JP2000069577A - Household electric appliance and remote control method for the household electric appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a remote control unit for an optional appliance used in common to control other appliance in a network where plural household electric appliances are connected via communication interfaces(I/F) in which each household electric appliance is controlled by selecting a control item for a control input I/F displayed graphically from the remote control unit. SOLUTION: A household electric appliance 1 (2) is provided with a local control program LCP 20 (41) that controls an individual hardware 11 (31), a remote control program RCP 21 (42), and a virtual language processing program 22 (43) that translates the RCP 21 (42) described in a virtual language into a language that can be executed by its own CPU 16 (37). In the case of controlling the appliance 2 by remote control of the appliance 1, the RCP 42 of the other appliance 2 is loaded to its own appliance 1 and the RCP 42 and the LCP 41 of the other appliance 2 are cooperated through communication to control the other appliance 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control method for home electric appliances, and more particularly, to a home electric appliance in which a plurality of home electric appliances are provided with an intercommunication function to form a network, and an operation input interface is displayed using input means. The present invention relates to a remote control method for a home appliance in which another home appliance is controlled from the appliance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, home appliances each have a unique function and are often used independently. Recently, however, various types of home appliances have microcomputers (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputers"). With the advancement of intelligent technology, a method of increasing convenience by connecting each device by some kind of communication means and performing mutual control is being adopted.

For example, an AV (Audio-Visual) Compulink is a typical example, and a television receiver (T
V) and video tape recorder (VTR) are connected with a communication cable, and power on / off,
Command codes corresponding to one-to-one correspondences for various controls, such as channel change, tape playback / stop, volume change, etc., are determined in advance, and the commands are transferred between the devices so that the entire network can be transferred. It realizes unified control.

[0004] Most home electric appliances such as TVs, VTRs, and audio systems have a configuration in which most of them can be controlled by remote control via modulated infrared light. Unit)). However, if the control items are diversified, the operation keys of the remote control unit will be too many and the unit size will be too large.
Control by on-screen display (hereinafter, “interface” is abbreviated as “I / F”) has attracted attention. That is, if necessary, the graphical operation input I / F is displayed on the TV screen or V-screen.
Display on LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) such as TR
This is a method of performing operation input using a remote control unit that has only the minimum necessary keys (pointer movement key, execution key, etc.) for inputting instructions on the displayed I / F, and guidance etc. can also be displayed Therefore, it can be said that it is a man-machine I / F that realizes better operability.

[0005]

By the way, according to the method in which the command codes for controlling the respective home electric appliances are determined in advance as described above, and the codes are transferred by communication between the respective electric appliances, the control is performed. When a home appliance having a function is additionally connected to a network, it is necessary to assign a command code for the new function so as not to be duplicated or inconsistent with a command code for each connected home appliance.

[0006] To solve this problem, a reservation code for use in future expansion is often provided at the stage of defining a command code for the first time. When a completely new function is added, it is often the case that the reserved code becomes insufficient or the entire command set cannot be put into a systematic configuration. In addition, when a function for a new device is assigned to a reservation code and a function is extended, the function may not be able to be handled by the same type of old device already connected to the network. Furthermore, if a different type of control processor is used for each home electric appliance constituting the network, the programming language used in the network cannot be unified. There is a restriction that it cannot be used.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a graphical operation input I / O for operating another home appliance on a display means of at least one of the plurality of home appliances connected to a mutually communicable network. By displaying an F and giving an instruction input from an input means such as a remote control unit, other home appliances can be controlled, and the complexity in defining command codes, problems in network expansion, and individual It was created for the purpose of providing a remote control method that can control another device from a device on a network without causing a problem such as a restriction on a type of a control processor used for a home appliance.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a control method for home electric appliances and a home electric appliance described below.

