JP4264609B2 - Remote control system and control method for a plurality of electronic devices - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote control transmitter that performs wireless remote control of various electronic devices such as a television receiver and a video tape recorder using infrared rays or radio waves, and a controlled object controlled by a transmission signal of the remote control transmitter. The present invention relates to a remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Remote control transmitters (hereinafter simply referred to as remote controllers) for controlling electronic devices such as various home appliances and various information devices generally modulate and transmit command data using infrared rays or radio waves. Can be remotely operated. For example, as typically shown in FIG. 9, the infrared remote controller 301 is provided with a light emitting unit 303 including an infrared light emitting element and an infrared transmission filter on a front surface 302, and a plurality of operation keys 305 (operation surface) on an upper surface 304 (operation surface). For example, volume, channel key, power ON / OFF key, etc.) are provided.
[0003]
In FIG. 7, a plurality of electronic devices having different categories, for example, a TV, a VTR, a DVD, an audio device, and so on are denoted as A, B, C, D, E, and these electronic devices A, B, C, D, E Is an explanatory diagram in the case where is controlled remotely by the dedicated remote controller Ar, Br, Cr, Dr, Er. For example, the remote controller Ar has a remote control format for operating the dedicated electronic device A, and can output preset remote control codes for the other electronic devices B to E. It may be a remote control. However, when the code of the format of the controlled electronic device C is not preset like the remote controller Er, the electronic device C cannot be remotely controlled by the remote controller Er.
[0004]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, an electronic device A that uses a learning remote controller Ar is known. In this case, for example, a light receiving unit P that receives a control code (symbol) output from a dedicated remote controller Br-Er for another electronic device BE is provided, and other electronic devices other than the electronic device A are provided from the light receiving unit P. The control code of the device BE can be received and stored. As a result, in this learning remote controller Ar, in addition to its own control electronic device, the control codes of the other electronic devices BE can be held as appropriate by learning, and the controlled electronic device BE is controlled by one remote controller. Control is possible only with Ar.
[0005]
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a general format of code data of a remote control signal transmitted from a conventional remote controller. The remote control signal transmitted from the remote control is preceded by a guide pulse (not shown) indicating the start of the remote control signal, followed by a custom code (manufacturer code identifying the manufacturer of the electronic device, and category code identifying various devices) And a control code indicating a device control command. The first two 8-bit codes are manufacturer identification codes, the third 8-bit code is a model identification category code, and the subsequent codes are control codes for controlling the device. .
[0006]
By the way, command signals that are modulated at a predetermined frequency and transmitted as infrared rays have various formats with different pulse bit periods and frame structures. Similarly, there are various types of code systems. It is often different for each manufacturer, model, and manufacturing year. Therefore, a remote control is prepared for each type of controlled device, and the user can change the remote control to be used according to the electronic device (controlled device) that he or she wants to operate, or use the remote control format format It must be switched by.
[0007]
Looking at the recent spread of various electronic devices to ordinary homes, there are various types of electronic devices (that is, controlled devices) used in one room in a general home. For example, the types of controlled devices include a television receiver (hereinafter referred to as TV), a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR), an audio device (hereinafter referred to as audio, amplifier, tuner, tape deck, CD, MD). Etc.), a digital video disc player (hereinafter referred to as a DVD), an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioner), a lighting device, and the like, and a plurality of the same model may be used.
[0008]
The use of a dedicated remote control for each controlled device for each model becomes more complicated as the number of models increases, and becomes more complicated when a plurality of the same model is used. Furthermore, since the remote control is dedicated, there are problems such as inconvenience that remote control cannot be performed when there is no dedicated remote control, and malfunction when the manufacturer is different. Even if it is a model of the same manufacturer, there are cases where it cannot be controlled due to the difference in year. As a result, the user is forced to use many types of remote controllers, and the usage method for each remote controller is different, which is inconvenient.
[0009]
In order to solve this problem, a preset type or learning-type remote controller is used so that the same remote control transmitter can be used to control the controlled devices such as VTRs and TVs owned by the user even if the devices are controlled by different manufacturers. Has been used in the past. A preset remote controller with a built-in ROM in which remote control signals of a plurality of devices are stored in advance and a learning remote controller with a learning function have been proposed, which are useful for reducing the number of units used.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the preset type remote controller stores a command signal group corresponding to the manufacturer's electronic device for each manufacturer in, for example, a ROM, and there are several types of command signal groups having different formats and / or code systems depending on the model. In the case of, each is stored. For this reason, if command signal groups are preset and the corresponding device mode is set by, for example, a selection setting operation using numeric keys, the number of command signal groups that can be preset is limited by the number of operation keys provided. End up.
[0011]
If the selection can be made by a combination of two keys, a variety of command signal groups can be preset corresponding to the two keys. In this case, however, the user's selection setting operation becomes very complicated. In general, the user knows the name of the manufacturer of the electronic device used by the user, but does not know the format and code system of the command signal employed in the device. Therefore, in the case of a manufacturer having a plurality of code systems, it is not known which code system can be selected and set, and complicated selection and setting work must be repeated until a command signal for operating the device is output. .
[0012]
For manufacturers as well, preset remote controls always check the format and code system, and if the number of controlled devices increases and the format format increases or the code system changes, the format and code that should always be preset The system data must be maintained and dealt with up-to-date, which is troublesome. Furthermore, if the number of manufacturers and models are large, a considerable amount of memory is required and costs are high. In addition, since presets are prevalent, it is necessary to avoid using conventional devices as much as possible, so even with your own remote control, you can change the code to add new functions, Increasing the number of keys causes compatibility problems, and there is a problem with extensibility that the code system cannot be changed unnecessarily.
