-drop operation of moving the touch point while touching and then releasing the touch.

[0074] The processor of the mobile device (300) establishes a communication connection with the TV when the TV menu (321) is selected on the execution screen (320) of the control application or when a specific menu is selected within the TV control screen (330). If the display device described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is implemented as a TV, communication may be established through the second communication unit (120) of the display device (100). The communication connection may be established directly through a communication interface provided within the mobile device (300), but is not necessarily limited thereto, and may also be established indirectly through a relay server or a cloud server. In this case, various control signals or data transmitted from the mobile device (300) are received by the display device (100) through a relay server or a cloud server.

[0075] When the remote key setting menu (331) of the mobile device (300) is selected, the processor of the mobile device (300) displays a UI screen (340) for remote key setting and transmits a UI display command for remote key setting to the display device (100). The processor of the mobile device (300) transmits user operation input into the operation area (342) of the UI screen (340) for remote key setting to the display device (100). The display device (100) can perform operations such as moving a cursor according to user operation, using the cursor to specify a key and then moving the specified key onto a touchpad image, or moving it back out of the touchpad image.

[0076] In FIG. 4, the operation area (342) is illustrated and described as corresponding to a certain area within the entire display (310), but according to the embodiment, the entire display (310) of the mobile device (300) may be used as the operation area (342).

[0077] As shown in Fig. 4, when a mobile device and a display device are used together to set the keys of a remote control, the user can conveniently set the keys by controlling a mobile device that is familiar to the user while viewing various keys through a wide screen.

[0078] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for setting a key using the mobile device of FIG. 4. When a UI display command is input through the second communication unit (120), the processor (150) of the display device (100) controls the display (130) to display a UI screen (10) such as FIG. 5 based on UI data stored in the memory (140). UI data refers to data that defines the overall layout of the UI screen (10), the display coordinates, characteristics, shapes, colors, attributes, etc. of each graphic object within the screen. UI data may be stored in advance by the manufacturer of the display device (100) during product manufacturing, or can be downloaded through an online / offline source.

[0079] When the UI screen (10) is displayed, the user inputs user operations by touching the operation area of ​​the mobile device (300) while looking at the UI screen (10). The processor of the mobile device (300) can match each coordinate of the operation area (342) and the UI screen of the display device (100) in a 1:1 ratio. For accurate matching, the processor of the mobile device (300) can generate the aspect ratio of the operation area (342) to match the UI screen (10) of the display device (100). Accordingly, when a specific point within the operation area (342) is touched, the mobile device (300) transmits the coordinates of the touch point to the display device (100), and the display device (100) displays a cursor (40) at a position corresponding to the touch point within the UI screen (10).

[0080] When the user moves the touch point while the cursor is displayed, the display device (100) moves the cursor according to the direction or distance of movement. When the user touches the operation area (342) while the cursor is displayed over a key, and then moves the touch point and releases the touch, i.e., inputs a drag-and-drop operation, the display device (100) displays the corresponding key in a different direction according to the drag-and-drop operation. As shown in FIG. 5, if the user touches point a within the operation area of ​​the mobile device (300) and inputs a drag-and-drop operation to point b while the cursor (40) is displayed over the key (20-x) labeled "Screen Mode," the display device (100) moves the corresponding key (20-x) itself along with the cursor (40) according to the direction and distance of operation. If the moved position is on the touch pad image (30), the processor (150) of the display device (100) displays the key (31) fixedly at the final moved position on the touch pad image (30). On the other hand, if it moves out of the touchpad image (30), the key (20-x) may be returned to its original position according to the embodiment, or displayed at the final position within the UI screen (10).

[0081] Alternatively, according to an embodiment, a selection button may be displayed on one side of the operation area (342). The selection button is a button for selecting a key where a cursor is displayed. When a touch and drag operation is input while the selection button is pressed, the display device (100) moves the display position of the corresponding key according to the drag direction and distance. While the selection button is pressed, the key selection status is maintained even if the touch is released. Therefore, if the area of ​​the operation area (342) is small, the key can be moved to a desired position by performing touch and drag operations multiple times while the selection button is pressed, and then the selection button is released to display the key at the final moved position.