1. A method for remote controlling home appliances in a network in which a plurality of home appliances including a first home appliance to be operation-input are connected via a communication interface, wherein the first home appliance includes at least a first control Processor, a first local control program written in a language that can be directly executed by the first control processor to control itself, and a virtual language commonly defined in the network. Displaying virtual language processing means for translating the described program into a language executable by the first control processor, storage means for storing a program supplied from another home appliance, and an operation input interface Operation input is performed using display means and the operation input interface displayed on the display means. Input means, and the other home electric appliances other than the first home electric appliance can be directly executed by at least the second control processor and the second control processor to control the own home electric appliance A second local control program described in a language, a function for controlling the own device via the second local control program, and an operation input interface for operating the own device are described in the virtual language. Remote control program, and the first
The home appliance loads the remote control program of the other home appliance to be controlled via the communication interface, stores the remote control program in the storage unit, and stores the remote control program stored in the storage unit in the virtual language. By translating by the processing means, the operation input interface for controlling the other home appliance is displayed on the display means, and the other home appliance can be controlled by the input means. Home appliance remote control method.

[0010] 2. 2. The remote control method for home electric appliances according to claim 1, wherein when a command for controlling said another home electric appliance is input by said input means, said command is stored in said storage means of said first home electric equipment. Is supplied to the second local control program of the other home appliance to be controlled through the remote control program and the communication interface, and the other home appliance operates based on the command and operates at the same time. Generating status information indicating an operation state, transmitting the status information to the first home appliance via the communication interface, and the first home appliance stores the supplied status information in the storage unit. The remote control program and the first local control program. Remote control method for home appliance and displaying on the display means used.

3. A home appliance connected to another home appliance via a communication interface, wherein at least a control processor and a local control described in a language that can be directly executed by the control processor to control the home appliance A program, virtual language processing means for translating a program described in a virtual language commonly defined in a network into a language executable by the control processor, and a function for controlling the other home appliances. An operation input interface for operating the other home appliance, a storage unit for storing a remote control program of the other home appliance described in the virtual language, and a display unit for displaying the operation input interface. An operation input is performed using the operation input interface displayed on the display means. Input means, and controlling the other home appliance by translating the remote control program of the other home appliance loaded into the storage unit via the communication interface by the virtual language processing unit. And displaying the operation input interface on the display means to allow the input means to control the other home appliance.

4. The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein
When a command for controlling the other home appliance is input by the input unit, the other home appliance to be controlled via the communication interface and the remote control program stored in the storage unit. When status information indicating the operation state is supplied from the other home electric appliance to be controlled via the communication interface, the remote control program stored in the storage unit and the first And displaying the status information on the display means using the local control program.

5. A home appliance connected to another home appliance via a communication interface, wherein at least a control processor and a local control described in a language that can be directly executed by the control processor to control the home appliance A remote control program described in a virtual language in which a program and a function for controlling the own device via the local control program and an operation input interface for operating the own device are commonly defined in a network. And the remote control program is output to the other home appliance via the communication interface in response to a request from the other home appliance.

6. The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein
When a command is supplied via the communication interface from the other home appliance in which the remote control program of the own device is stored, the command is supplied to the local control program to perform an operation based on the command, and A home appliance, wherein status information indicating an operation state is generated, and the status information is transmitted to the other home appliance storing the remote control program of the own device via the communication interface.

In the present invention, at least one of the home electric appliances constituting the network displays the operation input I / F on the display means and selects the control item indicated by the operation input I / F from the input means. A local control program written in a language that can be directly executed by its own control processor as a control program of its own hardware including a display of an operation input I / F; And a remote control program written in a virtual language, and a virtual language processing program for translating the virtual language into a language that can be directly executed by its own control processor.

When controlling the own hardware by the input means, the local control program accepts an instruction input and executes the control while translating the remote control of the own machine by the virtual language processing program. When a request for control of another home appliance is made from the means, the communication I / O is controlled by the load control of the program which is another function of the local control program.
A remote control program of another home electric appliance related to the control request is loaded into the own device via F.

