JPH05268673A - Remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability by omitting trouble of re-input when inputted information is not outputted. CONSTITUTION:Information is inputted by a key board 12, a light receiving circuit 16 detects the presence of a remote control signal sent from other remote controller and when it is detected that the remote control signal sent from other device is in existence, a CPU 2 interrupts an output of the remote control signal and transfers data in an output buffer 24 to a wait buffer 26. When the remote control signal sent from other device cannot be detected, data in the wait buffer 26 and the output buffer 24 are outputted to an infrared ray output circuit 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control device used for home electric appliances and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 4, a remote control device of this type has a keyboard 32 for receiving a user's operation.
And an infrared LED 44 for outputting a remote control signal, and a microcomputer 36 for converting a signal received from the keyboard 32 into a format corresponding to each key and outputting it to the infrared LED 34.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, when the user operates the TV remote controller 38 to change the channel of the TV 40, a remote controller signal is directed from the infrared LED of the TV remote controller 38 to the TV 40. Then, the television 40 receives the signal at a receiver (not shown), and the channel of the television 40 can be continuously changed. On the other hand, by operating the video remote controller 42, the video 4
4 by remote control, infrared L of the video remote control 42
A remote control signal is emitted from the ED, and the video 44 receives the signal at a receiver (not shown) and performs an operation according to the remote control signal.

However, in the above remote control device, if another user uses the video remote controller 42 while using the television remote controller 38, the receiving section of the television 40 will receive the previously used television remote controller 38. Since it receives a composite signal of the remote control signal of (1) and the remote control signal of the video remote controller 42 used later, it cannot be determined as a remote control signal and is regarded as noise and invalidated. Therefore, the channel of the television 40 does not change during that time, and the user may mistakenly think that the television 40 or the remote controller 38 for television malfunctions.

For the same reason, the video remote controller 42 outputs a remote control signal from the video remote controller 42 which stores a series of key operations such as recording reservation of the video 44 and outputs key information at one time. In the meantime, when the TV remote controller 38 is used by another user, the receiving unit of the video 44 receives a composite signal of the remote controller signal of the video remote controller 42 and the remote controller signal of the TV remote controller 38. The video 44 has the drawback that it cannot accept reservations.

Therefore, the present applicant has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 4-4552.
In the specification and drawings attached to the application of No. 2, when the remote control device detects a remote control signal of another device,
The remote control device has proposed a remote control device capable of preventing interference due to remote control signals from a plurality of remote control devices by not outputting a remote control signal.

[0007]

However, in the remote control device according to the above proposal, since the information input when the remote control signal is not output is not output, the information input at that time is output. Has
This was very troublesome because it was necessary to input the same information again after the remote control signal from another device was not detected.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a remote control device with good operability, saving the trouble of re-inputting when input information is not output. It is an object.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, the remote control device of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, has an input means for inputting information and information input by the input means. Output means for outputting as a remote control signal corresponding to, detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a remote control signal of another device when information is input in the input means, and a remote control signal of the other device for the detection means. When detected, the output cutoff means for cutting off the output by the output means, the storage means for storing the information input from the input means while the output is cut off, and the output cutoff by the output cutoff means And a sending means for reading the information stored in the storage means and sending the information to the output means.

[0010]

The remote control device of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure is
When the information is input by the input unit, the detection unit detects the presence / absence of a remote control signal emitted from another remote control device. When the detection means does not detect a remote control signal emitted from another remote control device, the output means converts the information input from the input means into a remote control signal corresponding to the information and outputs it. On the other hand, when the detecting means detects a remote control signal emitted from another remote control device, the output blocking means prevents the output means from outputting the remote control signal. At this time, the input information is temporarily stored in the storage means, and is sent to the output means by the sending means after the output cutoff means completes the cutoff of the output.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a control device of the remote control device 1 embodying the present invention. The main body of the control device is the well-known CPU 2,
The microcomputer 10 includes a ROM 4, a RAM 6, a counter 7, and a bus 8 that connects them.

A keyboard 12, an infrared output circuit 14, and a light receiving circuit 16 are connected to the microcomputer 10. The keyboard 12 has a large number of keys for inputting user's key operations. The infrared output circuit 14 converts an electrical output signal from the CPU 2 into an infrared signal and outputs the infrared signal from an infrared LED (not shown), and the light receiving circuit 16 emits infrared light emitted from another device. The signal is converted into an electrical signal, and further demodulated to the signal required for remote control signal analysis, and then C
Tell PU2.

The ROM 4 has a program memory 18 for storing a control program for controlling the operation of the entire remote controller 1 of this embodiment, and keys for storing key codes corresponding to the respective keys of the keyboard 12. A code memory 20 and a custom code memory 22 that stores a custom code defined for each device are provided.

