Display apparatus and control method thereof

Disclosed is a display apparatus that displays an information image and a control method thereof. The display apparatus includes an image processor; a display; and a processor configured to make content be processed by the image processor, make a content image based on the processed content be displayed on the display, generate information about an operation state of the display apparatus, and make an information image containing the generated information about an operation state and recognizable by a user terminal be displayed on the display. With this, the state information of the display apparatus may be effectively transmitted to the server that manages the display apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED THE APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0080582 filed on Jul. 11, 2018 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a display apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a display apparatus that displays an information image and a control method thereof.

Description of the Related Art

A display apparatus, in particular, a digital signage, which is installed in a public place, a commercial space, or the like and provides digitalized media, needs to be subjected to ongoing maintenance.

When the display apparatus is capable of performing direct communication with a server that is in charge of the maintenance of the display apparatus, the maintenance of the display apparatus is carried out by exchanging information about the operation state of the display apparatus with the server.

However, due to costs of building a communication system, the digital signage or the like display apparatus may operate without a communication function. In this case, maintenance is difficult because a person in charge of management has to directly visit the display apparatus to check the state of the display apparatus.

Although the display apparatus has a communication system and is thus capable of exchanging information with the server through communication, failure or the like problem in communication with the server makes it difficult to carry out the maintenance of the display apparatus like a display apparatus having no communication systems.

SUMMARY

An aspect of one or more exemplary embodiments is to provide a display apparatus capable of generating its own state information and a control method thereof.

Another aspect of one or more exemplary embodiments is to provide a display apparatus capable of effectively sending its own state information to a server for managing the same and a control method thereof.

According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a display apparatus includes an image processor; a display; and a processor configured to make content be processed by the image processor, make a content image based on the processed content be displayed on the display, generate information about an operation state of the display apparatus, and make an information image containing the generated information about an operation state and recognizable by a user terminal be displayed on the display.

The processor may generate the operation state information based on the display apparatus being in a preset operation state.

The processor may display the information image in addition to the content image.

The processor may stop displaying the content image and displays the information image.

The processor may output notification information of notifying a user that the information image is displayed.

The processor may output notification information different in kind according to the operation states.

The display apparatus may further include a communicator configured to communicate with a server, and the processor may generate the operation state information, based on failure in communication of the communicator with the server.

The information image may include marketing information provided to a user of the user terminal.

The processor may transmit the information image to the user terminal, based on proximity detection of a user who approaches the display apparatus.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a method of controlling a display apparatus include processing content; displaying a content image based on the processed content; generating information about an operation state of the display apparatus; and displaying an information image containing the generated information about an operation state and recognizable by a user terminal.

The generating of the operation state information may include generating the operation state information based on the display apparatus being in a preset operation state.

The displaying of the information image may include displaying the information image in addition to the content image.

The displaying of the information image may include stopping displaying the content image and displaying the information image.

The method may further include outputting notification information of notifying a user that the information image is displayed.

The display apparatus may further include a communicator configured to communicate with a server, and the generating of the operation state information may include generating the operation state information, based on failure in communication of the communicator with the server.

The information image may include marketing information provided to a user of the user terminal.

According to still another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a user terminal includes an image capturer; a communicator; and a processor configured to capture an information image displayed on a display apparatus, transmit the captured information image to a server, and perform operation based on a result of processing marketing information received from the server.

According to still another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a server include a communicator; a storage; and a processor configured to receive an information image from a user terminal, separate operation state information and marketing information from the received information image, store the operation state information in the storage, process the marketing information, and transmit a process result to the user terminal.

According to still another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a computer program is combined to a display apparatus and stored in a medium to carry out the method, as described above.

The computer program may be stored in a medium in a server and downloadable in the display apparatus through a network.

According to still another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a computer program product is combined to a display apparatus to carry out the method, as described above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Below, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like numerals or symbols refer to like elements having substantially the same function, and the size of each element may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of description. However, the configurations and functions illustrated in the following exemplary embodiments are not construed as limiting the present inventive concept and the key configurations and functions. In the following descriptions, details about publicly known functions or features will be omitted if it is identified that they cloud the gist of the present inventive concept.

