JP3068203B2 - Communication system using a transmitter and transceiver for use with multiple receivers - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is worthwhile to obtain an effective universal remote control for coordinating the operation of multiple different receivers in a home entertainment system.

The present invention relates to communication systems. In particular, the invention relates to a system enabling the development of a universal remote control,
In particular, it relates to operating one or more units, as for example in a home entertainment system. Such a system may include, for example, a receiver, stereo, amplifier, VCR, laser disk, satellite, tape deck, or TV.

Generally different components in a home entertainment center each have their own control unit. Each of these control units has buttons, switches, and controls and its own operating menu. Particularly when a home entertainment system includes multiple components, it is difficult to ensure that proper remote control effectively operates the appropriate units. For each user of these units, the learning curve for effectively using these remote controls is also significantly more complex.

There is a need to provide a universal remote control, so that multiple units can be easily and effectively controlled via one single handheld (hand-held) device. .

Various techniques have been tried to achieve this type of purpose, but those techniques have proven to be still very complex. In particular, the controls and menus to be equipped on a handheld remote device are complex to operate, requiring complex menus, difficult programming, and multiple control buttons and switches.

There is a need to obtain a simplified universal remote control that minimizes these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a communication system that minimizes the disadvantages of a universal remote controller. The present invention offers the essential advantages of known techniques for communication.

According to the present invention, there is provided a communication system having a transmitter and a transceiver. The transmitter has a device for transmitting the signal and a device for receiving the signal, and means for generating a start signal and a stop signal. The transceiver has a device for receiving a transceiver control signal and a device for transmitting the transceiver control signal to a plurality of selected receivers.

The system of the present invention is directed to minimizing the signal duplication problem. If an overlap occurs, the operation of different receivers can be prevented. Different receivers do not understand the different codes, and the messages transmitted through the signaling system are distorted.

Thus, the present invention prevents duplication of signals from transmitters transmitted or broadcast by transceivers to control the operation of different receivers.

The invented system attempts to ensure that stop signals are not transmitted by the transceiver while the transceiver is transmitting signals to other receivers.

The transmitter is configured to prevent the stop signal from being transmitted to or received by the transceiver when the transceiver is transmitting a signal to any one of the receivers. There is a sensor for sensing the transmission of the transceiver control signal.

In a preferred form of the invention, a sensor is included in the transmitter. Preferably, the signal is an IR signal. In this manner, a sensor for sensing the transmission of the IR signal operates with the transceiver. If the transceiver is transmitting an IR transceiver control signal, the transmission of the stop IR signal by the transmitter is suppressed.

In a further preferred form of the invention, the transceiver transmits the IR transceiver control signal to one of the plurality of receivers.
Transmission to one. These receivers are in particular at least one of the selectable units in a home entertainment center. Such a receiver may be a receiver, amplifier, stereo, VCR, laser disk, satellite dish receiver, tape deck, or TV.

In a preferred form of the invention, the signals are transmitted as data packets. There are spaces between data packets. One data packet represents one start packet and another different data packet represents a stop data packet.

After activation, the transmitter's sensors act to sense the space in the data packet, i.e., the control control signal transmitted by the transceiver. When space is sensed, the transmitter transmits stop data. Therefore, there is no overlap with data transmission from the transceiver.

In this way, it is possible to coordinate the transmission from the transmitter and the transmission from the transceiver such that they do not overlap.

The invention applies to communication systems, transmitters, transceivers and communication methods in this non-overlapping manner.

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

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 schematically shows components that are communication entities in a system. There are entertainment cabinets with transmitters, transceivers or repeaters, TV units, and a plurality of different entertainment receiver components.

 FIG. 2 is an alternative configuration of the system shown in FIG.

 FIG. 3A is a top view of the transmitter.

 FIG. 3B is a side view of the transmitter.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transceiver in coordination with the transmitter and for different receivers and adjustments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation showing the space between data packets and the packets carried by the transmitter and transceiver, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The communication system uses a handheld transmitter 10 and a television set-top transceiver 11. Both the transmitter and the transceiver have a receiving device and a transmitting device.

The communication system operates in the infrared (IR) frequency range. Similarly, transceivers use IR as the transmission medium between their own receiver and another receiver.

Another receiver component may be, for example, a TV 23, a receiver in an entertainment cabinet 25, or an amplifier 24. Other receivers are stereo amplifiers
26, VCD27, laser disk 28, satellite control 29,
And a tape deck 30. Other alternative receiver elements or components can be controlled by this control via transceiver 11.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transmitter 10 includes an IR LED 13,
It has a cursor control touch 33 pad 33, a cursor click control 34, a channel up / down 35, and a volume up / down switch 36.

The handheld transmitter 10 has an IR LED
It has a trigger button 12 which emits an IR data packet from 13. This is a start signal. Releasing trigger 12 causes another IR data packet to be emitted from LED 13. This is a stop signal. In FIG. 5, the start packet is shown as 14, and the stop packet is shown as 15.

Further, the transmitter 10 can detect that an IR transceiver control signal is being emitted from the transceiver 11 by an IR detector.
Has 16.

