US20100261508A1 - Terminal and controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces; a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information and a selectable item for executing an application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item is selected; a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, the physical key button configured to receive an input; a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external terminal; and a control unit configured to control the external terminal to display an image of the mobile terminal on a display of the external terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the external terminal. Further, the control unit is further configured to control the external terminal not to display information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when an input signal requests the information not be displayed and to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when the input signal requests the information be displayed.

Description

• The present application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 12/545,365 filed on Aug. 21, 2009, which claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application Nos. 10-2009-0032283, filed on Apr. 14, 2009, 10-2009-0051175, filed on Jun. 9, 2009, 10-2009-0053946, filed on Jun. 17, 2009, and 10-2009-0053945, filed on Jun. 17, 2009, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a terminal, and more particularly, to a terminal and controlling method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for controlling data communication operations between terminals
• 2. Discussion of the Related Art
• A terminal is a device which may be configured to perform various functions. Examples of such functions include data and voice communications, capturing images and video via a camera, recording audio, playing music files via a speaker system, and displaying images and video on a display. Some terminals include additional functionality which supports game playing, while other terminals are configured as multimedia players. More recently, terminals have been configured to receive broadcast and multicast signals which permit viewing of content such as videos and television programs.
• The above-described mobile terminal connects a communication such an external device having a display unit and an input unit as a notebook computer, a personal computer, a PDA and the like and is then able to exchange (transmit and receive) data with the connected external device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a terminal and controlling method thereof that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal and controlling method thereof, by which data of a first terminal is executable in a second terminal and by which all functions of the first terminal are usable using the second terminal.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal and controlling method thereof, by which when a wireless communication is connected between/among a plurality of terminals, content information contained on each screen of first and second terminals is interchangeably usable.
• A further object of the present invention is to provide a terminal and controlling method thereof, by which a tripartite heterogeneous communication function can be provided to first to third terminals using a short-range communication system and a mobile communication system.
• Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
• To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a method of controlling a terminal according to the present invention includes a method of controlling an external terminal from a terminal, the method including establishing communication with the external terminal; receiving screen information that is displayed in the external terminal from the external terminal; displaying the screen information as is displayed in the external terminal on at least a portion of a screen of the terminal; selecting content information from the screen information that is displayed on the at least a portion of the screen of the terminal; and transmitting location information of the selected content information displayed on the at least a portion of the screen of the terminal to the external terminal. In another aspect of the present invention, a terminal includes a wireless communication unit configured to receive screen information that is displayed in an external terminal by a communication link with the external terminal; a display unit configured to display the screen information as is displayed in the external terminal on at least a portion of a screen of the terminal; and a control unit, when content information from the screen information that is displayed on the at least a portion of the screen is selected, the control unit is configured to transmit location information of the selected content information to the external terminal.
• In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling a terminal includes displaying screen information including at least one content information on a screen of the terminal; establishing communication with the external terminal; transmitting the displayed screen information to the external terminal; and when a signal including a location information of the at least one content information displayed on a screen of the external terminal is received from the external terminal, executing a function of the terminal corresponding to the at least one content information.
• In another aspect of the present invention, a terminal includes a display unit configured to display screen information including at least one content information; a communication unit, when communication with an external terminal is established, the communication unit is configured to transmit the screen information to the external terminal; and a control unit, when a signal including location information of the at least one content information on a screen of the external terminal is received from the external terminal, the control unit is configured to execute a function of the terminal corresponding to the received location information on the screen.
• In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling a terminal includes establishing communication with the plurality of external terminals including a first external terminal and a second external terminal; receiving first screen information displayed on the first external terminal and second screen information displayed on the second external terminal; displaying the first screen information as is displayed in the first external terminal and the second screen information as is displayed in the second external terminal on a first portion and a second portion on a screen of the terminal, respectively; and when content information displayed within the first portion is selected, transmitting the selected content information to the second external terminal.
• In another aspect of the present invention, a terminal includes a wireless communication unit configured to establish communication with a plurality of external terminals including a first external terminal and a second external terminal, the wireless communication unit is further configured to receive a first screen information as is displayed on the first external terminal and a second screen information as is displayed on the second external terminal; a display unit configured to display the first screen information and the second screen information on a first portion and a second portion on a screen of the terminal, respectively; and a control unit, when content information displayed within the first portion is selected, the control unit is configured to transmit the selected content information to the second external terminal.
• It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first terminal of a mobile terminal type according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second terminal of a PC type according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a remote control system including a first terminal of a mobile terminal type and a second terminal of a PC type according to the present invention;
• FIG. 4 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a phonebook menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication;
• FIG. 5 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a message menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication;
• FIG. 6 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a camera menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication;
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control an image menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication;
• FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an operation control system including a first terminal of a mobile terminal type and a third terminal of a mobile terminal type according to the present invention;
• FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an operation control system including a second terminal of a PC type and a third terminal of a mobile terminal type according to the present invention;
• FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to access a communication with a first terminal in an operation control system according to the present invention;
• FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a process for a first terminal to access a communication with a second terminal in an operation control system according to the present invention;
• FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a first terminal for screen information compression in an operation control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a PC type second terminal for decompression of compressed screen information in an operation control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a process for compressing a video on a screen of a first terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a process for compressing a video on a screen of a first terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a process for compressing a video on a screen of a first terminal according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a process for decompressing a compressed video shown inFIG. 14 according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a process for decompressing a compressed video shown inFIG. 15 according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 19 is a signal processing diagram for a data transceiving process between a first terminal and a second terminal in an operation control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 20 andFIG. 21 are diagrams for screen configurations to explain a process for a first terminal to generate first notification information according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 22 is a signal processing diagram for a data transceiving process between a first terminal and a second terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 23 andFIG. 24 are diagrams of screen configurations for explaining a process for generating and displaying second notification information for a first terminal to announce an event occurrence according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 25 is a signal processing diagram for a process for a second terminal to access homogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 26 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to access homogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 27 is a signal processing diagram for a process for a second terminal to access heterogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 28 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to access heterogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 29 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using a short-range communication according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 30 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to set a time period for searching a first terminal periodically according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 31 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to reset a time period for searching a first terminal periodically according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 32 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using an RFID according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 33 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using an RFID according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 34 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection operations of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 35 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 36 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection of a communication with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 37 andFIG. 38 are diagrams of screen configurations for a process for a second terminal to inform a user of disconnected and reconnected statuses of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 39 is a flowchart of a process for a first terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection operations of communications with a second terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 40 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to receive, store, edit and execute content information from a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 41 is a diagram of a screen configuration for a state that both screen information of a second terminal and screen information of a first terminal are displayed on a screen of the second terminal together according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 42 to 46 are diagrams of screen configurations for a process for a second terminal to receive and store content information from a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 47 is a diagram of a screen configuration for a process for a second terminal to classify and store content information received from a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 48 and 52 are diagrams of screen configurations for a process for a second terminal to execute content information received from a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 53 is a flowchart of a process for transmitting content information of a second terminal to a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 54 andFIG. 55 are diagrams of screen configurations of a process for transmitting content information of a second terminal to a first terminal according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 56 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to deliver content information of a first terminal to a third terminal according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 57 is a diagram of a screen configuration for a state that screen information of a second terminal and screen information of first and third terminals are displayed on a screen of the second terminal together according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 58 is a diagram of a screen configuration for a process for a second terminal to deliver content information of a first terminal to a third terminal according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 59 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to deliver content information of a third terminal to a first terminal according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 60 is a diagram of a screen configuration for a process for a second terminal to deliver content information of a third terminal to a first terminal according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 61 is a signal processing diagram of a process for performing a voice call among a second terminal, a first terminal and a third terminal using different communication systems according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention; and
• FIG. 62 is a signal processing diagram of a process for performing a voice call among a second terminal, a first terminal and a third terminal using messages and speech according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood by those of ordinary skill in this technological field that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, electrical, as well as procedural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
• The suffixes ‘module’ and ‘unit’ for the elements used in the following description are given or used in common by considering facilitation in writing this disclosure only but fail to have meanings or roles discriminated from each other.
• First of all, a mobile terminal described in this disclosure can include such a video and audio outputtable terminal as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a digital broadcast terminal, a PDA (personal digital assistants), a PMP (portable multimedia player), a navigation system, a laptop computer, a personal computer (PC) and the like.
• In the following detailed description of the invention, assume a first terminal and a second terminal are a mobile terminal and a PC, respectively, by which the first and second terminals are non-limited.
• A first terminal according to the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 1 as follows.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first terminal of a mobile terminal type according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 1, afirst terminal100 according to the present invention is a mobile terminal and includes acommunication unit110, an A/V (audio/video)input unit120, auser input unit130, asensing unit140, anoutput unit150, amemory160, aninterface unit170, acontroller180, apower supply unit190 and the like.FIG. 1 shows themobile terminal100 having various components, but it is understood that implementing all of the illustrated components is not a requirement. Greater or fewer components may alternatively be implemented.
• In the following description, the above elements of thefirst terminal100 are explained in sequence.
• First of all, thecommunication unit110 can include at least one module which permits communication between thefirst terminal100 and a wireless communication system, between thefirst terminal100 and a network within which thefirst terminal100 is located, or between thefirst terminal100 and asecond terminal200 according to the present invention.
• For instance, thecommunication unit110 can include abroadcast receiving module111, amobile communication module112, awireless internet module113, a short-range communication module114, a position-location module115 and the like.
• Thebroadcast receiving module111 receives a broadcast signal and/or broadcast associated information from an external broadcast managing server via a broadcast channel.
• Themobile communication module112 transmits/receives wireless signals to/from one or more network entities (e.g., a base station, an external terminal, a server, etc.). Such wireless signals may represent a speech call signal, a video communication call signal and data according to text/multimedia message transmitted and received.
• Themobile communication module112 is communication-connected to thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention and is then able to transmit all data of thefirst terminal100 to thesecond terminal200 under the control of thecontroller180. For example, themobile communication module112 is able to transmit all screen information displayed on thedisplay module151 to thesecond terminal200. And, themobile communication module112 is able to transmit audio information outputted from theaudio output module152 to thesecond terminal200. Moreover, themobile communication module112 is able to transmit a key signal inputted from theuser input unit130 or a touch signal inputted from thedisplay module151 of a touchscreen type to thesecond terminal200.
• Thewireless Internet module113 supports Internet access for thefirst terminal100. This module may be internally or externally coupled to thefirst terminal100. In this case, the wireless Internet technology can include WLAN (Wireless LAN) (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), etc.
• Thewireless internet module113 is connected to thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention by internet communication and is then able to transmit all data of thefirst terminal100 to thesecond terminal200 under the control of thecontroller180. For example, thewireless internet module113 is able to transmit all screen information displayed on thedisplay module151 to thesecond terminal200. And, thewireless internet module113 is able to transmit audio information outputted from theaudio output module152 to thesecond terminal200. Moreover, thewireless internet module113 is able to transmit a key signal inputted from theuser input unit130 or a touch signal inputted from thedisplay module151 of a touchscreen type to thesecond terminal200.
• The short-range communication module114 facilitates relatively short-range communications. Suitable technologies for implementing this module include Bluetooth, infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), RFB (remote frame buffer) and the like.
• The short-range communication module114 is communication-connected to thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention and is then able to transmit all data of thefirst terminal100 to thesecond terminal200 under the control of thecontroller180. For example, the short-range communication module114 is able to transmit all screen information displayed on thedisplay module151 to thesecond terminal200. And, the short-range communication module114 is able to transmit audio information outputted from theaudio output module152 to thesecond terminal200. Moreover, the short-range communication module114 is able to transmit a key signal inputted from theuser input unit130 or a touch signal inputted from thedisplay module151 of a touchscreen type to thesecond terminal200.
• The position-location module115 identifies or otherwise obtains the location of thefirst terminal100. If desired, this module may be implemented with a global positioning system (GPS) module.
• Referring toFIG. 1, the audio/video (A/V)input unit120 is configured to provide audio or video signal input to thefirst terminal100. As shown, the A/V input unit120 includes acamera121, amicrophone122 and the like.
• Thecamera121 receives and processes image frames of still pictures or video, which are obtained by an image sensor in a video call mode or a photographing mode. And, the processed image frames can be displayed on thedisplay unit151.
• At least two or more cameras can be provided under the circumstance of usage. And, the image frame processed by thecamera121 can be transmitted to thesecond terminal200 via thecommunication unit110.
• Themicrophone122 receives an external audio signal while the portable device is in a particular mode, such as phone call mode, recording mode and voice recognition mode. This audio signal is processed and converted into electric audio data.
• The processed audio data is transformed into a format transmittable to a mobile communication base station via themobile communication module112 in case of a call mode. Themicrophone122 typically includes assorted noise removing algorithms to remove noise generated in the course of receiving the external audio signal.
• Theuser input unit130 generates input data responsive to user manipulation of an associated input device or devices. Examples of such devices include a keypad, a dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., static pressure/capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc.
• In this case, a backlight unit is provided under theuser input unit130 to generate light for identifying the keypad, the dome switch, the jog wheel and the jog switch in a dark environment.
• Thesensing unit140 provides sensing signals for controlling operations of thefirst terminal100 using status measurements of various aspects of the mobile terminal. For instance, thesensing unit140 may detect an open/close status of thefirst terminal100, relative positioning of components (e.g., a display and keypad) of themobile terminal100, a change of position of thefirst terminal100 or a component of thefirst terminal100, a presence or absence of user contact with thefirst terminal100, orientation or acceleration/deceleration of thefirst terminal100.
• Meanwhile, theoutput unit150 generates outputs relevant to the senses of sight, hearing, touch and the like. And, theoutput unit150 includes the display unit (or display module)151, anaudio output module152, analarm unit153, ahaptic module154 and the like.
• Thedisplay module151 may be implemented using known display technologies including, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), a flexible display and a three-dimensional display. Themobile terminal100 may include one or more of such displays.
• At least twodisplay units151 can be provided to thefirst terminal100 in accordance with the implemented configuration of thefirst terminal100. For instance, a plurality of display modules can be arranged on a single face of thefirst terminal100 in a manner of being spaced apart from each other or being built in one body. Alternatively, a plurality of display modules can be arranged on different faces of thefirst terminal100.
