JP2005295168A - Electronic equipment and remote control function control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply use a portable telephone set as a remote-control unit without performing remote control setting in accordance with a device for each place even when the device to be an object for remote control differs depending on a place where the portable telephone is used. <P>SOLUTION: This portable telephone set 1 is provided with an infrared transmitting part 28 for transmitting a signal (infrared pulse) for control to the other device. When remote control setting for setting data for control used to transmit the signal for control for each device is performed, a control part 10 associates the data for control subjected to the remote control setting with position data showing the present position detected by a GPS (global positioning system) 32 to record them as remote-control control data 14a. When the portable telephone set 1 is used as a remote-control unit, the portable telephone set 1 notifies a user that the portable telephone set 1 can perform a remote control operation by displaying a device in which data for control are recorded in the remote-control control data 14a corresponding to the present position detected by the GPS 32. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device and a remote control function control program realized by a mobile phone or the like for remotely operating a device such as an electric product.

  In homes and the like, an infrared remote controller that improves convenience by allowing remote control of electrical appliances such as televisions, videos, air conditioners, and various lighting fixtures is often used. Although remote controllers for electric appliances (hereinafter referred to as remote controllers) have become familiar and have increased convenience, different home appliances are controlled by individual remote controllers, so the number of remote controllers depends on the number of electrical appliances. It increased and the handling became troublesome.

  Conventionally, it has been considered to use a mobile phone that has been rapidly spread as an infrared remote controller for such a problem (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which a remote control code can be set on a mobile phone with a simple operation and the mobile phone can be used as an infrared remote control.

In addition, a configuration in which a plurality of devices (video tape recorder (VTR)) can be operated by a single remote control is also considered (for example, Patent Document 2). In Patent Document 2, in order to operate the VTR with the remote controller, the operation can be performed by matching the setting number of the VTR main body and the setting number of the remote controller to the same number. For example, if the setting is 1 on the VTR side, the remote control side will not operate unless the setting number is 1. If the setting number on the remote control does not match the setting number on the VTR, the setting number set on the remote control is displayed on the TV receiver screen when various operations are attempted in that state. Thus, the user can recognize that the setting numbers do not match, so that it is not mistaken for a failure.
JP 2003-264612 A JP-A-8-129793

  Thus, conventionally, it has been considered to use a mobile phone as a remote controller as in Patent Document 1, but according to the electrical appliance to be controlled, a remote control code is set for the mobile phone each time. There is a need. For example, the types and number of electrical appliances installed in each place are different at home, work, and other places visited. When it is intended to control each electrical appliance that varies depending on the location with a single mobile phone, it is necessary to set a remote control code for each location, which is cumbersome and inconvenient.

  Further, as in Patent Document 2, although it is possible to recognize whether the VTR can be controlled by the remote controller, the setting number for the remote controller must be changed according to the displayed setting number, and the setting is made to the user each time. Operation was forced.

  The problem of the present invention is that even if the device to be controlled by the remote control differs depending on the place where it is used, it can be easily used as a remote control device without setting the remote control according to the device for each location. And providing a remote control function control program.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided signal sending means for sending a control signal to another device, and control data used for sending a signal for controlling the other device by the signal sending means. The setting means set for each device, the position detecting means for detecting the current position, the control data for each device set by the setting means, and the data indicating the current position detected by the position detecting means are associated with each other. Recording means for recording, and device display means for displaying a device representing control data recorded in the recording means corresponding to the current position detected by the position detecting means. To do.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, the setting means downloads the control data from an external device by communication.

