JP2677005B2 - Remote control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a remote control device, and more particularly to a wireless remote control device for household electric appliances.

[Conventional technology]

Wireless remote control devices are widely used to remotely control TV receivers, home electric appliances such as VTRs, music selection, power supply opening / closing, and volume control. Ultrasonic waves and infrared rays are often used as carrier waves.

The control signal includes a frequency division type, a tone type for changing the modulation frequency, a pulse code type, and a pulse width modulation type.

In recent years, in response to the increase in electric appliances of this type in the home, one remote control device that can control a plurality of devices has appeared, and in particular, a user remote control device is a learning remote control device.

 An example of a conventional remote control device is shown in FIG.

Here, a learning remote control device using infrared light is shown as an example.

Referring to FIG. 5, the learning remote controller 1 receives a remote control signal when learning a remote control code of an arbitrary remote control transmitter, and a remote control code received by the remote control signal input from the receiving section 11. A decoder section 12 for decoding, a read / write control section 13 for storing the decoded remote control code and reading the stored remote control code, and a data storage including RAM or the like for storing remote control code data. Section 14, a key input section 15 for remote control operation, a remote control section 16 for controlling the writing / reading control section 13 by key operation of the key input section 15,
It is composed of an encoder unit 17 that encodes the output signal of the writing / reading control unit 13 as a remote control signal and a transmission unit 18 that transmits the encoded remote control signal.

Since the above-mentioned constituent elements are well known as a constituent technology of this type of remote control device, description thereof will be omitted so as not to be redundant except those directly related to the present invention.

 Next, the operation of the conventional remote control device will be described.

First, a case will be described in which the remote control code of the device to be remotely controlled is learned.

First, the transmission unit 28 of the dedicated (attached) remote controller (remote control for learning target device) 2 of the learning target device is made to face the receiving unit 11 of the remote control device 1.

Next, when the key of the required item of the learning target device remote controller 2 is operated, the remote control signal corresponding to the item is transmitted and received by the receiving unit 11 of the learning remote controller 1.

The received remote control signal from the receiving section 11 is decoded by the decoder section 12 into a remote control code.

Here, it is assumed that the remote control code is, for example, 8 bits and digital data. Therefore, the decoded remote control code is input to the write / read control unit 13 as 8-bit data.

At this time, the writing / reading control unit of the remote controller control unit 16 is operated by operating the key corresponding to the learning target item in the key input unit 15.
Issue control signal for 13.

As for the contents of this control, for example, an address in the data storage unit 14 corresponding to the control item is set in advance, and, for example, if the power supply is disconnected, the data of the write / read control unit 13 should be stored in the address 10. Is like.

There are various known control methods of this kind,
In the present invention, the method is not important, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Therefore, it is assumed here that one of the functions of the remote controller control unit 16 is the key operation of the key input unit 15 and the storage address designation of the input data of the write / read control unit 13 in the data storage unit 14.

The format of the control signal is, for example, 8-bit digital data.

As described above, the 8-bit data of the write / read control unit 13 is stored in the data storage unit 14, for example, at address 10.

Next, a case where the learning target device is controlled by the learned remote control signal will be described.

First, by operating the corresponding item on the key input unit 15, the remote controller control unit 16 causes the write / read control unit 13 to move to the data storage unit 14.
The data read address designating signal of the corresponding item is issued. In this case, by pressing the power off key,
Address 10 of data storage unit 14 is called, and the 8-bit data stored therein is output to write / read control unit 13.

The data called by the writing / reading control unit 13 is encoded into a predetermined remote control signal by the encoder unit 17, and the transmission unit 18
Then, the signal is transmitted as an infrared light transmission signal to the remote control target device, and predetermined control, that is, power-off is performed here.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

When learning the remote control items of the dedicated (attached) remote control device (learning target remote control device) of the learning target device, the conventional remote control device described above is set in the learning mode for each item of the learning target remote control device. It was to learn by operating.

Therefore, there is a drawback that the learning method is complicated and complicated.

Further, depending on the item of the remote control device to be learned, there is a disadvantage that a key or switch of the remote control device and a remote control code assigned to these keys may have a problem.

Furthermore, although an amateur user performs the above-mentioned learning work, the learning work method is complicated and complicated, so that there is a drawback that the learning function cannot be used well.

[Means for solving the problem]

The remote control device of the present invention modulates a carrier medium into a predetermined signal format with a control signal of a predetermined format corresponding to a control item to generate a first remote control signal and a second remote control signal, respectively. In a remote control device comprising a remote control signal generation means and a second remote control signal generation means for a learning target device, the second remote control signal generation means generates the control items by arranging each of the control items in a predetermined order. There is a sequence means for transmitting a control signal as the second remote control signal and for adding the sequence as a sequence signal to the second remote control signal and transmitting the sequence signal. Reception composite means for receiving and combining a second remote control signal to read out the control signal, and sequence composite means for combining the sequence signal, The storage means for sequentially storing the control signals output from the reception composite means under the control of the sequence signal, and the first remote control signal that is the same as the second remote control signal by reading the control signal from the storage means. And an encoding means for performing the encoding.