[0082] After the key movement is performed, the original key (20-x) corresponding to the key (31) displayed in the touchpad image (30) can be deleted from the UI screen (10) or displayed in a disabled state by reducing the saturation or brightness.

[0083] When the movement of a key (20-x) on the touchpad image (30) is completed, the processor (150) of the display device (100) transmits various key information regarding the moved key and information regarding the movement position to the remote control (200) through the first communication unit (110). The processor (240) of the remote control (200) stores the transmitted information in the memory (220).

[0084] In FIG. 5, information about the key is provided to the remote control (200) immediately after a single key movement is completed, and the key (211) is displayed on the display (210) by the remote control (200) based on that information, but it may be implemented so that information is provided to the remote control (200) all at once after performing multiple key movement operations.

[0085] In FIGS. 4 and 5, an embodiment that can be realized when the mobile device (300) is equipped with a touch screen has been described, but key selection and movement are not necessarily performed in this manner.

[0086] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of a key setting method using a mobile device (300). According to FIG. 6, the mobile device (300) includes a geomagnetic sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an accelerometer sensor, etc. The mobile device (300) calculates a pitch angle, a roll angle, and a yaw angle based on the sensing values ​​of these sensors. The mobile device (300) can detect a change in the attitude of the mobile device (300) based on the calculated angles. The mobile device (300) provides the detection result to a display device (100), and the display device (100) can change the display position of the cursor based on the detection result.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 6, when a UI screen (10) is displayed on a display device (100), if a user directs the front end of a mobile device (300) toward the display device (100), the display device (100) displays a cursor (40) at the position where the front end is directed. To perform this operation, an initial setup operation must be performed. Specifically, if the mobile device (300) is equipped with a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, the output values ​​of the x, y, and z axis sensors are calculated and calibrated and stored while the mobile device (300) is placed on a flat surface. Subsequently, when the user moves the mobile device (300) while holding it, the change in posture according to the change in the sensor output value is estimated based on the stored value. As shown in FIG. 6, when the cursor (40) is displayed over a single key (20-x), if a specific hardware button or software button (not shown) of the mobile device (300) is selected and moved to the right, the key (20-x) is moved and displayed by that distance. In this way, the key (31) can be moved to a desired location on the touchpad image (30). When moving while a specific hardware button or software button (not shown) of the mobile device (300) is not selected, only the cursor (40) is moved.

[0088] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, user operation for setting a key can be input using a remote control (200). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for setting a key using a remote control (200). A display device (100) can move a key on a UI screen (10) onto a touch pad image (30) according to a user operation input through the remote control (200). For example, according to FIG. 7, the remote control (200) may include a geomagnetic sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an accelerometer sensor, etc., as described above in FIG. 6, and provide a detection result regarding a change in the posture of the remote control (200) detected through the sensor to the display device (100), and the display device (100) can change the display position of the cursor (40) based on the detection result. To this end, the remote control (200) may include a selection button (hardware button or software button) for receiving an operation to select a key on which the cursor (40) is displayed. As shown in FIG. 7, when the cursor (40) is displayed over a single key (20-x) and the selection button of the remote control is selected and moved to the right, the key (20-x) can be moved and displayed by that distance. Accordingly, the user can move and display the key (31) at a desired location on the touch pad image (30), and the remote control (200) can receive the key information and the movement location of the moved key from the display device (100) through the communication unit (230) and display the selected key at a corresponding location on the touch pad (210).

[0089] Meanwhile, although the above description has depicted and explained that all keys of the remote control (200) are set by the user, there may be keys that are essential or frequently used on the remote control (200) in an actual usage environment. Specifically, such as the power key, external input key, mute key, menu key, and directional keys. Therefore, depending on the embodiment, some keys may be implemented to be displayed in a fixed manner even after the remote control key setting process is performed.

