TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a user terminal apparatus and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a user terminal apparatus capable of controlling a plurality of devices and a control method thereof.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, due to development of information technology (IT), various Internet of things (IoT) gadgets available to the user are expected to be generalized. Accordingly, connection technology between various apparatuses in IoT environments is expected to be more important.

The IoT technology may have high utilization even for the purpose of controlling various home appliances in home. The user may couple various home appliances such as a television (TV), a washing machine, and an air conditioner through wired and wireless networks and control the various home appliances through information sharing and various linkages of the home appliances in home under the IoT environments.

Researches on user terminal apparatuses for providing user interface environments which control various functions of various devices in the IoT environments have been widely conducted. However, through the method of liking a plurality of devices through the user terminal apparatus in the related IoT environments, it may be difficult for the user to intuitively determine a device which is displayed through the user terminal apparatus, to set the mutual connection therebetween, and to easily determine the connection relationship, and thus the process for linking the plurality of devices may be complicated. Even in response to the plurality of devices being linked, it may also be difficult for the user to set the functions and operations of the devices according to the linkage.

Therefore, there is a need for a method for more intuitively linking a plurality of devices.

The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a user terminal apparatus which provides a user interface (UI) for more intuitively linking a plurality of devices, and a control method thereof.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an Internet of things (IoT) environment-based user terminal apparatus is provided. The IoT environment-based user terminal apparatus includes a transceiver configured to perform communication with a plurality of devices constituting the IoT environment, a display device configured to display a UI which includes a first object list including a first object indicating a first device in which a specific condition is set among the plurality of devices, and a second object list including a second object indicating a second device configured to provide an alarm, and at least one processor configured to control the first device and the second device so that the second device is set as a device which provides the alarm in response to satisfaction of the specific condition set to the first device, in response to the first object being selected from the first object list and the second object being selected from the second object list through the user interface.

The at least one processor may control the transceiver to transmit, to the first device, a control signal, which sets a signal according to the satisfaction of the specific condition to be transmitted to the second device, and transmit, to the second device, a control signal, which sets the alarm to be provided in response to the signal according to the satisfaction of the specific condition being received in the second device.

The at least one processor may control the display device to display a graphic UI (GUI), which indicates that the devices corresponding to the selected objects are mutually coupled, in a state that the first object list and the second object list are simultaneously displayed in response to the first object and the second object being selected from the first object list and the second object list.

The GUI may be a coupling indicator illustrating a coupling of the selected objects.

The at least one processor may select the first device and the second device in response to a touch and drag being performed from a region in which the first object is located to a region in which the second object is located.

The at least one processor may control the display device to display a menu for setting the specific condition on a periphery of the first object selected from the first object list.

The at least one processor may control the display device to display a menu for setting an operation for providing the alarm on a periphery of the second object selected from the second object list.

The at least one processor may store connection information of the first device and the second device as a device which provides the alarm according to the satisfaction of the specific condition in a list form.

In response to a third object being additionally selected from the second object list, the at least one processor may control a third device corresponding to the additionally selected third object to be set as a device which additionally provides another alarm.

The second object list may further include a third object indicating a third device configured to provide another alarm, and, in response to the third object being selected from the second object list, the at least one processor is may control the third device to be set as a device which provides the other alarm when the second device cannot provide the alarm.

The at least one processor may control the display device to display a graphic user interface (GUI), which indicates that the devices corresponding to the second object and the third object are mutually coupled, in a state that the first object list and the second object list are simultaneously displayed in response to the third object being selected from the second object list to provide the other alarm when the second device cannot provide the alarm

The at least one processor may determine a pre-set priority for the plurality of devices corresponding to a plurality of objects included in the first object list and controls the display device to display information for the plurality of devices corresponding to the plurality of objects in a high priority order.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of controlling an IoT environment-based user terminal apparatus is provided. The method includes displaying a UI which includes a first object list including a first object indicating a first device in which a specific condition is set among a plurality of devices constituting the IoT environment, and a second object list including a second object indicating a second device which provides an alarm, selecting the first object from the first object list and the second object from the second object list through the UI, and controlling the first device and the second device so that the second device is set as a device which provides the alarm in response to satisfaction of the specific condition set to the first device.

The controlling may include transmitting, to the second device, a control signal, which sets a signal according to the satisfaction of the specific condition to be transmitted to the second device, and transmitting, to the second device, a control signal, which sets the alarm to be provided in response to the signal according to the satisfaction of the specific condition being received in the second device.

The method may further include displaying a GUI which indicates that the devices corresponding to the selected objects are mutually coupled in a state that the first object list and the second object list are simultaneously displayed in response to the first object and the second object being selected from the first object list and the second object list.

The GUI may be a coupling indicator illustrating a coupling of the selected objects.

The selecting may include selecting the first device and the second device in response to a touch and drag being performed from a region in which the first object is located to a region in which the second object is located.

The method may further include displaying a menu for setting the specific condition on a periphery of the first object selected from the first object list.

The method may further include displaying a menu for setting an operation for providing the alarm on a periphery of the second object selected from the second object list.

The method may further include storing connection information of the first device and the second device as a device which provides the alarm according to the satisfaction of the specific condition in a list form.

The controlling may include, in response to a third object being additionally selected from the second object list, controlling a third device corresponding to the additionally selected third object to be set as a device which additionally provides another alarm.

The second object list may further include a third object indicating a third device configured to provide another alarm, and, in response to the third object being selected from the second object list, the controlling further includes controlling the third device to be set as a device which provides the other alarm when the second device cannot provide the alarm.

The method may further include displaying a graphic user interface (GUI), which indicates that the devices corresponding to the second object and the third object are mutually coupled, in a state that the first object list and the second object list are simultaneously displayed in response to the third object being selected from the second object list to provide the other alarm when the second device cannot provide the alarm.

The method may further include determining a pre-set priority for the plurality of devices corresponding to a plurality of objects included in the first object list, and the displaying may include displaying information for the plurality of devices corresponding to the plurality of objects in a high priority order.

According to various embodiments, the convenience of the user may be increased by more intuitively linking a plurality of devices through a user terminal apparatus in an IoT environment.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses various embodiments of the present disclosure.