〔Example〕

 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

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

In FIG. 1, the remote control device of the present invention comprises a learning remote control 1 and a learning target device remote control (hereinafter, set remote control) 2.

The learning remote controller 1 includes a receiving unit 11 similar to the conventional example,
Decoder unit 12, write / read control unit 13, and data storage unit 14
And the key input unit 15 for remote control operation and the remote control unit
In addition to the encoder 16, the encoder 17 and the transmitter 18, the sequence controller 19 is included.

The sequence control unit 19 decodes the sequence signal designating the learning order of the control items sent from the set remote controller 2 and controls the remote controller control unit 16 and the writing / reading control unit 13 to learn in a predetermined sequence. Is.

This kind of function is performed by, for example, the well-known hardware including a program counter, registers, and peripheral circuits,
It can be realized by a combination of a sequence number and software having a program table including a remote control code and a control function corresponding to the sequence number.

The data storage unit 14 is a random access memory (RAM)
Etc.

The set remote controller 2 includes a read control unit 23 and a data storage unit.
24, a key input unit 25 for remote control operation, a remote control unit 26, an encoder unit 27, a transmission unit 28, and a sequencer unit.
It is composed of 29 and.

The sequencer unit 29 controls the writing / reading control unit 23 and the remote controller control unit 26 in order to transmit the control items of the learning target device in accordance with a predetermined learning order, and adds a sequence signal indicating the learning order. Have.

This kind of function is performed by, for example, the well-known hardware including a program counter, registers, and peripheral circuits,
It can be realized by a combination of a sequence number and software having a program table including a remote control code and a control function corresponding to the sequence number.

The data storage unit 24 may use a read-only memory (ROM) or the like.

The components other than those described above are common to those shown in the example of the above-described conventional technique, and the description thereof will be duplicated, and therefore will be omitted here.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the keyboard of the key input unit 15 of the learning remote controller 1.

In FIG. 2, S1 to S14 each represent a switch.

Here, the switches S1 to S4 have no function limitation, and therefore can be used for volume adjustment and the like.

The switches S5 to S12 have desirable functions to be assigned because of their arrangement, display, and the like.

The switch S13 is a switch for selecting a device to be controlled.

The switch S14 is a mode selection switch and has three modes: normal, manual learning, and automatic learning.

 Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a learning result obtained by the learning remote controller 1 using two models, a compact disk player (hereinafter, CD) and a video tape recorder (hereinafter, VTR), as learning target devices.

In FIG. 3, for 12 switches S1 to S12,
The sequence code, the control functions of the CD'11 'and VTR'01', and the corresponding remote control code are shown.

First, when the mode selection switch S14 is set to the learning manual mode and the learning is performed item by item of the control function, it is the same as the conventional example, and the description will be omitted because it is redundant.

Next, a case where the mode selection switch S14 is set to the learning automatic mode and learning of all control functions is automatically performed will be described.

The model selection switch S13 of the learning remote controller 1 is set to a learning target device, for example, a CD.

Next, the mode selection switch S14 is set to the learning automatic mode.

When the mode selection switch S14 of the learning remote controller 1 is set to the learning automatic mode, the key input section 15 becomes the remote controller control section.
It is disconnected from 16, and the sequence control unit 19 is put in a controllable state instead.

Next, when a sequence signal is input from the set remote controller 2, the sequence controller 19 becomes active and controls the remote controller controller 16.

The sequence control unit 19 outputs the control signal equivalent to that from the key input unit 15 to the remote control unit 16 by outputting the item of the program table containing the learning target item according to the designation of the sequence signal.

The control signal from the remote controller control unit 16 is input to the writing / reading control unit 13 as in the learning manual mode, and the data storage unit 14
Write control to.

Next, the remote controller of the learning target device CD, that is, the set remote controller 2 is opposed to set the educational automatic mode.

The set remote controller 2 is provided with a normal mode that functions as a normal remote controller, a mode selection switch S21 that switches an educational automatic mode for learning remote controller education, and a start switch S22.

When the mode selection switch 21 of the set remote controller 2 is set to the educational automatic mode, the key input unit 25 becomes the remote controller control unit.
It is disconnected from 26, and instead the sequencer 29 becomes controllable.

Next, when the start switch is turned on, the sequencer 29
Becomes active and controls the remote controller control unit 26.

The sequencer 29 switches the switches S1 to S1 of the learning remote controller shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with the built-in program table.
The remote control code of the set remote controller corresponding to S12 in order is read from the data storage unit 24 by the read control unit 23 via the remote control control unit 26.

The data called by the read control unit 23 is stored in the encoder unit 27.
Then, the signal is encoded into a predetermined remote control signal, becomes a transmission signal of infrared light from the transmission unit 18, and is transmitted to the learning remote control 1.

