JP2006333163A - Remote control terminal device using ic tag - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To acquire remote control information easily, without complicating the configuration of instruments to be controlled, in a remote control device which controls the plurality of instruments to be controlled. <P>SOLUTION: Information for remote operation is read out from instruments to be operated and IC tags attached to the manuals of these instruments and then are recorded in a storage means inside the remote control device. A list of the instruments to be controlled is displayed on a display screen of the remote control device, remote control information on an instrument selected among the list is read out, and then an operation button is displayed on a touch panel. By touching the operation button displayed on the touch panel, operation signal information, corresponding to the button, is generated and sent from the remote control device to the instrument to be controlled. Thus, the instrument to be controlled can be remote-controlled. Once the operation information is registered, it can be accumulated inside the remote control device and can thus be reused in remote operation, without having to reread the IC tag. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for distributing predetermined information from an operation target to a remote operation terminal using an IC tag so that a plurality of types of operation target devices can be operated from the remote operation terminal.

  There is one remote operation terminal (so-called remote controller) for home appliances, and one remote control terminal for each home appliance is required. When remotely controlling a plurality of home appliances, it is necessary to use a plurality of remote operation terminals.

  There is a remote controller that can handle a plurality of devices (for example, a television, a video, and an audio device) even though it is one remote controller. Such a remote controller stores remote control information such as operation signals for operating the plurality of devices in advance. Therefore, it is impossible to operate a device for which remote control information is not stored in advance. In addition, the conventional remote control has a fixed remote control interface (that is, a hardware button arrangement is fixed), has poor operability, and it is difficult to operate different types of devices. . The configuration and arrangement of the remote control operation switches are unique to each company. Furthermore, the configuration of the operation switch itself is greatly different in devices having different functions such as a television and an air conditioner. For this reason, it has been difficult for remote controllers corresponding to both devices having different functions to share an operation switch.

  As a remote control technology that can handle a plurality of devices, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1 below. In this technology, a signal requesting identification information is transmitted from a remote control device to a device to be controlled, and a signal including identification information transmitted from the device to be controlled is received by the remote control device, and the received identification information is received. It is stored in the identification information storage unit, it is determined whether the identification information is already stored in the control information storage unit, and if not stored, a signal requesting control information is transmitted from the remote control device to the device to be controlled. In response to this, a signal including control information transmitted from the device to be controlled is received by the remote control device, and identification information is attached to the received control information and stored in the control information storage unit. Thereafter, display data is created based on the control information and displayed on the display unit. Since the operation unit is configured by a touch sensor on the display screen of the display unit, when the screen is touched, the control information storage unit is referred to generate a control signal corresponding to the touch operation, and the remote control device To the control target device. As a result, the control target device is controlled.

Further, as a remote control technology that can cope with different types of devices, there is one described in Patent Document 2 below. This is a remote control device equipped with an LCD display / touch panel. Remote control information (LCD display information, buttons, signal correspondence information, infrared signal format information) corresponding to the operation target device is downloaded from a server device connected to the Internet. Using the LCD display information corresponding to the operation target device, displaying operation buttons for the device on the touch panel, and generating and outputting an infrared signal corresponding to the operated button. is there.
JP 7-162966 A JP 2003-18674 A

  With the technique described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of devices can be controlled with a single remote control device. However, the control information that is the basis for generating the display data and the control signal corresponding to the operation needs to be stored inside the control target device, and the control target device receives a request from the remote control device. It is necessary to have a mechanism for transmitting the control information to the remote control device. Therefore, there is a problem that the configuration on the control target device side becomes complicated.

  The technique described in Patent Literature 2 can cope with different types of control target devices. However, it is necessary to download remote control information corresponding to each operation target device from a server device connected to the Internet, and there is a problem that the remote control information acquisition method is complicated and troublesome.

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily obtain remote control information without complicating the configuration on the control target device side in a remote control device that controls a plurality of control target devices. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a remote control device for remotely operating a plurality of control target devices, which is output according to display information and operation of an operation screen attached to the control target device. Display means for reading the operation information from the IC tag recording the operation information including the operation signal information to be recorded, means for recording the read operation information, and a list of control target devices on which the operation information is recorded List display means, means for selecting a device to be controlled from the list displayed, means for displaying an operation screen based on display information in the operation information of the selected device, and on the operation screen It is characterized by comprising means for detecting a touch operation, means for generating operation signal information corresponding to the detected touch operation, and means for transmitting the generated operation signal information. .

  The present invention can operate various types of devices without losing operability, and can easily perform remote control without using a remote control device and a device other than the operation target device (for example, a server device connected to the Internet). Information can be set. The configuration on the control target device side is not complicated. Once the operation information is registered, it can be used again by remote control operation without rereading the IC tag.