Here, a remote control program for another home appliance is also described in a virtual language, and a remote control program loaded with its own local control program is translated by a virtual language processing program while the other home appliance is being translated. The operation input I / F is displayed on its own display means, and communication between the remote control program loaded in response to the instruction input of the input means and the local control program of another controlled home electric appliance is executed. This controls the hardware of other home appliances. That is, when there is a control request for another home appliance, the remote control program related to the control request is loaded at hand, and the display of the operation input I / F and the reception of the instruction input for the other home appliance are performed by the own device. The control is performed by communication between the remote control program and the local control program of other home appliances, and the remote control program of each home appliance is shared in the network. Described in a virtual language,
This is realized by each home electric device translating it with a virtual language processing program and passing it to the control processor.

Accordingly, it is possible to control another home electric appliance from a predetermined home electric appliance by using an input means such as a remote control unit provided with a minimum necessary key such as a cursor movement key and an execution key. Independent code systems can be provided for control and control of other individual home appliances, eliminating complications in defining command codes, and also for expanding the functions of individual home appliances and network expansion. Flexible response is possible. In addition, the presence of the virtual language processing program eliminates the need to use the same type of control processor for each home appliance, and does not hinder the improvement of functions and performance of each home appliance.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows one TV 1 and a plurality of VTs.
R (VTRba2, VTRb3...) Is a network configuration diagram in which the devices are connected via a communication cable 4, and each device 1, 2, 3,.
1 and a control panel surface of the remote control unit 5 are also shown.

Here, the TV 1 is a TV hardware unit 11
A display (CRT, display means) 12, a light receiving section 13 for receiving modulated infrared light transmitted by the remote control unit (input means) 5 in response to the key operation, and an A / D It comprises a demodulation / A / D converter 14 for conversion, a communication I / F 15 for executing communication control with other devices, and a microcomputer circuit for control (hereinafter referred to as “microcomputer circuit”). As shown in the figure, the microcomputer circuit includes a TV-CPU (control processor) 16, a ROM 17 storing a control program, a RAM (storage means) 18 storing update data, and an I / O port. The ROM 17 has a control program as a control program.
Local control program for TV (hereinafter "TV-L
CP) 20, a TV remote control program (hereinafter referred to as "TV-RCP") 21, a virtual language processing program (virtual language processing means) 22, and a communication program 23.
Is stored.

On the other hand, VTRa2 is a VTR hardware unit.
31; an LCD 32; an LCD driver 33; a light receiving unit 34 for receiving the modulated infrared light of the remote control unit 5; a demodulation / A / D conversion unit 35 for demodulating and A / D converting the received light signal; A communication I / F 36 for executing communication control with other devices and a microcomputer circuit for control. Further, the configuration of the microcomputer circuit comprises a VTRa-CPU 37, a ROM 38 storing a control program, a RAM 39 storing update data, and an I / O port 40, as in the case of the TV 1. Is a VTRa as a control program
Local control program (hereinafter referred to as “VTRa-LC
P) 41, a VTRa remote control program (hereinafter referred to as “VTRa-RCP”) 42, a virtual language processing program 43, and a communication program 44. In FIG. 1, the system circuits below VTRb3 are abbreviated, but the basic system configuration is the same as that of VTRa2 even if the performance and functions are different from those of VTRa2.

The remote control unit 5 is provided with a normal TV.
And VTR, it has a very simple configuration in which four keys consisting of a menu key 51, a cross-shaped cursor key 52, an execution key 53, and a function selection key 54 are provided.
Can be shared by any of the TV1, VTRa2, VTRb3,.

Next, the ROM 17 of the TV 1 and the R
The contents of each program stored in the OM 38 will be described. However, in this description, it is not distinguished whether each program is a TV program or a VTR program, but is distinguished by a general expression such as “own device” or “other device” as necessary. In addition, regardless of whether it is a TV or a VTR, the local control program is abbreviated as LCP and the remote control program is abbreviated as RCP.