  In addition to claim 1, the invention described in claim 3 is a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with a device in a short distance, a search unit that searches for a device that can communicate with the wireless communication unit, and the search Acquisition means for acquiring data for identifying the device from the device searched by the means, wherein the setting means sets control data for the device indicated by the data acquired by the acquisition means. And

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a signal sending means for sending a control signal to another device, and a control used for sending a signal for controlling the other device by the signal sending means. Setting means for setting data for each device, position detecting means for detecting the current position, control data for each device set by the setting means, and data indicating the current position detected by the position detecting means; And a recording unit that records the control data on the recording unit corresponding to the current position detected by the position detection unit. Features.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, when setting the control data used to control other devices, the control data and the data indicating the current position are recorded in association with each other. When the user who owns this device moves from place to place, if control data corresponding to the location (position) of the destination is already recorded, a display indicating the device corresponding to this control data is displayed. Thus, it is possible to notify the user that control of this device is possible.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, by downloading the control data from an external device, for example, a server connected via a network, the other control target can be obtained in advance. There is no need to prepare control data for the equipment.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, it is not necessary to control the device to be controlled in accordance with an instruction from the user, and the short distance searched by the short distance wireless communication. The control data can be set for a device located in the position, that is, a device that can be controlled by transmitting a control signal.

  According to the invention of claim 4, when setting the control data used to control other devices, the control data and the data indicating the current position are recorded in association with each other. When the user who owns this device moves from place to place, if control data corresponding to the location (position) of the destination is already recorded, a display indicating the device corresponding to this control data is displayed. Thus, it is possible to notify the user that control of this device is possible.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration when the electronic apparatus of the present invention is applied to a mobile phone 1, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an appearance of the mobile phone 1 in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 10, a ROM 12, a RAM 14, a liquid crystal display unit 16, a key input unit 18, a radio unit 20, a voice conversion circuit 22, a speaker 24, a microphone 26, and an infrared ray. A transmission unit 28, a short-range wireless communication unit 30, and a GPS unit 32 are provided.

  The control unit 10 is configured to include a CPU and the like, and implements various functions by controlling each unit based on programs and data recorded in the ROM 12 or RAM 14. The control unit 10 is provided with a remote control unit 10a for remotely operating another device by control of sending a control signal from the infrared transmission unit 28 to the other device. The remote control unit 10a is a function realized by executing a remote control function control program recorded in the ROM 12, for example, by the CPU.

  The ROM 12 and the RAM 14 record programs and data, and are accessed by a CPU built in the control unit 10. The RAM 14 records control data (hereinafter referred to as remote control data) such as a remote control code used for remotely operating other devices downloaded via a network such as the Internet via the wireless unit 20. Remote control data 14a in which remote control data set for controlling other devices and position data (GPS data) detected by the GPS unit 32 is associated is recorded.

  The liquid crystal display unit 16 displays images associated with various processes according to the control of the control unit 10. For example, when the mobile phone 1 is used as a remote control device, various remote control setting display screens and remote control operation screens representing functions assigned to the keys provided in the key input unit 18 in accordance with devices to be controlled (See FIG. 7B).

  The key input unit 18 is used for inputting various data. For example, in addition to character keys for inputting characters such as numbers, kana, and various symbols, cursor keys for instructing up, down, left, and right directions, selection execution, etc. Keys for instructing the function, function keys to which a specific function is assigned, and the like are provided.

  The radio unit 20 executes transmission / reception processing for voice communication in the mobile phone 1 and data communication with an external device (a server 42 described later), and transmits and receives radio signals through the antenna 21. The radio unit 20 modulates a voice message from the voice conversion circuit 22, a text message from the control unit 10, various information (for example, remote control data) and a control signal, transmits the modulated signal from the antenna 21, and receives it from the antenna 21. The voice message is output to the voice conversion circuit 22, and the character message or various information and control signals are demodulated and output to the control unit 10.

  The audio conversion circuit 22 converts the audio signal input from the microphone 26 into audio data and outputs it to the radio unit 20, and converts the audio data from the radio unit 20 into an audio signal and outputs it from the speaker 24.

  The infrared transmission unit 28 is used to send infrared pulses corresponding to remote control data to a device to be controlled when the mobile phone 1 is used as a remote control device.