• In case that thedisplay unit151 and a sensor for detecting a touch action (hereinafter called ‘touch sensor’) configures a mutual layer structure (hereinafter called ‘touchscreen’), it is able to use thedisplay unit151 as an input device as well as an output device. In this case, the touch sensor can be configured as a touch film, a touch sheet, a touchpad or the like.
• The touch sensor can be configured to convert a pressure applied to a specific portion of thedisplay unit151 or a variation of a capacitance generated from a specific portion of thedisplay unit151 to an electric input signal. Moreover, it is able to configure the touch sensor to detect a pressure of a touch as well as a touched position or size.
• Theproximity sensor141 is the sensor that detects a presence or non-presence of an object approaching a prescribed detecting surface or an object existing around the proximity sensor using an electromagnetic field strength or infrared ray without mechanical contact. Hence, the proximity sensor has durability longer than that of a contact type sensor and also has utility wider than that of the contact type sensor.
• The proximity sensor can include one of a transmittive photoelectric sensor, a direct reflective photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflective photoelectric sensor, a radio frequency oscillation proximity sensor, an electrostatic capacity proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, an infrared proximity sensor and the like.
• Theaudio output module152 functions in various modes including a call signal receiving mode, a call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode and the like to output audio data which is received from thewireless communication unit110 or is stored in thememory160.
• During operation, theaudio output module152 outputs an audio signal related to a particular function (e.g., call received, message received, etc.). Theaudio output module152 is often implemented using one or more speakers, buzzers, other audio producing devices, and combinations thereof.
• Thealarm output unit153 outputs a signal for announcing the occurrence of a particular event associated with thefirst terminal100. Typical events include a call received event, a message received event, a key signal inputted event, and a touch input received event.
• Thehaptic module154 generates various tactile effects that can be sensed by a user. Vibration is a representative one of the tactile effects generated by thehaptic module154. Strength and pattern of the vibration generated by thehaptic module154 are controllable. For instance, different vibrations can be outputted in a manner of being synthesized together or can be outputted in sequence.
• Thememory160 is generally used to store various types of data to support the processing, control, and storage requirements of thecontroller180. Examples of such data include program instructions for applications operating on thefirst terminal100, phonebook data, message data, audio data, still pictures data, moving pictures data, etc. Moreover, data for various patterns of vibration and/or sound outputted in case of a touch input to the touchscreen can be stored in thememory160.
• And, thememory160 is provided with an operation system (OS) program for controlling operations of the elements of thefirst terminal100. Moreover, thememory160 is provided with a plurality of applications for running content information executed in thefirst terminal100.
• For example, the applications can include a word processor, an image viewer, a video player, an audio player, an internet connector and the like. The above-described OS program and applications are drivable and executable under the control of thecontroller180.
• Moreover, the above-described OS program and applications can be stored as software in thememory160 or can be provided as ‘module’ types.
• Meanwhile, theinterface unit170 is often implemented to couple thefirst terminal100 with external devices.
• The above-describedinterface unit170 may be configured using a wired/wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired/wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for coupling to a device having an identity module, audio input/output ports, video input/output ports, an earphone port, a USB (universal serial bus) port and/or the like.
• In particular, theinterface unit170 is wire-connected to thesecond terminal200 via a data cable or the like and is then able to transmit all data of thefirst terminal100 to thesecond terminal200. For example, theinterface unit170 is able to transmit all screen information displayed on thedisplay module151 to thesecond terminal200. Theinterface unit170 is able to transmit audio information outputted from theaudio output module152 to thesecond terminal200. And, theinterface unit170 is able to transmit a key signal inputted from theuser input unit130 or a touch signal inputted from thedisplay module151 of the touchscreen type to thesecond terminal200.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller180 normally controls overall operations of thefirst terminal100. For instance, thecontroller180 performs control and processing relevant to a voice call, a data communication, a video call and the like.
• The control operating process of thecontroller180 according to an embodiment of the present invention shall be explained in detail later.
• A speechtext converting unit181 converts a speech signal inputted from themicrophone122 to a text signal or converts a call speech signal received from thecommunication unit110 to a text signal. Moreover, the speechtext converting unit181 converts a content of a message received from thecommunication unit110 to a speech signal.
• The speechtext converting unit181 can include a TTS (text to speech) module.
• And, thefirst terminal100 according to the present invention can be provided with anRFID tag182 for recording device information of thefirst terminal100, which is used for the communication connection to thesecond terminal200.
• Meanwhile, thepower supply unit190 provides power required by the various components for themobile terminal100. The power may be internal power, external power, or combinations thereof.
• Various embodiments described herein may be implemented in a computer-readable medium using, for example, computer software, hardware, or some combination thereof.
• For a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or a selective combination thereof. Such embodiments may also be implemented by thecontroller180.
• For a software implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented with separate software modules, such as procedures and functions, each of which perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein. The software codes can be implemented with a software application written in any suitable programming language and may be stored in memory such as thememory160, and executed by a controller or processor, such as thecontroller180.
• In the above description, the configurations of thefirst terminal100 according to the present invention have been explained with reference toFIG. 1.
• In the following description, thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention shall be explained in detail with reference toFIG. 2.
• FIG. 2 shows that thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention is a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated ‘PC’). Besides, as mentioned in the foregoing description, astationary terminal200 can include every device capable of communicating with thefirst terminal100, displaying images and outputting audio as well as the PC.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second terminal of a PC type according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 2, asecond terminal200 according to the present invention includes acommunication unit210, aninput unit220, amemory230, aspeaker240, amicrophone250, adisplay unit260 and acontroller270.
• And, it is understood that the elements (e.g., a camera, an interface unit, etc.) mentioned in the foregoing description of thefirst terminal100 can be additionally loaded in thesecond terminal200 in addition to the above described elements.
• Thecommunication unit210 is communication-connected to thefirst terminal100 according to the present invention under the control of thecontroller270. And, thecommunication unit210 receives screen information displayed in thefirst terminal100, audio information and key input information from thefirst terminal100.
• Like theformer communication unit110 of thefirst terminal100 shown inFIG. 1, the above-configuredcommunication unit210 of thesecond terminal100 can further include a mobile communication module enabling communication between themobile terminal100 and astationary terminal200, a wireless Internet module and a short-range communication module.
• Meanwhile, theinput unit220 generates a key signal for an operation control of thesecond terminal200 or a key signal for an operation control of thefirst terminal100. Occasionally, theinput unit220 can include a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (e.g., static pressure/capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, a mouse, etc.
• Thememory230 is able to store a program for an operation of thesecond terminal200. And, various data are stored in thememory230.
• And, thememory230 is provided with an operation system (OS) program for controlling operations of the elements of thesecond terminal200. Moreover, thememory230 is provided with a plurality of applications for running content information executed in thesecond terminal200. For example, the applications can include a word processor, an image viewer, a video player, an audio player, an internet connector and the like. The above-described OS program and applications are drivable and executable under the control of thecontroller270.
• Moreover, the above-described OS program and applications can be stored as software in thememory230 or can be provided as ‘module’ types.
• Thememory230 may be implemented using any type or combination of suitable volatile and non-volatile memory or storage devices including hard disk, random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic or optical disk, multimedia card micro type memory, card-type memory (e.g., SD memory, XD memory, etc.), or other similar memory or data storage device.
• Thespeaker240 outputs data containing audio stored in the memory and various audios generated from thesecond terminal200. And, themicrophone250 receives an input of an external audio signal and then processes the input into an electric speech data.
• Thedisplay unit260 displays information processed by thesecond terminal200. Thisdisplay unit260 may be implemented using known display technologies including, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), a flexible display and a three-dimensional display. And, thesecond terminal200 may include one or more of such displays. Moreover, thedisplay unit260 is coupled to a touch sensor to have a touchscreen type.
• Thecontroller270 controls overall operations of thesecond terminal200. According to the present invention, thecontroller270 displays screen information received from thefirst terminal100 and transmits a key signal inputted via theinput unit220 to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• The speechtext converting unit271 converts a speech signal inputted from themicrophone250 to a text signal or converts a call speech signal received from thecommunication unit210 to a text signal.
• Moreover, the speechtext converting unit271 converts a text signal inputted from the touchscreentype display unit260 or theinput unit220 to a speech signal or converts a content of a message received from thecommunication unit210 to a speech signal.
• The above-configured speechtext converting unit181 can include a TTS (text to speech) module.
• Besides, thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention includes anRFID reader272 configured to read out the data stored in theformer RFID tag182 provided to thefirst terminal100 shown inFIG. 1.
• If thefirst terminal100 is located in the neighborhood of thesecond terminal200, theRFID reader272 reads or interprets the device information stored in theRFID tag182 provided to thefirst terminal100 and then outputs the read device information to thecontroller270.
• Once the device information of thefirst terminal100 is read via theRFID reader272, thecontroller270 checks whether the read device information of thefirst terminal100 exists on an access authentication device information list stored in thememory230. If the read device information on thefirst terminal100 exists on the access authentication device information list, thecontroller270 connects a communication with thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• In the above description, the configurations of thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention are explained.
• In the following description, embodiments relevant to a process for transmitting and receiving data (e.g., screen information, audio information and key input information) between the above configured first andsecond terminals100 and200 are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Optionally, the following embodiments are available individually or by being combined together.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a remote control system including afirst terminal100 and asecond terminal200 according to the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 3, all data (screen information, audio information and key input information) of thefirst terminal100 can be transmitted to thesecond terminal200. In this case, thesecond terminal200 is able to control an operation of thefirst terminal100 by wireless communication.
• In particular, once thefirst terminal100 is wireless-connected to thesecond terminal200, thefirst terminal100 transmits screen information displayed on thedisplay unit151 to thesecond terminal200 so that the screen information of thefirst terminal100 is reproduced on at least a portion of a screen of thesecond terminal200.
• In this case, the wireless communication can include at least one of short-range wireless communications including Bluetooth, infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), RFB (remote frame buffer), other wired or wireless connection or wired or wireless communication link and the like.
• Meanwhile, thesecond terminal200 displays the screen information received from thefirst terminal100 on a prescribed portion of its screen and is then able to control all menu functions of thefirst terminal100 by wireless (or wired) communication via theinput unit220 such as a keypad, a mouse and the like.
• In this case, a displayed size of the screen information of thefirst terminal100, which is displayed on thesecond terminal200, can be set equal to that of an image actually displayed on thefirst terminal100, or set to be different to that of the image actually displayed on thefirst terminal100.
• Once the screen information is received from thefirst terminal100, thesecond terminal200 displays a manipulation unit for enabling a user to manipulate all functions of thefirst terminal100 together with the screen information. In this case, the manipulation unit can have the same configuration of a shape of a menu key, a call key, a direction key, a keypad or the like, which is provided to a main body of thefirst terminal100. For example, the manipulation unit displayed on thesecond terminal200 may be a depiction of thefirst terminal100, or at least depiction of a screen portion containing the screen information of thefirst terminal100.
• For instance, referring toFIG. 3, thefirst terminal100 is a mobile terminal provided with a touchscreen type manipulation unit. Within the manipulation unit of thefirst terminal100, the screen information of thefirst terminal100 and menu execution icons of aphonebook1, amessage2, acamera3 and animage4 are included, for example.
• If so, thesecond terminal200 displays the menu execution icons of thephonebook1, themessage2, thecamera3 and theimage4 within the manipulation unit exactly like those of thefirst terminal100.
• In the following description, a process for thesecond terminal200 to control an operation of thefirst terminal100 via the manipulation unit by wireless communication is explained with reference toFIGS. 4 to 7.
• FIG. 4 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a phonebook menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication.
• Referring toFIG. 4, if the phonebookmenu execution icon1 is selected from the screen shown inFIG. 3 via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 obtains a location of the selected phonebookmenu execution icon1 and then transmits a signal for notifying the obtained location information to thefirst terminal100.
• For instance, if a screen resolution of thefirst terminal100, which is displayed on the screen of thesecond terminal100, is 600×400 pixels and a location of the phonebookmenu execution icon1 on the 600×400 screen is ‘horizontal531-534 and vertical96-100’, thecontroller270 transmits a signal for notifying the horizontal531-534 and vertical96-100 corresponding to the location of the phonebookmenu execution icon1 to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 recognizes the location information contained in the signal received from thesecond terminal200, executes a phonebook menu existing at the recognized location on the screen shown inFIG. 3, and displays submenus belonging to the phonebook menu.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 4 from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information. If a menu of ‘1. Search phonebook’ (1a) is selected from the submenus displayed within the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 4 via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for notifying the location information of the selected menu of ‘1. Search phonebook’ (1a) to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 recognizes the location information contained in the signal received from thesecond terminal200, executes the menu of ‘1. Search phonebook’ (1a) existing at the recognized location on the screen shown in (a) ofFIG. 4, and then displays a contact information list registered within the phonebook, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 4. And, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 4 to thesecond terminal200.
• Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 4 from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information.
• If ‘1. kim’ (1b) is selected from the contact information list displayed within the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 4 via theinput unit220 and a call connection key of the ‘1. kim’ (1b) is then selected, thecontroller270 of the second terminal200 sequentially transmits location information of the selected ‘1. kim’ (1b) and location information of the call connection key to thefirst terminal100.
• Once the location information of the selected ‘1. kim’1band location information of the call connection key are sequentially received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of the first terminal100 attempts a call connect to the ‘1. kim’1bby controlling thecommunication unit110, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 4 and then transmits the screen information shown in (c) ofFIG. 4 to thesecond terminal200.
• FIG. 5 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a message menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication.
• Referring toFIG. 5, if a user of thesecond terminal200 selects a messagemenu execution icon2 within the manipulation unit by manipulating theinput unit220 such as a mouse, a keypad and the like, thecontroller270 transmits location information of the selectedmenu execution icon2 to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 executes a message menu existing at the location received from thefirst terminal100, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 5, and then displays submenus belonging to the message menu. Moreover, thecontroller180 of the first terminal transmits the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 5 to thesecond terminal200.
• Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 5 from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information. If a menu of ‘1. Transmit message’2ais selected from the submenus displayed within the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 5 via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a displayed location of the menu of ‘1. Transmit message’ (or ‘message send’)2ato thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 5, executes the menu of ‘1. Transmit message’2aat the received location and then displays a contact information list registered with the phonebook. Moreover, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 5 to thesecond terminal200.
• Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 5 and then displays the received screen information. If ‘1. kim’2bis selected from the contact information list displayed within the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 5 via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits location information of the contact information ‘1. kim’2bto thefirst terminal100.
• If the location information of the contact information ‘1. kim’2bis received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100, as shown (c) ofFIG. 5, displays a message writing window and transmits the screen information shown in (c) ofFIG. 5 to thesecond terminal200. In this case, the message writing window can include akeypad2cfor inputting a content of a message and a message content window2don which the content of the message inputted via thekeypad2cis displayed.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (c) ofFIG. 5 from thefirst terminal200 and then displays the received screen information.
• If a plurality of characters is selected from thekeypad2cvia theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of the second terminal200 sequentially transmits location information of the selected characters to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 displays characters existing at the respective locations, which are being sequentially received, on the message content window2dand transmits screen information having the characters reflected on the message content window to thesecond terminal200.
• Thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information having the inputted characters reflected on the message content window2dfrom thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information. If a key for sending the message written in the message content window2dto the ‘1. kim’2bis selected from theinput unit220, thesecond terminal200 transmits location information of the selected key to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, if the location information of the selected key is received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 sends the message written in the message content window2dto the ‘1. kim’2bby controlling thecommunication unit110 and also sends the screen information shown in (d) ofFIG. 5 to thesecond terminal200.
• FIG. 6 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control a camera menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication.
• Referring toFIG. 6, if a user of thesecond terminal200 selects a camera menu execution icon within the manipulation unit by manipulating theinput unit220 such as a mouse, a keypad and the like, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for commanding a cameral menu execution selected by the user to thefirst terminal100.
• In this case, the command signal is the signal containing the location of the cameramenu execution icon3, as shown inFIG. 4 andFIG. 5, and commands an action of thefirst terminal100 using the location information.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 executes the camera menu according to the received command signal, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 6, and then displays submenus belonging to the camera menu. Moreover, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 6 to thesecond terminal200.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 6 from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information. If a key signal for capturing a preview picture incident from thecamera121 is inputted via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for commanding to capture a picture to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 captures a current preview picture incident from thecamera121 according to the received command signal, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 6, and transmits screen information shown in (c) ofFIG. 6 to thesecond terminal200.
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of screen configurations for explaining a process for a second terminal to control an image menu function of a first terminal by a wireless communication.
