JP3979987B2 - Remote control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control device having a function capable of displaying a television screen.

  In order to control the operation of the water heater during bathing, a bath remote control is installed in the bathroom. In recent bath remote controllers, a liquid crystal display unit is provided, and various control items are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit, thereby simplifying the operation of the bath remote controller.

  In addition, since the bath remote controller is not always operated, a television image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit and a television sound is generated so that the television image can be viewed while taking a bath (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

Such a bath remote control includes a remote control mode that functions as a remote control and a television mode that functions as a television receiver, and a desired mode is selected by a switch operation or the like for switching modes. For example, if the remote control mode is selected while the TV mode is selected and the TV image is being watched, the display screen of the liquid crystal display is switched from the TV image to a screen that displays control items, and the TV sound is stopped. Is done. When various operations in the remote control mode are completed and the mode is returned to the television mode again, the display on the liquid crystal display unit is switched to the television image and the sound of the television sound is resumed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-17289 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4)

  In the conventional remote control device, when switching to the remote control mode while watching a TV image and performing the remote control operation, the time required for the remote control operation is relatively short. When the remote control operation ends, the remote control mode is returned to the TV mode, and the TV image is displayed. In many cases, viewing will continue again. However, in the conventional remote control device, the sound of the TV sound is interrupted while switching from the TV mode to the remote control mode even for a short time. However, there is a problem that cannot be understood for a while.

  Further, it is desirable to select a television channel so that a desired program can be watched immediately when the television mode is switched back to the television mode even when the mode is temporarily switched to the remote control mode. However, since the functions on the television side do not function at all in the state switched to the remote control mode as in the conventional remote control device, the television channel cannot be changed while the mode is switched to the remote control mode.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device that can solve the above-described problems.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a remote control device according to the present invention is a remote control device that controls the operation of equipment, and has a liquid crystal display unit that displays control items related to the operation, and displays a television image on the liquid crystal display unit. Even in a remote control mode in which a TV receiver is provided with a sound generation unit for sounding TV sound, the remote control device is used as a remote control device for controlling the operation of the device and the control items are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit. , Volume control means that allows TV sound generation and TV sound volume control, and channel change that allows TV channels to be changed while control items are displayed on the LCD comprising at least one of the means, and, when changing the settings for a given one of said control items, television sound Mute means for forcibly reducing or muting the sound, and state change prohibiting means for prohibiting volume adjustment by the volume adjustment means and channel change by the channel change means when the mute means is in operation. It is provided .

  By the way, if the above-mentioned volume control means and channel change means are provided, the volume can be adjusted and the channel can be changed even in the remote control mode. However, in the case where the user's attention is drawn or a control item accompanied by a sound is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit, a bad effect is caused if the sound of the television is sounded. Therefore, in such a case, it is desirable to provide a mute means for forcibly reducing or muting the TV sound even if the sound volume adjusting means is provided.

  On the other hand, if the volume can be adjusted when the mute means is activated, if the volume is turned up without noticing that the mute means is activated, the volume will increase when you return to TV mode. The TV sound is pronounced. Therefore, when changing the setting for the predetermined one of the above control items, a mute means for forcibly reducing or muting the TV sound is provided, and when the mute means is operating, It is desirable to provide state change prohibiting means for prohibiting volume adjustment by the volume adjusting means and channel change by the channel changing means.

  As is apparent from the above description, the present invention includes volume adjusting means and channel changing means, so that the volume and channel of the TV sound can be changed even when the remote control device is switched to the remote control mode.

  When the mute means is activated, changing the volume or changing the channel is prohibited, so that it is possible to prevent a problem that a loud sound is produced unexpectedly when the mute means is canceled.

  Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a bath remote controller installed in a bathroom, which is connected via a communication line 11 to a hot water supply device 2 that controls the operation. Reference numeral 3 denotes a kitchen remote controller installed in the kitchen, which is also connected to the communication line 11 and can control the operation of the hot water supply apparatus 2.

  The bath remote controller 1 is provided with a large liquid crystal display unit 4, and control items relating to operation control of the hot water supply device 2 are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4. Further, the bath remote controller 1 has a television function, and a television image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4.