In the following exemplary embodiments, terms ‘first’, ‘second’, etc. are only used to distinguish one element from another, and singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless otherwise mentioned contextually. In the following exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that terms ‘comprise’, ‘include’, ‘have’, etc. do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or combination thereof. In addition, a ‘module’ or a ‘portion’ may perform at least one function or operation, be achieved by hardware, software or combination of hardware and software, and be modularized into at least one processor. Further, in the following exemplary embodiments, at least one among a plurality of elements refer to not only all of the plurality of elements but also each element among the plurality of elements excluding the other elements or a combination thereof. Further, the expression of “configured to (or set to)” may for example be replaced with “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of” according to circumstances. Also, the expression of “configured to (or set to)” may not necessarily refer to only “specifically designed to” in terms of hardware. Instead, the “device configured to” may refer to “capable of” along with other devices or parts in a certain circumstance. For example, the phrase of “the processor configured to perform A, B, and C” may refer to a dedicated processor (e.g. an embedded processor) for performing the corresponding operations, or a generic-purpose processor (e.g. a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor) for performing the corresponding operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

FIG. 1is a schematic view of a system including a display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The system including the display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a display apparatus100, a user terminal200, and a server300.

The display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may for example be actualized by a digital signage. Further, the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may for example be actualized by a television (TV), an electronic frame, a digital billboard, or a large format display (LFD). However, the display apparatus100according to one embodiment of the disclosure is not limited to these examples but may include any apparatus capable of displaying an image or content. In particular, the display apparatus100may include a display apparatus that can carry out direct communication with the server300as it is installed in a public place, a commercial space, etc.

The user terminal200according to an embodiment of the disclosure may for example include a smartphone, a tablet computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartwatch, etc. However, the user terminal200according to one embodiment of the disclosure is not limited to these examples but may include any apparatus capable of communicating with the server300. In particular, the user terminal200may include an apparatus that is portable and capable of capturing or receiving an information image displayed on the display apparatus100.

The server300according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be actualized without any specific limitations as long as it can collect and process information about the operation state of the display apparatus100.

FIG. 2is a block diagram of a system including a display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The display apparatus100according to one embodiment of the disclosure includes an image processor101, a processor102, and a display103. However, the configuration of the display apparatus100shown inFIG. 2is merely an example, and the display apparatus according to one embodiment of the disclosure may be actualized by alternative elements. In other words, the display apparatus according to one embodiment of the disclosure may include other elements in addition to the configuration shown inFIG. 2or exclude some elements from the configuration shown inFIG. 2. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, each element may be actualized by at least one hardware and/or software, or may be actualized by a circuit or a chip.

The image processor101may process an image signal including image content. There are no limits to the kinds of image processing processes performed by the image processor101. For example, the image processing performed by the image processor101may include demultiplexing for dividing an input stream into sub streams of video, audio and appended data; decoding corresponding to an image format of an image stream; deinterlacing for converting an interlaced type of an image stream into a progressive type; scaling for adjusting an image stream to have a preset resolution; noise reduction for improving image quality; detail enhancement; frame refresh rate conversion; etc.

The processor102may generate the operation state information of the display apparatus. In this regard, detailed descriptions will be made later.

The processor102may perform control for operating general elements of the display apparatus100. The processor102may include a control program (or instruction) for performing such control operations, a nonvolatile memory in which the control program is installed, a volatile memory in which at least a part of the installed control program is loaded, and at least one processor or central processing unit (CPU) for executing the loaded control program. Further, the control program may be stored in an electronic apparatus other than the display apparatus100.

The control program may include a program(s) achieved in the form of at least one of a basic input/output system (BIOS), a device driver, an operating system, firmware, a platform, and an application program. According to one embodiment, the application program may be previously installed or stored in the display apparatus100when the display apparatus100is manufactured, or may be installed in the display apparatus100on the basis of application program data received from the outside when used in the future. The application data may be for example downloaded from an application market and the like external server to the display apparatus100, but not limited thereto. Meanwhile, the processor102may be actualized in the form of a device, an S/W module, a circuit, a chip, or combination thereof.