[0090] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a remote control key setting method according to such an embodiment. According to FIG. 8, a power key (32-1), an external input key (32-2), a mute key (32-3), a confirmation key (32-4), and a direction key (32-5) are displayed on a touchpad image (30) within a UI screen (10). These keys can be set so that their display positions cannot be changed or deleted. The processor (150) of the display device (100) supports key setting in the manner described above by displaying the remaining keys, excluding these keys, outside the touchpad image (30). As described above, fixed key values ​​may be assigned to some keys that are set as default. The keys fixedly displayed on the touchpad image (30) in FIG. 7 may be these default keys, but are not necessarily limited thereto; among the default keys, some may be displayed outside the touchpad image (30) so that the user can arbitrarily decide.

[0091] According to these embodiments, the inconvenience of having to reset even keys that the user would naturally set can be prevented.

[0092] Meanwhile, some keys may correspond to top-level menus that include multiple submenus. For example, the Screen Mode menu may have submenus such as Movie Mode, News Mode, Landscape Mode, and Sports Mode, and Movie Mode may further have submenus such as Action Movie, Romance Movie, and Sports Movie.

[0093] If the size of the display (130) of the display device (100) is sufficiently large, it may be implemented to display all of these sub-menus on a single screen. That is, the processor (150) of the display device (100) may generate a UI screen that displays all the keys used to control the display device and displays a touchpad image (30) side by side. According to this embodiment, the user can directly select the key of the menu they want on a single screen and move it to the remote control (200) without having to go through several steps to find the sub-menus. When all keys are displayed, or when more than a threshold number of keys are displayed even if not all keys are displayed, the processor (150) may display them arranged according to a pre-set sorting criterion.

[0094] FIG. 9 illustrates a case where all keys are sorted and displayed in alphabetical order. The processor (150) groups and displays keys with names starting with each alphabet (80-a, 80-b, ~ 80-z) on one side of an indicator (81-a, 81-b ~ 81-z) representing each alphabet. The indicators can be modified to suit the language of the country where the display device (100) is used. Additionally, sorting criteria can be set in various ways. For example, keys can be sorted based on the order of frequent use, or keys can be sorted based on the update order. By sorting according to specific criteria in this way, the user can easily find the key they want.

[0095] If the total number of keys is too large to view on a single screen, the parent and child menus can be displayed hierarchically.

[0096] FIG. 10 illustrates a change in the screen when a key of a top menu is selected. According to FIG. 10, when a key (20-y) corresponding to a setting menu is selected within the UI screen (10) of a display device (100), the processor (150) generates a UI screen to display a plurality of keys (90) corresponding to sub-menus included in the setting menu. In the case of a setting menu, there may be sub-menus such as brightness setting, saturation setting, contrast setting, audio setting, and user setting. If a key corresponding to a menu containing a next-level sub-menu is selected among these sub-menus, the processor (150) can configure the UI screen to display the keys of that next-level sub-menu.

[0097] Depending on the user, it may be preferred to navigate hierarchically rather than viewing many keys at once, so it may be designed to operate in the form shown in Fig. 10.

[0098] In addition, if the total number of keys is too large to view on a single screen, they can be separated into multiple pages and displayed separately. Furthermore, the color, shape, form, or background color of the keys can be displayed differently depending on the attributes of each menu. Specifically, various setting menus, such as screen mode and audio settings, can be indicated as green square keys, while number keys can be white circular keys and arrow keys yellow triangular keys, and so on, to differentiate them.

[0099] FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate examples of various key setting methods. At least some of these methods may be combined and implemented as a single embodiment. For example, some keys may be displayed in a fixed manner while the remaining keys are displayed sorted according to a pre-set sorting standard. Additionally, keys corresponding to the top-level menu and sub-menus may be sorted and displayed within a single screen, and when a key for a sub-menu containing a lower-level sub-menu is selected, the lower-level sub-menus may be displayed. In this case, the inconvenience of having to search for menus in multiple steps can be minimized, and the difficulty of finding keys due to too many keys being displayed on a single screen can also be minimized.