  Referring to FIG. 2, to activate the television function, the television-side power switch 12 is pushed. Then, the operating state of the bath remote controller 1 is set to the television mode, a television image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4, and television sound is produced from the pair of speakers 5. The volume of the television sound generated from the speaker 5 can be adjusted by operating the volume switch 51. Further, the channel can be changed by operating the channel switch 41.

  On the other hand, when the power switch 13 on the remote control side is pressed, the bath remote control 1 enters the remote control mode, and various control items as shown in the figure are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4. Then, the cross switch 14 located at the center is operated to select a predetermined control item, and the operation of the hot water supply device 2 is controlled. These controls are performed by a microcomputer built in the bath remote controller 1 (not shown).

  Referring to FIG. 3, as described above, the TV function is turned on by pressing and operating the power switch 12 on the TV side (TV mode: S1). In this state, a television image is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4 and a television sound is produced from the speaker 5. When the power switch 13 on the remote control side is pushed in the state of the television mode (S2), the bath remote control 1 is switched to the remote control mode. In the remote control mode, the display content of the liquid crystal display unit 4 is switched to the remote control screen on which the control items are displayed as described above (S3). Therefore, a television image is not displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4. However, the volume adjustment by the volume switch 51 and the channel change by the channel switch 41 are kept permitted (similarly S3).

  In this state, the cross switch 14 is operated to select a desired control item, and an operation such as changing a set value is performed. However, when a predetermined one of the control items is selected, the following control is performed. In the present embodiment, this corresponds to a case where an operation for changing the hot water supply temperature is performed. When the control item related to the hot water supply temperature is selected with the cross switch 14 (S4), the volume of the TV sound generated from the speaker 5 is reduced (muted) (S5). Note that the sound may be completely muted rather than reduced. Further, the adjustment of the sound volume from the speaker 5 and the change of the channel are prohibited (S5). Changing the hot water supply temperature is a relatively important operation. If the hot water supply temperature is mistakenly set to a temperature other than the desired temperature, there is a problem of being surprised when the hot water is taken from the shower. For this reason, the volume is reduced or silenced in order to call attention during operation (same as S5).

  However, if the volume is turned up with the sound reduced or muted, the operator will be surprised because the sound is suddenly loud when the mute is turned off. . Therefore, the volume cannot be adjusted in such a state that the volume is reduced or muted by the mute means. In addition, even if the channel is changed, if the sound is reduced or muted, it cannot be confirmed which channel has been changed, so that the channel change is also prohibited (same as S5).

  However, when the operation for changing the hot water supply temperature is completed and a predetermined time has elapsed and a timer by a microcomputer (not shown) without bath remote controller 1 has expired (S6), the sound reduction or mute by the mute means is canceled.

  At that time, if the power switch 12 on the television side is pressed and no operation for returning to the television mode is performed, the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit 4 remains the remote control screen, and the volume adjustment and channel change are performed. Both are allowed (S7, S3).

  On the other hand, when the television power switch 12 is pressed and the television function is turned on, the display content of the liquid crystal display unit 4 is switched to the television image (S7, S8). In this case, the volume adjustment and channel change are naturally permitted.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to an above-described form, You may add a various change in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

The figure which shows the structure of one embodiment of this invention Front view showing details of external shape of bath remote control Flow chart showing the control contents of the bath remote control

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bath remote control 2 Hot-water supply apparatus 4 Liquid crystal display part 5 Speaker 11 Communication line 12 Power switch 13 Power switch 14 Cross switch 41 Channel switch 51 Volume switch

Claims (1)

A remote control device for controlling the operation of a device, having a liquid crystal display unit for displaying control items related to the operation, a television set having a sound generation unit for displaying a television image on the liquid crystal display unit and for generating a television sound Even with a remote control mode that has a receiving means and is used as a remote control device that controls the operation of the device and displays the control items on the liquid crystal display section, the sound of the TV sound is permitted and the volume of the TV sound And at least one of volume control means capable of adjusting, and channel change means that enables change of a TV channel in a state where control items are also displayed on the liquid crystal display unit , and the control There is a mute function to forcibly reduce or mute the TV sound when changing the settings for certain items. Rutotomoni, in the state in which the muting means is activated, the remote control device, characterized in that a state change inhibiting means for inhibiting a channel change due to volume control and channel changing means according to said volume control means.

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