On the other hand, in the RAM 4, by the CPU 2,
An output buffer 24 for storing output signal data obtained by converting the key code and the custom code read from the ROM 4 into a remote control signal format, and a keyboard when the remote control signal from another remote control device is received and the output is cut off. A wait buffer 26 is provided for storing the output signal data input from 12 and converted into the format of the remote control signal.

Further, the counter 7 divides a system clock (not shown) of the microcomputer 10 to generate a carrier frequency of the remote control signal, and the bus 8
Notify CPU2 via.

The operation of the remote control device 1 configured as above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the power source of the remote controller 1 is turned on, the CPU 2 in the microcomputer 10 initializes the RAM 6, the counter 7, etc. by the program stored in the ROM 4 (S1), and inputs until the keyboard 12 is input. The waiting state is continued (S2). When the user presses a key (S2: YES), the CPU 2 reads the key code corresponding to the key from the key code memory 20 in the ROM 4, and further the custom code determined for the device in the ROM.
4 is read from the custom code memory 22 and converted into a predetermined serial format for the remote control signal together with the above-mentioned key code, and the output buffer 2 of the RAM 6
4 (S3).

Next, the CPU 2 measures the pulse width of the signal input from the light receiving circuit 16 by using the system clock, and if the pulse width is less than a certain width, it is regarded as an external noise such as a fluorescent lamp ( S4: NO), the CPU2
A carrier signal is generated using the counter 7 inside the microcomputer 10, and the data converted into the serial format created in S3 is read from the output buffer 24 of the RAM 6, and the carrier signal is modulated to output infrared rays. Output to the circuit 14 (S5). The output circuit 14 is C
The electric remote control signal output from PU2 is converted into an infrared signal and output. When the output is completed, the CPU 2 returns to the input waiting state (S2).

On the other hand, if the pulse width is a certain width or more, it is judged that a remote control signal issued from another remote control device is input (S4: YES), and the output buffer 24
The data stored in the wait buffer 26 is transferred to the wait buffer 26, and the state returns to the input waiting state (S2). Furthermore, when the information is input from the keyboard 12 (S2: YES) and the information is converted as described above and stored in the output buffer 24 (S3), the pulse width is still the predetermined width or more. If (S4: YES), the data newly stored in the output buffer 24 is also transferred to the wait buffer 26. At this time, if the pulse width is equal to or less than the predetermined width (S4: NO), the CPU 2 uses the counter 7 inside the microcomputer 10 to generate a carrier signal and converts the carrier signal into a serial format as described above. The generated data is read from the output buffer 24 and the weight buffer 26 of the RAM 6, the carrier signal is modulated and output to the infrared output circuit 14 (S5). Output circuit 14
Converts an electric remote control signal output from the CPU 2 into an infrared signal and outputs the infrared signal. When the output is finished, CP
U2 returns to the input waiting state (S2).

Thus, the remote control device 1 of this embodiment
When another remote control device is used, it detects an infrared signal emitted from the other remote control device and stores the information input from the keyboard 12 when it stops outputting its own signal. Since the stored information is output when it becomes possible to output its own signal, it is possible to save the trouble of re-inputting the once input information.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, instead of the keyboard 12, a bar code reader or the like may be used.

Instead of infrared rays, electromagnetic waves, ultrasonic waves, or the like may be used as the carrier medium for the remote control signal.

The timing for storing the data in the wait buffer 26 may be, for example, immediately after being input from the keyboard 12, not after being converted into a remote control signal.

Further, since a remote control signal emitted from another remote control device is normally received for about 1 to 2 seconds, the data stored in the wait buffer 26 is output after counting for several seconds by the counter 7. May be controlled as follows.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, the remote control device of the present invention is used when another remote control device is used and a remote control signal issued from the other remote control device is detected. , When the remote control signal is no longer output from its own remote control device, the data relating to the remote control signal of its own is stored, and is configured to be output after the output becomes possible. Therefore, the information once input is re-input. It saves time and improves operability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to a claim of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote control device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote control device of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional remote control device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage example of a conventional remote control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control device 2 CPU 10 Microcomputer 12 Keyboard 14 Infrared output circuit 16 Light receiving circuit 26 Weight buffer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Input means for inputting information, output means for outputting the information input by the input means as a remote control signal corresponding to the information, and other information when the information is input by the input means. Detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a remote control signal of the device; output cutoff means for cutting off the output by the output means when the detection means detects a remote control signal for the other device; And storage means for storing the information input from the input means, and sending means for reading the information stored in the storage means and sending it to the output means after the output cutoff by the output cutoff means is completed. A remote control device characterized in that