(1) LCP (TV-LCP20, VTRa-LCP41) This is a program for controlling the hardware units 11, 31 of the own device. Specifically, a program for receiving an operation input to a manual control switch such as a channel switch or a volume control provided in the hardware unit of the own device to control the hardware unit of the own device, and cooperating with the RCP of the own device. Receiving a command input from the remote control unit 5 and executing a control of the hardware unit of the own device by on-screen display, when a request for control of another device is made from the remote control unit 5, Load the RCP on the own device, execute communication between the loaded remote control program and the LCP of the other device,
This is a program for realizing control of the hardware unit of the other device by on-screen display as in the case of. This program is described in a language that can be directly executed by the CPU of the own device.

(2) RCP (TV-RCP21, VTRa-RCP42) It has display data of its own graphical operation input I / F, and when it receives an instruction input from the remote control unit 5, it shares with its own LCP. To control the hardware of the own device by the on-screen display, and in the above-mentioned case, when the device is loaded to the other device, cooperates with the LCP of the other device to input an operation to the display of the other device. Display the I / F, and
This is a program for executing control of the hardware unit of the own device by on-screen display through communication with the CP.
However, this program is described in a virtual language commonly defined in a network for a virtual CPU, and cannot be directly executed by the CPU of each device. Therefore, the program is translated by a virtual language processing program described later. It is executed by the CPU of each device.

(3) Virtual language processing programs 22 and 43 This is a program for translating an RCP described in a virtual language into a language executable by its own CPU, and converting the virtual language into native code of its own CPU. As a translator or interpreter for sequentially translating instructions one word at a time.

(4) Communication programs 23 and 44 These are communication control programs when each device communicates with another device via the communication I / F and the communication cable 4. However, this program manages only the address of its own device, the address of the other party and the communication sequence at the time of communication, and does not manage the contents of the communication data.

Next, in the configuration of the network and each device described above, first, a procedure for controlling the operation of the TV 1 using the remote control unit 5 and a procedure for controlling the VTRa 2 from the TV 1 will be described. It is assumed that all the power supplies of the devices 1, 2, 3,... Are turned on, and the entire network system has been started. Here, when the TV 1 is in the normal display mode, the TV-CPU 16
V-LCP20 is running and remote control unit 5
To the light receiving unit 13 of the TV 1 and turn on the menu key 51
, The TV-CPU 16 that has received the signal sets the TV-LCP
By accessing the TV-RCP 21 based on 20 and translating the TV-RCP 21 by the virtual language processing program 22, FIG.
A graphical operation input I / F for TV as shown in (1) is displayed on the display (TV screen) 12. Then, the user operates the cursor keys 52 of the remote control unit 5 to move the cursor (pointer) to a display area indicating the number of channels and the volume, and turns on the execution key 53 to perform desired channel selection and volume adjustment. . After the control, the menu key 51 is turned on to delete the operation input I / F. The instruction input from the remote control unit 5 in this case is received by the TV-CPU 16 based on the TV-LCP 20, and each time the TV-RCP 21 is transmitted to the virtual language processing program 22.
The control of the TV hardware unit 11 is executed while translating.

By the way, as shown in FIG.
Operation input I / F includes a control item of “video input”. Therefore, if the user wants to control the VTRa while watching a normal program on the TV 1 and want to view the video recorded on the video tape, the remote control unit 5 is directed to the light receiving section 13 of the TV 1. The menu key 51 is turned on to display the operation input I / F on the TV screen in the same manner as described above, and the remote controller unit 5 is operated to designate the execution of "video input" as shown in FIG. Then, TV-CPU1
6 is interrupted, TV1 switches to the video input mode, and then turns on the device selection key 54 of the remote control unit 5.
, The TV-CPU 16 that has received the signal sets the TV-LCP
The device selection I / F corresponding to the device list in the network as shown in FIG.
The list enters a standby state for selection input.

Here, when the TV is selected and executed based on the key operation of the remote control unit 5, the display returns to the display state of the operation input I / F shown in FIG. 2, but when the VTRa is selected and executed, the TV is displayed. -The CPU 16 reads the VTa2 control request command from the TV-LCP 20, and further executes the communication program 23 to control the communication I / F 15, thereby transferring the control request command to the VTRa2 via the communication cable 4.