The processor102may for example control the image processor101to process content, and control the display103to display an image based on the processed content. In the display apparatus100shown inFIG. 2, both the process and control are performed in one processor102. However, this is merely an example, and a display apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the disclosure may include a separate controller in addition to the processor.

The display103may display an image. The display103may be for example actualized by various display types such as liquid crystal, plasma, a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a surface-conduction electron emitter, a carbon nano tube, nano crystal, etc. When the type of the display103is the liquid crystal, the display103includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a backlight unit for emitting light to the LCD panel, a panel driver for driving the LCD panel, etc. The display103may be actualized by a self-emissive OLED panel without the backlight unit.

The display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may further include the communicator104. In particular, the communicator104may be used to communicate with a relatively near terminal200. To this end, the communicator104may be configured to perform one or more communications among Wi-Fi, WiFi Direct, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Serial Port Profile (SPP), Zigbee, infrared communication, radio control, ultra-wide band (UWB), wireless universal serial bus (USB), and near field communication (NFC). The communicator may be actualized in the form of a device, an S/W module, a circuit, a chip, etc.

The system with the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may further include the user terminal200and the server300. The user terminal200may include a communicator201, a processor202, and a display203. Further, the user terminal200may further include a camera or an image capturer for capturing an image. The server300may further include a communicator301and a processor302. Although these elements may be different in detailed operation, fundamental configurations thereof are equivalent to those of the corresponding elements in the foregoing display apparatus100. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3is a flowchart showing operation of a display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The processor102of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure processes content containing an image to be processed by the image processor101, and makes the image of the processed content to be displayed on the display103(S301). Here, the content includes any content that can be displayed on the display103of the display apparatus100, and there are no specific limits to the substance and format of the content.

The processor102generates the operation state information (S302). The operation state information may include any information related to the operation states of the display apparatus100. For example, when the display apparatus100internally and externally includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a set cover, front glass, a main integrated circuit (IC), etc., the operation state information of the disclosure may include at least one piece of information about a PCB voltage level, the presence of a set cover, the presence of the front glass, a shock in the front glass, the interior humidity and temperature of the front glass/set, a front illumination level, a main IC temperature, and presence of operation, etc. Besides, the operation state information may include information about operation states of other elements of the display apparatus100, such as the image processor101, the processor102, the display103or the communicator104.

The generated operation state information may be stored in the display apparatus100, displayed on the display103in response to a specific call, or transmitted to the server300or other external devices. For transmission to the server300or the external devices, the operation state information may be generated with a format by which transmission to the server300or the external devices is enabled or facilitated.

The processor102may generate the operation state information based on information sensed by a sensor. To this end, the display apparatus100may further include a sensing unit105.FIG. 4illustrates an example of the sensing unit105in the display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, in which the sensing unit105of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may for example include an illumination sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a thermo-hygrometer. There are no limits to the position of the sensing unit105. For example, the sensing unit105may be positioned in the front of the display apparatus100or in the back of the display apparatus100as shown inFIG. 4. Alternatively, the sensing unit105may be mounted to the inside of the display apparatus100. In addition, sensors of the sensing unit105may be disposed at different positions. With the sensing unit105, the processor102may for example detect the shock in the display apparatus, the installation environments of the display apparatus, a voltage level in a circuit, the temperature of the display apparatus, etc., and generate the operation state information based on the detection.

Thus, the display apparatus may generate the information about the operation state of the display apparatus in itself.

Referring back toFIG. 3, the processor102of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure makes the display103display thereon an information image containing the generated operation state information and recognizable by the user terminal200(S303).

Here, the information image refers to an image containing predetermined information, and may be an image in which the contained information itself may be displayed as an image or encoded.FIG. 5illustrates an example of the information image displayed on the display apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure. For example, the information image may be given in the form of at least one of a barcode501, a quick response (QR) code502, a color code503, and a high capacity color barcode504. However, there are no limits to the form of the information image, and the information image may include any image that contains predetermined information. Further, there are no specific limits to the content of the predetermined information contained in the information image.

According to the disclosure, the information image contains the operation state information of the display apparatus100. The information image may externally show it itself or may not show whether the operation state information is contained in the information image.