At this time, a sequence signal indicating the order of transmission is added to the head of the data of each item.

The learning remote controller 1 receives the transmission signal from the set remote controller 2 at the receiving unit 11.

The received remote control signal from the receiver 11 is decoded by the decoder 12 into a remote control code.

Further, the decoder unit 12 separates the sequence signal added to the remote control code and inputs it to the sequence control unit 19.

As described above, since the sequence control unit 19 is already in the active state, the control signal equivalent to that from the key input unit 15 is output by outputting the control item of the built-in program table according to the designation of the input sequence signal. Is issued to the remote control unit 16.

The control signal from the remote controller 16 is input to the write / read controller 13 to specify the address of the data storage 14 as in the learning manual mode, and the decoder 12 controls the writing of the remote controller code.

As described above, the address corresponding to each control item of the data storage unit 14 is designated in the order designated by the sequence signal, and the remote control code corresponding to the address is stored in order.

In addition, the number of control items prepared in advance for the learning remote controller 1 may be smaller than the number of control items for the set remote controller 2.

In this case, the sequence control unit of the learning remote controller 1 corresponds to the number specified by the sequence signal of the set remote controller 2.
Since the corresponding number in the 19 program table becomes a missing number, it can be easily dealt with by detecting it.

Other than the above, the parts are common to those shown in the example of the above-mentioned conventional technique, and the description thereof will be duplicated, and therefore will be omitted here.

 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the keyboard of the key input unit of the learning remote controller of the second embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the keyboard of the learning remote controller 1 of this embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel 31 and a transparent film switch 32.
It is composed of

As is well known, in this type of keyboard, the function of each transparent film switch 32 can be electronically displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 31 on the lower surface of the switch.

Therefore, the switch does not have the function limitation as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the remote control code and its function display data are combined and stored in the data storage unit, and the function display is read out and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 31 at the time of use. It enables a flexible remote control.

 It can also be applied to a wider range of models.

In order to realize this, the function display data is added to the sequence signal of the set remote controller 2 and
It is necessary for the learning remote controller 1 to have additional functions such as addition of corresponding table items and increase of the memory capacity of the data storage unit 14.

Since the above-mentioned constituent elements are well-known as a constituent technology, the description thereof will be omitted so as not to be redundant except those directly connected to the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

For example, when the learning remote controller is made to learn the control items of the learning target device, it is explained that the set remote controller is provided with the educational function, but it is also possible to provide the learning target device with the educational function without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, it can be applied.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when learning the remote control items of the learning target remote control device,
There is an effect that the remote control codes of all the items of the remote control device to be learned can be automatically learned only by setting the start of learning.

Therefore, there is an effect that an amateur user can easily use the learning function.

Further, depending on the item of the remote control device to be learned, even if a problem such as a mismatch between the keys or switches of this remote control device and the remote control code assigned to them occurs, there is an effect that it is automatically dealt with by an optimal method. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a keyboard of a learning remote controller of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a learning of the embodiment shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of the learning result of a remote control, FIG. 4 is a figure which shows an example of the keyboard of the learning remote control of the 2nd Example of this invention, 5th
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional remote control device. 1 ... Learning remote controller, 2 ... Learning target device remote controller (set remote controller), 11 ... Receiving section, 12 ... Decoder section, 13 ... Write / read control section, 14, 24 ... Data storage section, 1
5,25 …… Key input section, 16,26 …… Remote control section, 17,27
...... Encoder unit, 18, 28 ...... Transmission unit, 19 ...... Sequence control unit, 23 …… Read control unit, 29 …… Sequencer unit 29,
31 …… Liquid crystal display panel, 32 …… Transparent film switch,
S1-S14 …… Switch.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A learning-type first remote control signal for modulating a carrier medium into a predetermined signal format with a control signal of a predetermined format corresponding to a control item to generate first and second remote control signals, respectively. In a remote control device comprising a generation means and a second remote control signal generation means for a learning target device, the control signal generated by the second remote control signal generation means by arranging each of the control items in a predetermined order. Is transmitted as the second remote control signal, and sequence means for adding the sequence as a sequence signal to the second remote control signal and transmitting the sequence signal is transmitted. Receiving and decoding means for receiving and decoding the remote control signal and reading the control signal; sequence decoding means for decoding the sequence signal; Storage unit for sequentially storing the control signal output from the reception / decoding unit by controlling the reception signal, and reading the control signal from the storage unit to generate a first remote control signal that is the same as the second remote control signal. A remote control device comprising: an encoding unit. 2. The sequence means has a model code indicating a model of the learning target device, a key switch function code indicating a function of an operation key or a switch, and a model function table in which the control signal is associated with each other. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The remote controller according to claim 2, further comprising display data indicating a function of the operation key or the switch on the keyboard, in addition to the key switch function code. 4. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the second remote controller signal generating means is a remote controller for the learning target device.