On the other hand, on the VTRa2 side receiving the control request command through the communication I / F 36, the VTRa-CPU 37 immediately
Based on the VTRa-LCP 41 of the M38, the VTRa-RCP 42 is read out and the communication program 44 is executed. Forward. Then, on the TV 1 side, the VTRa-RCP 42 transferred from the VTRa 2 is transmitted to the communication I / F 15.
The TV-CPU 16 transfers the VTRa-RCP 42 immediately received based on the TV-LCP 20 to the RAM 18 for storage. Therefore, by making a request for controlling the VTRa2 to the TV1, the VTRa-RCP42 of the VTRa2 is loaded and stored in the TV1.

Next, the TV-CPU 16 of the TV 1 is connected to the TV-LCP 20
The virtual language processing program 22 executes the VTRa-RCP 42 stored in the RAM 18 while translating it. That is,
VTRa-RCP42 is written in a virtual language, so TV-C
Since the PU 16 cannot be directly executed, the virtual language processing program 22 translates it into a language executable by the TV-CPU 16 and executes the VTRa-RCP.

When the loaded VTRa-RCP 42 is executed, a graphical operation input I / F for the VTRa2 is displayed on the TV screen as shown in FIG. It is possible to receive an instruction input based on. Where VT
The operation input I / F for Ra2 displays control items related to playback, stop, fast forward, rewind, etc. of the VTRa2 in a general icon format, and has a display area for status information. An instruction area for performing the TV control is also provided.

When the operation input I / F is displayed, the cursor key 52 of the remote control unit 5 for the TV 1 is displayed.
By selecting the "play" from among the control items as shown in FIG. 6 by operating the "Execute" key 53, the playback instruction command is received by the VTRa-RCP 42 via the TV-LCP 20, and the communication program 21, VT via the communication cable 4 with the communication I / Fs 15 and 36 maintaining the link state at 44
Transferred to Ra2 side.

On the other hand, the reproduction instruction command is transmitted to the communication I / F 3
On the VTRa2 side received at step 6, the VTRa-CPU 37
By executing the CP 41, the VTR hardware unit 31 is controlled to shift to the playback mode, and the playback signal is transmitted to the communication I
/ F36 ・ Transfer to TV1 side via communication cable 4, TV1
Displays the reproduced video obtained from the VTRa2 on the TV screen. In the playback mode, the VTRa2 transfers the status information of its own device to the TV1 by communication in the same manner as described above, and the TV-LCP20 receives the status information on the TV1 and
Executing the RCP 42 and inputting the status information to the operation input I /
F is displayed in a predetermined column. In this reproduction mode, the link state between TV1 and VTRa2 is maintained, and as shown in FIG.
By operating the 5 menu key 51, the operation input I / F for the VTRa2 is sequentially displayed on the TV screen, and the desired control can be performed by operating other keys.
Can be deleted from the screen.

The important point here is that the VTRa-RCP 42 which is loaded and operated on the TV 1 side stores the VTRa 2 originally to be controlled, and the operation input I / F for the VTRa is used. The display and the reception of the instruction input from the remote control unit 5 are performed on the TV 1 side, but the actual control is performed by the loaded VTRa-RCP 42 and the VTRa-LCP on the VTRa 2 side.
That is, it is performed by a cooperative operation through 41 communication lines. Therefore, even when the TV1 side controls the VTRa2 side, it is the VTRa-RCP42 loaded on the TV1 side and the VTRa-LCP41 on the VTRa2 side that are communicating within the network. What kind of command code is used when controlling the VTRa2 related to acquisition, recording, etc., need only be uniquely defined as a problem within the VTRa2, and each device 1, 2, 3,... There is no need to adjust and define the command code.

The transfer data used in the network has a data format as shown in FIG. 8, and the transfer destination address and the transfer source address correspond to the communication I / O of each device 1, 2, 3,. / F15,36, ... manages and writes,
It indicates which device the subsequent data is transferred from to which device, and the data type is a flag indicating whether the transfer data is RCP described in a virtual language or other data.

