Patently Mobile posted a report back in March titled "Samsung Advances Home Automation by Stepping into the Kitchen with a Smart Refrigerator Called 'Family Hub.'" That was the beginning of Samsung's home automation hub and earlier this month the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Samsung that reveals a broader vision for their current Smart TV which is already quite extensive. Some of the advances that are on the way include controlling more devices and home appliances (fridge, laundry, stereo, microwave etc) remotely while broadening the types of apps and/or services that users will have access to. In the bigger picture, the focus of this particular invention is, without a doubt, on the introduction of an all-new universal remote that takes on a spherical form factor with new kinds of controls based on touch and motion. It abandons all traditional TV remote designs and by doing so, changes the ball game.
New Smart Home Automation System and Controller
With Samsung's future home automation system that will simply be an extension to their current Smart TV, Samsung introduces a whole new kind of TV-Home Automation Controller noted below as input device #200.
Samsung views their proposed input apparatus/controller #200 as a future universal remote controller for controlling various devices as illustrated in patent FIG. 46 below. The Universal controller could work to control a smartphone, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a washing machine, a robot cleaner, an audio dock, etc.
The Samsung Smart TV with the new Universal controller may form a smart home / home automation system and may introduce a user service or help desk in the future.
The New Smart Home Universal Remote Controller
Samsung introduces us to their all-new Universal Remote Controller that's spherical or ball-like in patent FIG. 3 below. It's driven by a driving force provided by the driver placed therein to roll and move toward a user's desired location.
The input apparatus #200/Universal Remote Controller (or 'controller') in this example embodiment may for example be shaped like a sphere having a diameter of, for example, 3.5 cm to 6 so that a user can easily hold the controller in one hand.
According to the examples illustrated in Samsung's patent FIGS. 3 to 5 below, the controller may be operated various modes such as in a touch mode, a gesture mode where it operates based on motions of controller or used with simple buttons.
The touch sensor may be achieved, for example, by a touch pad for sensing a user's touch input, and may include an input area in an upper portion and a sensor in a lower portion. There may be various touch inputs, and thus a user's touch input may include tapping, clicking requiring a stronger touch than the tapping, double-clicking, dragging that moves by a predetermined distance in a touched state, sliding, flicking, swiping, etc.
In patent figure 13 noted above, the up key () and the down key () may be set, for example, to issue a command of sequentially changing the current channel into the previous channel (CH-) or the next channel (CH+) in response to a user's operation. Further, the left key (<) and the right key (>) may be respectively set, for example, to issue a command of volume control, e.g. volume up (VOL+) or volume down (VOL-) in response to a user's operation.
Although it is not illustrated if FIG. 13, there a power key for turning it on or off in the center top of the ball as illustrated in patent FIGS. 9 and 10 below.
In Samsung's patent figure 15 noted above we're able to see the controller's 'driver' #270 which provides a driving force for movement based on rotation. The driver may further include a weight for keeping its balance while it is rolling, and sensors for sensing the balance and direction change when it is rolling, as well as the gyro motor or the like motor for providing rotational inertia. The operations, i.e. the rotating direction, speed, angle and the like of the driver may be controlled, for example, by a second controller not illustrated.
And lastly on controls, the controller may additionally include an audio input unit such as a microphone to receive a voice uttered by a user, a user input device using a hologram, and the like various user input devices.
The Controller's Wireless Charger
In Samsung's patent FIG. 18 above we're able to see a wireless charging system. The charger #300 may be formed with a recessed portion shaped, for example, like a spherical groove to receive the spherical input apparatus, and a coil #381 for wirelessly charging power may be provided in the recessed portion.
Smart Controller with Sensors Galore
As illustrated in Samsung's patent FIG. 45 below, the input apparatus #200 may further include not only a touch sensor for sensing a user's input, but also a sensor including one or more among a fingerprint sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a temperature/humidity sensor, a vibration sensor, a gravity sensor, various gyroscope sensors, a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a direction sensor, etc.
The input apparatus with these sensors may be used variously. For example, the fingerprint sensor may be used to sense a user's fingerprint and utilized for a user authentication, e.g., security for a predetermined function supported by at least one of the input apparatus, the display/TV apparatus and another communicative terminal apparatus.
Smart Health Care Features
Further, the heartbeat sensor, the vibration sensor, the gyroscope sensor, the acceleration sensor, the temperature/humidity sensor, etc. may be used to check the amount of exercise when using TV exercise apps, as well as control temperature, humidity and air conditioning in a room or home. The sensed values may be transmitted to a user's terminal apparatus (e.g. a smart phone) or the display apparatus 100 (e.g. a TV).
Various Menu's and Interfaces
Below are a few of the key menus and interfaces covering social media, apps, communications and entertainment that's a part of the overall Samsung home automation system of tomorrow.
Samsung filed their U.S. patent application back in March 2016. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
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