JP2003298960A - Controller and method for displaying command thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately display commands usable for the electronic devices on a display apparatus in a controller capable of controlling all electronic devices connected to the controller. <P>SOLUTION: The microprocessor 13a of a controller 13 receives information with respect to commands usable for CE (Consumer Electronics) devices 11, 12 from the CE devices 11, 12 connected to the controller 13 and stores the information into memories 13b, 13c. The microprocessor 13a reads the command display data of a selected CE device among the CE devices 11, 12 from the memory 13c and supplies the data to a display control circuit 13g. The display control circuit 13g converts the command display data (e.g. data related to a display size and a display position) on the basis of the display area of a display apparatus 16 and produces a command display signal on the basis of the command display data after the conversion. Even when the display area assumed by the CE devices 11, 12 differs from the display area of the display apparatus 16, the display apparatus 16 can properly display the command. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to electronic equipment such as a plurality of audio equipment and video equipment (hereinafter referred to as "CE").
(Consumer Electronics) device ”) and a command display method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 shows the operation of a plurality of CE devices.
An example of the conventional electronic device apparatus controlled by the controller is shown. In the figure, 1A to 1C are CE devices such as audio devices and video devices, respectively.
Is a CE controller for controlling the operations of the CE devices 1A to 1C. The CE devices 1A to 1C are each connected to the CE controller 2. A key input unit 3 and a display 4 are connected to the CE controller 2.

The CE controller 2 has information on commands (command formats, types of commands that can be used, etc.) for controlling CE devices to be connected in advance.
Data of each command, etc.). Therefore, when the CE device to be controlled by the key input unit 3 is selected, the types of commands that can be used by the selected CE device are displayed on the display unit 4. When a predetermined command is selected by the key input unit 3 with reference to the display on the display 4, the CE controller 2 supplies a command signal relating to the selected command to the selected CE device.

[0004]

According to the example of FIG. 10,
The CE controller 2 is provided beforehand with information related to commands for controlling CE devices to be connected. Therefore, there is a problem that only the CE device to be connected can be controlled.

The present invention provides, for example, a control device capable of controlling all electronic devices connected thereto and capable of appropriately displaying a command usable for the electronic device on a display, and a command display method thereof. To do.

[0006]

A control device according to the present invention is connected to an electronic device, and in a control device for controlling the operation of the electronic device, a predetermined command display data regarding a command that can be used for the electronic device,
The command display data is converted based on the storage means for receiving and storing from this electronic device and the display area of the display connected to the control device, and the command is displayed on the display based on the converted command display data. It is provided with display control means for generating a command display signal for displaying, and input means for selecting a predetermined electronic device from the electronic devices and selecting a command to be transmitted to the selected electronic device.

The command display method according to the present invention is a command display method of a control device which is connected to an electronic device and controls the operation of the electronic device, and which is predetermined command display data regarding a command that can be used in the electronic device. The command display data receiving step of receiving from the electronic device, and converting the command display data based on the display area of the display connected to the control device,
And a display control step of generating a command display signal for displaying a command on the display based on the converted command display data.

According to the present invention, the predetermined command display data regarding the command that can be used in the electronic device is received from the electronic device. This command display data is converted based on the display area of the display. For example, the data relating to the display size of the command display data is converted based on the display area of the display. Further, for example, the data relating to the display position of the command display data is converted based on the display area of the display.

A command display signal for displaying the command on the display is generated based on the command display data converted in this way. As a result, the command that can be used in the electronic device can be displayed on the display device in an appropriate state.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, 11 and 12 are CE devices, and 11a and 12a are communication with a CE controller, which will be described later, and CE devices 11 and 12, respectively.
Is a microprocessor for controlling the operation of each part of the. The microprocessors 11a and 12a are CEs, respectively.
CE bus 1 via bus interfaces 11c and 12c
4 is connected. The microprocessors 11a and 12a are connected to memories 11b and 12b in which information related to commands that can be used in the CE devices 11 and 12 are stored in advance. The information related to the command is command parameter data and command button data.

