# US 10,120,532 B2 · Control apparatus for controlling an operation of at least one electronic device

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- Number: US 10,120,532 B2
- Document ID: US10120532B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/101,307
- Filed: 2015-01-06
- Published: 2016-10-20
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-06
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ji Hyun Jeon; Hye Jung Chang; Young Sun Shin; Sun Young Seo; So Young Yun; Ji Yoon Yoon; Eun Kyung Hong; A Ra Cho; Kyung Nam Kim; Jae Seok Lee; Eun Hwa Jang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120532B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34)
- G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
- H04L 12/2816: {Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities (arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)}
- H04L 12/282: {based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204)}
- H04L 51/18: Commands or executable codes
- H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

According to the present invention, a device for controlling an operation of at least one electric device including a user interface unit having a conversation display window in which a conversation with the at least one electric device is displayed, a conversation input window configured to receive a character for controlling the operation of the at least one electric device, an icon selection window in which an icon corresponding to the at least one electric device is displayed, and a chatting screen on which a send button for transmitting the character received by the conversation input window is arranged, and a control unit configured to collectively control the operation of the at least one electric device based on a batch control instruction received by the conversation input window.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control device for controlling an operation of at least one electric device, the control device comprising:
a display configured to display a user interface comprising:
a chatting screen, the chatting screen comprising a conversation display window for displaying a conversation with the at least one electric device,
a conversation input window for receiving a character for controlling an operation of the at least one electric device,
an icon selection window for displaying an icon corresponding to the at least one electric device, and
a send button for sending the character received through the conversation input window; and
at least one processor configured to:
check an electric device corresponding to a control instruction received through the conversation input window,
control to display an icon, and
send the control instruction to the electric device corresponding to the displayed icon.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, further comprising storage configured to store the control instruction,
wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to, when the control instruction is for simultaneously controlling two or more electric devices:
send the received character to the two or more electric devices, and
control to display an icon for all electric devices in the icon selection window.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to, when the control instruction is received through the conversation input window while an icon for all electric devices is displayed in the icon selection window, control to send the received control instruction to a controllable electric device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, further comprising storage configured to store the control instruction,
wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to, when the control instruction is for individually controlling any one electronic device:
check an electric device corresponding to the control instruction,
control an operation of the checked electric device corresponding to the control instruction, and
control to display an icon of the checked electric device in the icon selection window.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The control device of claim 4, wherein, the at least one processor is further configured to:
when two or more electric devices correspond to the control instruction for individually controlling any one electronic device, display a list of the two or more electric devices,
when any one is selected from among the two or more electric devices, control an operation of the selected electric device based on the control instruction, and
control to display information regarding the operation of the selected electric device in the conversation display window of the chatting screen.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The control device of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, when the two or more electric devices correspond to the control instruction for individually controlling any one electronic device, control to display an icon for all electric devices in the icon selection window.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, when the character received through the conversation input window is a device name, control to display an icon of an electric device having the device name in the icon selection window.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
when the character received through the conversation input window is a shortcut letter, check an instruction corresponding to the shortcut letter and control an operation of an electronic device corresponding to the checked instruction,
when the character received through the conversation input window is not a shortcut letter, check an instruction having a similarity equal to or greater than a certain value with respect to the received character and control to display the checked instruction, and
when one character is received through the conversation input window, check an instruction having the received character as a first letter and control to display the checked instruction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
check an operation state of the electric device corresponding to the displayed icon, and
control to display a list of executable recommended instructions based on the checked operation state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control to output a list of instructions for controlling the electric device corresponding to the displayed icon.

### Claim 11

A control method of a control device that controls an operation of at least one of a plurality of electric devices, the control method comprising:
when a character is received through a conversation input window of a user interface unit, determining whether the received character is a control instruction;
when the received character is the control instruction, checking an electric device corresponding to the control instruction;
displaying an icon of the checked electric device in an icon selection window of the user interface unit; and
sending the control instruction to the checked electric device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The control method of claim 11, further comprising:
when the control instruction is for individually controlling one electric device, checking an electric device corresponding to the control instruction and displaying an icon of the checked electric device in the icon selection window; and
when the control instruction is for simultaneously controlling two or more electric devices, displaying an icon for all electric devices in the icon selection window.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The control method of claim 12, further comprising:
when the two or more electric devices correspond to the control instruction for individually controlling one electronic device, performing control to display a list of the two or more electric devices;
when any one is selected from among the two or more electric devices, controlling an operation of the selected electric device based on the control instruction; and
displaying information regarding the operation of the selected electric device in the conversation display window of the user interface unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The control method of claim 11, further comprising, when the control instruction is received through the conversation input window while an icon for all electric devices is displayed in the icon selection window, sending the control instruction to the plurality of electric devices.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The control method of claim 11, further comprising:
when the character received through the conversation input window is a device name, displaying an icon of an electric device having the device name;
when the character received through the conversation input window is a shortcut letter, displaying an instruction corresponding to the shortcut letter;
when the character received through the conversation input window is not an instruction, checking an instruction having a similarity equal to or greater than a certain value with respect to the received character and displaying the checked instruction; and
when one character is received through the conversation input window, checking an instruction having the received character as a first letter and displaying the checked instruction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The control method of claim 11, further comprising:
checking an operation state of the electric device corresponding to the displayed icon; and
displaying a list of executable recommended instructions based on the checked operation state.