• Referring toFIG. 7, if a user of thesecond terminal200 selects an image menu execution icon within the manipulation unit by manipulating theinput unit220 such as a mouse, a keypad and the like, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for commanding an image menu execution selected by the user to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 executes the image menu according to the received command signal, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 7, and then displays a list of images stored within the image menu. Moreover, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 7 to thesecond terminal200.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 7 from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information. If ‘1. a.jpg’4ato be displayed is selected via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for commanding a display of ‘1. a.jpg’4ato thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 drives an image display application according to the received command signal and then displays the ‘1. a.jpg’ on the screen via the driven application, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 7. Moreover, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits the screen information shown in (b) ofFIG. 7 to thesecond terminal200.
• In the above description, a process for thesecond terminal200 to control an operation of thefirst terminal100 is explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 4 to 7.
• Although the above description with reference toFIGS. 4 to 7 relates to the operation control process for thephonebook menu1, themessage menu2, thecamera menu3 and theimage menu4 of thefirst terminal100, it non-limits various implementations of the present invention. For instance, thesecond terminal200 is able to control operations of any and all menu functions, or other icons or buttons of thefirst terminal100.
• An operation control system according to the present invention can include thefirst terminal100 of a mobile terminal type and thesecond terminal200 of a PC type, as shown inFIGS. 3 to 7, include thefirst terminal100 of a mobile terminal type and athird terminal300 of a mobile terminal type, as shown inFIG. 8, or include thesecond terminal200 of a PC type and first andthird terminals100 and300 of a plurality of mobile terminal types, as shown inFIG. 9.
• In the following description, a communication access process between thefirst terminal100 and thesecond terminal200 in an operation control system according to the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 10 andFIG. 11.
• FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to access a communication with a first terminal in an operation control system according to the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 10, If thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 receives a communication access request signal from thesecond terminal200 via the communication unit110 [S11], it checks whether thesecond terminal200 is an accessible device by being authenticated in advance [S12].
• In particular, thecontroller180 checks whether device information on thesecond terminal200 exists on an access authentication device information list stored in thememory160. If the device information on thesecond terminal200 exists on the access authentication device information list [S13], thecontroller180 accesses a communication with the second terminal by sending a signal for permitting a communication access to thesecond terminal200 via the communication unit110 [S14].
• Once the communication is connected to thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 sends screen information currently displayed on thedisplay unit151 to thesecond terminal200.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller180 compares the device information received from thesecond terminal200 to the device information corresponding to thesecond terminal200 on the access authentication device information list. If the former device information and the latter device information differ from each other, thecontroller180 updates the device information received from thesecond terminal200 on the access authentication device list [S15].
• Yet, as a result of the checking step S12, if the device information of thesecond terminal200 fails to exist on the access authentication device information list, thecontroller180 displays a selection window for selecting a presence or non-presence of an access permission of thesecond terminal200 on the screen of thedisplay unit151.
• If ‘access not permitted’ is selected from the selection window, thecontroller180 blocks an access of thesecond terminal200. If ‘access permitted’ is selected from the selection window [S16], thecontroller180 provides a user with an authentication process for the access of the second terminal200 [S17]. If an authentication for thesecond terminal200 is permitted by a user [S18], thecontroller180 performs actions of the steps S14 and S15.
• FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a process for a first terminal to access a communication with a second terminal in an operation control system according to the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 11, if a command for accessing a communication with the first terminal for a remote control of the first terminal is inputted by a user via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 searches in the neighborhood for thefirst terminal100 by controlling the communication unit210 [S21].
• In this case, thecontroller270 is able to search in the neighborhood for thefirst terminal100 using one of various search methods (e.g., device inquiry of Bluetooth, service discovery, etc.). Alternatively, thecontroller270 is able to search for thefirst terminal100 using TCP/IP based SSDP.
• As a result of the searching step S21, if thefirst terminal100 is found, thecontroller270 checks whether thefirst terminal100 is an access authenticated device [S22].
• If thefirst terminal100 is an accessible device [S23], thecontroller270 transmits a signal for requesting a communication access to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S24]. If a signal for permitting the access is received from thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit [S25], thecontroller270 connects the communication with the first terminal100 [S26].
• Yet, if thefirst terminal100 is the device failing to be authenticated in the step S22, thecontroller270 provides a user with a process for authenticating the access to the first terminal100 [S27]. If the user permits the authentication for the first terminal100 [S28], thecontroller270 connects the communication with thefirst terminal100.
• In the above description, the communication connecting process between thefirst terminal100 and thesecond terminal200 is explained in detail
• In the following description, a process for compressing and decompressing screen information in a first terminal according to the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 12 to 18.
• First of all, an apparatus for compressing screen information of a first terminal of a mobile terminal type and an apparatus for decompressing the screen information in an operation control system according to the present invention are explained with reference toFIG. 12 as follows.
First Embodiment
• FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a first terminal for screen information compression in an operation control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• In the following description, the configuration of afirst terminal400 may have the same elements of thefirst terminal100 shown inFIG. 1 or may not.
• Yet, each of thefirst terminal400 shown inFIG. 12 and the formerfirst terminal100 shown inFIG. 1 basically includes the same device of the mobile terminal type and can perform the same operations.
• Namely, in the following description of the first embodiment, a process for compressing screen information using thefirst terminal400 shown inFIG. 12 is explained.
• Referring toFIG. 12, afirst terminal400 for implementing an operation control system includes anexterior configuration410, aninternal hardware430, anapplication450, avirtual server470, a controller (this is the same of thecontroller180 shown inFIG. 1, hereinafter indicated by a reference number180), and the like.
• Theexterior configuration410 of thefirst terminal400 includes anLCD411, aspeaker412, amicrophone413, a keypad/touchpad414, anetwork device415 and the like.
• Theinternal hardware430 includes adisplay module431, avideo memory432, anaudio module433, anaudio output memory434, anaudio input memory435, aninput device module436, a wire/wireless network module437, and the like. In this case, thevideo memory432 stores and outputs video information on a screen of thefirst terminal400. The wire/wireless network module437 is connected to anexternal network device415 and then transmits compressed and encoded video information to asecond terminal500.
• Theapplication450 is implemented using software and includes an OS/device driver451, avideo output unit452, anaudio output unit453, anaudio input unit454, aninput processing unit455 and the like.
• Thevirtual server470 is implemented using software and includes a server video capture andencoding unit471, a server audio capture andencoding unit472, a severaudio decoding unit473, a server inputdevice information unit474, aserver protocol475 and the like.
• The server video capture andencoding unit471 of thevirtual server470 receives an input of video information on a screen of the first terminal400 from thevideo memory432 and then extracts low frequency information and middle frequency information from the inputted video information.
• The server video capture andencoding unit471 determines a variation extent of current screen information by comparing low frequency and middle frequency information of current video information to low frequency and middle frequency information of previous video information, respectively. The server video capture andencoding unit471 determines the current video information as ‘total variation’, ‘partial variation’ or ‘no variation’ according to the variation extent.
• If the current video information is determined as ‘total variation’, the server video capture andencoding unit471 respectively quantizes the low frequency information and the middle frequency information of the current video information.
• If the current video information is determined as ‘partial variation’, the server video capture andencoding unit471 respectively quantizes the low frequency information and the middle frequency information of the current video information and then generates information indicating a difference from the former low frequency information of the previous video information and information indicating a difference from the former middle frequency information of the previous video information.
• If the current video information is determined as ‘no variation’, the server video capture andencoding unit471 extracts high frequency information from the current video information and then quantizes the extracted high frequency information. The server video capture andencoding unit471 then performs entropy encoding on the compressed video information.
• If the current video information is determined as ‘no variation’, the server video capture andencoding unit471 quantizes the middle frequency information of the current video information and then generates difference information indicating a difference between the quantized middle frequency information and the former middle frequency information in ‘total variation’ or ‘partial variation’. In this case, the quantization of the middle frequency information in ‘no variation’ has resolution higher than that of the middle frequency information in ‘total variation’ or ‘partial variation’.
• In doing so, in case of determining the variation extent of the current video information, the server video capture andencoding unit471 calculates the number of pixels, of which variation between corresponding pixels is equal to or greater than a threshold, or a ratio of this number.
• If the server video capture andencoding unit471 determines the current screen information as ‘no variation’, it is able to further perform a step of sampling a predetermined number of pixels in current video information.
• In doing so, the pixels sampled by the server video capture andencoding unit471 are compared to the pixels sampled in the previous video information. In this case, if a difference between the corresponding pixels has the pixel number equal to or greater than a prescribed threshold or the number ratio is equal to or greater than a prescribed ratio, the current video information is re-determined as ‘partial variation’. And, a process corresponding to ‘partial variation’ is performed.
• Thecontroller180 compresses, encodes and outputs the video information of thefirst terminal400 by controlling thevideo output unit452 of the application and the server video capture andencoding unit471 of thevirtual server450. In this case, an identifier corresponding to ‘total variation’, ‘partial variation’ or ‘no variation’ is attached to the outputted compressed video information. For instance, this identifier can be set to 0, 1 or 2.
• In the configuration of thefirst terminal400 to implement the operation control system, theexterior configuration410 is connected to each of correspondent elements of theinternal hardware430. Each of the elements of theinternal hardware430 is controlled by theapplication450. And, thevirtual server470 is connected to theapplication450 and thehardware430 to transceive data or commands.
• FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a PC type second terminal for decompression of compressed screen information in an operation control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 13, avirtual client550 includes elements that display video information received from thefirst terminal400 via a wire/wireless network device515. In this case, the elements include aclient protocol559, a clientvideo decoding unit555, a clientaudio decoding unit556, a client audio capture andencoding unit557, a client inputdevice information unit558 and the like, which are connected to an OS and hardware of asecond terminal500 via a clientvideo output unit551, a clientaudio output unit552, a clientaudio input unit553, a clientinput processing unit554 and the like, respectively.
• Thevirtual client550 is connected to avideo output device511, anaudio output device512, anaudio input device513, a keyboard/mouse514 and the like of thesecond terminal500.
• The clientvideo decoding unit555 shown inFIG. 13 decodes and decompresses the video information compressed and encoded by the server video capture andencoding unit471 shown inFIG. 12. The decompression of the compressed video information follows a process reverse to the former process for compressing the video information.
• The clientvideo decoding unit555 performs entropy decoding on the received compressed video information and then determines whether the video information is unique video information, differential video information or image quality recovery video information using an identifier contained in the compressed video information.
• In case of determining the received video information as the unique video information using the identifier, the clientvideo decoding unit555 dequantizes low frequency information and middle frequency information of the unique video information and then synthesizes the dequantized low frequency information and the dequantized middle frequency information together. This synthesized video does not contain high frequency information and can be interpolated to output smooth reconstructed video information.
• In case of determining the received video information as the differential video information using the identifier, the clientvideo decoding unit555 generates quantized low and middle frequency information from adding different information of the low and middle frequency information and the previous video information together and then dequantizes the low and middle frequency information. The dequantized low and middle frequency information are then synthesized together. In case of the differential video information, high frequency information is not contained in the synthesized video. Therefore, interpolation is preferably performed.
• In case of determining the received video information as the image quality recovery video information using the identifier, the clientvideo decoding unit555 dequantizes high frequency information and then synthesizes the dequantized high frequency information with the reconstructed low and middle frequency information. Since the synthesized video in the process for reconstructing the image quality recovered vide information entirely contains the low frequency information, the middle frequency information and the high frequency information, it is unnecessary to perform the interpolation.
• The video information decompressed by the clientvideo decoding unit555 is forwarded to the video output unit251 and is then displayed on thevideo output device511 of thesecond terminal500.
• The clientvideo decoding unit555 reconstructs high-resolution intermediate information from high-resolution middle frequency information generated from the compression process.
• In this case, the reconstruction of the high-resolution middle frequency information can be expressed as Q4 (M)=Q4 (Q2⁻¹(Q2(M)))+X(M). In this case, Q2⁻¹(Q2(M)) refers to the result from processing the unique video information or the differential video information that is used. The reconstructed high-resolution intermediate information is synthesized with the reconstructed high frequency information and the like.
• The operation control system according to the present invention, as shown inFIG. 12 andFIG. 13, is implemented by the combination of hardware and software. In particular, the operation control system is realized by thevirtual server470 loaded in thefirst terminal400 and thevirtual client550 loaded in thesecond terminal500.
• Thevirtual server470 and thevirtual client550 are connected to each other by thenetwork device415 of thefirst terminal400 and the wire/wireless network device515 of thesecond terminal500 by wire/wireless connection. According to this connection, thevirtual server470 compresses the video information on the screen of thefirst terminal400 and then transmits the compressed video information to thevirtual client550 of thesecond terminal500. Subsequently, thevirtual client550 delivers the video information received from thefirst terminal400 to thevideo output device511 by real time so that the delivered video information can be displayed on thevideo output device511.
• FIG. 14 shows one embodiment for video compression of thefirst terminal400, which is performed by the server video capture andencoding unit471 of thevirtual server470.
• Referring toFIG. 14, a video compression of thefirst terminal100 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of extracting low frequency information and middle frequency information, a video information variation analyzing step of determining a variation extent of current video information by comparing the current video information to previous video information based on the extracted low and middle frequency information, a step of generating unique video information, differential video information or image quality recovery video information by differentiating a presence of non-presence of information on a difference from a quantization target according to the variation extent of the current video information, and a step of encoding each of the generated video information. The video compression of thefirst terminal400 according to one embodiment is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 14 as follows.
• First of all, a step S31 is the step of extracting low frequency information and middle frequency information from video information. A video of the first terminal is inputted as consecutive video information (e.g., frames).
• For this extraction, the inputted video information is resolved into low frequency (L) information and intermediate frequency (M) information. When the video information is resolved into the low frequency information and the middle frequency information, wavelet transform is used. Preferably, for low operation amount, Harr wavelet is used. In this step, high frequency (H) information does not need to be extracted from the corresponding video information. This is because a user of the first terminal may not attempt to read letters if such a video variation as animation/scroll and the like is severe.
• In the step S31, since the low frequency information and the middle frequency information has relatively low spatial resolution, the unique video information is reduced. Since the low frequency information and the middle frequency information are extracted from the video information, a compression ratio is high. The step S31 performs an integer addition/subtraction operation only or performs an integer addition/subtraction operation and a logical operation only.
• A step S32 is the step of analyzing a variation extent of current video information compared to previous video information. In this step, low frequency information and middle frequency information of previous video information are compared to low frequency information and middle frequency information of current video information, respectively.
• First of all, low frequency information is compared. A threshold for evaluating a variation extent between a pixel corresponding to low frequency information of previous video information and a pixel corresponding to low frequency information of current video information is preferentially determined. This threshold refers to an extent for recognizing that there is a variation. And, the threshold can be various selectable as 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, etc. The number of pixels having the variation equal to or greater than the threshold between pixels is then calculated.
• Subsequently, middle frequency information is compared. It is analyzes whether a variation extent between a pixel corresponding to middle frequency information of previous video information and a pixel corresponding to middle frequency information of current video information deviates from the threshold. And, the number of pixels deviating from the threshold is calculated.
• In this case, a variation threshold of low frequency information is applicable to the threshold. And, a threshold can be differently set by considering a characteristic of the middle frequency information.
• The number of pixels deviating from the threshold range for the low frequency information and the number of pixels deviating from the threshold range for the middle frequency information are added together.
• In this case, according to how much a ratio is occupied in the total pixel number by the added number of pixels, the current video information can be determined as ‘total variation’, ‘partial variation’ or ‘no variation’.
• For instance, if the ratio of the number of pixels recognizable as having variations is equal to or greater than 50%, it is determined that the current video information has a considerable video variation by being compared to the previous video information. And, the variation extent of the current video information is determined as ‘total variation’. If the ratio of the number of pixels recognizable as having variations is 5%-50%, it is determined that the current video information has a partial video variation. And, the variation extent of the current video information is determined as ‘partial variation’.
• If the ratio of the number of pixels recognizable as having variations is smaller than 5%, it is determined that the current video information has no video variation by being compared to the previous video information. And, the variation extent of the current video information is determined as ‘no variation’.
• In this case, although the determination references of the number ratio are set to 50% and 5%, it is able to variously set the number ratio determination references to 70% and 10% or 50% and 0%, or the like. Instead of using the number ratio, it is able to use the numbers of 10, 20, 30 and the like as the determination references.
• A step S33 is the step of generating unique video information by respectively quantizing low frequency information and middle frequency information if the current video information is determined as ‘total variation’. In this case, the unique video information refers to the video information that contains original video information intact. Specifically, the unique video information is the video information resulting from eliminating high frequency information from original video information.
• In this case, since low frequency information contains most important information, quantization for the low frequency information has highest resolution. Quantization for the intermediate information has resolution lower than that of the low frequency information.