In the control by the above-mentioned communication, the communication I / F of each of the devices 1, 2, 3,... Which has received the data has the data format only when the transfer destination address of the data format is its own device. And set the communication destination by checking the transfer source address, and if the data type is RCP
(RCP of the other device), store it in the RAM of the own device, translate it with the virtual language processing program of the own device, and translate the LCP of the own device.
This will start the initial stage of display control, etc.
If the data type is not the RCP (if it is an individual control command), the control is transferred to the already executed LCP and the individual control is executed.

Next, a case opposite to the above, that is, a case where TV1 is controlled from the VTRa2 side will be described. In this case, when the remote control unit 5 is turned to the VTRa2 and the device selection key 54 is turned on, a device list as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the LCD 32 of the VTRa2. Then, the user operates the cursor key 52 of the remote control unit 5 to select the device TV1 to be controlled from the device list and turns on the execution key 53.

Then, in the VTRa2, the VTRa-CPU 37
The control request command of the TV 1 is read from the VTRa-LCP 41, and the communication program 44 is further executed to control the communication I / F 36, thereby transferring the control request command to the TV 1 via the communication cable 4. . On the other hand, on the TV 1 receiving the control request command through the communication I / F 15,
The TV-CPU 16 immediately reads out the TV-RCP 21 based on the TV-LCP 20 in the ROM 17 and executes the communication program 15, and transfers the TV-RCP 21 from the communication I / F 15 to the VTa2 via the communication cable 4, as shown in FIG. Transfer to the side. Then, the VTRa2 transmits the transferred TV-RCP21 to the communication I / F.
It is received at 36, but it is transferred to the RAM 39 and stored.
Therefore, only the reverse relationship between the above-described device and the device is performed, and almost the same procedure is executed, and the TV-RCP 21 of the TV 1
It will be loaded and stored in a2.

Next, in the VTRa2, the loaded TV-RC
P21 is executed while being translated by its own virtual language processing program 43, and as shown in FIG. 10, the LCD 32 graphically displays the operation input I / F of the TV 1 instead of the device list (FIG. 9). . The operation input I / F displayed here is shown in FIG.
Is substantially the same as the operation input I / F on the TV screen shown in, but since the display size is limited on the LCD 32 of the VTRa2, it is necessary to change the arrangement and arrangement of each control item to be displayed. is there. Accordingly, an appropriate one of several display methods of the TV-RCP 21 is automatically selected and displayed.

Thereafter, the loaded TV-RCP21 and VTRa
The instruction input based on the operation of the remote control unit 5 is received by the cooperation of the VTRa-LCP 41 of 2 and the TV is communicated.
The procedure in which 1 is controlled is such that the equipment is in the opposite relationship to the above case and the control item is related to TV1, and TV1 is controlled in the same procedure.

Therefore, even in this case, the communication within the network is based on the T loaded on the VTRa side.
V-RCP21 and TV-LCP20 on the TV1 side.
What kind of command code is used for the control of the channel switching, volume adjustment, etc. of 1 only needs to be uniquely defined as a problem in the TV 1, and there is no need to consider the code system in the entire network.

In the above embodiment, it has been described that each VTR 2, 3,... Can be controlled from the TV 1 in the network of FIG. 1 and, conversely, the TV 1 can be controlled from each VTR 2, 3,. For example, it is possible to simultaneously control two VTRs from TV1. In this case, it is assumed that the virtual language processing program 22 of the TV 1 is operable in multitasking, and the VTR-RCPs of two VTRs to be controlled are respectively loaded in the RAM 18 of the own device, and the VTR-RCPs of the two VTRs are controlled. The RCP is executed in parallel, and the communication data is transferred in a time division manner.
However, if the two VTRs are the same model, only one type of program needs to be loaded.

In some cases, the network is composed of a plurality of TVs and one VTR.
It is possible to control the TR side and conversely to control the TV from the VTR.

However, when controlling the VTR side from the TV side, the VTR must be controlled by one system, and when the VTR is controlled from a specific TV, the VTR is controlled from another TV. When there is a control request, the VTR responds with a control rejection command or the like to avoid control confusion.