The information image of the disclosure may be recognizable by the user terminal200. For example, the information image of the disclosure may be captured by the image capturer provided in the user terminal200and then recognized by a predetermined application of the user terminal200. Alternatively, the information image itself may be transmitted to the user terminal200and then recognized by the user terminal200. However, there are no limits to the method of recognizing the information image trough the user terminal200.

Referring toFIG. 6, an example of the information image of the disclosure will be described in detail on the assumption that the information image is given in the form of the QR code.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, information image600may be divided into a section601including the operation state information and a section602including address information of a server to which the operation state information will be transmitted. The information in each section may be encoded according to a QR code encoding method of a predetermined version. Further, the information image600may additionally include identification information603indicating that the operation state information is contained in the corresponding information image, that the information will be transmitted to the server, etc. The identification information603may further include information about a start point and/or an end point of the server address information and the operation state information within the corresponding QR code. Further, the information image600may additionally include information604about a predetermined application for recognizing the corresponding information image or performing transmission to the server.

When the information image containing the foregoing information is displayed on the display103of the display apparatus100, a user may obtain the displayed information image through the user terminal200. For example, when the information image is given in the form of the QR code as shown inFIG. 6, a user captures the QR code displayed on the display apparatus100through the image capturer of the user terminal200. However, there are no limits to a method of obtaining the information image by the user terminal200. Further, a user of the user terminal200may include not only a general user who receives information displayed by the display apparatus100, but also a manager who manages the display apparatus100or a manager who manages the server300. In this case, the user terminal200may be a terminal specialized in the management of the managers.

The user terminal200may obtain the information image and transmit the obtained information image to the server300. For example, a predetermined application in the user terminal200may analyze/process the obtained information image so that the information image itself or the operation state information included in the information image can be transmitted to the server300.

Thus, the display apparatus of the disclosure may effectively transmit the information about the operation state of the display apparatus to the server through the user terminal even though direct communication with the server is impossible. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce efforts and costs needed for maintenance of the display apparatus.

Meanwhile, the processor102of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may generate the operation state information based on a preset operation state of the display apparatus100. For example, when the display apparatus100includes the sensing unit105, the processor102identifies whether the display apparatus100is in the preset operation state based on various pieces of sensing information collected in the sensing unit105, and generates the operation state information when the state of the display apparatus100corresponds to the preset operation state. Here, the preset operation state may for example include a situation that a certain element of the display apparatus100is identified as failure, a situation that is expected to fail (for example, the operation temperature of the display apparatus is out of predetermined range), etc., but not be limited thereto.

Thus, the operation state information is generated only when the display apparatus is in the preset operation state, and the information image containing the operation state information is displayed and transmitted to the server through the user terminal, thereby more efficiently transmitting the operation state information to the server.

However, the disclosure is not limited to this example, and the processor102of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may generate the on a predetermined cycle and display the information image containing the operation state information so that the operation state information can be periodically transmitted to the server. Alternatively, when the information image includes marketing information, the processor102may generate the operation state information in sync with time to provide the marketing information to a user or display the information image containing the operation state information as it will be described below with reference toFIG. 12. However, this is merely an example, and there are no limits to time for generating the operation state information or time for outputting the information image.

FIG. 7is a view illustrating an example of a method of displaying an information image according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The processor102of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure may display an information image702in addition to a content image701, as shown inFIG. 7, when the content image701is displayed on the display103. Alternatively, the processor102may stop displaying the displaying content image and display the information image. Alternatively, the processor102may display the information image on a banner or the like continuously displayed on the display103, so that the information image can be continuously displayed on the display103, or may display the information image to match well with the displaying content image by identifying a display position for the information image based on a design template of the content image.

FIG. 8is a view illustrating an example of notification information according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The information image displayed on the display103of the display apparatus100according to an embodiment of the disclosure is transmitted to the server300through the user terminal200of a user, and therefore the processor102of the display apparatus100makes the information image be displayed on the display103and furthermore outputs notification information for notifying the user that the information image is displayed on the display103, thereby calling and bring the user's attention to the information image. For example, ad shown inFIG. 8, the processor102may make an image801noticeable to a user or a text802be displayed on the display103, or make a predetermined sound803be output from the display apparatus100, thereby notifying that the information image is displayed on the display103. However, there are no limits to the type and kind of notification information, and the notification information may include any type of information as long as it can notify a user that the information image is displayed, and may include combination of various types of information.