• Steps S34 and S35 are the step of if the current video information is determined as ‘partial variation’, quantizing the low frequency information and the middle frequency information of the current video information (Q1(L), Q2(M)), respectively and the step of generating differential video information by comparing the quantized low frequency information and the quantized middle frequency information of the current video information to quantization results of low frequency information and middle frequency information of the previous video information, respectively.
• In this case, the differential video information refers to the video information generated from difference information between the current video information and the previous video information in the low frequency information and the middle frequency information.
• As can be observed from the step S35, the difference information in the low frequency information and the difference information in the middle frequency information can be expressed as D(L)=Q1(L)−Q1(L′) and D(M)=Q2(M)−Q2(M′), respectively. In this case, the D(L) indicates the difference information on the low frequency information and the D(M) indicates the difference information on the middle frequency information. The Q1(L) indicates a result from quantizing the low frequency information of the current video information. The Q1(M) indicates a result from quantizing the middle frequency information of the current video information. The Q1(L′) indicates a result from quantizing the low frequency information of the previous video information. And, the Q1(M′) indicates a result from quantizing the middle frequency information of the previous video information.
• In the step S35, quantization resolution of the low and middle frequency information is maintained equal to that of the low and middle frequency information in case of being determined as ‘total variation’.
• By finding the difference information in the steps S34 and S35, a varying part is left as a meaningful value only. As a result, a considerable amount of data (non-varying part) is compressed in an encoding process.
• Steps S36 and S37 are the step of extracting high frequency information from the current video information if the current video information is determined as ‘no variation’ and the step of generating image quality recovery video information by quantizing (Q3(H)) the extracted high frequency information.
• The image quality recovery video information contains additional information for the image quality recovery only because the low frequency information and the middle frequency information were delivered in the previous step. By the image quality recovery video information, an image quality can be enhanced well enough to identify a small letter.
• Thus, the method of transmitting high frequency information is taken only if there is no video variation. This is because a user of the first terminal is not inconvenient to read letters when a video variation stops. In particular, this is the result in considering a user's habit in using the first terminal.
• In this case, although the high frequency information has high spatial resolution, its value is almost 0. Hence, considerable compression occurs in the course of entropy encoding. Moreover, since the high frequency information is a region insensitive to the eyes, a quantization process for lowest resolution is performed thereon.
• The unique video information, the differential video information and the image quality recovery video information generated from the steps S33 to S37 are entropy-encoded in a step S50. And, such an identifier as 0, 1, 2 and the like is given to each of the video information.
• The identifiers are transmitted to the virtual client of the second terminal by being respectively contained in the unique video information, the differential video information and the image quality recovery video information. If the compressed unique video information, differential video information and image quality recovery video information are decompressed by thevirtual client50 of the second terminal, a type of the transmitted video information can be identified by the corresponding identifier.
• FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of a first terminal video compression.
• Referring toFIG. 15, in the first terminal video compression according to another embodiment performed by the server video capture andencoding unit471 of thevirtual server470, the steps S38 and S39 in case of determining the current video information as ‘no variation’ inFIG. 14 are further included.
• The step S38 is the step of quantizing (Q4(M))) middle frequency information with quantization resolution higher than that of the middle frequency information of ‘total variation’ or ‘partial variation’. In particular, the step S38 further enhances an image quality of the middle frequency information.
• The quantization result of the step S38 is sent to the encoding step after the difference information and the quantization result of the middle frequency information of the ‘total variation’ or the ‘partial variation’ have been generated.
• As can be observed from the formula of ‘X(M)=Q4(M)−Q4(Q2⁻¹(Q2(M)))’ in the step S39, the high-resolution middle frequency difference information is generated in a manner of dequantizing the result of quantizing the middle frequency information with high resolution and the result of quantization of the middle frequency information of the ‘total variation’ or the ‘partial variation’ and a difference of a result from quantizing it with high resolution.
• The step S39 is the process for further compressing the quantized result in the step S38.
• FIG. 16 shows a first terminal video compression according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 16, in the first terminal video compression according to a further embodiment performed by the server video capture andencoding unit471 of thevirtual server470, the steps S40 and S41 in case of determining the current video information as ‘no variation’ inFIG. 14 andFIG. 15 are further included.
• InFIG. 16, if current video information is determined as ‘no variation’, it is determined again whether the current video information may be determined as ‘partial information’.
• In the step S40, a prescribed number of pixels corresponding to each other among pixels of current and previous video information are sampled. In this case, the number of sampled pixels is determined in consideration of operation capability of the first terminal. For instance, 9, 12, 15, 16 or 20 pixels can be variously determined for each video information.
• In the step S41, pixels sampled in the current video information are compared to pixels sampled in the previous video information. In this case, the number of pixels exceeding a threshold between the pixels sampled in the current video information and the pixels sampled in the previous video information is equal to or greater than a prescribed number or a prescribed ratio, the current video information is re-determined as ‘partial variation’.
• In this case, the prescribed number of the comparison reference can be set to 1. And, the prescribed ratio can be variously set to 3%, 5%, 10% or the like. If it is determined as ‘partial variation’ in this step, the step S34 is performed. If it is still determined as ‘no variation’, the step S36 or S38 is performed.
• In the following description, a process for decompressing a compressed video received from the first terminal by the virtual client of the second terminal is explained with reference toFIG. 17 andFIG. 18.
• Embodiments shown inFIG. 17 andFIG. 18 correspond to a process reverse to that shown inFIG. 14 andFIG. 15. Without detailed explanation, the decompression process shown inFIG. 14 andFIG. 15 is apparent to those skilled in the art, who understand the compression process.
• FIG. 17 shows one embodiment for decompressing the compressed video shown inFIG. 14. In particular, the embodiment shown inFIG. 17 is performed by the clientvideo decoding unit555 of thevirtual client550 of the second terminal.
• Referring toFIG. 17, compressed data is entropy-decoded in a step S61. Subsequently, in a step S62, whether video information received from the first terminal is unique video information, differential video information or image quality recovery video information is determined using an identifier included in each of the video information.
• First of all, a case in which the received video information is determined as the unique video information in the step S62, quantized low and middle frequency information of the unique video information are dequantized in a step S63.
• Subsequently, in a step S64, the dequantized low frequency information and the dequantized middle frequency information are synthesized together. Since the synthesized video does not contain high frequency information, interpolation can be performed like a step S65. As a result of this interpolation, it is able to output smoother reconstructed video information.
• If the received video information is determined as the differential video information in the step S62, quantized low frequency information and quantized middle frequency information are generated from adding differences of the low and middle frequency information to the previous video information in a step S66.
• In a step S67, the low frequency information and the middle frequency information are dequantized. Subsequently, in a step S68, the dequantized low frequency information and the dequantized middle frequency information are synthesized together. Since high frequency information is not contained in the synthesized video in case of the differential video information, it is able to perform interpolation like a step S69.
• If the received video information is determined as the image quality recovery video information in the step S62, quantized high frequency information is dequantized in a step S70. Subsequently, in a step S71, the dequantized high frequency information and the already-reconstructed low and middle frequency information are synthesized together. Thus, as the process for reconstructing the image quality recovery video information includes the low, middle and high frequency information, it is unnecessary to perform the interpolation.
• Finally, the reconstructed video information processed in each of the above-described cases is sent to thevideo output unit551 in a step S80.
• FIG. 18 shows another embodiment for decompressing the compressed video shown inFIG. 15.
• InFIG. 18, a process for reconstructing high resolution middle frequency information from the high resolution middle frequency difference information generated from the compressing process shown inFIG. 15 is further included.
• Referring toFIG. 18, a quantization result of the high-resolution middle frequency is reconstructed by the formula of ‘Q4(M)=Q4(Q2⁻¹(Q2(M)))+X(M)’ in the step S72.
• In this case, Q2⁻¹(Q2(M)) uses a processing result of the unique video information or the differential video information. Subsequently, the high resolution middle frequency quantization result is dequantized in a step S73 to reconstruct the high resolution middle frequency information.
• Thus, the video compression and decompression process of the first and second terminals according to the first embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail.
• In the following description, a data transmitting and receiving operation process and a communication connecting operation process between a first terminal and a second terminal in an operation control system according to embodiments of the present invention are explained in details.
Second Embodiment
• According to a second embodiment of the present invention, when screen information of a first terminal is displayed on a second terminal, content information contained in the screen information of the first terminal can be easily recognized in the second terminal. And, the content information of the first terminal can be freely used and edited in the second terminal.
• In the following description of the first to third embodiments of the present invention, assume that the first terminal of a mobile terminal type and the second terminal of a PC type are used.
• Of course, the above assumption is made to clarify the description of the first to third embodiments of the present invention. Alternatively, each of the first and second terminals according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention can have a mobile terminal type. Alternatively, each of the first and second terminals according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention can include a stationary terminal.
• Therefore, the first and second terminals according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention can include terminals capable of communication by including a screen display device and an input device.
• A first embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 19 as follows.
• FIG. 19 is a signal processing diagram for a data transceiving process between afirst terminal100 and asecond terminal200 in an operation control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 19, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 checks whether at least one content information exists within screen information to be initially displayed on the display unit151 [S111].
• In this case, the at least one content information can include a text, an image, a received message, contact information within a phonebook, an audio file, a photo file, a video file, a game file, schedule information, a document file, an electronic dictionary file, a calculator file, webpage address information and the like.
• In particular, the content information includes all data existing within a menu function of thefirst terminal100. And, the contact information can include a mobile phone number, name, home phone number and email address of a correspondent party, etc.
• In this case, if the at least one content information exists within the screen information to be displayed [S112], thecontroller180 generates first notification information announcing the content information via the screen information [S113]. And, thecontroller180 transmits the generated first notification information to thesecond terminal200 via thecommunication unit110 by having the generated first notification information included in the screen information to display [S114].
• In this case, the first notification information may be generated in form of a text indicating the content information, a 2- or 3-dimensional image, an icon, an animation, a watermark, a barcode or the like.
• In this case, thecontroller180 transmits the screen information containing the first notification information to thesecond terminal200 by compressing the screen information by the processes shown inFIGS. 14 to 16.
• In particular, thecontroller180 is able to compress the screen information containing the first notification information therein using a video or still picture compression scheme. For example, the screen information can be compressed using such a video compression scheme as JPEG, PNP, MPEG, H.264, etc.
• Moreover, in case of transmitting audio information outputted from theaudio output module152 to thestationary terminal200, thecontroller180 is able to compress the audio information using an audio compression scheme. For example, the audio information can be compressed using such an audio compression scheme as MP3, MP4, SBC, ADPCM, Ogg Vorbis, etc.
• In case of transmitting screen information containing first notification information compressed by the above process to thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 is able to transmit the screen information using a VDP standard protocol (video) and A2DP standard protocol (audio) of Bluetooth.
• A first notification information generating process and a first notification information transmitting process in thecontroller180 are explained in detail with reference toFIG. 20 andFIG. 21 as follows.
• FIG. 20 andFIG. 21 are diagrams for screen configurations to explain a process for a first terminal to generate first notification information according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring to (a) ofFIG. 20, if schedule content information exists within a screen to display, thecontroller180 of themobile terminal100 generates text typefirst notification information10anotifying theschedule content information10, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 13. thecontroller180 is then able to transmit the text typefirst notification information10ato thesecond terminal200 by having the text type first notification information included in the screen information to display.
• In (b) ofFIG. 20, shown is the screen information containing the text typefirst notification information10areceived by the second terminal200 from thefirst terminal100 that is displayed.
• In this case, thecontroller180 of the first terminal is able to transmit thefirst notification information10ain a manner of synthesizing or overlapping thefirst notification information10aaround a region on which theschedule information10 is displayed.
• Alternatively, instead of displaying theschedule information10, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit thefirst notification information10ain a manner to synthesize or overlap thefirst notification information10awith a region where theschedule information10 is located only.
• Alternatively, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit thefirst notification information10ain a manner to synthesize or overlap thefirst notification information10awithin an indicator region of the screen information.
• Alternatively, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 20, generates an icon typefirst notification information10bnotifying theschedule information10 and is then able to transmit the generated icon typefirst notification information10bto thesecond terminal200 by having the icon typefirst notification information10bincluded in the screen information to display.
• In this case, in (c) ofFIG. 20, shown is the screen information, in which the icon typefirst notification information10breceived from thefirst terminal100 by thesecond terminal200 is included, that is displayed.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generatesfirst notification information10cnotifying theschedule information10 as a barcode type, as shown in (d) ofFIG. 20, and is then able to transmit the generated barcode typefirst notification information10cto thesecond terminal200 by having it included in the screen information.
• Referring to (a) ofFIG. 21, if webpageaddress content information20 exists within a screen to display, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates text typefirst notification information20anotifying the webpageaddress content information20, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 21, and is then able to transmit the text typesecond notification information20ato thesecond terminal200 by having it included in the screen information to display.
• In (b) ofFIG. 21, shown is the screen information containing the text typefirst notification information20areceived by the second terminal200 from thefirst terminal100 that is displayed.
• In this case, thecontroller180 of the first terminal is able to transmit thefirst notification information20ain a manner to synthesize or overlap thefirst notification information20aaround a region on which the webpageaddress content information20 is displayed.
• Alternatively, instead of displaying the webpageaddress content information20, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit thefirst notification information20ain a manner to synthesize or overlap thefirst notification information20awith a region where the webpageaddress content information20 is located only.
• Alternatively, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit thefirst notification information20ain a manner to synthesize or overlap thefirst notification information20awithin an indicator region of the screen to display.
• Alternatively, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 21, generates icon typefirst notification information20bnotifying the webpageaddress content information20 and is then able to transmit the generated icon typefirst notification information20bto thesecond terminal200 by having the icon typefirst notification information20bincluded in the screen information to display.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generatesfirst notification information20cnotifying the webpageaddress content information20 as a barcode type, as shown in (d) ofFIG. 21, and is then able to transmit the generated barcode typefirst notification information20cto thesecond terminal200 by having it included in the screen information to display.
• Meanwhile, referring back toFIG. 19, if the screen information containing the first notification information is received from thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the received screen information on the display unit260 [S115].
• In particular, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 decodes the screen information containing the first notification information by the above described process shown inFIG. 17 orFIG. 18, and is then able to display the decoded screen information on thedisplay unit260.
• Namely, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to decompress the compression of the received screen information using a video or still picture decoding scheme.
• The compression of the screen information can be decompressed using such a video decoding scheme as JPEG, PNP, MPEG, H.264 and the like. The decompressed screen information can be displayed on thedisplay unit260.
• In case of receiving audio information from thefirst terminal100, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to decompress the compression of the received audio information using an audio decoding scheme.
• The compression of the audio information is decompressed using such an audio decompression scheme as MP3, MP4, SBC, ADPCM, Ogg Vorbis and the like. The decompressed audio information is outputted to thespeaker240 and the decompressed screen information is displayed on thedisplay unit260.
• In this case, if the first notification information is selected from the screen information via theinput unit220 or the touchscreen type display unit260 [S116], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 executes a function of the content information corresponding to the first notification information [S117].
• In the following description, a process for thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 to execute a function of content information corresponding to first notification information is explained in detail.
• First of all, if the first notification information is selected from the screen, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for requesting an execution of a content corresponding to the first notification information and then transmits the generated request signal to thecommunication unit11 of thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• In the content execution request signal, information indicating a display location of the first notification information selected on the screen information can be included. In particular, thecontroller270 obtains the display location of the selected notification information on the screen information and is then able to transmit the request signal including the obtained display location information of the first notification information to thefirst terminal100.
• In case of receiving the request signal via thecommunication unit110, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 executes content information corresponding to the first notification information by driving an application and then transmits execution screen information of the content information to thesecond terminal200 via thecommunication unit110.
• In particular, thecontroller180 obtains the location information of the first notification information included in the received request signal. If the first notification information exists at the obtained location on a current screen, thecontroller180 executes the content information corresponding to the first notification information and is then able to transmit the execution screen information of the content information to thesecond terminal200.
• In case of receiving the execution screen information of the content information from thefirst terminal100, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the received execution screen information on the screen of thedisplay unit260.
• For instance, if the barcode typefirst notification information10cshown in (d) ofFIG. 20 is selected in thesecond terminal200, the first terminal100 searches thememory160 for a schedule corresponding to thefirst notification information10c, executes it on the screen of thedisplay unit151, and then transmits the schedule screen to thesecond terminal200.
• Moreover, if the icon typefirst notification information20bshown in (c) ofFIG. 21 is selected in thesecond terminal200, thefirst terminal100 accesses a webpage corresponding to thefirst notification information20band then transmits the accessed webpage screen to thesecond terminal200.