[0047]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control method for a home electric appliance, wherein a remote control program for another electric home appliance to be controlled by the first electric home appliance is loaded and stored via a communication interface. Means for controlling another home appliance by displaying the operation input interface for controlling another home appliance by translating the remote control program stored in the storage unit by the virtual language processing means, and displaying the other home appliance by the input means. Control, the first home appliance does not recognize the type of control processor or the command code of the other home appliance to be controlled, and can perform many functions of the other home appliance. It can be operated from one household appliance. Then, even if the other household electrical appliance to be controlled is a new appliance or an appliance having a new function, it can be operated from the first household electrical appliance using the operation input interface displayed on the display means. Can be.

At this time, what kind of command code is used in the control in the communication link state between the home electric appliances can be uniquely defined in the controlled equipment, and it is necessary to consider a code system in the entire network. Therefore, it is possible to flexibly cope with expansion or change of the function of each device in the network and expansion of the network itself.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control method for home electric appliances, wherein the other home electric appliances operate based on a command and generate status information indicating an operation state thereof, and transmit the status information via a communication interface. The first home appliance displays the supplied status information on the display unit using the remote control program and the first local control program stored in the storage unit. Thus, there is an effect that the operation state of another home appliance in response to a command transmitted from the first home appliance can be reliably grasped by the first home appliance.

The home electric appliance according to the third aspect has many functions possessed by other home electric appliances even if they do not recognize the type of control processor or the type of command of the other electric home appliances to be controlled. Can be operated. Then, even if the other household electrical appliance to be controlled is a new appliance or an appliance having a new function, it can be operated using the operation input interface displayed on the display means.

Furthermore, the home electric appliance according to the fourth aspect has an effect that the operating state of another electric home appliance can be reliably grasped.

The home electric appliance according to claim 5 outputs its own remote control program in response to a request, so that various controls can be performed from the appliance storing the remote control program of the home electric appliance.

Further, the home electric appliance according to the sixth aspect has an effect that the operating state of the home appliance can be output to the device storing the remote control program of the home appliance to inform the operating state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a “remote control method for home electric appliances” of the present invention;
And the system circuit diagram of the VTR and the operation panel of the remote control unit, and the RCP (VTRa-RC
P) is also shown loaded on the TV side.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a TV screen in a state where a TV graphical operation input I / F is displayed and TV control is being executed, and a control procedure in that case.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a TV screen when a video input is instructed to a TV graphical operation input I / F and a control procedure in that case.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a TV screen that has shifted to a display state of a device selection I / F corresponding to a device list in a network, and a control procedure to reach the display state.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a TV screen in a display state of a graphical operation input I / F for a VTR and a control procedure leading to the display state.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a TV screen when a reproduction instruction is given to a graphical VTR operation input I / F, and a control procedure in that case.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a TV screen when a graphical operation input I / F for a VTR is displayed / erased in a display state of a VTR playback video, and a control procedure in that case.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data format of transfer data used in a network.

FIG. 9 shows a graphical operation input I / F for a VTR L
FIG. 2 is a front view of the VTR in a state where it is displayed on a CD.

FIG. 10 shows a graphical operation input I / F for TV set at L
FIG. 2 is a front view of the VTR in a state where it is displayed on a CD.

FIG. 11 is a network configuration diagram including a system circuit diagram of a TV and a VTR and an operation panel surface of a remote control unit, and also shows a state where an RCP (TV-RCP) on the TV side is loaded on the VTR side.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 TV (television receiver; home appliance), 2 VTRa
(Video tape recorder; home appliance), 3 ... VTRb (video tape recorder; home appliance), 4 ... communication cable, 5 ... remote control unit (input means), 11 ... TV hardware unit, 12
... Display (display means), 13,34 ... Light receiving unit, 14,35 ... Demodulation / A / D converter, 15,36 ... Communication I / F, 16 ... TV-CPU (control processor), 17,38 ... ROM, 18, 39 RAM (storage means), 19, 40 I / O port, 20 TV-LCP (local control program), 21 TV-RCP (remote control program), 22, 43 virtual language processing Program (virtual language processing means), 23, 44 ... Communication program, 31
... VTRa hardware part, 32 ... LCD (display means), 33
... LCD driver, 37 ... VTRa-CPU (control processor), 41 ... VTRa-LCP (local control program), 42 ... VTRa-RCP (remote control program), 51 ... Menu key, 52 ... Cursor key, 53 ... Execution Key, 54 ... Device selection key.

