JP2000092574A - Remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a remote control device concentrically controlling from a center while using an existing home electric equipment having a remote control function as it is. SOLUTION: Home electric equipment having existing remote control functions are controlled as controlled instruments 2 and remote control signals to be used for respective operation are edited by an equipment information editing means 32 and registered in an equipment control information data base 31. In the case of operating each controlled equipment, a user specifies the controlled equipment by an operation input means 1 and when an operation signal for the specified controlled equipment is inputted, a control means 35 receives the operation signal, refers to an equipment control information data base, accesses the corresponding controlled equipment and its control information, and generates a remote control signal based on these accessed contents and a transmitting means 34 sends the remote control signal to the external. When an equipment arranged near the remote control device 3 senses the remote control signal, the equipment executes corresponding control operation.

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 for individually controlling a plurality of types of controlled devices, such as home electric appliances, having a simple control function by using the same device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various home automation systems have been proposed. In many cases, a small home LAN is installed for the system and home electric appliances are connected to the home LAN to control the home LAN. This is a method for controlling each home appliance.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional home automation system, it is necessary to purchase a home appliance in which a communication function corresponding to the home automation system is preliminarily installed and connect it to a home LAN. Existing home appliances such as a remote control television, a remote control video, a remote control air conditioner, and a remote control lighting cannot be used as they are, and there is a problem that automation is costly.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and provides a remote control device capable of performing centralized control from the center while using existing home electric appliances having a remote control function as they are. With the goal.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control device for editing control information of various control target devices, and the control information edited by the device information editing device. A device control information database that stores control information of each target device, an operation input unit, receives an operation signal from the operation input unit, refers to the device control information database, and stores a corresponding control target device and its control information. It comprises a control unit for generating a remote control signal based on the call, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the remote control signal generated by the control unit to the outside.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the remote controller of the first aspect, an infrared signal is used as the remote control signal.

In the remote control device according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, each of the existing home appliances having a remote control function is set as a control target device, and a remote control signal used for each operation is edited by device information editing means. Register it in the control information database.

When operating each control target device, the user specifies the control target device by the operation input means, and an operation signal for the specified control target device;
For example, power on / off operation, channel up / down
When inputting information such as down, increase / decrease of set temperature, and forward / reverse rotation of the tape, the control means receives the operation signal, refers to the equipment control information database, calls up the corresponding control target equipment and its control information, and A remote control signal based on the remote control signal is generated, and the transmitting means sends the remote control signal to the outside. Therefore, if the control target device is located within a range in which a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control device can be received, if the remote control signal is for the own device, the signal is responsive to the remote control function originally provided. Perform control operation.

[0009] With this, when an existing home appliance has a remote control function, central control can be performed from the center using the remote control function of the home appliance as it is. There is no need to purchase a new device having a function corresponding to the home automation system, and the cost required for systemization can be reduced.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of one embodiment of the remote control device of the present invention. 1 is a control system for controlling devices, 2 is a device to be controlled (1) to (N) that allows remote control operation (where N indicates the number of devices to be controlled), and 3 is a control for these devices. This is a control remote controller that connects the system 1 and the control target devices (1) to (N) 2.

The control system 1 may be a general-purpose type such as a desktop type, a notebook type or a PDA type personal computer, or a computer dedicated to home automation. By displaying the operation command corresponding thereto in a menu format and selecting and operating the menu item, the control remote controller 3 has a function of specifying a device to be controlled through the communication unit 33 and a function of specifying and transmitting the operation command. Shall be provided.

The control remote controller 3 is a device to be controlled (1)
To (N) 2, a device information database (DB) 3 having various control functions and communication information corresponding thereto.
1. a device information editing unit 32 for editing device information;
A communication unit 33 for communicating with the control system 1; a transmission unit 34 for transmitting a remote control signal in the air;
Is provided with a control unit 35 for performing overall control of the control. The control remote controller 3 is installed, for example, in a place like a living room where home appliances having various types of remote control functions, for example, an air conditioner, a television, a video, a remote control lighting, and the like are installed.

The control remote controller 3 is also formed of a microcomputer, and is connected to a keyboard or a pointing device (not shown) as input operation means for registering device information in the device information database 31 by the device information editing unit 32. Or has been built up, and has a display for displaying information necessary for editing device information.

The transmitting section 34 normally has a function of outputting an infrared remote control operation signal of a home electric appliance, and a location where the infrared remote control operation signal can reach each of the controlled devices (1) to (N) 2 ( Controlled equipment (1)
(N) are installed at a plurality of places to operate each of them (each of the plurality of places as necessary), and are connected to the control unit 35 by wire.

Next, the operation of the remote control device having the above configuration will be described. According to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the control information of the control target device is edited in the device information database 31 of the control remote controller 3. First, a control system 1 or a computer in which software of an editing function is incorporated is connected to the control remote controller 3, a device name to be controlled, various control functions, and a remote controller for operating the control functions are controlled. Register communication information.

For example, if the control target device (1) is an air conditioner, the control target device is selected as an air conditioner, and the power is turned on / off, the set temperature is increased, the set temperature is reduced, heating, cooling, and other operation functions are performed. Selection and setting registration of remote control communication information for each of them (steps S1 to S
5).

If the device to be controlled (N) is a remote control television, the device to be controlled is selected as a television, and power on / off, channel up, channel down, volume up, volume down, etc. Are selected and the setting and registration of the remote control communication information for each are performed (steps S1 to S5). In the remote control communication information, generation information of an infrared remote control signal which is usually employed in each remote control home appliance, that is, information indicating what an infrared signal corresponding to various operation commands is is set. You.

When the device information editing operation is completed,
In the device information database 31 of the control remote controller 3, data for comparing the functions for the respective control target devices (1) to (N) 2 and the remote controller communication information is registered. After this editing, the central control system 1, the centralized operation of each of the controlled devices (1) to (N) 2 becomes possible.

Device to be controlled by control system 1 (1)
To (N) 2 are performed according to the flowchart of FIG. The control target device to be operated in the control system 1 is selected. Here, an operation for turning on the power of the air conditioner and increasing the set temperature by 1 ° C. will be described.

In the control system 1, an air conditioner is first selected from the device list screen 21 registered as a control target device as shown in FIG. 4, and an operation menu screen 22 is developed (step S11). On the operation new screen 22, "set temperature rise" is selected from the operation menu (step S12). Here, in the operation of changing the set temperature in advance, it is assumed that the temperature can be increased / decreased by 1 ° C. by one selection operation, but the set temperature may be input as a numerical value.

As a result, the operation command "increase the set temperature of the air conditioner by 1 ° C." is input to the control unit 35 of the control remote controller 3 through the transmission unit 33 (step S13). Therefore, the control unit 35 refers to the device information database 31 and reads out the communication information of the set temperature increasing function from the device table in which the air conditioner is set as the device to be controlled (step S1).
4) Then, a corresponding infrared remote control signal is generated and passed to the transmitting unit 34 (step S15). The transmitting unit 34 emits the infrared remote control signal received from the control unit 35 into the air (step S16).

The infrared remote control signal thus emitted into the air propagates to various control target devices installed near the place where the control remote control 3 is installed, for example, a television, a video, an air conditioner, and a remote control illumination. However, since the emitted infrared remote control signal is a signal for instructing a rise in the set temperature of the air conditioner, only the remote control function of the air conditioner responds to this, and the remote control function of the air conditioner responds to this signal to set the temperature. Is controlled by 1 ° C.

In order to further increase the set temperature by 1 ° C., in the case of this embodiment, the control system 1 performs the operation of increasing the set temperature again.

Similarly, when the device to be controlled is a television and an operation to increase the channel is performed, the control system 1 displays a screen 21 of a device list registered as a device to be controlled as shown in FIG. Is selected first, and the operation menu screen 23 is developed (step S11). On the operation new screen 23, "channel up" is selected from the operation menu (step S12). Here, it is assumed that the registered channels can be up / down one channel at a time by one selection operation, but the channel number may be input as a numerical value.

As a result, the operation command "channel up" is input to the control unit 35 of the control remote controller 3 through the transmission unit 33 (step S13). Therefore, the control unit 35 refers to the device information database 31, reads out the communication information of the channel up operation from the device table with the TV set as the device to be controlled (step S14), generates an infrared remote control signal corresponding thereto, and transmits the signal. 34 (step S15). The transmitting unit 34 emits the infrared remote control signal received from the control unit 35 into the air (step S16).

The remote control function of the television responds to the infrared remote control signal emitted into the air in this way, and controls to increase the selected channel by one channel.

As described above, according to the remote control device of the present embodiment, it is possible to use a remote control air conditioner, a remote control TV, a remote control video, a remote control audio, a remote control lighting, etc. in a home where existing home appliances equipped with a remote control function are installed. By introducing this remote control device, it becomes possible to use the remote control function of existing home appliances and perform centralized control from a central control system, thereby achieving home automation while reducing costs.

[0028]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, when an existing home appliance has a remote control function, central control is performed from the center using the remote control function of the home appliance as it is. Therefore, there is no need to purchase a new home appliance with a function corresponding to a home automation system as a control target device, and the cost required for home automation can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a registration procedure of control information of a control target device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a remote control operation of the control target device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a remote control operation of an air conditioner as a device to be controlled according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a remote control operation of a television as a device to be controlled according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 control system 2 control target devices (1) to (N) 3 control remote controller 31 device information database 32 device information editing unit 33 communication unit 34 transmission unit 35 control unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] A device information editing unit for editing control information of various control target devices; a device control information database storing control information of each of the control target devices edited by the device information editing unit; An operation input unit, a control unit that receives an operation signal from the operation input unit, refers to the device control information database, calls a corresponding control target device and its control information, and generates a remote control signal based thereon, A remote control device comprising: a transmission unit that transmits a remote control signal generated by the control unit to the outside. 2. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein an infrared signal is used as the remote control signal.