• Meanwhile, in case of receiving the request signal via thecommunication unit110, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 does not execute the content information corresponding to the first notification information on the screen of thedisplay unit151 but is able to directly transmit a content file corresponding to the first notification information to thesecond terminal200.
• Moreover, while screen information containing the first notification information is displayed on thedisplay unit151, if the first notification information is selected by a user, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit a content file corresponding to the first notification information to thesecond terminal200 without a request made by thesecond terminal200.
Third Embodiment
• In the second embodiment of the present invention, while a user of thesecond terminal200 is using screen information containing first notification information, if such an event as a call, a message reception and the like occurs in afirst terminal100, a screen containing the first notification information may be switched to a screen of the event occurring in thefirst terminal100 irrespective of intention of the user of thesecond terminal200.
• To overcome such an inconvenience of the second embodiment, according to a third embodiment of the present invention, while a user of asecond terminal200 is using the screen information, if an event occurs in afirst terminal100, the occurrence of the event of thefirst terminal100 is indicated on a screen of thesecond terminal200 using second notification information notifying the even occurrence. After the user of thesecond terminal200 has completed the use of the screen information, an event relevant screen can be displayed.
• An operation process according to a third embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 22 as follows.
• FIG. 22 is a signal processing diagram for a data transceiving process between a first terminal and a second terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 22, an operation process including steps S114 to5117 is identical to that shown inFIG. 19.
• If a specific event occurs in the first terminal100 [S118], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates second notification information indicating the occurring event via thecommunication unit110, displays the generated second notification information on a current screen, and then transmits the generated second notification information to thesecond terminal200, instead of transmitting screen information corresponding to the occurring event to the second terminal200 [S119]. In this case, the event can include one of a call, a message reception, an alarm output and the like.
• Moreover, the second notification information can be generated as one of a text, an image, an icon, an animation, a watermark and a barcode to indicate the occurring event.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the second notification information received from thefirst terminal100 on the screen having the first notification information contained therein [S120].
• In this case, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 can display the second notification information by having the second notification information synthesized within or overlapped with the screen having the first notification information contained therein.
• Moreover, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to display the second notification information within an indicator region of the screen containing the first notification information therein.
• In this case, if a user of thesecond terminal200 selects the second notification information by manipulating the input unit220 [S121], thecontroller270 generates a signal for requesting an event relevant screen corresponding to the selected second notification information and then transmits the generated event relevant screen request signal to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S122].
• In this case, location information of the second notification information located on the screen is included in the event relevant screen request signal.
• In particular, thecontroller270 obtains the location of the selected second notification information at the screen and then transmits a request signal containing the obtained location information of the second notification information to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, if the event relevant screen request signal is received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 switches a current screen of thedisplay module151 to the occurring event relevant screen and then transmits the event relevant screen information to the second terminal200 [S123].
• In particular, thecontroller180 obtains location information of the second notification information included in the received request signal. If the second notification information exists at the obtained location on the current screen, thecontroller180 switches the current screen to an event screen corresponding to the second notification information and then transmits the switched event screen information to thesecond terminal200.
• In case of receiving the event relevant screen information from thefirst terminal100, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 switches the screen containing the first notification information to the received event relevant screen [S124].
• Moreover, if the event ends, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits the screen information prior to the event occurrence to thesecond terminal200 via thecommunication unit110. Subsequently, thesecond terminal200 is able to return to the screen prior to the event occurrence from the event relevant screen.
• Operations of the steps S118 to S124 are explained in detail with reference toFIG. 23 andFIG. 24 as follows.
• FIG. 23 andFIG. 24 are diagrams of screen configurations for explaining a process for generating and displaying second notification information for a first terminal to announce an event occurrence according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
• First of all, (a) ofFIG. 23 shows that an event occurring in the step S118 is acall event30.
• If thecall event30 occurs, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates second notification information of anicon type30ato indicate thecall event30 and then transmits the generated second notification information of theicon type30a, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 23, to thesecond terminal200.
• While displaying the screen containing thefirst notification information10a, thesecond terminal200 displays the receivednotification information30aon the screen if thesecond notification information30aindicating thecall event30 is received from thefirst terminal100.
• In this case, if thesecond notification information30ais selected via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for requesting a screen relevant to thecall event30 corresponding to thesecond notification information30aand then transmits the generated request signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• If the request signal is received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 switches a current screen of thedisplay unit151 to the screen relevant to thecall event30 and then transmits screen information relevant to thecall event30 to thesecond terminal200.
• In case of receiving the screen information relevant to thecall event30 via thecommunication unit210, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 switches the screen containing thefirst notification information10bdisplayed on thedisplay unit260, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 23, to the call eventrelevant screen30b, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 23.
• And, (a) ofFIG. 24 shows that the event occurring in the step S118 is amessage reception event40.
• If themessage reception event40 occurs, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates second notification information of anicon type40ato indicate themessage reception event40 and is then able to transmit the generated second notification information of theicon type40a, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 24, to thesecond terminal200.
• While displaying the screen containing thefirst notification information20a, if thesecond notification information40aindicating themessage reception event40 is received from thefirst terminal100, thesecond terminal200 displays the receivednotification information40aon the screen containing thefirst notification information20a.
• In this case, if thesecond notification information40ais selected via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for requesting a screen relevant to themessage reception event40 corresponding to thesecond notification information40aand then transmits the generated message reception event relevant request signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• If the message reception event relevant screen request signal is received from thesecond terminal200, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 switches a current screen of thedisplay unit151 to the screen relevant to themessage reception event40 and then transmits screen information relevant to themessage reception event40 to thesecond terminal200.
• In case of receiving the screen information relevant to themessage reception event40 via thecommunication unit210, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 switches the screen containing thefirst notification information20adisplayed on thedisplay unit260, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 24, to the message reception eventrelevant screen40b, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 24.
Fourth Embodiment
• In case that a plurality of homogeneous or heterogeneous content information exist within a screen of afirst terminal100, the object of a fourth embodiment of the present invention is to provide a function for enabling asecond terminal200 to operate each of the content information.
• FIG. 25 is a signal processing diagram for a process for a second terminal to access homogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• And,FIG. 26 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to access homogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 25 andFIG. 26, if afirst content information51aand asecond content information52a, which are homogenous, exist within a screen to display, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates afirst notification information51bindicating the homogenousfirst content information51aand asecond notification information52bindicating the homogenoussecond content information52aand then transmits the generated first andsecond notification information51band52bto thesecond terminal200 by having the generated first andsecond notification information51band52bincluded in the screen information to display [S211] [(a) ofFIG. 26].
• In (a) ofFIG. 26, shown is that the homogenous first andsecond content information51aand52aare internet accessible webpage addresses. And, the first andsecond notification information51band52bindicating the webpage addresses are shown as icons, respectively.
• Yet, the present invention non-limits the types of the first andsecond content information51aand52aand the shapes (or representation) of the first andsecond notification information51band52b.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the screen information containing the first andsecond notification information51band52breceived from thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210 on the display unit260 [S212] [(b) ofFIG. 26].
• If a user of thesecond terminal200 selects thefirst notification information51bfrom thefirst notification information51band thesecond notification information52b[S213], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200displays menus53a,53b,53cand53dfor executing functions of thefirst content information51acorresponding to the selectedfirst notification information51b, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 26, on the display unit260 [S214].
• If thefirst menu53a(‘e₁. access’) is selected from themenus53a,53b,53cand53dshown in (c) ofFIG. 26 [S215], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for a function execution screen request of thefirst content information51acorresponding to thefirst menu53a(‘e₁access’) and then transmits the generated request signal to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S216].
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 controls thecommunication unit110 to access thefirst content information51a, i.e., a webpage address corresponding to ‘http://www.abc.com’ and then transmits thescreen information54 of the accessed webpage to the second terminal200 [S217]. If so, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays thewebpage screen information54 received from thefirst terminal100 on the display unit260 [S218].
• While thewebpage screen information54 in the step S218 is being displayed, if thesecond menu53b(‘e₁access disconnect’) is selected from themenus53a,53b,53cand53dshown in (c) ofFIG. 26, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 stops displaying thewebpage screen information54 and is then able to switch to a current screen to a screen according to (b) ofFIG. 26.
• While thewebpage screen information54 in the step S218 is being displayed, if thethird menu53c(‘store’) is selected from themenus53a,53b,53cand53dshown in (c) ofFIG. 26, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to control thewebpage screen information54 to be stored as an image in thememory240.
• FIG. 27 is a signal processing diagram for a process for a second terminal to access heterogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 28 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to access heterogeneous content information of a first terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 27 andFIG. 28, if first tothird content information61a,62aand63a, which are heterogeneous (i.e., different in kind), exist within a screen to display, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates first tothird notification information61b,62band63bnotifying the heterogeneous first tothird content information61a,62aand63aand then transmits them to thesecond terminal200 by having the generated first tothird notification information61b,62band63bincluded in the screen information to display [S301] [(a) ofFIG. 28].
• In (a) ofFIG. 28, shown is that the heterogeneousfirst content information61ais an image file, thesecond content information62ais a document file, and the third content information62cis a phonebook. Moreover, the first tothird notification information61b,62band63brespectively indicating the first tothird content information61a,62aand63ahave icon shapes, respectively.
• Yet, the present invention non-limits the types of the first tothird content information61a,62aand63aand the shapes (or representation) of the first tothird notification information61b,62band63b.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the screen information containing the first tothird notification information61b,62band63breceived from thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210 on the display unit260 [S302] [(b) ofFIG. 28].
• In this case, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200displays menus64 for executing functions of the first tothird content information61a,62aand63acorresponding to the first tothird notification information61b,62band63b, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 28, on the display unit260 [S303].
• If a user of thesecond terminal200 selects thethird menu64c(‘view phonebook’) from the menus64 [S304], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for requesting a function execution screen of thethird menu64c(‘view phonebook’) and then transmits the generated request signal to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S305].
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 executes thethird content information63a, i.e., ‘phonebook’ and then transmits thescreen information63cof the executedphonebook63ato the second terminal200 [S306].
• If so, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays thephonebook screen information63creceived from thefirst terminal100 on the display unit260 [S307].
• In this case, if thephonebook screen information63cin the step S307 is displayed, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to displaysubmenus64c₁,64c₂,64c₃and64c₄for the function execution of the ‘phonebook’, as shown in (c) ofFIG. 28, on one region of thephonebook screen information63c.
• After the user of thesecond terminal200 has selected contact information (‘1. TOM’) from thephonebook screen information63c, if the user of thesecond terminal200 selects thefirst submenu64c₁(‘call connect’) from thesubmenus64c₁,64c₂,64c₃and64c₄, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for indicating that the contact information (‘1. TOM’) and thefirst submenu64c₁(‘call connect’) are selected and then transmits the generated signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• If so, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 connects a call to a phone number of the selected contact information (‘1. TOM’) by controlling thecommunication unit110 according to the signal received from the second terminal and then transmits the call connected status screen to thesecond terminal200.
• Moreover, after the user of thesecond terminal200 has selected contact information (‘1. TOM’) from thephonebook screen information63c, if the user of thesecond terminal200 selects thesecond submenu64c₂(‘message send’) from thesubmenus64c₁,64c₂,64c₃and64c₄, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for indicating that the contact information (‘1. TOM’) and thesecond submenu64c₂(‘message send’) are selected and then transmits the generated signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• If so, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits an input window for a message to be sent to the phone number of the selected contact information (‘1. TOM’) to thesecond terminal200 by controlling thecommunication unit110 according to the signal received from thesecond terminal200.
• Thesecond terminal200 displays the message input window received from thefirst terminal100 and then transmits a message content written through the message input window to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 offirst terminal100 transmits the message content received from thesecond terminal200 to the selected contact information (‘1. TOM’).
• Moreover, thesecond terminal200 selects thethird submenu64c₃or thefourth submenu64c₄from thesubmenus64c₁,64c₂,64c₃and64c₄, and is then able to edit or delete phone numbers and the like within the corresponding phonebook.
Fifth Embodiment
• The object of a fifth embodiment of the present invention is to provide a function of automatically connecting a communication without a separate user's manipulation when the communication is connected between a first terminal and a second terminal.
• In particular, a fifth embodiment of the present invention relates to a process for automatically connecting a communication in-between using short-range communication or RFID.
• In the following description of a fifth embodiment of the present invention, assume that a first terminal is a mobile terminal type, assume that a second terminal is a PC type, and assume that the second terminal automatically searches for the first terminal to connect a (or establish) communication.
• A process for automatically connecting a communication using short-range communication according to the present invention is explained with reference toFIG. 29 andFIG. 30 as follows.
• FIG. 29 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using a short-range communication according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• And,FIG. 30 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to set a time period of searching for a first terminal periodically according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 29 andFIG. 30, if a user selects a function for automatically searching for thefirst terminal100 around thesecond terminal200 and connecting a communication, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays an access authenticationdevice information list71 previously provided to thememory230 on the display unit260 [S401] [(a) ofFIG. 30].
• In this case, the access authenticationdevice information list71 refers to a device information list of external devices having been connected to thesecond terminal200 for communications through authentication processes.
• If the first terminal (TX0015)100 to automatically access is selected from the access authentication device information list71 [S402] [(a) ofFIG. 30], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays awindow72 for setting a time period for searching for the selected first terminal (TX0015) on the display unit [S403] [(b) ofFIG. 30].
• If a user sets up the time period (5 minutes) through the time period setting window72 [S404] [(b) ofFIG. 30], thecontroller270 of the second terminal200 attempts the search and access of the first terminal (TX0015)100 by the set time period (5 minutes) by controlling the communication unit210 [S405] [(c) ofFIG. 30].
• If the access to the first terminal (TX0015)100 is successful [S406], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 connects the communication with the first terminal (TX0015)100. Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information of the aforesaid first to fourth embodiments from the first terminal (TX0015)100 and then displays the received screen information [S407].
• On the contrary, if the access to the first terminal (TX0015)100 fails, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 stands by during the set time period and then tries the access again [S408].
• FIG. 31 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to reset a time period for searching for a first terminal periodically according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 31, if the communication with the first terminal (TX0015)100 is connected by the process shown inFIG. 29 andFIG. 30, thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information according to the first to third embodiments from the first terminal (TX0015)100 and then displays the received screen information. Moreover, thesecond terminal200displays notification information73 indicating the time period set up inFIG. 29 andFIG. 30 on the screen information [(a) ofFIG. 31].
• If a user selects thenotification information73, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 recognizes that it is to change the time period set inFIG. 29 andFIG. 30 and then re-displays the timeperiod setting window72 shown in (b) ofFIG. 30 [(b) ofFIG. 31].
• If the user changes the time period (10 minutes) via the timeperiod setting window72, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 tries the search and access of the first terminal (TX0015)100 by the changed time period (10 minutes) by controlling the communication unit210 [(c) ofFIG. 31].
• FIG. 32 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using an RFID according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• And,FIG. 33 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to automatically connect a (or establish) communication with a first terminal using an RFID according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 32 andFIG. 33, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 drives theRFID reader271 for the communication connection with the first terminal [S501] and then detects whether thefirst terminal100 having theRFID tag182 attached thereto is located around thesecond terminal200 through the RFID reader271 [S502].
• If thefirst terminal100 having theRFID tag182 attached thereto exists around thesecond terminal200, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 reads device information of thefirst terminal100 stored in theRFID tag182 through the RFID reader271 [S503].
• Thecontroller270 checks whether the device information of thefirst terminal100 read through theRFID reader271 exists within the access authentication device information list stored in the memory230 [S504]. If the corresponding information exists in the list [S505], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 connects the communication with thefirst terminal100 using the read device information of the first terminal100 [S506].
Sixth Embodiment
• The object of a sixth embodiment of the present invention is to provide a function of extending a use time of a terminal by preventing unnecessary power consumption. In particular, while a communication is connected between a first terminal and a second terminal, if an operational status of a screen, audio, key input or the like fails to vary for a preset period of time, the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal is disconnected.
• In the following description of a sixth embodiment of the present invention, assume that a first terminal is a mobile terminal type, assume that a second terminal is a PC type, and assume that the second terminal automatically searches for the first terminal to connect a (or establish) communication.
• A process for a second terminal to perform a disconnecting/re-connecting operation of a communication with on a first terminal is explained with reference toFIGS. 34 to 38 as follows.