  The short-range wireless communication unit 30 performs wireless communication with other devices in a short range under the control of the control unit 10 in accordance with a standard such as Bluetooth. The short-range wireless communication unit 30 has a function of searching for other devices equipped with the same short-range wireless communication function, and establishes a communication link with other devices searched by this function to perform wireless communication. Communication can be performed.

  The GPS unit 32 receives a signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite by an antenna (not shown), performs positioning of the current position based on this, and outputs position data (latitude and longitude).

FIG. 3 shows a usage pattern of the mobile phone 1 in the present embodiment.
A plurality of devices (electric appliances, etc.) capable of remote control operation are installed at each of the points A and B shown in FIG. A user who has the mobile phone 1 moves to point A or B, and performs remote control operation on each device with one mobile phone 1 at each location.

  When performing remote control operation on other devices with the mobile phone 1 first, the server 42 is accessed at each point, remote control data necessary for controlling each device is downloaded, and remote control operation is performed at that location. The mobile phone 1 is set as a remote control so that it can be performed. At that time, the cellular phone 1 records the current location detected by the signal received from the GPS satellite and the remote control data (remote control data) at this location as remote control data 14a in association with each other. Similarly, when the mobile phone 1 is used as a remote control at the point B, first, remote control data of each device is downloaded from the server 42, the remote control is set for each device, and the position is recorded using GPS. Keep it. Thereafter, when going to each point (point A, point B), the devices available at that position are displayed, and the mobile phone 1 can be made to function as a remote control device by selecting from among the devices.

  Next, the operation when the mobile phone 1 is used as a remote controller in the present embodiment will be described.

  First, a remote control setting process for setting the mobile phone 1 so that it can be used as a remote control will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, when the user uses the mobile phone 1 as a remote control device, the user acquires remote control data necessary for controlling a device to be operated by the remote control. As the remote control data, there is a format that represents a predetermined command of the infrared remote control uniquely set by the manufacturer of each device, for example. The mobile phone 1 can set the format according to each device, and can send an infrared pulse representing a predetermined command in accordance with this format to the device to remotely control the operation of other devices.

  The mobile phone 1 accesses the site (server 42) that provides remote control data from the wireless unit 20 through a network such as a wireless communication network or the Internet (step A1), and designates a device to be operated by the remote control. Remote control data is downloaded (step A2).

  The user uses the remote control data downloaded from the mobile phone 1 to perform remote control settings so that the target device can be operated by remote control (step A3). For example, when the user designates the manufacturer of the device to be operated by the remote controller and the type of the device, remote control data for the designated device is set. The control unit 10 (remote control unit 10a) can cause the infrared transmission unit 28 to transmit an infrared pulse corresponding to an input operation to the key input unit 18 in accordance with the set remote control data.

  For example, when performing remote control settings, the mobile phone 1 displays a remote control setting screen as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B so that the user can easily set the device manufacturer and the device name. I have to. The remote control setting screen shown in FIG. 5A displays a list of device manufacturers, and can be arbitrarily selected by operating a cursor key or a confirmation key provided in the key input unit 18. . Also, the remote control setting screen shown in FIG. 5B is a device (for example, “TV”, “video”, “audio”) that can be operated by the remote control according to the manufacturer selected on the remote control setting screen shown in FIG. ) Are displayed in a list. Similarly, any device can be arbitrarily selected by operating the keys provided in the key input unit 18 in the same manner.

  On the other hand, along with the execution of the remote control setting, the control unit 10 performs positioning of the current location using the GPS unit 32 (step A4), and data indicating the current position (latitude, longitude) obtained by this positioning and The remote control data 14a is recorded in association with the remote control data set as the remote control.

  The remote control setting process as described above is executed in the same manner at each location where the remote control target device is installed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the remote control data of each device set as the remote control and the location data (GPS data) indicating the location where the remote control data is set, that is, the position where the device to be controlled is installed Are recorded in association with each other.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6, it is shown that the remote control is set at the point B for the DDD television and the AAA video, and the ACC for the CCC television.