The command parameter data is, for example, the number of bits, the pulse width of "1" or "0", the pattern of "1" or "0" of each command, and the like. The command button data is mainly data for displaying commands in a button format on a display device described later. FIG. 2 shows a part of the command button data when the CE device is the VTR. The command button data is the name of each command,
The data includes the button shape of each command, the display position of the button of each command, the display color of the button of each command, and the execution condition of each command.

Reference numeral 13 is a CE controller,
Reference numeral 3a is a CE device connected to the CE controller 13, for example, a microprocessor for controlling communication with the CE devices 11 and 12 and operation of each part of the CE controller 13. The microprocessor 13a is connected to the CE bus 14 via the CE bus interface 13d. A command parameter memory 13b and a command button data memory 13c are connected to the microprocessor 13a. The memory 13b stores command parameter data sent from each of the CE devices connected to the CE controller 13. The memory 13c also stores command button data sent from each of the CE devices connected to the CE controller 13.

Command parameters data and command button data are stored in the memories 13b and 13c, respectively, in the following procedure.

That is, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 uses the interface 13d for C
A command signal of "command parameter data request" is sent to the E bus 14 at a predetermined time interval. In this state, when the microprocessor 11a of the CE device 11 is connected to the CE bus 14 via the interface 11c, the CE
The command signal “command parameter data request” is sent from the bus 14 via the interface 11c to the CE device 11.
Is supplied to the microprocessor 11a.

The microprocessor 11a of the CE device 11
Responds to the command signal of "command parameter data request", reads the command parameter data from the memory 11b, adds the device number data, and then sends it to the CE bus 14 via the interface 11c. This command parameter data is supplied to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 via the interface 13d. Then, it is supplied from the microprocessor 13a to the memory 13b and written in a predetermined address.

Next, after the writing of the command parameter data to the memory 13b is completed, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 causes the interface 13 to operate.
A command signal of "command button data request" is added to the CE bus 14 via d and is sent with the device number data added. This "command button data request" command signal is sent from the CE bus 14 to the CE via the interface 11c.
It is supplied to the microprocessor 11a of the device 11.

The microprocessor 11a of the CE device 11
Recognizes that the command signal is for itself from the device number data added to the command signal of "command button data request", then reads the command button data from the memory 11b and adds the device number data. CE bus 1 later via interface 11c
Send to 4. This command button data is supplied to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 via the interface 13d. Then, it is supplied from the microprocessor 13a to the memory 13c and written in a predetermined address.

Although the device number of the CE device 11 is set manually at the time of connection, the CE controller 1
3 may be automatically set by communication with the CE bus 14 via the CE bus 14. Further, in the above description, when the CE device 11 is connected to the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14, the CE device 11 immediately starts the operation of transmitting the command parameter data to the CE controller 13. When the CE device 11 or the CE controller 13 is in the power-off state at the time of connecting 11, the operation of sending command parameter data from the CE device 11 to the CE controller 13 is started after power-on.

The above is the case where the CE device 11 is connected to the CE bus 14, and the command parameter data and the command button data of the CE device 11 are C
Although the procedure of storing in the memories 13b and 13c of the E controller 13 has been described, the command parameter data and the command button data of the CE device 12 are also stored in the memories 13b and 13c of the CE controller 13 by substantially the same procedure.

However, unlike the CE device 11, the microprocessor 12a of the CE device 12 is different from the interface 1
It is connected to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 via 2d and the interface 13e. Therefore, the microprocessor 1 of the CE controller 13
Except for basic command signals such as "command parameter data request" and "command button data request" from 3a, other command signals are sent from the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 to the interfaces 13e, 1e.
2d via the microprocessor 12a of the CE device 12
Is supplied to.

Therefore, in response to the "command parameter data request" from the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13, the microprocessor 12a of the CE device 12 designates the interface, and the command parameter on the designated interface is CE. The device number data is attached to the bus 14 and transmitted. For example, when RS-232C is specified as the interface, data in the physical layer such as baud rate and parity, and data in the logical layer such as command header and byte number are sent as command parameter data.