The set-top transceiver 11 has an IR detector 17 that receives and interprets the IR data package emitted from the transmitter 10. The set-top transceiver further has an IR LED transmitter element 18 that acts as a transmitting device.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the transceiver 11 is arranged to communicate with a receiver, and when the transceiver 11 receives the wake-up packet 14, the transceiver will advance the IR data packet, ie, the transceiver as indicated by line 39. Start transmission of the control signal. These packets are
Collectively shown as signals that control one or the other receiver component, such as 19, 20, 21, and 22 in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the receiver 24 receives the main video signal from the transceiver 11. This main video signal is then selectively retransmitted to other dedicated receiver components 26-30. The transceiver 11 is connected to the main video input of the TV 23 via a line 31 connected to the TV 23. Main video input 32 connects receiver 24 to transceiver 11. Specific signals from transceiver 11 are configured to activate specific receiver components.

If a particular component within the entertainment cabinet 25 is to be controlled, an appropriate display representing the menu is displayed on the screen 37 of the TV 23. The display 38 shall be suitable for activating a VCR or a laser for controlling the channel and volume as required. A proper on / off switch for a laser, VCR, or other component of the component is thus provided. Control is a TV screen
Displayed on 37. The user selects a required operation by moving a remote control switch of the transmitter 10.

By clicking on the appropriate selector button 12 on the remote control transmitter 10, the transmitter 10 can be activated and the activation and control packages can be transmitted to the transceiver 11.

Once the activation data package is communicated, transceiver 11 continues to operate until an effective shutdown data package is received from transmitter 10.

The data package can select either up-channel or down-channel, up-volume or down-volume, and turn on or off the receiver components, depending on the selection of the particular operation.

The menus and displays on the TV panel 37 are preset according to the components and are configured by the components being used in the communication system. The different characteristics of audio and video, channels and stations can be selected as required via this universal remote control system using the transmitter 10 with transceiver 11.
The interaction of the TV screen 37 provides a menu that is easy for the operator to read.

The operator can activate the transmitter 10 by touching one of the pads or buttons. The code is sent to the transceiver 11 as needed. Next, graphics are sent from the transceiver 11 to the television 23, and the control conditions are depicted on a screen 37. The cursor may be moved toward the desired button location that the user intends to operate. The user clicks the cursor click button 34. The location where the cursor is clicked is received by the transceiver 11, at which point the transceiver
Determine if the code or macroset is executed, and this is implemented along line 31 to TV23.

As shown in FIG. 1, the IR from element 18 operates on any one of the selected components. A specific IR signal,
That is, the transceiver control signal from the transceiver 11 is
From a particular receiver component 24, as indicated by line 39
It is arranged to operate up to 30 by IR signal.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the transmitter further comprises an IR mirror or blaster or detector 16. As shown in FIG.
The IR code is transmitted to transceiver 11 as indicated by line 37.
To the IR mirror blaster 16. As shown by line 38, the IR mirror / blaster reflects the IR command or macro sequence back to the device. Specific IR signals from transceiver 11 are arranged to operate specific receiver components.

With this method, the user directly controls the basic volume and channel buttons of the transmitter 10 regardless of what is displayed on the screen.

In other situations than using the line 31 that connects the set-top box 11 to the TV 23 by wire, another form of communication connection with the TV 23 can be used.

The length of each data packet 14, 15, 15, 20, and 22 can vary from 20 milliseconds to 150 milliseconds. The length of the space 40 as an off period between the data packets 19, 20, 21, and 22 is greater than or equal to 10 milliseconds.

In particular, when using IR as the transmission medium, only one transmission source must be active during a given time period.
The receiver components 24 to 30 receive the IR data from the transmission source 11, and if no other transmission sources, such as the transmitter 10, are operating at the same time, the data is output without error. Disables "seeing". The reason for this is that it is not possible to distinguish the two transmission sources because they are mixed together.

When implementing a repeater system including the transceiver 11, the IR signal from the transmitter 10 and the
The transmission of IR signals does not occur simultaneously. Since the signals transmitted from each of the transmitter and the transceiver are not integrated, they do not overlap.

A transmitter with both an IR transmitter 13 and an IR detector 16,
If a transceiver with an IR transmitter 13 and an IR detector 17 is used, it is possible to use a half-duplex transmission sequence without overlapping the IR signals.

It should further be understood that in FIG. 5, when the trigger button 12 of the transmitter 10 is actuated, an IR trigger packet 14 is sent, as indicated by line A. Transceiver 11
Receives the wake-up packet 14 and immediately begins transmitting a series of data packets to the targeted components 24-30. During the off period, i.e., during the space 40, the transceiver 11 monitors its IR detector 17 for the presence of an IR signal. The detected IR signal should come out of the IR output 13 of the transmitter 10.

The sequence for stopping the transceiver 11 is performed as follows.

Release the trigger button 12 on the transmitter 10. This causes the transmitter 10 to monitor its IR detector 16. When the transmitter 10 detects an incoming IR signal, the transmitter will not send any more signals until the detected incoming IR signal stops. The IR detected via the receiver 16 starts transmitting from the output 18 of the transceiver 11. The start of the sensing of the point IR releasing the trigger 12 of the transmitter 10 coincides with the line B in FIG.