Thus, a user is actively informed that the information image is displayed, so that a percentage of the displayed information image transmitted to the server can be increased.

FIG. 9is a view illustrating an example of a method of displaying notification information according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown inFIG. 9, the processor102outputs different kinds of notification information according to the operation states of the display apparatus, thereby properly controlling a probability, a percentage, a waiting time, etc. of transmitting the operation state information to the server according to the situations of the display apparatus.

Specifically, the processor102displays a content image (S901), and then detects the operation state of the display apparatus (S902). When it is identified as a detection result that the display apparatus100is in a normal state, the processor102outputs the notification information in the form of a still image (S903). On the other hand, when it is identified as a detection result that the display apparatus100is expected to be abnormal, the processor102outputs the notification information in the form of a moving image (S904). On the other hand, when it is identified as a detection result that the display apparatus100is in an abnormal state, the processor102outputs the notification information in the form of a still sound (S905). In other words, the processor102outputs the notification information more noticeable to a user in a situation that a necessity for transmitting the operation state information of the display apparatus100to the server becomes higher, thereby increasing a probability or percentage of transmitting the operation state information contained in the information image to the server300through the user terminal200, or decreasing a total time taken to transmit the operation state information to the server300including the waiting time. Here, the normal state, the state expected to be abnormal, or the abnormal state of the display apparatus may be identified based on the detection information of the sensing unit105, and they may be previously set or may be based on information about each state received from the server or other external apparatuses.

Thus, the probability or percentage and the waiting time of transmitting the operation state information to the server may be controlled according to the situations of the display apparatus.

In the foregoing embodiments, the display apparatus100does not include a separate communicator for direct communication with the server300. However, the display apparatus100of the disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. According to the disclosure, the display apparatus100may further include a second communicator for direct communication with the server300, and the processor102may generate the operation state information based on failure in communication of the second communicator with the server300. In other words, as shown inFIG. 10, the disclosure is applicable to a case that the direct communication is temporarily impossible due to communication failure between the second communicator and the server300even though the display apparatus100additionally includes the second communicator and fundamentally supports the direct communication with the server300.

In this regard, detailed descriptions will be made with reference toFIG. 11.FIG. 11is a flowchart showing operation of a display apparatus according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

According to another embodiment of the disclosure, the processor102of the display apparatus100displays a content image (S1101).

The processor102generates the operation state information based on failure in communication of the second communicator with the server300(S1102). Here, the failure in the communication includes all situations that the communication with the server is not normally performed through the second communicator. The processor102may analyze information indicating the state of the communication using the second communicator and identify whether failure in communication occurs or is expected. For example, the processor102controls the second communicator to transmit a predetermined packet to the server300, and then analyzes information (response) to the packet, thereby identifying whether or not the communication using the second communicator normally operates. However, there are no limits to a method of identifying the failure in the communication.

When it is identified by the analysis that the second communicator fails in the communication with the server300or that the communication is not impossible but expected to fail in communication due to warning or the like, the processor102generates the operation state information.

Then, the processor102displays the information image containing the operation state information and recognizable by the user terminal200(S1103), thereby making the operation state information contained in the information image be transmitted to the server300by the user terminal200.

Although the display apparatus with the communicator capable of performing direct communication with the server fails in communication and thus the direct communication with the server is temporarily impossible, information about the operation state of the display apparatus may be transmitted to the server.

FIG. 12is a view illustrating an example of an information image according to still another embodiment of the disclosure. In other words, as shown inFIG. 12, the information image according to this embodiment of the disclosure may further include marketing information provided to a user of the user terminal200in addition to the operation state information. Here, the marketing information refers to information about predetermined goods or service, and includes all sorts of information to be delivered to a user or a consumer. In particular, the marketing information may contain event information that offers benefits to a user. When the marketing information contains the event information, it is possible to further arouse a user's interest and attention.