In the above description, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 sends the command signal of "command parameter data request" to the CE bus 14 via the interface 13d at a predetermined time interval. Is individually connected to the dedicated line for confirming the connection of the CE bus 14, the "command parameter data request" is performed as follows, for example. In this case, the CE controller 13 is individually connected to the dedicated line for connection confirmation, and the CE controller 13 is connected to the connected CE.
Since the device number of the device can be determined, it is not necessary to manually set the device number.

The microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 can confirm the connection of the CE device with a dedicated line for confirming the connection.
A command signal of "command parameter data request" is sent from 3a to the CE bus 14 via the interface 13d with the device number data of the CE device whose connection is confirmed. On the other hand, the microprocessor of the CE device whose connection has been confirmed sends the command parameter data to the CE bus 14 after adding the device number data after confirming that it is for itself. The following is similar to the case where the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 sends a command signal of "command parameter data request" to the CE bus 14 at a predetermined time interval.

Further, the CE devices 11 and 12 are connected to the CE bus 14.
In the case where the line is commonly connected to the dedicated line for connection confirmation, the "command parameter data request" is performed as follows, for example.

That is, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 can confirm the connection of the CE device by the dedicated line for confirming the connection, and the microprocessor 13a sends the CE to the CE via the interface 13d.
A command signal “command parameter data request” is sent to the bus 14. This command signal is CE bus 14
Is supplied to the CE device connected to the CE device, the microprocessor of the CE device sends the command parameter data to the CE bus 14 after adding the device number data.
The following is the microprocessor 1 of the CE controller 13
This is the same as the case where the command signal of "command parameter data request" is transmitted from 3a to the CE bus 14 at a predetermined time interval.

Further, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 has a remote control signal receiving section 13f for receiving a remote control signal output from the remote control commander 15.
And the display control circuit 13g are connected. Note that 13h is an interface to which another CE device is connected.

In this example, a CE device is connected to the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14 by operating the keys of the remote control commander 15. In this example, the CE devices 11 and 12 are used.
It is possible to selectively display the commands available for the display 16 in the form of buttons.

In this case, the CE device for command display is designated by the key operation of the remote control commander 15.
The microprocessor 13a reads the command display data (name of each command, button shape of each command, button display position of each command, display color of button of each command, etc.) of the specified CE device from the memory 13c. , This command display data is displayed on the display control circuit 13g.
Supply to.

The display control circuit 13g forms a command display signal based on the command display data. The command display signal output from the display device 13g is supplied to the display device 16 such as a CRT or LCD.
The command of the CE device specified in 6 is displayed in the button format. Here, the display area LCE assumed by the CE device
Is different from the display area LDS of the display device 16, the display control circuit 13g performs conversion processing of enlargement or reduction,
A command is displayed on the display 16 in an appropriate size.

For example, while the display area LCE is 100 × 80 dots as shown in FIG. 3A, the display area LDS is
Is 640 × 480 dots, as shown in FIG.
The display data (display position, button shape, button name, etc.) of the E device is converted into aspect ratio and aspect ratio. For example, when the display data of the CE device is as shown in FIG. 4A, the aspect ratio is converted and displayed on the display 16 as shown in FIG. 4B.

Further, when the commands of two or more CE devices are simultaneously displayed by operating the keys of the remote control commander 15, the display area LCE and the display unit 16 assumed by the CE devices are displayed.
From the size relation of the display area LDS of the display control circuit 13g
Then, reduction conversion processing is performed as necessary, and the display 16
The command is displayed in the appropriate size for.

For example, when the commands of the CE devices 11 and 12 are simultaneously displayed, the display area L of the CE devices 11 and 12 is displayed.
When CE is 100 × 80 dots each as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the display area LDS is 64 as shown in FIG. 5C.
On the display device 16 having 0 × 480 dots, the commands of the CE devices 11 and 12 are displayed side by side in the horizontal direction without the conversion process of reduction. In the command display of FIG. 5C,
CE-A indicates the command display of the CE device 11, and CE-A
B shows the command display of the CE device 12.