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A remote control method for a home electric appliance in a network in which a plurality of home electric appliances including a first home electric appliance to be operated and inputted are connected via a communication interface, wherein the first home electric appliance is: At least a first control processor, a first local control program written in a language that can be directly executed by the first control processor to control the own device, and a common control program defined in the network. Virtual language processing means for translating a program described in a virtual language into a language executable by the first control processor, storage means for storing a program supplied from another home appliance, and operation Display means for displaying an input interface; and operation using the operation input interface displayed on the display means. Input means for inputting the operation, wherein the other home electric appliances other than the first home electric appliance have at least a second control processor and the second control processor for controlling the home electric appliance. A second local control program described in a language that can be directly executed, a function for controlling the own device via the second local control program, and an operation input interface for operating the own device; A remote control program described in a virtual language, wherein the first home appliance loads the remote control program of the other home appliance to be controlled via the communication interface into the storage means. The remote control program stored in the storage means is translated by the virtual language processing means. Displaying the operation input interface for controlling the other home appliance on the display unit, and enabling the input unit to control the other home appliance. . 2. The remote control method for home electric appliances according to claim 1, wherein when a command for controlling said another home electric appliance is inputted by said input means, said command is transmitted to said first home electric appliance. It is supplied to the second local control program of the other home appliance to be controlled via the remote control program and the communication interface stored in the storage unit, and the other home appliance is based on the command. Generates status information indicating the operating state of the device, transmits the status information to the first household electrical device via the communication interface, and the first household electrical device transmits the supplied status information to the first household electrical device. The remote control program and the first local control stored in storage means; Remote control method for home appliance and displaying on the display means using Lumpur program. 3. A home appliance connected to another home appliance via a communication interface, wherein the home appliance is described in at least a control processor and a language which can be directly executed by the control processor to control the home appliance. A local control program, virtual language processing means for translating a program described in a virtual language commonly defined in a network into a language executable by the control processor, and controlling the other home appliances. And a storage means for storing a remote control program of the other home appliance described in the virtual language, wherein a function for performing the operation and an operation input interface for operating the other home appliance are displayed. Using the display unit and the operation input interface displayed on the display unit Input means for performing an operation input, wherein the virtual language processing means translates the remote control program of the other home electric equipment loaded into the storage means via the communication interface, whereby the other home appliances are The home appliance, wherein the operation input interface for controlling the appliance is displayed on the display unit, and the other home appliance can be controlled by the input unit. 4. The remote control program according to claim 3, wherein, when a command for controlling said other home appliance is input by said input means, said command is stored in said storage means. And when the status information indicating the operating state is supplied from the other home appliance to be controlled via the communication interface to the other home appliance to be controlled via the communication interface. Displaying the status information on the display unit using the remote control program and the first local control program stored in the storage unit. 5. A home appliance connected to another home appliance via a communication interface, wherein the home appliance is described in at least a control processor and a language directly executable by the control processor to control the home appliance. A local control program, and a function for controlling the own device via the local control program and an operation input interface for operating the own device are described in a virtual language that is commonly defined in the network. And a remote control program that outputs the remote control program to the other home appliance via the communication interface in response to a request from the other home appliance. 6. The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein when a command is supplied from said another home appliance in which said remote control program of said home appliance is stored via said communication interface, said command is transmitted. It supplies the local control program to perform an operation based on the command and generates status information indicating the operation state, and transmits the status information to the local control program via the communication interface. Home appliances, which are transmitted to other home appliances.