  FIG. 1 shows an external appearance of a remote control device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The remote control device 100 includes a liquid crystal touch panel type display unit 101 that displays various types of information and accepts an external touch operation. Below the display unit 101, buttons 103 to 106 for performing basic operations (menu display, determination, etc.) that cannot be performed on the display unit 101 are arranged. The “menu” button 103 is a button for instructing to display a predetermined menu on the display unit 101. The “up” button 104 and the “down” button 105 are buttons for moving the cursor up and down on the display unit 101. The “decision / power” button 106 is a button for instructing to turn on the power of the remote control device 100 or to decide an item on which the cursor is set on the display unit 101. An IC tag reading unit (not shown) or the like is provided on the back surface opposite to the display unit 101 and the buttons 103 to 106. In addition, an output unit 102 that transmits an infrared signal for transmitting information to the operation target device is provided at one end of the remote control device 100.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state of using the remote control device 100 of the present embodiment. Reference numeral 201 denotes a device to be operated by the remote control device 100, and the device 201 is provided with an IC tag 202. In order to use the remote control device 100 as a remote control for the device 201, a predetermined operation is performed on the remote control device 100, the remote control device 100 is brought close to the IC tag 202, operation information is read from the IC tag 202, and registered in the remote control device 100. . As a result, the remote controller 100 is ready to be used as a remote controller for the device 201. Thereafter, in order to use the remote control device 100 as a remote control for the device 201, a predetermined screen for displaying an operation button for operating the device 201 is displayed on the display unit 101, and when the operator touches the operation button, the remote control is displayed. An operation signal corresponding to the operation is transmitted from the device 100 to the device 201, and the device 201 to be operated is operated as desired.

  When the power of the remote control device 100 is turned on, a screen corresponding to the information device operation set when the power is turned off immediately before is displayed on the display unit 101. When switching the operation target device, the “menu” button 103 is pressed, a desired device is selected from the registered operation target devices, and a screen for remote control of the device is displayed. When a screen for performing remote control operation on a certain operation target device is displayed on the display unit 101, when the user touches a button or the like displayed on the screen, information corresponding to the touched button or the like is displayed. It is transmitted from the output unit 102 as an infrared signal, and the operation target device is remotely operated.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of remote control device 100. The remote control device 100 includes a basic operation unit 301, a data processing unit 302, a storage unit 303, an IC tag reading unit 304, a display unit 305, and an output unit 306. The basic operation unit 301 corresponds to an operation part including the buttons 103 to 106 described with reference to FIG. The data processing unit 302 is a processing device (CPU) that controls the overall operation of the remote control device, and a memory and other parts necessary for the CPU to operate. In particular, the data processing unit 302 performs the processes of FIGS. 7 and 8 to be described later. The storage unit 303 is a storage device for storing various data related to the device to be operated, and the stored content is not erased even when the power is turned off. The IC tag reading unit 304 is a part for reading data from the IC tag of the device to be operated. The display unit 305 corresponds to the display unit 101 in FIG. 1, and the output unit 306 corresponds to the output unit 102 in FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a menu screen displayed when the “menu” button 103 of the remote control device 100 is pressed. Items “list” 401, “add” 403, and “delete” 404 are displayed, and a cursor 405 is displayed. Under the “list” 401, an item 402 indicating a device already registered as an operation target is displayed. The cursor 405 can be moved up and down by the buttons 104 and 105. When the cursor 405 is placed on one of the items 402 indicating the operation target device and the enter button 106 is pressed, a screen for remote-controlling the operation target device is displayed. “Add” 403 is an item used when a new operation target device is registered in the remote control device 100. “Delete” 404 is an item used when deleting a registered operation target device.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of an operation screen displayed when “TV” is selected as the operation target device on the menu screen of FIG. Various buttons 501 for remote-controlling the television such as channel buttons 1 to 12 for selecting a television channel are displayed. When a desired button is touched from these buttons, an operation signal corresponding to the button is transmitted as an infrared signal from the output unit 102, whereby the television as the operation target can be remotely operated.

  FIG. 6A shows an example of data in an IC tag (for example, 202 in FIG. 2) included in the operation target device. The IC tag data D-1 includes device information D-11 and remote control button data D-12. The device information D-11 includes a device name D-111 that identifies the device and an operation number D-112. The operation number D-112 is a value indicating the number of remote control button data D-12 described below (that is, the number of buttons to be displayed). One set of remote control button data D-12 is stored for one button displayed on the display unit 101. One remote control button data D-12 is displayed in the upper left horizontal coordinate D-121 and upper left vertical coordinate D-122 for displaying the button, the horizontal width D-123 and the vertical width D-124 of the button, and the button. A display character D-125 to be displayed, an operation signal D-126 to be output when the button is touched, and the like are stored.

  FIG. 6B shows an example of data in the storage unit 303 of the remote control device 100. Data D-2 in the storage unit 303 includes device list data D-21 and remote control button data D-22. Since one set of device list data D-21 is stored for one device registered as an operation target, the device list data D-21 stores the number of registered devices. One device list data D-21 includes a device ID D-211, a device name D-212, and an operation count D-213 for specifying a registered device. The operation number D-213 is the same data as the operation number D-112, and is the number of remote control button data D-22 described below (that is, the number of buttons displayed on the remote control operation screen corresponding to the device). ). Remote control button data D-22 corresponding to the number of operations D-213 is stored for each registered device. One button to be displayed on the display unit 101 is defined by one remote control button data D-22. Each data D-221 to D-226 of the remote control button data D-22 is the same as the data D-121 to D-126 described with reference to FIG.