• FIG. 34 is a flowchart of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection operations of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 35 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 36 is a diagram of a screen configuration of a process for a second terminal to perform disconnection of a communication with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• And,FIG. 37 andFIG. 38 are diagrams of screen configurations for a process for a second terminal to inform a user of disconnected and reconnected statuses of communications with a first terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIGS. 34 to 38, if a communication is connected to thefirst terminal100 according to the aforesaid fourth embodiment [S601], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives data containing screen information510 from the first terminal via thecommunication unit210 and then displays the received screen information510 on a screen of the display unit260 [S602] [(a) ofFIG. 35].
• In this case, the data received from thefirst terminal100 can contain audio information and a key signal having been inputted to thefirst terminal100 as well as the screen information510.
• Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 detects whether an operational state of thesecond terminal200 is changed during a preset duration [S603].
• In particular, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 detects whether the operational state of thesecond terminal200 maintains an inactive state.
• In this case, the inactive state refers to a state in which thesecond terminal200 fails to receive new screen information or new audio information from thefirst terminal100 or a state in which thesecond terminal200 does not transmit a key signal for remotely controlling an operation of thefirst terminal100 to thefirst terminal100.
• And, the duration for detecting the operational state change is variously settable by a user. In particular, thecontroller270 provides a user with a variously settable menu of the preset duration. The user is then able to change the duration through this menu.
• Meanwhile, if the operational state of thesecond terminal200 is not changed for the preset duration [S604], thecontroller270 recognizes that the user does not use the remote control communication with thefirst terminal100 according to the present invention and then disconnects the communication with thefirst terminal100 by controlling the communication unit210 [S605] [(b) ofFIG. 35].
• In particular, if new screen information or new audio information is not received from thefirst terminal100 for the preset duration or a key signal for controlling the operation of thefirst terminal100 remotely is not transmitted, thecontroller270 disconnects the communication with thefirst terminal100 by controlling thecommunication unit210.
• In this case, if the operational state of thesecond terminal200 is not changed for the preset duration, as shown inFIG. 36, thecontroller270 displays aselection window82 for selecting a disconnection of a communication with thefirst terminal100 on the display unit260 [(a) ofFIG. 36]. If the disconnection of communication with thefirst terminal100 is selected from theselection window82, thecontroller270 is able to disconnect the communication with the first terminal [(b) ofFIG. 36].
• If the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 37, thecontroller270 is able tooutput audio data82 for announcing the disconnected communication to thespeaker240.
• If the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller270 is able to displaynotification information85 for announcing the disconnected communication on the screen of thedisplay unit260.
• In this case, if a user selects thenotification information85, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller270 is able to reconnect the communication with thefirst terminal100 by controlling thecommunication unit210, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 38.
• If the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, the user is unable to remotely control thefirst terminal100. Hence, in order to save the power of thesecond terminal200, thecontroller270 reduces screen brightness of thedisplay unit260 into a level lower than a preset brightness level or is able to turn off thedisplay unit260.
• Meanwhile, while the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, thecontroller270 redetects whether the operational state of thesecond terminal200 is changed [S606].
• While the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, if the operational state of thesecond terminal200 is changed [S607], thecontroller270 reconnects the communication with thefirst terminal100 by making a request for a communication reconnection to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S608] [(c) ofFIG. 35].
• In particular, while the communication with thefirst terminal100 is disconnected, if new screen information or new audio information is received from thefirst terminal100 or a key signal for controlling the operation of thefirst terminal100 remotely is transmitted, thecontroller270 reconnects the communication with thefirst terminal100 by controlling thecommunication unit210.
• In this case, referring to (b) ofFIG. 37, if the communication with thefirst terminal100 is reconnected, the controller is able tooutput audio data84 for announcing the reconnected communication to thespeaker240.
• If the communication with thefirst terminal100 is reconnected, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller270 is able to displaynotification information86 for announcing the reconnected communication on the screen of thedisplay unit260.
• If the communication with thefirst terminal100 is reconnected, thecontroller270 drives thedisplay unit260 or reconstructs the reduced screen brightness of thedisplay unit260 into an initial brightness level.
• FIG. 39 is a flowchart of a process for a first terminal to perform disconnection and reconnection operations of communications with a second terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 39, if a communication with thesecond terminal200 is connected [S701], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 transmits data containing screen information to thesecond terminal200 via the communication unit110 [S702].
• If the communication is connected between thefirst terminal100 and thesecond terminal200, a display screen of thedisplay unit100 of thefirst terminal100 is identical to that of thedisplay unit250 of thesecond terminal200. And, a user of thefirst terminal100 views the display screen of thefirst terminal100 via the screen of thedisplay unit260 of thesecond terminal200.
• Hence, according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the unnecessary consumption of the power of thefirst terminal100, if the communication with thesecond terminal200 is connected, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 reduces a screen brightness of thedisplay unit151 into a level lower than a preset brightness level or is able to turn off thedisplay unit151.
• Moreover, according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the unnecessary consumption of the power of thefirst terminal100, if the communication with thesecond terminal200 is connected, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 reduces a brightness of a backlight, which applies light to theuser input unit130, into a level lower than a preset brightness level or is able to turn off the backlight.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller180 detects whether an operational state of thefirst terminal100 is changed for (or during) a preset duration [S703].
• In particular, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 detects whether the operational state of thefirst terminal100 maintains an inactive state.
• In this case, the inactive state refers to a state in which thefirst terminal100 fails to transmit new screen information or new audio information to thesecond terminal200 or a state in which thefirst terminal100 does not receive a key signal for remotely controlling a wireless communication operation of the first terminal100 from thesecond terminal200.
• And, the duration for detecting the operational state change is variously settable by a user. In particular, thecontroller180 provides a user with a variously settable menu of the preset duration. The user is then able to change the duration through this menu.
• Meanwhile, if the operational state of thefirst terminal100 is not changed for (or during) the preset duration [S704], thecontroller180 recognizes that the user does not use the wireless remote control communication with thesecond terminal200 according to the present invention and then disconnects the communication with thesecond terminal200 by controlling the communication unit110 [S705].
• In this case, if the operational state of thefirst terminal100 is not changed for the preset duration, as shown inFIG. 36, thecontroller180 displays a selection window for selecting a disconnection of a communication with thesecond terminal200 on thedisplay unit151. If the disconnection of the communication with thesecond terminal200 is selected from the selection window, thecontroller180 is able to disconnect the communication with the second terminal.
• If the communication with thesecond terminal200 is disconnected, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 37, thecontroller180 is able to output audio data for announcing the disconnected communication to theaudio output module152.
• If the communication with thesecond terminal200 is disconnected, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller180 is able to display notification information for announcing the disconnected communication on the screen of thedisplay unit151.
• In this case, if a user selects the notification information for announcing the disconnected communication with thesecond terminal200, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller180 is able to reconnect the communication with thesecond terminal200 by controlling thecommunication unit110.
• Meanwhile, while the communication with thesecond terminal200 is disconnected, thecontroller180 redetects whether the operational state of thefirst terminal100 is changed [S706].
• In particular, thecontroller180 detects whether a key signal for controlling the operation of thefirst terminal100 is received form thesecond terminal200 or whether to transmit new screen or audio information to thesecond terminal200.
• While the communication with thesecond terminal200 is disconnected, if the operational state of thefirst terminal100 is changed [S707], thecontroller180 reconnects the communication with thesecond terminal200 by controlling the communication unit110 [S708].
• In particular, thecontroller180 reconnects the communication using the device information corresponding to thesecond terminal200 in the access authentication device information list provided to thememory160.
• Meanwhile, referring to (b) ofFIG. 37, if the communication with thesecond terminal200 is reconnected, thecontroller180 is able to output audio data for announcing the reconnected communication to theaudio output module152.
• If the communication with thesecond terminal200 is reconnected, as shown in (b) ofFIG. 38, thecontroller180 is able to display notification information for announcing the reconnected communication on the screen of thedisplay unit151.
• If the communication with thesecond terminal200 is reconnected, thecontroller180 drives thedisplay unit151 or the backlight unit or is able to restore the reduced display brightness of thedisplay unit260 or the brightness of the backlight unit into the initial brightness level.
Seventh Embodiment
• While a communication is connected between a first terminal and a second terminal, the object of a seventh embodiment of the present invention is to provide a function of transceiving content information contained in each screen of the first and second terminals between the first terminal and the second terminal and a function of storing, executing and editing the received content information.
• In the following description of a seventh embodiment of the present invention, assume that a first terminal is a mobile terminal type and assume that a second terminal is a PC type.
• A seventh embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 40 to 55 as follows.
• First of all, referring toFIGS. 40 to 52, if a communication with thefirst terminal100 is connected via the communication unit210 [S801], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives screen information containing at least one content information therein from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information of the first terminal on ascreen600 of the display unit260 [S802].
• In this case, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 divides thescreen600 of thedisplay unit260, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 41, into afirst region610 and asecond region620. Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the first screen information containing thecontent information611,612 and613 of thefirst terminal100 on thefirst region610 and also displays the second screen information containing thecontent information625 of thesecond terminal200 on thesecond region620.
• Referring to (b) and (c) ofFIG. 41, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to display thefirst region610 to have the same shape of an exterior of thefirst terminal100 with a size of the screen of themobile terminal100.
• In (b) ofFIG. 41, shown is that thefirst terminal100 is a touchscreen type terminal. In (c) ofFIG. 41, shown is that thefirst terminal100 is a bar type terminal having a character input key.
• Meanwhile, while the first and second screen information are displayed on the first andsecond regions610 and620, respectively, if a user selects at least one of the content information within thefirst region610 via theinput unit220 or thedisplay unit260 of a touchscreen type [S803], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 generates a signal for making a request for the selected content information to thefirst terminal100 and then transmits the generated request signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• In this case, if thefirst terminal100 is the touchscreen type shown in (b) ofFIG. 41, as proposed in the foregoing descriptions with reference toFIG. 4 andFIG. 5, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to transmit the content information request signal to thefirst terminal100 in a manner that location information of the selected content information in the screen is contained in the content information request signal.
• If thefirst terminal100 is the bar type shown in (c) ofFIG. 32, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 enables a key value, which was inputted by a user for the selection of the content information, to be contained in the content information request signal.
• In particular, if the content information within thefirst region610 is selected, thecontroller270 checks a display location of the content information within thefirst region610 and then transmits a request signal containing the checked location information to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 obtains the location information within the request signal received from thesecond terminal200 and then transmits the content information located at the obtained location on a current screen to thesecond terminal200.
• Finally, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the requested content information from thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S805].
• A process for selecting the content information in the step S803 is explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 42 to 46 as follows.
• First of all, referring toFIG. 42, if content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to be downloaded from thefirst terminal100 is dragged and dropped to thesecond region620 from thefirst region610 via a keypad or mouse of theinput unit220 or the touchscreen260 [(a) ofFIG. 42], thecontroller270 makes a request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requested content information (‘a.jpg’)612 from the first terminal100 [(b) ofFIG. 42].
• In particular, after a user of thesecond terminal200 has placed a pointer provided to thescreen600 at the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 within thefirst region610 by manipulating the keypad or mouse of theinput unit220 or the like, if the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is dragged & dropped into thesecond region620, thecontroller270 makes a request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives it from thefirst terminal100.
• In more particular, if the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is dragged & dropped into the second region from thefirst region610, thecontroller270 recognizes that the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 has been selected. Thecontroller270 then transmits the request signal to thefirst terminal100 in a manner that the display location information of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 within thefirst region610 is contained in the request signal.
• If thefirst terminal100 receives the request signal containing the display location of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 from thesecond terminal200, it transmits the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 existing at the received location on the current screen to thesecond terminal200.
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 43, If the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is selected, thecontroller270 displays afirst window631 for a transmission request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612, asecond window632 for an editing request and athird window633 for an execution request [(a) ofFIG. 43].
• In this case, if thefirst window631 for the transmission command of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is selected by a user, thecontroller270 makes a request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requested content information (‘a.jpg’)612 from the first terminal100 [(b) ofFIG. 43].
• In (a) ofFIG. 43, if the user selects thesecond window632, thecontroller270 transmits a signal for an editing request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 drives an editing application of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 44, according to the editing request signal received from thesecond terminal200 and then transmits the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 44 to thesecond terminal200.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 44 on thefirst region610. If a command for editing the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is inputted by a user via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits the editing command inputted from theinput unit220 to thefirst terminal100.
• Subsequently, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 edits the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 according to the editing command received from thesecond terminal200 and then transmits the screen information, in which the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is edited. To thesecond terminal200.
• Meanwhile, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information, in which the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 has been edited, from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information on thefirst region610. If the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 edited by the user is dragged & dropped to thesecond region620 from thefirst region610, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 makes a request for the edited content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and is then able to receive the requested content information (‘a.jpg’)612 from thefirst terminal100.
• In particular, inFIG. 44, the user of thesecond terminal200 directly edits data to download in thefirst terminal100 and is then able to download the edited data from thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 drives an editing application of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 44, according to the editing request signal received from thesecond terminal200 and then transmits the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 44 to thesecond terminal200.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the screen information shown in (a) ofFIG. 44 on thefirst region610. If a command for editing the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is inputted by the user via theinput unit220, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits the editing command inputted from theinput unit220 to thefirst terminal100.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 edits the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 according to the editing command received from thesecond terminal200 and then transmits the screen information, in which the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 has been edited, to thesecond terminal200.
• Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives the screen information, in which the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 has been edited, from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the received screen information on thefirst region610. If the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 is dragged & dropped to thesecond region620 from thefirst region610 by the user, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 makes a request for the edited content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and is then able to receive the requested content information (‘a.jpg’)612,
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 45, after the user of thesecond terminal200 has made aselection634 for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612, which is to be downloaded from thefirst terminal100, by manipulating a keypad or mouse of theinput unit220, if the user selects aspecific point626 of the second region620 [(a) ofFIG. 45], thecontroller270 makes a request for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requested content information (‘a.jpg’)612 [(b) ofFIG. 45].
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 46, if the user of thesecond terminal200 specifiestext content information614, which is to be downloaded, within thefirst region610 by manipulating a keypad or mouse of the input unit220 [(a) ofFIG. 46], thecontroller270 makes a request for the specifiedtext content information614 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requested text content information614 [(b) ofFIG. 46].
• Meanwhile, thecontroller270 is able to further perform a process for storing, editing and executing the content information received from the first terminal, as shown in the following steps S806 to S811 orFIGS. 47 to 52.
• First of all, referring toFIG. 47, if a storage command for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 received in (b) ofFIG. 42 is inputted by a user [S806], thecontroller270 stores the received content information (‘a.jpg’)612 in thememory240.
• In this case, thecontroller270 obtains a format of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 and is then able to store the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 in an ‘image’storage space623 corresponding to the obtained format of the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 amongstorage spaces621,622,623 and624 which have been already classified per content information format [S807].
• Subsequently, if an editing command for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 received in (b) ofFIG. 42 is inputted by a user [S808], thecontroller270 drives an image editingrelevant application650 previously provided to thememory240, as shown inFIG. 48.
• In this case, theediting application650 is provided with a plurality of editing tools for editing the image in various ways. The user of thesecond terminal200 is able to edit the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 using the editing tools.
• Moreover, thecontroller270 is able to store the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 having been edited by the user through the above editing tools [S809].
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 49, if an execution command for the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 received in (b) ofFIG. 42 is inputted by a user [S810], thecontroller270 drives an image executionrelevant application660 previously provided to thememory240 and then executes the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 through the image execution application660 [S811].
• In this case, theimage execution application660 can include the image viewer software that displays images in various formats and is able to perform the same editing function of theimage editing application650 shown inFIG. 48.
• Namely, it is able to display the content information (‘a.jpg’)612 through the image execution application. And, it is also able to edit and store the content information (‘a.jpg’)612.