On the other hand, for example, the CE devices 11 and 1
When simultaneously displaying the two commands, the CE device 11, 1
2 display areas LCE are 6 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively.
When the display device LDS has a size of 40 × 480 dots, the display device LDS has a display region LDS of 640 × 480 dots, and the CE device 11, which has undergone a reduction conversion process to ½ in the horizontal direction.
Twelve commands are displayed side by side in the horizontal direction. In the command display of FIG. 6C, CE-A is the CE device 11
The command display of CE device 12 is shown, and CE-B shows the command display of CE device 12.

Although different from this example, in the case where a plurality of display devices are connected to the CE controller 13, the command display of one CE device is divided into categories and displayed on each display device. Can also be considered. For example, in the case where the CE device is a VTR and there are recording / playback systems and tuner systems as commands as shown in FIG. 7A, while having a display 16a in addition to the display 16 as shown by the broken line in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the recording / playback type command display is performed on the display unit 16 and the tuner type command display is performed on the display unit 16a.

In this case, when the command display is deviated on each screen of the displays 16 and 16a, the display control circuit 13g may perform the position conversion process for centering. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the recording / playback display area LRP displayed on the display 16 is A × B dots, and the horizontal start coordinate of the display area LRP is x and the vertical start coordinate is y, and the display area LDS of the display 16 is C
When xD dots (A <C, B <D), a = (C−A) is obtained after subtracting x in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 8B.
/ 2 is added, and y is subtracted in the vertical direction, and then b =
Position conversion processing is performed in which (D−B) / 2 is added.
By performing such position conversion processing, the display area LRP is centered.

Thus, in this example, the remote control commander 1
By operating the key of 5, the commands that can be used for the CE device connected to the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14, that is, the CE devices 11 and 12 in this example, can be displayed on the display 16 in the button format. In this example, the CE device and the command can be selected by the remote control commander 15 with reference to such a command display. CE devices and commands can be selected directly by operating the keys on the remote control commander 15.
Although it may be possible to input the device and the command, in this example, the command display (icon) displayed on the display unit 16 can be easily performed by selecting by moving the cursor 20 as shown in FIG. You can In this case, the command button data (see Fig. 2) execution condition (ex
The selection of the CE device and the command is valid only when the "ecute condition" is satisfied.

The microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 knows which position of the display device 16 displays which command of which CE device, and also knows the display position of the cursor 20. Therefore, C
The microprocessor 13a of the E controller 13 can recognize by the cursor 20 which command of which CE device is selected.

In FIG. 2, "CLICK" and "D"
"OUPLE CLICK" means pressing the key of the remote control commander 15 corresponding to the click key of the mouse once and twice respectively. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the microprocessor 1 of the CE controller 13
When a mouse is connected to 3a, the mouse may be used to move the cursor 20 and give an execution instruction by a click key.

As described above, when the CE device and the command selected by the remote control commander 15 or the mouse are valid, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 is selected based on the command parameter data stored in the memory 13b. A command signal related to the command is formed in a predetermined format, and the command signal is sent to the selected CE device. In this case, in the case of a CE device such as the CE device 11 which is connected to the CE controller 13 only via the CE bus 14, the command signal is supplied via the CE bus 14. On the other hand, when it is connected to the CE controller 13 via the separate interfaces 13e and 12d like the CE device 12 in addition to the CE bus 14, the command signal is the interface 13
e, 12d. In the case where the command signal is supplied via the interfaces 13e and 12d as described above, there is an advantage that the CE device can be immediately controlled when the transfer rate of the command signal via the CE bus 14 is faster. .