  6B does not illustrate the relationship between the device list data D-21 of a certain device and the remote control button data D-22 corresponding to the number of operations D-213, for example, the device list data D The device list data D-21 and the remote control button data can be obtained by having a pointer to the remote control button data D-22 in -21 or having a device ID in the remote control button data D-22. It is assumed that D-22 is linked.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing for adding a device to be operated to the remote control device 100. When the operator selects “Add” 403 in the menu (FIG. 4) of the remote controller 100 and presses the enter button 106, the remote controller 100 enters the IC tag reading mode (step 701). Note that the operation of locating the cursor and the operation of determining can be replaced by the operator touching the corresponding part of the display unit 101. In the IC tag reading mode, a message instructing to bring the remote control device 100 closer to the IC tag of the device to be read is displayed on the display unit 101 of the remote control device 100 (step 702). When the operator brings the remote control device 100 close to the IC tag according to the message, the IC tag transmits data to the remote control device 100 that is approached (step 711). The remote control device 100 receives data transmitted from the IC tag (step 703). The data transmitted / received here is the IC tag data D-1 described with reference to FIG. The remote control device 100 stores the read data in the storage unit 303 as shown in FIG. 6B (step 704). Specifically, the device name D-111 and the operation number D-112 of the device information D-11 are set as the device name D-212 and the operation number D-213, and the device is unique within the remote control device. ID data D-211 is added and stored as device list data D-21. Further, all remote control button data D-12 in the IC tag data D-1 is stored as remote control button data D-22. At this time, the device list data D-21 to be stored and the remote control button data D-22 are associated with each other. When the data storage is completed, the IC tag reading mode is returned to the normal mode (step 705), a message indicating that the addition has been completed is displayed (step 706), and the processing is terminated.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of processing for selecting an operation target device and performing remote control operation on the device. When the operator selects one of the operation target device list items 402 from the menu described with reference to FIG. 4, remote control button data D-22 corresponding to the selected operation target device (FIG. 6B). Are all read out (step 801). The device selection operation may be performed by placing the cursor with the up and down buttons 104 and 105 and pressing the enter button 106, or directly touching the corresponding item on the screen. Next, a button is displayed on the display unit 101 based on the read data D-22 (step 802). Thereby, for example, the operation screen as described in FIG. 5 is displayed. Next, it is determined whether or not there is a touch on the display unit 101, and it is further determined whether or not the touch position is a button (steps 803 and 804). If the touch position is a button, the touched button is confirmed (step 805). If the touched button is the end button (step 806), the menu display is restored. If it is not an end button, an operation signal corresponding to the touched button is extracted (step 807), and the extracted operation signal is transmitted from the output unit 102 (step 808). The operation signal may be read from the operation signal D-226 in the remote control button data D-22 of the touched button. Thereafter, the process returns to step 802 again. On the operation target device side, in step 811, the operation signal is received and processing corresponding to the operation signal is performed.

  If the screen displayed in step 802 does not fit on the entire display unit 101, the pages may be divided and the pages may be switched using the up and down buttons 104 and 105.

  Further, the IC tag may be attached anywhere on the control target device, and may be attached at a position where the user can notice. Further, instead of attaching to the control target device, for example, a system in which an IC tag is attached to a predetermined page (for example, a cover portion) of an instruction manual or a manual may be used. “Attaching an IC tag to a device to be controlled” includes such a case.

The figure which shows the external appearance of the remote control device which concerns on embodiment Schematic diagram showing how the remote control device of the embodiment is used Block diagram showing schematic configuration of remote control device The figure which shows the example of the menu screen of a remote control device The figure which shows the example of the operation screen which is displayed when “TV” is selected as the operation target device on the menu screen The figure which shows the example of data in an IC tag, and the example of data in the memory | storage part of a remote control device Flowchart diagram of processing for adding an operation target device Flowchart diagram of processing for performing remote control operation

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Remote control apparatus, 101 ... Liquid crystal touch panel type display part, 102 ... Output part which transmits an infrared signal, 103 ... "Menu" button, 104 ... "Up" button, 105 ... "Down" button, 106 ... "Determination / Power "button, 201 ... operation target device, 202 ... IC tag.

Claims (1)

A remote control device for remotely operating a plurality of control target devices,
Means for reading the operation information from an IC tag attached to the control target device and recording operation information including display information of an operation screen related to the control target device and operation signal information to be output according to the operation;
Means for recording the read operation information;
List display means for displaying a list of control target devices in which the operation information is recorded;
Means for selecting a device to be controlled from the displayed list;
Means for displaying an operation screen based on display information in the operation information of the selected device;
Means for detecting a touch operation on the operation screen;
Means for generating operation signal information corresponding to the detected touch operation;
A remote control device using an IC tag, comprising: means for transmitting generated operation signal information.

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