If the IR detector 16 does not detect an IR, i.e., if the data packet 22 is completed, the transmitter 10
Transmit 15. This matches position C in FIG. The IR stop packet 15 is detected by the transceiver 11, which stops transmitting packets 19, 20, 21, 22 and the packet that would otherwise normally follow if not stopped. The transmission of the data packet for operating the receiver ends. Therefore, the VCR volume change or the channel selection change stops after receiving the stop signal.

In this manner, the transmitter 10 can ensure that the transceiver is transmitting an IR signal but not the stop packet 15. This protocol makes it possible to prevent confusion and duplication of signals arriving at the receivers 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or 23.

There are many other forms of the invention that differ only in details.

Although the invention has been described in the context of an IR signal, it may be desirable to use a protocol for signals in other frequency domains, for example, RF or a combination of different frequency domains.

In other situations, different signals between the start signal and the stop signal 15 may be transmitted by the transmitter 10.

In yet another form of the invention, a signal from a transceiver is provided.
Instead of a transmitter with an IR sensor to detect the transmission or other of the IR signal, prevent interference or transmit the IR signal by the transmitter and / or by transceiver or other receiver components A device including a transmitter for suppressing reception of an IR signal and / or a receiver 11 may be used. Different systems and protocols exist to prevent transmission of IR signals from the transmitter, thereby preventing duplication of IR signals.

Further, while the invention has been described with respect to receiving components in a home entertainment system, the communication system is equally applicable to other configurations and arrangements where different components are used for control by a universal remote control. It is possible.

For example, different lighting configurations can be controlled in this way. Similarly, it is possible to dispense with a TV monitor in different configurations to provide menus for operating different components. A suitable monitor at the transmitter or receiver can be provided or installed on them.

The invention is to be defined only by the following claims.

Claims (19)

(57) [Claims] 1. A remote control system, comprising: a remote control transmitter for selectively generating a start and stop signal; a transceiver control unit for generating a device control signal in response to receiving the start signal; A sensor connected to the remote control transmitter for detecting generation of a device control signal, wherein the sensor suppresses generation of a stop signal when generation of the device control signal is detected. 2. The system of claim 1, comprising at least one receiver, wherein said transceiver control unit is arranged to communicate with said receiver. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said transceiver control unit receives a signal from said transmitter and transmits a predetermined device control signal to a plurality of different receivers. The system that is arranged and configured. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said receiver is at least one of a VRC, TV, stereo, laser disk, satellite dish, amplifier, or tape deck. . 5. The system of claim 2, wherein said remote control transmitter has volume, channel selection, and on / off switching controls. 6. The system of claim 4 wherein said remote control transmitter has controls for volume, channel selection, tracking, and on / off switching. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is located on said remote control transmitter. 8. A remote control system, comprising: an IR remote control transmitter for selectively transmitting an IR start and IR stop signal; and an IR for transmitting an IR device control signal in response to receiving the IR start signal. A transceiver control unit, and an IR sensor connected to the remote control transmitter to detect transmission of an IR device control signal, wherein the sensor transmits an IR stop signal upon detecting the transmission of the IR device control signal. A system that suppresses. 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said transceiver control unit transmits a predetermined IR device control signal to a plurality of different receivers. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of different receivers are a VCR, TV, stereo, laser disk, satellite dish receiver, amplifier, or
A system having at least one of a tape deck. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said IR remote control transmitter has controls for volume, channel selection, and on / off switching. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein said sensor is located on said IR remote control transmitter. 13. A remote control transmitter for use with one control transceiver unit for controlling operation of a plurality of devices, for selectively transmitting one start and stop signal to said control transceiver unit. And a sensor for detecting the transmission of a device control signal by the control transceiver unit, wherein the sensor is selectively provided during the period when the control transceiver unit is transmitting the device control signal. A transmitter for inhibiting the means for transmitting from transmitting a stop signal. 14. The transmitter according to claim 13, wherein the start signal and the stop signal comprise data packets and control at least one of a plurality of devices for volume, channel selection, and on / off switching. A transmitter, wherein the transmitter selectively transmits different data packets for transmitting. 15. A method for preventing signal interference between a remote control transmitter and a control transceiver, the method comprising selectively transmitting a control signal by the remote control transmitter, and responsive to receiving the control signal. Generating the determined device control signal by the control transceiver, and preventing the remote control transmitter from transmitting another control signal until the control transceiver completes generation of the device control signal. And a process. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said control signal comprises a data packet having start and stop signals, and wherein said method further comprises controlling a device from said control transceiver at a remote control transmitter. A method comprising: sensing generation of a signal; and delaying transmission of a stop signal until no device control signal is generated from the control transceiver. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving a stop signal by said control transceiver stops further transmission of a signal from said control transceiver. 18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said signal is in the IR frequency domain. 19. The method according to claim 15, wherein a device control signal generated by said control transceiver is transmitted to at least one receiver in an entertainment system.
The method that is one of the selected components.