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 50, while an email addresslist content information615 is displayed on thefirst region610, if an email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615bis dragged & dropped to the second region620 [(a) ofFIG. 50], thecontroller270 makes a request for the email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615bto thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requested email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615b[(b) ofFIG. 50].
• If the email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615bis selected, thecontroller270 drives an email application relevant to the email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615band is then able to display anemail writing window670 for an email supposed to be sent to the email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615b[(b) ofFIG. 50]. In this case, if a user of thesecond terminal200 writes an email content through theemail writing window660, thecontroller270 is able to send the written email to the email address (‘2. KIM@abc.com’)615b.
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 51, while aphonebook content information616 is displayed on thefirst region610, if a contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616bis dragged & dropped to the second region620 [(a) ofFIG. 51], thecontroller270 makes a request for the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616bto the first terminal and then receives the requested contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616b[(b) ofFIG. 51].
• If the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616bis selected, thecontroller270 drives a call connection application relevant to the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616band is then able to connect a call to the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616b[(c) ofFIG. 51].
• Moreover, although not shown inFIG. 51, if the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616bis selected, thecontroller270 drives a message transmitting application relevant to the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616band is then able to display a message writing window for a message to be sent to the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616b. In this case, if a user of thesecond terminal200 writes a message content through the message writing window, thecontroller270 is able to send the written message to the contact information (‘2. KIM 010-111-xxx’)616b.
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 52, while a webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 is displayed on thefirst region610, if the webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 is dragged & dropped to the second region620 [(a) ofFIG. 52], thecontroller270 makes a request for the webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 to thefirst terminal110 and then receives the requested webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 [(b) ofFIG. 52].
• If the webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 is selected, thecontroller270 drives the internet access application and then accesses the webpage address (‘http://www.abc.com’)617 [(c) ofFIG. 52].
• Moreover, although not shown in the drawing, if the content information received from thefirst terminal100 is ‘schedule information’, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 drives a schedule management application and is then able to update the schedule management application by editing the received ‘schedule information’ into the driven schedule management application. And, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 is able to update the schedule management application without editing the received ‘schedule information’ into the driven schedule management application.
• In particular, all kinds of applications for the execution and editing of content information received from thefirst terminal100 can be provided to thememory230 of thesecond terminal200. Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 obtains a format of the content information received from thefirst terminal100, drives an application corresponding to the obtained format of the content information, and is then able to provide a user with the execution and editing functions.
• Subsequently, referring toFIGS. 53 to 55, if a communication with thefirst terminal100 is connected via the communication unit210 [S901], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives screen information containing at least one content information from thefirst terminal100 and then displays the receivedscreen information610 of thefirst terminal100 on ascreen600 of the display unit260 [S902].
• In this case, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 divides thescreen600 of thedisplay unit260, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 54, into afirst region610 and asecond region620. Subsequently, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the first screen information containing thecontent information611,612 and613 of thefirst terminal100 on thefirst region610 and also displays the second screen information containing thecontent information625 of thesecond terminal200 on thesecond region620.
• While the first and second screen information are displayed on the first andsecond regions610 and620, respectively, if a user selects content information (‘work document.xls’)625 within thesecond region620 via theinput unit220 or thedisplay unit260 of a touchscreen type [S903], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100 by controlling the communication unit210 [S904].
• In particular, referring to (a) ofFIG. 54, if the content information (‘work document.xls’)625, which is to be transmitted to thefirst terminal100, is dragged and dropped from thesecond region620 to thefirst region610 via a keypad or mouse of theinput unit220 or the touchscreen260 [(a) ofFIG. 42], thecontroller270 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100.
• In particular, after a user of thefirst terminal100 has placed a pointer provided to thescreen600 at the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 within thesecond region620 by manipulating the keypad or mouse of theinput unit220 or the like, if the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 is dragged & dropped into thefirst region610, thecontroller270 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100.
• Moreover, while the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 within thesecond region620 of the touchscreentype display unit260 is touched, if the user of thesecond terminal200 drags and drops the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 into thefirst region610, thecontroller270 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100.
• While the user of thesecond terminal200 selects the content information (‘work document.xls’)625, if the user selects thefirst region610 by manipulating the keypad and mouse of theinput unit220, thecontroller270 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100.
• If the user of the second terminal multi-touches the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 within thesecond region620 of the touchscreentype display unit260 and thefirst region610, the user of thesecond terminal200 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100.
• Moreover, if the user of thesecond terminal200 specifiestext information670, which is to be transmitted to thefirst terminal100, within thesecond region620 by manipulating the keypad and mouse of theinput unit220, as shown in (a) ofFIG. 55, thecontroller270 transmits the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 to thefirst terminal100, a shown in (b) ofFIG. 55.
• The first terminal is able to perform the storing, editing and executing processes described with reference toFIGS. 47 to 52 on the content information (‘work document.xls’)625 received from thesecond terminal200 according toFIGS. 53 to 55. And, thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit the storage, editing and execution screen information to thesecond terminal200.
Eighth Embodiment
• According to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, while a second terminal is connected to communicate with a plurality of first and third terminals, when screen information of the first and third terminals are respectively displayed on a screen of the second terminal, if content information within the screen information of the first terminal is shifted into the screen information of the third terminal, the second terminal delivers the content information of the first terminal to the third terminal. Such a function is provided by the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
• In the following description of an eighth embodiment of the present invention, assume that first and third terminals are mobile terminal types and assume that a second terminal is a PC type terminal.
• Referring toFIGS. 56 to 58, if communications with first andthird terminals100 and300 are connected via the communication unit210 [S1001], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives screen information, each of which contains at least one content information, from the first andthird terminals100 and300, respectively, and then displays the receivedscreen information710 and730 of the first andthird terminals100 and300 on ascreen700 of the display unit260 [S1002].
• In this case, referring toFIG. 57, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 divides thescreen700 of thedisplay unit260 into first tothird regions710,720 and730. Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the first screen information containing thecontent information711 and712 on thefirst region710. Thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the second screen information of thesecond terminal200 on thesecond region720. And, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays the third screen information containing thecontent information731 and732 on thethird region730.
• Meanwhile, while the screen information of the first andsecond terminals100 and300 are displayed on the first andthird regions710 and730, respectively, if a user selects thecontent information712 within thefirst region710 and thethird region730 via theinput unit220 or thedisplay unit260 of a touchscreen type [S1003], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 delivers the selectedcontent information712 of thefirst terminal100 to thethird terminal300 by controlling the communication unit210 [S1004].
• The content information selecting process of thefirst terminal100 in the step S903 is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 58 as follows.
• First of all, referring toFIG. 58, if content information (‘a.jpg’)712 of thefirst terminal100, which is to be delivered to thethird terminal300, is dragged & dropped to thethird region730 from thefirst region710 via the keypad of theinput unit220, the mouse or the touchscreen260 [(a) ofFIG. 58], thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 to the third terminal300 [(b) ofFIG. 58].
• In particular, if a user of thesecond terminal200 places a pointer provided to thescreen700 at the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 within thefirst region710 by manipulating the keypad of theinput unit220, the mouse or the like and then drags & drops the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 into the third region730 [(a) ofFIG. 58], thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 to the third terminal300 [(b) ofFIG. 58].
• If the user of thesecond terminal200 selects thethird region730 by manipulating the keypad and mouse of theinput unit200 while selecting the content information (‘a.jpg’)712, thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 to thethird terminal300.
• If the user of thesecond terminal200 multi-touches the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 within thefirst region710 of thetouchscreen260 and thethird region730, thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘a.jpg’)712 to thethird terminal300.
• In case of delivering thecontent information712 selected inFIG. 58 to thethird terminal300, thecontroller270 generates a signal for commanding to transmit thecontent information712 to thethird terminal300 and then transmits the generated transmission command signal to thefirst terminal100 via thecommunication unit210.
• If so, thefirst terminal100 transmits thecontent information712 to thethird terminal300 according to the transmission command signal received from thesecond terminal200.
• In this case, as mentioned in the foregoing description with reference toFIG. 4 andFIG. 5, if thecontent information712 of thefirst region710 is selected in (a) ofFIG. 58, thecontroller270 obtains display location information of thecontent information712 on thefirst region710 and is then able to transmit the transmission command signal in a manner that the obtained location information of thecontent information712 is contained in the transmission command signal. If so, thefirst terminal100 is able to transmit thecontent information712 existing at the received location within a current screen to thethird terminal300.
• Moreover, thecontroller270 makes a request for the selectedcontent information712 inFIG. 58 to thefirst terminal100 and then receives the requestedcontent information712. Thecontroller270 is able to deliver thecontent information712 received from thefirst terminal100 by transmitting thecontent information712 to the third terminal.
• Subsequently, referring toFIG. 59 andFIG. 60, if communications with first andthird terminals100 and300 are connected via the communication unit210 [S1101], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 receives screen information, each of which contains at least one content information, from the first andthird terminals100 and300, respectively, and then displays the receivedscreen information710 and730 of the first andthird terminals100 and300 on ascreen700 of the display unit260 [S1102].
• Meanwhile, while the screen information of the first andsecond terminals100 and300 are displayed on the first andthird regions710 and730, respectively, if a user selects thecontent information731 within thethird region730 and thefirst region710 via theinput unit220 or thedisplay unit260 of a touchscreen type [S1103], thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 delivers the selectedcontent information731 of thethird terminal300 to thefirst terminal100 by controlling the communication unit210 [S1104].
• In particular, referring toFIG. 60, if the content information (‘d.avi’)731 of thethird terminal300, which is to be delivered to thefirst terminal100, is dragged & dropped from thethird region730 to thefirst region710 via the keypad of theinput unit220, the mouse or the touchscreen260 [(a) ofFIG. 60], thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘d.avi’)731 to the first terminal300 [(b) ofFIG. 60].
• If the user of thesecond terminal200 selects thefirst region710 by manipulating the keypad and mouse of theinput unit200 while selecting the content information (‘d.avi’)731, thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘d.avi’)731 to thefirst terminal100.
• If the user of thesecond terminal200 multi-touches the content information (‘d.avi’)731 within thethird region730 of thetouchscreen260 and thefirst region710, thecontroller270 delivers the content information (‘d.avi’)731 to thefirst terminal100.
Ninth Embodiment
• According to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, while a short-range communication for a wireless operation control of the present invention is connected between a first terminal and a second terminal, if the first terminal is connected to a mobile communication with an external third terminal, the first terminal converts short-range communication data received from the second terminal to mobile communication data and then transmits this mobile communication data to the third terminal. Moreover, the first terminal converts mobile communication data received from the third terminal to short-range communication data and then transmits this short-range communication data to the second terminal. Therefore, the object of the ninth embodiment of the present invention is to provide a tripartite heterogeneous communication function.
• In the following description of a ninth embodiment of the present invention, assume that first and third terminals are mobile terminal types and assume that a second terminal is a PC type terminal.
• A ninth embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail with reference toFIG. 61 andFIG. 62 as follows.
• FIG. 61 is a signal processing diagram of a process for performing a voice call among a second terminal, a first terminal and a third terminal using different communication systems according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 61, If a remote control communication with thesecond terminal200 is connected [S1201], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to perform the above-mentioned operations of the first to eighth embodiments. And, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 is able to perform a voice call with thesecond terminal200 using the short-range communication.
• In particular, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 converts a user audio inputted via the microphone to a short-range communication audio signal and then transmits the converted short-range communication audio signal to thefirst terminal100 via the communication unit210 [S1202]. Moreover, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 outputs a speech signal of thefirst terminal100, which was received via thecommunication unit210, to thespeaker240.
• Thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 converts a user audio inputted via themicrophone122 to a short-range communication audio signal and then transmits the converted short-range communication audio signal to thesecond terminal200 via the communication unit110 [S1203]. Moreover, thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 outputs a speech signal of thesecond terminal200, which was received via thecommunication unit110, to theaudio output module152.
• Thus, in the course of the voice call using the short-range communication with thesecond terminal200, if a mobile communication with an externalthird terminal300 is connected [S1204], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 generates a signal for querying a presence or non-presence of a communication connection to thethird terminal200 and then transmits the generated query signal to the second terminal200 [S1205].
• In this case, the mobile communication can adopt one of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA).
• If the query signal is received from thefirst terminal100, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 displays a selection window for selecting a presence or non-presence of a communication connection with thethird terminal200 on the screen of thedisplay unit260.
• If an acceptance of a communication connection with thethird terminal300 is selected from the selection window [S1206], thecontroller27 transmits a signal for announcing the communication connection acceptance to thefirst terminal100 and transmits a user's audio signal inputted via themicrophone250 to the first terminal100 [S1207].
• Moreover, if a communication disconnection from thethird terminal300 is selected from the selection window, thecontroller270 of thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for announcing the communication disconnection to thefirst terminal100.
• If the signal for announcing the communication disconnection is received from thesecond terminal200, thefirst terminal100 disconnects the communication between thesecond terminal200 and the third terminal300 [S1208].
• Meanwhile, if the short-range communication audio signal is received from the second terminal200 [S1207], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 converts the received short-range communication audio signal to a mobile communication audio signal [S1209] and then transmits the converted mobile communication audio signal to the third terminal300 [S1210].
• Moreover, if the mobile communication audio signal is received from the third terminal300 [S1211], thecontroller180 of thefirst terminal100 converts the received mobile communication audio signal to a short-range communication audio signal [S1212] and then transmits the converted short-range communication audio signal to the second terminal200 [S1213].
• FIG. 62 is a signal processing diagram of a process for performing a voice call among a second terminal, a first terminal and a third terminal using messages and speech according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
• Referring toFIG. 62, thefirst terminal100 is connected to thesecond terminal200 by a short-range communication system [S1301] and is also connected to thethird terminal300 by a mobile communication system [S1302].
• In this case, thefirst terminal100 performs a text message communication with the second terminal using the short-range communication system and also performs a speech call with thethird terminal300 using the mobile communication system.
• Thefirst terminal100 transmits a signal for querying a presence or non-presence of a communication connection with the third terminal to the second terminal200 [S1303].
• If the query signal is received from thefirst terminal100, thesecond terminal200 displays a selection window for selecting a presence or non-presence of a communication connection with thethird terminal300 on the screen of thedisplay unit260.
• If an acceptance of a communication connection with thethird terminal300 is selected from the selection window [S1304], thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for announcing the acceptance of the communication connection to thefirst terminal100, receives an input of a message content from a user [S1305], and then sends a message inputted by the user to the first terminal [S1306].
• If a communication disconnection from thethird terminal300 is selected from the selection window, thesecond terminal200 transmits a signal for announcing the communication disconnection to thefirst terminal100.
• If the signal for announcing the communication disconnection is received from thesecond terminal200, thefirst terminal100 disconnects the communication between thesecond terminal200 and the third terminal300 [S1307].
• Meanwhile, if a short-range communication message is received from the second terminal200 [S1306], thefirst terminal100 converts the message content to a mobile communication audio signal using the text to speech converting unit181 [S1308] and then transmits the converted mobile communication audio signal to the third terminal300 [S1309].
• In particular, thefirst terminal100 converts the message content of thesecond terminal200 to a speech call content and then transmits the speech call content to thethird terminal300. Therefore, a user of thethird terminal300 is able to make a speech call to thethird terminal300 through thefirst terminal100.
• If the mobile communication audio signal is received from the third terminal300 [S310], thefirst terminal100 converts the received mobile communication audio signal to a short-range communication message using the text to speech converting unit181 [S1311] and then sends the converted short-range communication message to the second terminal200 [S1312].
• In particular, thefirst terminal100 converts the speech call content of thethird terminal300 to a text message and then sends the text message to thesecond terminal200. Therefore, a user of thesecond terminal200 is able to perform a message communication with thethird terminal300 through thefirst terminal100.
• Alternatively, although thefirst terminal100 converts the message of thesecond terminal200 to the mobile communication audio signal in the step S1308, thesecond terminal200 converts a message content written by a user to a mobile communication audio signal and is then able to transmit this mobile communication audio signal to thefirst terminal100.
• Accordingly, the present invention provides the following effects and/or advantages.
• First of all, data of a first terminal is executable in a second terminal. And, all functions of the first terminal are usable using the second terminal.
• Secondly, content information contained in a first terminal screen can be freely used by a second terminal.
• Thirdly, a tripartite heterogeneous communication function can be provided to first to third terminals using a short-range communication system and a mobile communication system.
• In addition, the above-described methods can be implemented in a program recorded medium as computer-readable codes. The computer-readable media include all kinds of recording devices in which data readable by a computer system are stored. The computer-readable media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tapes, floppy discs, optical data storage devices, and the like for example and also include carrier-wave type implementations (e.g., transmission via Internet).
• It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (36)