Even if not mentioned above, it is possible to display the state of each CE device on the display 16 by changing the color of the command display. As mentioned above, the CE controller 1
The CE device to which the command signal is supplied from the microprocessor 13a of No. 3 sends a status signal indicating the changed status to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14 or the like when the status changes.
As a result, the microprocessor 13a can control the display control circuit 13g to change the color of the command display on the display 16 and display the change in the state of the selected CE device. Although the display control circuit 13g performs the conversion process of the display data in the above embodiment, the microprocessor 13a may perform the conversion process.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the CE controller 1 is connected to the memory 13b connected to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14.
Command parameters data are sent and stored from each of the CE devices connected to No. 3, for example, CE devices 11 and 12, and command parameters for controlling the CE device scheduled to be connected as in the prior art. Not only data is stored in advance, but the CE controller 13 can favorably control all CE devices connected thereto.

Further, in the memory 13c connected to the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13, the CE connected to the CE controller 13 via the CE bus 14 is connected.
Command button data is sent and stored from each of the devices, for example, the CE devices 11 and 12, and the command that can be used in each CE device can be displayed on the display 16 based on the command button data. The CE device and the command can be easily selected by referring to the display. Moreover, the CE device and the command can be easily selected only by moving the cursor on the display 16 and selecting the command display.

Incidentally, in the above-mentioned embodiment, in response to the command signal of "command parameter data request", C
Microprocessors 11a and 12a of the E devices 11 and 12
From the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13
Although the command parameter data is sent to and the command parameter data is stored in the memory 13b, the command signal itself for each command may be sent and stored instead of the command parameter data. In this case, the microprocessor 13a of the CE controller 13 sets a predetermined port of the CE device at a low level "L" to instruct the timing of sending the command signal.

In the above embodiment, two CEs are used.
Although the example in which the devices 11 and 12 are connected has been shown, it is needless to say that the present invention can be similarly applied to the case where a larger number of CE devices are connected to the CE controller 13.

[0045]

According to the present invention, the command display data received from the electronic device is converted based on the display area of the display, and the command is displayed on the display based on the converted command display data. The command display signal is generated, and the command usable in the electronic device can be displayed in an appropriate state on the display.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic device apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of command button data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an assumed display area of a CE device and a display area of a display device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining display enlargement processing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of simultaneous command display of two CE devices.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of simultaneous command display (reduction) of two CE devices.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of split display on a plurality of display devices.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining display position conversion processing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of selecting a CE device and a command with a cursor.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example of a conventional electronic device.

[Explanation of symbols]

11,12 CE device 11a, 12a, 13a microprocessors 13 CE controller 13b Command parameter memory 13c Command button memory 13f Remote control signal receiver 13g Display control circuit 14 CE Bus 15 Remote Commander 16,16a Display 20 cursor

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A control device that is connected to an electronic device and controls the operation of the electronic device, and a storage unit that receives from the electronic device predetermined command display data regarding a command that can be used in the electronic device and stores the command display data. , Converting the command display data based on the display area of the display connected to the control device, and generating a command display signal for displaying the command on the display based on the converted command display data A control device, comprising: a display control means for controlling the electronic equipment, and an input means for selecting a predetermined electronic equipment from the electronic equipment and selecting a command to be transmitted to the selected electronic equipment. 2. The display control means divides the display area of the display device into a predetermined number, and generates a command display signal for selectively displaying a command that can be used for different electronic devices in each display area. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The display control means converts the data relating to the display size of the command display data based on the display area to generate the command display signal. The described control device. 4. A plurality of display devices are connected to the control device, and the display control means classifies commands that can be used for a predetermined electronic device into a plurality of categories, and separates the display regions of the respective display devices from each other. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device generates a command display signal for selectively displaying a command of a category. 5. The display control means converts the data relating to the display position of the command display data based on the display area to generate the command display signal. Control device. 6. A command display method of a control device which is connected to an electronic device and controls the operation of the electronic device, wherein predetermined command display data regarding a command usable for the electronic device is received from the electronic device. To convert the command display data based on the command display data receiving step and the display area of the display connected to the control device, and display the command on the display based on the converted command display data. And a display control step of generating the command display signal of.