  Thus, the cellular phone 1 in which the remote control setting has been performed can be easily used as a remote control device at each point by a remote control operation process described below.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4B, a remote control operation process for performing a remote control operation using the mobile phone 1 set as a remote controller will be described. First, when use as a remote control device is instructed by a user operation, the mobile phone 1 performs positioning using GPS by the GPS unit 32 and detects the current location (latitude, longitude) (step B1).

  The control unit 10 (remote control unit 10a) searches whether the current location detected by the GPS unit 32 is recorded in the remote control data 14a (step B2). Here, when the corresponding position data is not searched (step B3, No), that is, when the remote control setting for the device installed in this place is not performed, the remote control operation processing is terminated. In this case, by performing the above-described remote control setting process, the mobile phone 1 can perform remote control operation on the device installed at that location.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that remote control data corresponding to the current position is recorded (step B3, Yes), the remote control unit 10a corresponds to the position data indicating the current position recorded in the remote control data 14a. Based on the attached remote control data, a list of devices that can be operated by the remote control at the current position is displayed (step B4).

  FIG. 7A shows an example of a remote control operation screen displaying a list of devices that can be operated by the remote control. For example, when the user who has the mobile phone 1 is at the point B, as shown in FIG. 6, the remote control data 14a includes a DDD television and an AAA product associated with the location data of the point B. Since the remote control data of the television is recorded, the names of the manufacturers (manufacturers) and the names of the devices manufactured by DDD and AAA are listed as devices that can be operated by the remote control.

  Here, when a device is selected from the list display by a user operation on the key input unit 18, the remote control control unit 10a displays a remote control operation screen for controlling the selected device.

  For example, when a television manufactured by DDD is selected as a target for remote control operation, the remote control unit 10a turns on / off the number buttons 1 to 12 representing channels as shown in FIG. 7B. A remote control operation screen on which a power button to be controlled, a button for specifying the size of a volume, and the like are set is displayed. When a key provided in the key input unit 18 is operated in accordance with this display screen, the remote control unit 10a sends an infrared pulse for controlling the device corresponding to the key operation in accordance with the remote control data of the device. To send.

  The DDD television that has received the signal transmitted from the infrared transmitter 28 controls the operation according to the command indicated by the infrared pulse.

  Thus, in the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment, the remote control data and the position data set by the remote control are recorded in association with each other. Therefore, once the remote control is set, the device is held at the place. By moving, a device that can be operated by remote control at that point is displayed based on the position data without performing remote control setting for the device installed at that location again. Then, the remote control data can be set and the remote control operation can be performed simply by selecting the target device for the remote control operation from the list display. Therefore, even if the manufacturer of the device installed at each place and the type of device are different, it is possible to easily perform a remote control operation using one mobile phone 1.

  In the above description, when setting the remote control for the mobile phone 1, the manufacturer of the device that the user wants to operate the remote control is checked, and the remote control data corresponding to the device is specified and downloaded from the server 42. However, it is also possible to search for and set a device to be operated by the remote controller using short-range wireless communication as follows.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a processing operation for searching for and setting a device to be operated by the remote controller.

  In this case, a function capable of short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth is installed in an electronic device or a home electric appliance to be operated by the remote controller so that short-range wireless communication with the mobile phone 1 can be performed. The mobile phone 1 stores in advance remote control data for a device that can be operated from the server 42 and stores the remote control data according to the device of each manufacturer in the ROM 12 or the like at the time of manufacture.

  When a user instructs the mobile phone 1 to execute a search for a device that can be operated by a remote controller at a certain location, a device that can communicate through the short-range wireless communication unit 30 is searched (step C1). When a communicable device is found (step C2, Yes), data for identifying the device is acquired from this device, and remote control setting is performed using remote control data corresponding to the identification data (step C6). ), The device name of the device is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 16 to notify the user that the remote control operation is possible (step C7).