[0100] As described above, the configuration of the UI screen and the method of setting keys can be combined and modified in various ways according to various criteria such as the overall screen size, the number of keys, and user convenience.

[0101] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a remote control key setting method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 10, when a UI display command for remote control key setting is input to the display device (S1010), the display device displays a key along with a touch pad image (S1020). In FIG. 10, the UI display command may be input through an external device such as a mobile device, a touch screen of the display device itself, or an input device connected to the display device (keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone, joystick, etc.) depending on the embodiment.

[0102] In this state, when a key is moved according to user operation (S1030), the display device displays the key at the moved position (S1040). In this way, the user can move all the keys they want to the touchpad image. Afterwards, when the setting is finished (S1050), the display device transmits key information for the moved key and information about the moved position to the remote control (S1060).

[0103] As previously mentioned, key movement and display can also be input through external devices such as mobile devices, the touch screen of the display device itself, or input devices connected to the display device (keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone, joystick, etc.). Since the case of using a mobile device as a representative example has been explained in the previous section, a redundant explanation is omitted.

[0104] In addition, detailed steps according to the contents described in the various embodiments described above may be added to the flowchart of FIG. 11. For example, a step may be added in which a fixed key value is applied to the default keys among the keys corresponding to each of the total functions that can be provided by the display device, and when other keys are selected, an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value is generated.

[0105] In addition, the configuration of the UI screen shown in FIG. 11 can be implemented in various forms as described in FIG. 8 to 10, and corresponding detailed steps can be added to the flowchart of FIG. 11. Since the details of these detailed steps are similar to those described in the other embodiments above, a redundant description is omitted.

[0106] The method of FIG. 11 may be performed on a display device including the configuration shown in FIG. 2, but is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the method of FIG. 11 may be performed by a display device in which some components, such as a second communication unit, are omitted, unless user operation is input through a mobile device.

[0107] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for setting a remote control key of a remote control according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 12, the remote control receives key information and location information from the display device while connected to communication with the display device (S1110). The remote control stores the received information (S1120). Afterward, until the remote control key is reset, the remote control displays at least one key on the touch pad based on the received information (S1140). The user can select the key displayed on the touch pad.

[0108] When the processor of the remote control detects a touch on an indicated key (S1150), it identifies location information corresponding to the touch point and identifies a key value corresponding to the identified location information from the memory inside the remote control. The processor transmits a control signal corresponding to the identified key value to the display device (S1160). The format of the control signal may vary depending on the communication method between the display device and the remote control. For example, if connected via Bluetooth communication, the remote control includes the key value within a Bluetooth packet and transmits it.

[0109] Meanwhile, the remote control key settings can be configured only once when the remote control is first used, but the user may also reset them at any time thereafter. The reset of the remote control key is performed according to the various embodiments described above.

[0110] Depending on the embodiment, the method of resetting the remote key may also vary. For example, the previously set key may be displayed as is on the touchpad image within the UI screen (10). The display device (100) may store the results of the initial setting process of the remote key and configure the UI screen (10) based on the stored results. Alternatively, the information of the keys stored in the remote key may be provided to the display device (100) during the resetting process. The user may reset the keys by moving the positions of some keys among the existing keys displayed on the touchpad image of the UI screen (10) out of the touchpad image and moving a new key of their choice to the touchpad image.

[0111] In another way, when the user releases the movement while placing a new key they want on top of an existing key on the touchpad image, the processor (150) of the display device (100) recognizes this as a command to replace the existing key with a new key, and may transmit a deletion command to delete the existing key information, key information for the new key, and location information to the remote control.

[0112] Although various embodiments have been described above with various drawings, the contents described in each embodiment are not strictly applicable, and some components may be implemented in combination with other embodiments.