When the information about predetermined goods or service is displayed on the display103of the display apparatus100, the marketing information may be related to the goods or service. However, the marketing information may contain information about goods or service unrelated to the goods or service displayed on the display apparatus100, without limitations.

When the information image contains the marketing information, the processor102may further output information indicating that the marketing information is contained in the corresponding information image. For example, when the information containing the marketing information along with the operation state information is given in the form of the QR code as shown inFIG. 12, only the QR code is not enough to let a user know whether the information contains the marketing information, and therefore the processor102makes the display103display a message of “A giveaway event is in progress. Please read the QR code below and check the event information”, or the like, thereby notifying a user that the information image contains the marketing information useful for a user. However, there are no limits to the content and the output method of the information indicating that the information image contains the marketing information.

By arousing a user's interest in and attention to the information image displayed on the display apparatus, and inducing a user's behavior of recognizing the information image through the user terminal, it is possible to increase probability of transmitting the operation state information contained the information image to the server through the user terminal.

According to still another embodiment of the disclosure, i.e. according to an embodiment where the information image further includes the marketing information, operation of a display apparatus and a system including the same will be described with reference toFIGS. 13 and 14.FIG. 13is a schematic view of a system including a display apparatus according to still another embodiment of the disclosure, andFIG. 14is a flowchart showing operation of a system including a display apparatus according to still another embodiment of the disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 14, operation of each apparatus and transfer of information in this embodiment will be described below in detail. First, the processor102of the display apparatus100makes a content image be displayed on the display103(S1401). Then, the processor102of the display apparatus100generates the operation state information to be transmitted to the server300(S1402), and makes the information image containing the marketing information in addition to the generated operation state information be displayed on the display103(S1403). The processor102may further output information indicating that the information image contains the marketing information.

When a user who knows that the information image containing the marketing information is displayed inputs a user command issued to capture the displayed information image to the user terminal200, the processor202of the user terminal200receives the user command and controls the user terminal to capture the information image displayed on the display103of the display apparatus100(S1404). Then, the processor202recognizes the information image obtained by the capturing, and then controls the user terminal to transmit the information image to the server300(S1405). For example, when the information image contains the information shown inFIG. 6, the processor202of the user terminal200may directly perform a process of transmitting the information image to the server300with reference to the identification information603, or make the transmission process be performed through a predetermined application of the user terminal200.

As the user terminal200transmits the information image, the processor302of the server300controls the server300to receive the information image (S1406). Further, the processor302of the server300separates the operation state information and the marketing information from the received information image (S1407), and performs an individual process with regard to each piece of the information. For example, the operation state information is subjected to a process for storing the operation state (S1408), thereby collecting basic data for the maintenance of the display apparatus100. On the other hand, the marketing information is processed (S1409), and then a process result is transmitted to the user terminal200(S1410). For example, when the marketing information contains event information for promoting a predetermined product, the processor302of the server300identifies whether a user of the user terminal200wins an event based on the separated marketing information, and transmits an identification result to the user terminal200.

As the server300transmits the result of processing the marketing information, the processor202of the user terminal200controls the user terminal200to receive the result of processing the marketing information (S1411). Further, the processor202executes operation based on the received process result (S1412). For example, the processor202receives the result of whether a user wins the event or not from the server300, and controls the user terminal200to output an image based on the wining result.

Meanwhile, the user terminal200in the foregoing description, by way of example, captures the information image displayed on the display apparatus100in order to obtain the information image, but the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited to this description. Alternatively, the processor102of the display apparatus100may transmit the information image to the user terminal200instead of or along with displaying the information image on the display103. In particular, the display apparatus100may transmit the information image to the user terminal200by short-range communication. In this regard, descriptions will be made with reference toFIG. 15.

FIG. 15is a schematic view showing operation of detecting a user's approach to the display apparatus100and transmitting the information image to the user terminal200when the display apparatus100uses a short-range communication technique to communicate with the user terminal200. In other words, the processor102of the display apparatus100generates the information image containing the operation state information, detects whether a user approaches the display apparatus100(see (1) ofFIG. 15), and transmits the information image to the user terminal200when the user's approach is detected (see (2) ofFIG. 15). Alternatively, the display103may display the information image and allow a user to capture the information image like the foregoing embodiment, after detecting whether the user approaches the display apparatus100.