  Here, in the same manner as described above, the control unit 10 records the remote control data set as the remote control and the position data detected by the GPS unit 32 as remote control data 14a in association with each other.

  In this case, a device whose remote control data is set in the remote control data 14a is searched again as a device that can be operated by remote control without performing remote control setting again when the mobile phone 1 is used as a remote control device at this location. The

  On the other hand, if a device capable of remote control operation is not found by the search by the short-range wireless communication unit 30, the control unit 10 can perform remote control operation on the device in which the remote control data is set in the remote control control data 14a, that is, previously this place. The device name is displayed in a different display form (for example, gray display) from the device that can be operated by the remote controller (step C4).

  In this way, by using the function of searching for a device by short-range wireless communication, the user does not need to check and select a device to be operated by the remote controller, and the mobile phone 1 can be easily operated by remote control. Can be used.

  In the above description, the infrared transmission unit 28 is provided to use the mobile phone 1 as a remote control. However, in the case where the device is controlled using another communication method regardless of infrared rays. It is assumed that a communication function is provided according to the device to be controlled.

  Further, although the description has been made on the cellular phone 1, it can be realized in other PDAs (personal digital assistants) and various portable electronic devices.

  Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, at least one of the problems described in the column of problems to be solved by the invention can be solved, and described in the column of the effect of the invention. In a case where at least one of the obtained effects can be obtained, a configuration in which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

  In addition, a kanji conversion program that can be executed by a computer that realizes an electronic device is written in a recording medium such as a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), a semiconductor memory, etc. Alternatively, it can be provided through a communication medium. The functions in the above-described embodiment can be realized by controlling the operation of the computer by the kanji conversion program.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration when an electronic device of the present invention is applied to a mobile phone 1; The figure which shows the external appearance of the mobile telephone 1 in this embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the usage type of the mobile telephone 1 in this embodiment. 6 is a flowchart for explaining operations of a remote control setting process and a remote control operation process of the mobile phone 1 in the present embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the remote control setting screen in this embodiment. The figure which shows an example of a data structure of the remote control data 14a in this embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the remote control operation screen in this embodiment. The flowchart for demonstrating the processing operation | movement which searches and sets the apparatus made into remote control operation target in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mobile phone, 10 ... Control part, 12 ... ROM, 14 ... RAM, 16 ... Liquid crystal display part, 18 ... Key input part, 20 ... Radio | wireless part, 21 ... Antenna, 22 ... Voice conversion circuit, 24 ... Speaker, 26 A microphone, 28 an infrared transmission unit, 30 a short-range wireless communication unit, 32 a GPS unit, 40 a GPS satellite, 42 a server.

Claims (4)

A signal sending means for sending a control signal to another device;
Setting means for setting control data for each device used to send a signal for controlling other devices by the signal sending means;
Position detection means for detecting the current position;
Recording means for associating and recording control data for each device set by the setting means and data indicating the current position detected by the position detecting means;
Device display means for displaying a device in which control data is recorded in the recording means corresponding to the current position detected by the position detecting means;
An electronic apparatus comprising:   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit downloads the control data from an external device through communication. A wireless communication means for performing wireless communication with a device at a short distance;
Searching means for searching for devices capable of communicating by the wireless communication means;
Obtaining means for obtaining data for identifying the device from the device searched by the search means;
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets control data for the device indicated by the data acquired by the acquisition unit. Computer
A signal sending means for sending a control signal to another device;
Setting means for setting control data for each device used to send a signal for controlling other devices by the signal sending means;
Position detection means for detecting the current position;
Recording means for associating and recording control data for each device set by the setting means and data indicating the current position detected by the position detecting means;
A remote control function control program for causing the recording unit to function as a device display unit that displays a device in which control data is recorded corresponding to the current position detected by the position detection unit.

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