Abstract:
Method for downloading and installing control software is provided. The method includes the following steps. Send a request from a smart electronic device to a control device for obtaining device information of the control device. Receive the device information which includes a download address of control software corresponding to the control device. Download the control software from the download address. And install the control software on the smart electronic device. A system for downloading and installing control software and a smart electronic device are also provided.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to remote control technology, especially to a method and system for downloading and installing control software and a smart electronic device using the same. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Some smart electronic devices (e.g., smart phones) can be used to control household appliances. Generally, control software corresponding to a specific household appliance is installed on the smart electronic device. The control software can be used by the smart electronic device to control a specific household appliance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts or sections throughout the drawings. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for controlling a control device. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for downloading and installing control software. 
           [0006]      FIGS. 3 and 4  together constitute a single flowchart of an embodiment of a method for downloading and installing control software. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” The references “a plurality of” and “a number of” mean “at least two.” 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a system  1 . The system  1  can include a smart electronic device  11 , a control device  12 , and a terminal  13 . The control device  12  is coupled to the terminal  13 . The smart electronic device  11  can be a smart phone, a tablet personal computer, or other suitable electronic device. The terminal  13  can be a television, a light, an air conditioner, or other suitable household appliance. The control device  12  can be built into the terminal  13 , or be an independent device. 
         [0009]    The smart electronic device  11  is able to wirelessly communicate with the control device  12 . The control device  12  can communicate with the matched terminal  13  wirelessly or through wires. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the smart electronic device  11  can include a storage unit  111 , a first communication unit  112 , a processor  113 , and a display unit  114 . The storage unit  111  stores a number of control software, which can be downloaded from the Internet. 
         [0011]    The first communication unit  112  can be a Bluetooth module, a radio frequency identification (RFID) module, or other suitable short-range communication module. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates one control device  12  and one terminal  13 . However, a number of the control device  12  and the terminal  13  is not limited. The control device  12  can include a second communication unit  121 . The second communication unit  121  is used to communicate with the first communication unit  112 . The second communication unit  121  can be a Bluetooth module, an RFID module, a network interface card, or other suitable communication module. 
         [0013]    The processor  113  can include a display control module  1131  that is used for controlling the display unit  114 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system  2  for downloading and installing control software in the smart electronic device  11 . Please also refer to the  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment, the system  2  can include a number of function modules, a portion of which run on the smart electronic device  11 , and a portion of which run on the control device  12 . In an alternative embodiment, the function modules may run only on the smart electronic device  11 . 
         [0015]    In the embodiment, the function modules of the system  2  can include a detection module  21 , a connection module  22 , a device information acquisition module  23 , a determination module  24 , a downloading module  25 , and an installation module  26 . The modules  21 - 26  can be executable by the processor  113  of the smart electronic device  11 . The function modules can further include a device information providing module  27 , which runs on the control device  12 . In other embodiments, the function modules of the system  2  may be a collection of software instructions executable by the processor  113  of the smart electronic device  11  and the control device  12 . 
         [0016]    The detection module  21  is used for detecting whether there is a control device  12  within a predetermined range of the smart electronic device  11 . 
         [0017]    When a control device  12  is detected, the connection module  22  establishes a wireless connection between the smart electronic device  11  and the detected control device  12  via the first communication unit  112  and the second communication unit  121 . 
         [0018]    When the connection module  22  has established the wireless connection between the smart electronic device  11  and the detected control device  12 , the device information acquisition module  23  generates a request for obtaining the device information of the detected control device  12 , and further transmits the request to the detected control device  12 . 
         [0019]    After the second communication unit  121  of the control device  12  receives the request, the device information providing module  27  obtains device information of the control device  12  and transmits the device information to the smart electronic device  11  via the second communication unit  121 . In the embodiment, the device information includes the name of the control device  12  and the download address of the corresponding control software. 
         [0020]    After the first communication unit  112  of the smart electronic device  11  receives the device information transmitted from the control device  12 , the display control module  1131  controls the display unit  114  to display the received device information. 
         [0021]    The determination module  24  determines whether there is control software in the storage unit  111  corresponding to the detected control device  12  according to the name of the control device  12  contained in the received device information. If there is control software corresponding to the control device  12 , the determination module  23  further determines whether the control software corresponding to the control device has been installed on the smart electronic device  11 . If the control software has not been installed on the smart electronic device  11 , the installation module  26  installs the corresponding control software on the smart electronic device  11 . 
         [0022]    If the determination module  24  determines that there is no control software in the storage unit  111  corresponding to the detected control device  12 , the downloading module  25  downloads the control software corresponding to the control device  12  from the Internet according to the download address contained in the received device information, and further stores the downloaded control software in the storage unit  111 . The installation module  26  then installs the downloaded control software on the smart electronic device  11 . 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the smart electronic device  11  can further include an input unit  115 . The input unit  115  can be a touch sensitive screen, a touchpad, a keypad, a microphone, or other suitable input device. The control software installed on the smart electronic device  11  can control the smart electronic device  11  to generate a control signal in response to a user&#39;s operation via the input unit  115 . The first communication unit  112  of the smart electronic device  11  transmits the control signal to the control device  12 . The control device  12  generates a command according to the control signal, and the second communication unit  121  of the control device  12  transmits the command to the terminal  13 . The terminal  13  receives and executes an operation in response to the command. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 3 and 4  together constitute a single flowchart of an embodiment of a method for downloading control software and installing the control software on a smart electronic device. 
         [0025]    In block  310 , the detection module detects whether there is a control device within a predetermined range of the smart electronic device. If so, the procedure goes to block  320 . Otherwise, the procedure goes to block  310 . 
         [0026]    In block  320 , the connection module establishes a wireless connection between the smart electronic device and the detected control device. 
         [0027]    In block  330 , the device information acquisition module generates a request for obtaining device information of the detected control device and controls the first communication unit to transmit the request to the detected control device. 
         [0028]    In block  340 , the second communication unit of the detected control device receives the request, and the device information providing module controls the detected control device to obtain the device information of the control device and controls the second communication unit to transmit the device information to the smart electronic device. 
         [0029]    In block  350 , the first communication unit receives the device information, and the display control module controls the display unit to display the device information. 
         [0030]    In block  360 , the determination module determines whether there is control software corresponding to the detected control device. If so, the procedure goes to block  370 ; otherwise, the procedure goes to block  380 . 
         [0031]    In block  370 , the determination module determines whether the control software corresponding to the control device has been installed on the smart electronic device. If so, the procedure ends, otherwise, the procedure goes to block  390 . 
         [0032]    In block  380 , the downloading module downloads the control software from the Internet according to the download address contained in the received device information and stores the downloaded control software in the storage unit. 
         [0033]    In block  390 , the installation module installs the downloaded control software on the smart electronic device. 
         [0034]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of various embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.