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces;

a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information and a selectable item for executing an application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item is selected;

a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, said physical key button configured to receive an input;

a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external terminal; and

a control unit configured to control the external terminal to display an image of the mobile terminal on a display of the external terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the external terminal,

wherein the control unit is further configured to control the external terminal not to display information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when an input signal requests the information not be displayed and to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when the input signal requests the information be displayed.

2. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive the input signal requesting the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal be displayed or not be displayed on the external terminal from a user.

3. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, wherein when the input signal requests the information be displayed, the control unit is further configured to enable the external terminal to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

4. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, wherein when the input signal requests the information not be displayed, the control unit is further configured to transmit icon information to the external terminal and to enable the external terminal to display an icon indicating the application is being executed on the mobile terminal, but that the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal is not being displayed on the external terminal.

5. The mobile terminal ofclaim 4, wherein when the icon displayed on the external terminal is selected, the control unit is further configured to transmit the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal to the external terminal and to enable the external terminal to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the external terminal to display the image of the mobile terminal with a same shape and size of the mobile terminal, and to include the physical key button and the information displayed on the display of the mobile terminal.

7. The mobile terminal ofclaim 6, wherein the control unit is further configured to enable the external terminal to execute the application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item displayed on the external terminal is selected.

8. The mobile terminal ofclaim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is a cell phone and the external terminal is a standalone computer or a laptop.

9. A terminal, comprising:

a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a first mobile terminal, said first mobile terminal including a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces; a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information and a selectable item for executing an application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item is selected; and a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, said physical key button configured to receive an input;

a display;

a control unit configured to control the display to display an image of the mobile terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal,

wherein the control unit is further configured not to display information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when an input signal requests the information not be displayed and to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when the input signal requests the information be displayed.

10. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive the input signal requesting the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal be displayed or not be displayed on the external terminal from a user.

11. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein when the input signal requests the information be displayed, the control unit is further configured to control the display to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

12. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein when the input signal requests the information not be displayed, the control unit is further configured to receive icon information from the mobile terminal and to control the display to display an icon indicating the application is being executed on the mobile terminal, but that the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal is not being displayed on the display of the terminal.

13. The terminal ofclaim 12, wherein when the icon displayed on the terminal is selected, the control unit is further configured to receive the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal and to control the display to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

14. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display to display the image of the mobile terminal with a same shape and size of the mobile terminal, and to include the physical key button and the information displayed on the display of the mobile terminal.

15. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to execute the application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item displayed on the external terminal is selected.

16. The terminal ofclaim 9, wherein the terminal is a standalone computer or a laptop and the mobile terminal is a cell phone.

17. A method of controlling a mobile terminal including a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces; a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information and a selectable item for executing an application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item is selected; and a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, said physical key button configured to receive an input, the method comprising:

wirelessly communication, via a communication unit, with an external terminal;

controlling, via a control unit, the external terminal to display an image of the mobile terminal on a display of the external terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the external terminal; and

controlling, via the control unit, the external terminal not to display information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when an input signal requests the information not be displayed and to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal when the input signal requests the information be displayed.

18. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising;

receiving, via the control unit, the input signal requesting the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal be displayed or not be displayed on the external terminal from a user.

19. The method ofclaim 17, wherein when the input signal requests the information be displayed, the method further comprises enabling, via the control unit, the external terminal to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

20. The method ofclaim 17, wherein when the input signal requests the information not be displayed, the method further comprises, transmitting, via the control unit, icon information to the external terminal and enabling the external terminal to display an icon indicating the application is being executed on the mobile terminal, but that the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal is not being displayed on the external terminal.

21. The method ofclaim 20, wherein when the icon displayed on the external terminal is selected, the method further comprises transmitting, via the control unit, the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal to the external terminal and enabling the external terminal to display the information output by the application executed on the mobile terminal.

22. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising:

controlling, via the control unit, the external terminal to display the image of the mobile terminal with a same shape and size of the mobile terminal, and to include the physical key button and the information displayed on the display of the mobile terminal.

23. The method ofclaim 22, further comprising:

enabling, via the control unit, the external terminal to execute the application on the mobile terminal when the selectable item displayed on the external terminal is selected.

24. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the mobile terminal is a cell phone and the external terminal is a standalone computer or a laptop.

25. A terminal, comprising:

a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile terminal, said mobile terminal including a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces; a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information; and a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, said physical key button configured to receive an input;

a display; and

a control unit configured to control the display to display an image of the mobile terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal,

wherein the displayed image of the mobile terminal has a same shape and size of the mobile terminal, and includes the physical key button and the information displayed on the display of the mobile terminal, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to receive and display information output by the mobile terminal, to execute an application on the terminal to edit or update the displayed information, and to selectively transmit the updated information back to the mobile terminal.

26. The terminal ofclaim 25, wherein the information is selectively received from the mobile terminal based on a user's selection.

27. The terminal ofclaim 25, wherein when an event occurs on the mobile terminal, the control unit is further configured to receive additional information from the mobile terminal indicating the event has occurred on the mobile terminal and to display an indication indicating the event has occurred on the mobile terminal without displaying contents of the event that occurred on the mobile terminal.

28. The terminal ofclaim 27, wherein the occurrence of the event is not based on an input command entered on an input unit of the mobile terminal.

29. The terminal ofclaim 28, wherein the event is a call or message reception from a third party.

30. The terminal ofclaim 27, wherein when the indication of the occurrence of the event is selected on the terminal, the control unit is further configured to receive the contents of the event that occurred from the mobile terminal.

31. A method of controlling a terminal, the method comprising:

wirelessly communicating, via a communication unit, with a mobile terminal, said mobile terminal including a housing having a front surface, a back surface and lateral surfaces; a display disposed on the front surface of the housing and configured to display information; and a physical key button disposed on the front surface of the housing, said physical key button configured to receive an input;

displaying, via a control unit controlling a display, an image of the mobile terminal, when the communication unit is wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal, wherein the displayed image of the mobile terminal has a same shape and size of the mobile terminal, and includes the physical key button and the information displayed on the display of the mobile terminal;

receiving and displaying, via the control unit, information output by the mobile terminal;

executing an application on the terminal to edit or update the displayed information; and

selectively transmitting the updated information back to the mobile terminal.

32. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the information is selectively received from the mobile terminal based on a user's selection.

33. The method ofclaim 31, wherein when an event occurs on the mobile terminal, the method further comprises receiving additional information from the mobile terminal indicating the event has occurred on the mobile terminal and displaying an indication indicating the event has occurred on the mobile terminal without displaying contents of the event that occurred on the mobile terminal.

34. The method ofclaim 33, wherein the occurrence of the event is not based on an input command entered on an input unit of the mobile terminal.

35. The method ofclaim 34, wherein the event is a call or message reception from a third party.

36. The method ofclaim 33, wherein when the indication of the occurrence of the event is selected on the terminal, the method further comprises receiving the contents of the event that occurred from the mobile terminal.

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