[0113] As described above, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a user can directly select keys to be used on a remote control using their mobile device or other devices while viewing a UI screen displayed on a display device, and can also directly select the location within the remote control where the corresponding keys will be displayed.

[0114] If the remote control is equipped with a function to distinguish and recognize users, the remote control key settings may vary for each user. For example, in the case of a family of four, each family member can arrange only the keys they want in the locations they want. The remote control identifies the user by methods such as fingerprint recognition or voice recognition, or by directly receiving user identification information, and then displays keys on the touchpad according to the key layout pattern previously set by the identified user.

[0115] In addition, although only images of keys and touchpads are shown on the UI screen in the various descriptions and cities mentioned above, other menus necessary for key settings may also be displayed. For example, various menus may be additionally displayed, such as a key setting end menu for the user to end the key setting operation, a batch removal menu to remove all previously set keys from the touchpad image, and a cancel menu to cancel the key setting operation.

[0116] Furthermore, while the description and description above focused on selecting the types of keys to be displayed on the remote control and their display locations, this can be extended to the task of customizing the remote control's touchpad itself. Specifically, tasks such as modifying the background color of the remote control's touchpad, converting key names to be displayed from Korean to English, editing the key names themselves to new names, or changing the size, shape, or color of the keys may be performed. In the case of these tasks, in addition to receiving touch input through the mobile device's control area, user operations such as displaying a soft keyboard on the mobile device to allow the user to input various text may be added.

[0117] As described above, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the user can easily and quickly set the keys to be displayed on the touch pad of the remote control. In particular, it can eliminate the inconvenience of having to perform multiple operations to find the desired function.

[0118] When program code for performing a remote control key setting method according to various embodiments as described above is installed in various electronic devices equipped with a display, the electronic device can execute the program code to perform the method described above. Specifically, when program code is installed in the electronic device to sequentially perform the steps of: displaying a UI screen including a touch pad image of a remote control and a plurality of keys; displaying the at least one key at a position within the touch pad image when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved to the touch pad image according to user operation input through an external device connected to the display device; and transmitting key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key to the remote control, the electronic device can perform a remote control key setting operation. In addition, program codes for performing operations described in the various embodiments described above may be further included in the recording medium.

[0119] Such program code may be configured as a single application and distributed online or on a recording medium, or distributed in the form of firmware installed on an electronic device. An electronic device with such an application installed can provide the various functions described above.

[0120] In addition, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in a single device by combining them as a whole or by some embodiments, or they may be implemented individually by each embodiment.

[0121] Such program code can be distributed in a state recorded on various types of computer-readable media, such as ROM, RAM, memory chips, memory cards, external hard drives, hard drives, CDs, DVDs, magnetic disks, or magnetic tapes. A device that downloads such program code online can also perform the various operations described above.

[0122] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the attached drawings, the scope of the rights of the present disclosure is determined by the claims set forth below and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments and / or drawings described above. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that the present disclosure can be variously improved, changed, and modified without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as described in the claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0123] 110: 1st Communication Unit 120: 2nd Communication Unit 130 : Display 140 : Memory 150 : Processor