The processor202of the user terminal200receives the information image and then transmits the received information image to the server300(see (3) ofFIG. 15). To this end, the short-range communication technique includes a beacon technique, etc. by way of example without limitations. As an example of a communication module for the short-range communication, there are Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, etc. but there are no limits to the kind of communication module. Alternatively, instead of using the processor102of the display apparatus100to detect a user's location as described above, the user may employ the user terminal200to make a direct request for the information image to the display apparatus100.

Thus, a user's capturing operation is omitted in this embodiment on the contrary to the case where a user directly control the user terminal to capture the information image so that the operation state information contained in the information image can be transmitted to the server, and it is thus more convenient for the user to transmit the operation state information to the server.

Even in this embodiment, the information image may further include the marketing information. In other words, the processor102of the display apparatus100may generate the information image containing the marketing information in addition to the operation state information and then transmit the information image to the user terminal200, thereby making the information image be displayed on the display203of the user terminal200. In this case, the processor102of the display apparatus100may generate the information image so that only content about the marketing information can be externally displayed as shown inFIG. 16. Accordingly, a user may not recognize that the operation state information is contained in the information image.

Further, the processor102of the display apparatus100may further add an item1601to be selected by a user, while generating the information image to be directly transmitted to the user terminal200as the information image containing the marketing information in addition to the operation state information. For example, when the marketing information contains event information, the processor102may generate the information image to contain the item1601so that a user can select whether to participate in a corresponding event. In this case, the processor202of the user terminal200controls the user terminal200to transmit the information image to the server300for the purpose of processing the marketing information, in response to reception of a user's input of selecting the item1601. Thus, the operation state information contained in the information image is also transmitted to the server300.

Thus, it is possible to not only directly transmit the information image to the user terminal without a user's job of capturing the information image, but also control the information image and the operation state information contained in the information image to be transmitted to the server in response to a user's selection of checking the marketing information.

Meanwhile, in the foregoing embodiment, the operation state information of the display apparatus100is transmitted to the server300through the user terminal200as embedded in the information image. Besides, the disclosure may further make the server300receiving the operation state information generate and transmit action information based on the received operation state information to the display apparatus100through the user terminal200. Here, the action information refers to information generated corresponding to the operation state information of the display apparatus and utilized in changing the operation state of the display apparatus100. In this regard, descriptions will be made with reference toFIG. 17.

For example, when the operation state information of the display apparatus100is transmitted to the server300based on one embodiment among the foregoing embodiments, the processor302of the server300not only stores—collects the operation state information in the storage so that a manager or the like can utilize the collected information for maintenance of the display apparatus100, but also generates the action information to be utilized in changing the operation state of the display apparatus100and transmits the action information to the display apparatus100through the user terminal200. In other words, when the processor302of the server300generates action information and transmits the action information to the user terminal200(see (1) ofFIG. 17), the processor202of the user terminal200receives the action information (see (2) ofFIG. 17) and then transmits the received action information to the display apparatus100(see (3) ofFIG. 17). The display apparatus100receiving the action information from the user terminal200utilizes the action information to change the operation state of the display apparatus100(see (4) ofFIG. 17). In this case, the user terminal200and the display apparatus100may be provided with separate applications to receive, transmit and process the action information as described above.

Thus, even when direct communication is impossible between the display apparatus and the server, it is possible to not only transmit the operation state information of the display apparatus to the server but also transmit the information generated in the server to the display apparatus as the information utilizable in the following action based on the operation state information, thereby further reducing efforts and costs required for the maintenance of the display apparatus.

As described above, according to the disclosure, it is possible to generate the state information of the display apparatus.

Further, according to the disclosure, the state information of the display apparatus is effectively transmitted to the server that manages the display apparatus.

Although a few exemplary embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated by a person having an ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be actualized in different forms without changing their technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the foregoing embodiments are all for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure.