JP2003087880A - Remote controller and method for operating a plurality of devices - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote controller that can properly controls a plurality of connected devices at the same time. SOLUTION: The remote controller is provided with an entry section for commanding a desired operation to a desired device, a first storage section for storing remote control codes to various commands of various devices, a second storage section for storing an objective operating state of each device required for one device to conduct one operation, a third storage section for storing a remote control code finally sent to each device, a transmission section 11 for transmitting a remote control code to each device, and a remote control section for reading an object operating state of each device from the second storage section with respect to the operation command by the entry section, comparing it with a remote control code finally sent to each device read from the third storage section to determine a command to each device, reading the corresponding remote control code from the first storage section and allowing a transmission section to transmit the remote control code.

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 operating a plurality of devices connected to each other and a method for operating a plurality of devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a remote control device capable of operating a plurality of controlled devices, a common operation button is changed to one button in order to reduce the number of operation buttons. In this case, first, a device designation button for designating a controlled device to be operated is pressed, and then an operation button to be operated is pressed. For example, a video tape recorder (hereinafter VTR
) With a remote control that can be operated by a DVD player.
When playing R, the playback button is common, so the VTR
The device designating button for designating, and then the play button are pressed twice.

As a technique for improving this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-2
There is Japanese Patent No. 56386. According to this technique, by storing the device designation button for designating the last controlled device that has been pressed, in the case of the same controlled device operation, the device designation for specifying the controlled device is performed. There is no need to push a button, and a single button operation is sufficient.

Further, in a remote control device capable of operating a plurality of controlled devices, a method is used in which a remote control code of the controlled device which is set in advance is stored in the remote controller. Furthermore, a technology is being considered in which the remote control code can be rewritten or added so that the number of compatible devices can be increased later. This technology is the patent publication 5-
No. 14977.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, when the target operation button is pressed, the remote control code for operation to the controlled device to be controlled and the external input switching of the television receiver are selected. Send only remote control code. Therefore, when the controlled device to be controlled has the power off, the desired operation cannot be obtained, and there is a problem that the power must be turned on first. this is,
This is because the remote control device does not know the state of the controlled device to be controlled. For example, when it is desired to reproduce the VTR, even if the remote control codes for the reproduction and the external input switching are transmitted to the VTR and the television, respectively, the reproduced image cannot be viewed if either of the devices is powered off. Further, in the external input switching, no consideration is given to the method of remote control code transmission for switching between the direct method and the input progressive method.

An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device and a method for operating a plurality of devices, which are capable of simultaneously operating a plurality of connected devices by appropriate operations.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in a remote control device for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, an input section for instructing a desired operation to a desired device,
A first storage unit that stores a remote control code for various commands of each device, and a second storage unit that stores a target operating state of each device, which is required for one device to perform one operation. , A third storage unit that stores the remote control code last transmitted to each device, a transmission unit that transmits the remote control code to each device, and the second storage unit for the operation instructed by the input unit. The target operating state of each device is read from the storage unit and compared with the remote control code last transmitted to each device read from the third storage unit to determine the command for each device, and the first operation is performed. A remote control device comprising: a remote control control unit for reading a corresponding remote control code from a storage unit and transmitting the remote control code from the transmission unit.

According to the present invention, in a remote control device for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, an input section for instructing a desired operation to a desired device and a current operation state from each device are received. A receiving unit, a first storage unit that stores a remote control code for various commands of each device,
A second storage unit that stores a target operating state of each device, which is required for one device to perform one operation, and a second storage unit that stores the current operating state of each device received by the receiving unit. 4 storage unit, a transmission unit that transmits a remote control code to each device, and a target operation state of each device from the second storage unit in response to an operation instructed by the input unit, The remote controller control unit that determines the command for each device by comparing the current operating state of each device read from the storage unit, reads the corresponding remote control code from the first storage unit, and transmits the remote control code from the transmission unit. And a remote control device.

According to the present invention, the first storage unit further stores the connection state between the plurality of devices, and the second storage unit stores each device based on the connection state between the plurality of devices. The remote control device is characterized by storing a target operation state.

The present invention is required in a multi-device operating method for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, for inputting a command for a desired operation to a desired device, and for performing the desired operation. A step of obtaining a target operating state of each device, a step of obtaining a current operating state of each device from a command last transmitted to each device, a target operating state of each device and a current operation of each device A method for operating a plurality of devices, comprising: comparing a state with each other to determine a command for each device; and transmitting the command to each device.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a remote control device showing an embodiment of the present invention. An outline of the configuration and operation of the block will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, 10 is a remote control device according to the present invention, 11 is a remote control code transmitting section for transmitting a remote control code for control,
12 is a data receiving unit for receiving data from the controlled device, 13 is a microcomputer unit for controlling the entire remote control device, 1
4 is a remote control code storage section for storing a remote control code,
Reference numeral 15 is a controlled device mode storage unit for storing information on the transmitted remote control code, 16 is an operation button input unit for performing various operations, and 21 to 24 are controlled devices.

First, by an arbitrary operation using the operation button input unit 16, the remote control code storage unit 14 stores information such as assigned device numbers for each controlled device 21-24, connection settings, input switching methods, and remote control codes. Set and store.

Here, it has been explained that the above information set and stored in the remote control code storage unit 14 can be set and stored by an arbitrary operation. However, it is set in advance or selected from preset information. May be.

Next, when information such as the connection setting is stored in the remote control code storage unit 14, the microcomputer 13 controls each of the controlled devices 21 to 21 when an arbitrary operation is performed based on the information.
The target operating state of each 24 is estimated, and the estimation result is stored in the controlled device mode storage unit 15. In addition, the controlled device mode storage unit 15 also stores the information (hereinafter, referred to as a remote control command) of the last transmitted remote control code of each of the operated devices 21 to 24 when the present remote control device was operated last time. . The remote control command data is updated each time the remote control code is sent.

Here, when any operation button input section 16 is pressed, the microcomputer 13 reads out the target operation state corresponding to the operation from the information in the controlled device mode storage section 15.
Next, the last-transmitted remote control command for each operated device is read from the information in the controlled device mode storage unit 15 to infer the operating states of the controlled devices 21-24. Next, the target operating state and the estimated operating state are compared to determine the remote control command required for the operation. Next, the remote control code for the determined remote control command is stored in the remote control code storage unit 1.
4, a series of remote control codes is set, and the remote control code transmission section 11 transmits the code. After that, the remote control command transmitted to each of the controlled devices 21 to 24 is updated as the last transmitted remote control command.

Here, the various information may be stored in either the remote control code storage unit 14 or the controlled device mode storage unit 15. Also, the storage unit may be configured as one.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a remote control device showing an embodiment of the present invention. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 2, 17 is a device designation button for designating each controlled device, and 18 is a common function button of a common function of each controlled device. The group of device designation buttons 11 is independent for each controlled device and is used for the purpose of designating which device is being operated when the remote control is operated. The groups of common function buttons 12 are number buttons, play, record, volume up / down, CH
Buttons common to controlled devices such as up / down.

When the device designation button 11 and the common function button 12 are pressed after the series of settings and storage in the remote control code storage section 14 of FIG. 1 are completed, the microcomputer 13 performs the series of operations required by the operation described in FIG. Send the remote control code of 11
Send more.

Here, the last transmitted device may be stored so that if the same device is used, only the common function button 18 is pressed without pressing the device designation button 17. Also,
A display unit and / or a notification unit may be provided so that the controlled device transmitted last can be known.

Next, a concrete embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, the operation when an operation button for an arbitrary controlled device is pressed will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a plurality of controlled device systems to which the remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 3, 31 is a television, 32 is an output signal from the television 3.
VTR connected to input 1 external input 1, 33
Is connected to input the output signal to the external input 2 of the television 31 and to the external input 1 of the VTR 32.
3 shows a VD player. Reference numeral 10 denotes the remote controller according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. In the plurality of controlled device systems, the remote control device 10 controls the controlled devices 31, 32, and 33. Here, it is assumed that the television 31 has three external inputs, the VTR 32 has two external inputs, and the DVD player 33 has no external input.

FIG. 4 shows a device designation / connection setting table having information stored in the remote control code storage unit 14 by an arbitrary operation using the operation input unit 16 of FIG.

With reference to FIG. 4, description will be made on the contents of information on the device number setting, the connection setting, and the input switching method assigned to each control device.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a TV 31 is stored as the device 1, a VTR 32 is stored as the device 2, and a DVD player 33 is stored as the device 3 as the device number designation.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
It is stored that the VTR 32 is connected to the external input 1 of the television 31 of the device 1, the DVD player 33 is connected to the external input 2, and that the DVD player 33 is not connected to the external input 3. It is stored that the DVD player 33 is connected to the external input 1 of the VTR 32 of the device 2 and is not connected to the external input 2. Also, as an external input switching system, the TV 301 of the device 1 is a toggle system and the device 2 is a toggle system.
The VTR 302 also stores the toggle method.

Here, in the toggle system, one remote control code for external input is used, and at the time of input switching, the external input is sequentially input 1 → input 2 → input 3 → reception channel → input 1 ... The direct method has a remote control code for each input number and can directly select any external input.

The information on the above-mentioned connection state is obtained by the operation button input section 1
6 can be used to set and record by any operation.

Here, the case where the connection state information is arbitrarily set and stored using the operation button input unit 16 has been described above, but the above information may be stored in advance.

When the information on the connection state is stored in the remote control code storage unit 14, the microcomputer 13 operates in accordance with the information on the connection state so that each control device is in an operating state when an arbitrary operation is performed. Whether or not the target operating state is determined is determined, and the target operating state of each controlled device 31, 32, 33 is stored in the controlled device mode storage unit 15.

FIG. 5 shows a target operating state table of the controlled devices 31, 32, 33 stored in the controlled device mode storage unit 15. According to this table, VTR3
It can be seen that when the reproduction operation 2 is performed, the television 31 must be in the power-on state, the input information is the external input 1, and the VTR 32 is in the power-on state and the reproducing state.

FIG. 6 estimates the operating state of the controlled device from the last remote control command stored in the controlled device mode storage unit 15 for each operated device when the remote controller was operated last time. The current operating state table of the controlled equipment is shown. According to this table, VTR32
Shows that the last input information in the power off state is channel 01. This data is updated every time the remote control code is sent.

Here, as another method, the data receiving unit 12
May be provided, and the data of the operating states of the controlled devices 31, 32, 33 may be received and stored in the controlled device mode storage unit 15.

Next, as a concrete embodiment, a VTR
A process for performing the reproducing operation 31 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows a flowchart showing a processing method of the microcomputer 13 of FIG. FIG. 8 shows a transmission control command table showing the transmission remote control commands determined in step 705.

First, as the device designation of the VTR 32, when the device 2 button of the device designation buttons 17 for designating the VTR is pressed in step 701 and then the play button of the common function buttons 18 is pressed, the above operation is performed in step 702. The target operating state of each controlled device is read out and checked by the target operating state table of FIG.

Next, in step 703, the operating state of each controlled device is read out and checked by the current operating state table of the controlled device of FIG.

Next, in step 704, the operating state of the VTR 32 in the reproducing operation is compared between the target operating state table of FIG. 5 and the current operating state table of the controlled device of FIG. 6 to analyze the difference. In the target operation state during the playback operation of the VTR 32, the television 31 must be in the power-on state and the input information is the external input 1, and the VTR 32 must be in the power-on state and the playback state. , VTR 32 is powered off, and the last input information is 01
You can see that it is a channel.

Therefore, it is understood that it is necessary to transmit remote control commands for power supply and external input to the television 31 and remote control commands for power supply and reproduction to the VTR 32.

Next, in step 705, the remote control command to be transmitted is selected and determined from the analysis result of step 704 and the external input switching method of FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a transmission control command table showing the transmission remote control commands determined in step 705 as described above. The determined remote control command is, as shown in FIG. 8, a power supply remote control command for turning on and off the power of the television 31 once, and thereafter, input information from the external input 2 to the external input 1 is input. It is necessary to send a remote control command for input switching three times.
To 32, it is necessary to transmit a remote control command for power supply for turning on the power supply from off and once and then a remote control command for reproduction for performing a reproduction operation once.

Next, in step 706, the remote control code corresponding to the remote control command to be transmitted determined above is read from the remote control code storage section 14 and a series of remote control codes to be transmitted is set.

Here, the transmission order of the remote control code to the controlled device may be either the television or the VTR first.

Next, in step 707, the remote control code transmission section 11 transmits a series of remote control codes.

Next, in step 708, the current operation state table of the controlled device shown in FIG. 6 is updated and the process ends.

In this embodiment, the device designation button and the common function button are pressed twice, but a series of remote control codes may be similarly transmitted in the case of pressing a button dedicated to any device. .

In the present embodiment, the controlled device is a television,
Although the VTR and DVD player have been described, the device is not limited to this, and other products such as a CD / R, a RW player / recorder, an amplifier, an MD player / recorder, a DVD recorder, a tuner, and the like that produce video and / or audio signals. It goes without saying that it is included in the category.

[0046]

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a remote control device and a method for operating a plurality of devices which can simultaneously perform a plurality of connected devices by appropriate operations.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a remote control device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a remote control device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a plurality of controlled device systems to which the remote control device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a device designation / connection setting table having information stored in a remote control code storage unit by an arbitrary operation using the operation input unit of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a target operating state table of controlled devices stored in a controlled device mode storage unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a current operation state table of controlled devices, which is stored in a controlled device mode storage unit.

7 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a processing method of the microcomputer of FIG.

8 is a diagram showing a transmission control command table showing the transmission remote control commands determined in step 705 of FIG. 7.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Remote control device, 11 ... Remote control code transmission section, 1
2 ... Data receiving unit, 13 ... Microcomputer, 14 ... Remote control code storage unit, 15 ... Controlled device mode storage unit, 16 ... Operation button input unit, 17 ... Device designation button, 18 ... Common function button, 2
1 to 24 ... Controlled device, 31 ... TV, 32 ... VTR,
33 ... DVD player.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 5C052 AA01 CC06 CC20 DD10 EE02                 5C056 AA05 BA01 BA08 CA06 CA08                       CA13 CA20 DA01 DA06 EA06                 5K048 AA13 BA03 DA02 DB04 EB01                       EB02 FC05 HA01

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, wherein an input unit for instructing a desired operation of a desired device and a remote control code for various commands of each device are stored. And a second storage unit for storing a target operation state of each device, which is required for one device to perform one operation, and a remote control code transmitted last to each device. A third storage unit that stores the data, a transmission unit that transmits a remote control code to each device, and a target operation state of each device from the second storage unit in response to an operation instructed by the input unit, The remote control code last transmitted to each device read from the third storage unit is compared to determine a command for each device, the corresponding remote control code is read from the first storage unit, and the transmission unit Or Remote control device, characterized in that it comprises a remote control unit to transmit. 2. A remote control device for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, an input unit for instructing a desired operation to a desired device, and a receiving unit for receiving a current operation state from each device. And a first storage unit that stores a remote control code for various commands of each device, and a second storage that stores a target operating state of each device, which is required for one device to perform one operation. Unit, a fourth storage unit that stores the current operating state of each device received by the receiving unit, and a transmission unit that transmits a remote control code to each device,
For the operation instructed by the input unit, the target operating state of each device is read from the second storage unit, compared with the current operating state of each device read from the fourth storage unit, and the A remote control device comprising: a remote control control unit that determines a command for each device, reads a corresponding remote control code from the first storage unit, and causes the transmission unit to transmit the remote control code. 3. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the first storage unit further stores a connection state between the plurality of devices, and the second storage unit stores between the plurality of devices. A remote control device, which stores a target operating state of each device based on the connection state of the remote controller. 4. A multi-device operating method for operating a plurality of devices connected to each other, the step of inputting a command of a desired operation to a desired device, and each device required to perform the desired operation. The step of obtaining the target operating state of the device, the step of obtaining the current operating state of each device from the command last sent to each device, the target operating state of each device and the current operating state of each device. And a step of determining a command for each device, and a step of transmitting the command to each device.