Claims

Claim 1 A display device comprising: a first communication unit connected to a remote control; a second communication unit connected to an external device; a display; a memory; and a processor; wherein the memory stores fixed key values ​​of keys set as default among keys corresponding to each of the total functions that can be provided by the display device; and the processor controls the display to display a UI screen including a touch pad image of the remote control and a plurality of keys based on UI data stored in the memory when a UI display command for setting the keys of the remote control is received from the external device through the second communication unit; wherein, when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the external device, the key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key are transmitted to the remote control through the first communication unit; and when a key other than the keys set as default is moved onto the touch pad image, the key value of the moved key is generated as an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A display device according to claim 1, wherein the processor displays all keys used for controlling the display device by aligning them according to a preset alignment standard, and generates the UI screen to display a touch pad image corresponding to the touch pad of the remote control side by side on one side of the all keys. Claim 4 In claim 1, the processor generates the UI screen to display the plurality of keys corresponding to the plurality of submenus when a key corresponding to a top menu including a plurality of submenus is selected among the plurality of keys displayed on the UI screen. Claim 5 A display device according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein the external device is a mobile device, and the processor controls the display to move a cursor on the UI screen according to the touch operation when a touch operation is input from the mobile device, and when a drag-and-drop operation is input from the mobile device while the cursor is displayed over a key, the display controls the display to move the key according to the drag-and-drop operation. Claim 6 A method for setting remote control keys of a display device, comprising: a step of establishing communication with an external device and a remote control, respectively; a step of displaying a UI screen including a plurality of keys and a touch pad image of the remote control when a UI display command for setting the remote control keys is received from the external device; a step of displaying the at least one key at a position within the touch pad image when at least one of the plurality of keys in the UI screen is moved onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the external device; a step of transmitting key information of the at least one key and the position of each of the at least one key's movement to the remote control; and a step of generating a key value of the moved key as an arbitrary key value excluding a fixed key value set for the default keys when a key other than the default keys among the keys corresponding to each of the total functions provided by the display device is moved onto the touch pad image. Claim 7 delete Claim 8 A remote control key setting method according to claim 6, wherein the UI screen is configured to display all keys used for controlling the display device by aligning them according to a preset alignment standard, and to display the touch pad image side by side on one side of all keys. Claim 9 A remote control key setting method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of generating the UI screen to display the plurality of keys corresponding to the plurality of sub-menus when a key corresponding to a top menu including a plurality of sub-menus is selected among the plurality of keys displayed on the UI screen. Claim 10 A remote control key setting method according to any one of claims 6, 8, and 9, wherein the step of each displaying the at least one key at a moved position on the touch pad image comprises: a step of moving a cursor on the UI screen according to the touch operation when a touch operation is input from a mobile device connected to the display device; and a step of moving and displaying the one key according to the drag and drop operation when a drag and drop operation is input from the mobile device while the cursor is displayed over a key. Claim 11 delete Claim 12 A recording medium storing a program for performing a remote key setting method for a display device, wherein the remote key setting method comprises: a step of displaying a UI screen including a touch pad image of a remote control and a plurality of keys; a step of displaying each of the at least one key at a position moved within the touch pad image when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved to the touch pad image according to a user operation input through an external device connected to the display device; a step of transmitting key information of the at least one key and the position moved by each of the at least one key to the remote control; and a step of generating a key value of the moved key as an arbitrary key value excluding a fixed key value set for the default keys when a key other than the default keys among the keys corresponding to each of the total functions provided by the display device is moved to the touch pad image. Claim 13 delete Claim 14 In claim 12, the remote control key setting method further comprises the step of generating the UI screen to display the plurality of keys corresponding to the plurality of sub-menus when a key corresponding to a top menu including a plurality of sub-menus is selected among the plurality of keys displayed on the UI screen. Claim 15 A recording medium according to either claim 12 or claim 14, wherein the plurality of keys displayed within the UI screen are moved and displayed on the touchpad image according to a drag-and-drop operation input from a mobile device connected to the display device. Claim 16 A display device comprising: a communication unit connected to a remote control; a display; a memory; and a processor; wherein the memory stores fixed key values ​​of keys set as default among keys corresponding to each of the total functions that can be provided by the display device; and the processor, when a UI display command for setting the keys of the remote control is received from the remote control through the communication unit, controls the display to display a UI screen including a touch pad image of the remote control and a plurality of keys based on UI data stored in the memory; wherein when at least one of the plurality of keys on the UI screen is moved onto the touch pad image according to user operation input through the remote control, the key information of the at least one key and the movement position of each of the at least one key are transmitted to the remote control through the communication unit; and when a key other than the keys set as default is moved onto the touch pad image, the key value of the moved key is generated as an arbitrary key value excluding the fixed key value.

Images