[0013]
The learning remote controller also has various problems and is expensive as a single remote controller, and the learning procedure that the remote control signal storage operation must be learned for each key is complicated, and each electronic device And there was a problem that it could not be executed without some knowledge of remote control. In particular, the operation of sequentially storing command codes output from other remote controllers corresponding to a large number of operation keys is very troublesome and difficult. For example, in a state in which a remote controller to be learned and another remote controller are in a face-to-face state, the learning remote controller is set to a learning mode, and an operation of outputting a corresponding command code from another remote controller while pressing a predetermined key is performed for many operation keys. I had to do it.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the first device and the first device are used together with other devices of different manufacturers and the first device. In a remote control system comprising a remote control transmitter that can also operate a device, the remote control transmitter includes an operation key corresponding to at least one of the functions of the first device or the other device, and the remote control transmitter. Custom code and control code included in the signal transmitted from the control transmitter, which is set as a new standard that is not assigned to the first device or the other devices that are different for each manufacturer and model And a storage means for storing in advance a code comprising a control code corresponding to the operation key, and the code from the storage means by operating the operation key. The other device is composed of a decoder that decodes the transmitted code, and with the above configuration, a large number of controlled devices can be remotely controlled by only one remote control transmitter. Can be controlled.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a format example of a remote control signal used in the present invention. The remote control signal format (hereinafter referred to as a common format) according to the present invention is based on a new concept code system called a common code as described below for a custom code (consisting of a manufacturer code and a category code). It is configured. Of the common codes, the manufacturer code is different from the manufacturer code assigned to each manufacturer, and a manufacturer code not assigned to each manufacturer is assigned and used. In other words, the common code is a code that can be commonly used by each manufacturer, virtualized as one new manufacturer different from the manufacturer code assigned to each manufacturer.
[0016]
The common format can specify up to 256 models compatible with the common format by category code (8-bit code). For example, even when controlling 4 TVs, 4 VTRs, 5 types of audio, 8 units (amplifier, tuner, 2 tapes, 2 CDs, 2 MDs, etc.), 3 DVDs, 5 air conditioners, 8 lighting devices, etc. There are 32 models. In the case of the same model, if 3 bits are assigned to control the same model, up to 8 of the same model can be controlled, and 5 bits are assigned as a model code, so up to 32 models can be remotely controlled simultaneously. As control codes (control codes), basic functions such as TV and VTR are assigned in order to save memory capacity, and it is preferable to assign the minimum necessary functions of each controlled device.
[0017]
FIG. 2 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention, which has a transmission function of a conventional format in-house code system, and further decodes a code of a conventional format and a common format compatible remote controller MCr that transmits a common code of a common format. It includes controlled devices A, B, C, D, and E having a decoder and a common format decoder for decoding a common code. The remote control MCr and the controlled devices A to E are provided with a common format compatible mark indicating that the remote control MCr and the controlled devices A to E are compatible with the common format. With this system configuration, a plurality of controlled devices can be controlled by a single remote controller.
[0018]
FIG. 3 shows a control flowchart of a command signal in the controlled device of the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the device configuration of the first embodiment, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the operation surface of the remote control of an Example. The first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 has a configuration corresponding to both the conventional format and the common format.
[0019]
When the function key 11 for conventional format or common format of the remote controller 10 is pressed, the CPU 12 sends code data corresponding to the key to the light emitting unit 13, and the light emitting unit 13 transmits an infrared code signal. The controlled devices A to E shown in the figure are always waiting for input of an infrared code signal from the remote controller 10 (step S101).
[0020]
An infrared code signal from the remote controller 10 is input to the light receiving unit 21. In step S102, the code signal is amplified by the amplifier 22, sent to the format discriminator 23, and the format format of the code signal is discriminated in step S103. The format discriminator 23 discriminates whether the format is a conventional format or a common format, and sends a code signal to the corresponding decoders 24 and 25. In the case of a format that does not correspond to both formats, it is recognized that the other format is indistinguishable, and the input of a remote control signal is awaited without performing function control.
[0021]
The decoders 24 and 25 of the electronic devices A to E decode the sent code signal, and send the decoded signal to the various function controllers 26 in S104 and S105. Each controller 26 controls the function corresponding to the code signal of the controlled device in step S106. Various functions include power ON / OFF, volume increase / decrease, video switching, audio control, VTR control, DVD control, TV control, TV channel control, air conditioner control, lighting control, and the like.
[0022]
In the case of the first embodiment, the signal code of the format determined to be the conventional format in step S102 is discriminated from the remote control of only the common format of other companies by using a proprietary signal code and adding a dedicated function. Can be achieved. In the case of in-house devices, remote control in a common format is possible for any device, whether it is a new model or an old model of the same model. New functions can be added.
[0023]
The operation surface 100 of the remote controller of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is composed of two sections, a conventional code / in-house code key row 110 and a common code key row 120, as shown by being surrounded by a dotted line. . Since the key sequence 110 is for a conventional code, it is easy to add a new function, and a free key arrangement is also possible. The same model selection switch 115 is provided so that a plurality of the same model can be controlled simultaneously. In the case of this embodiment, it is possible to identify up to three identical models by corresponding to the same model selection switch of the controlled device. Since the key string 120 is for a common code including products of other manufacturers, a function key for basic functions of each controlled device may be provided. A desired remote control can be performed by pressing a function key to be controlled after a selection switch such as a VTR, TV,... The common code key string 120 can also be provided with a model selection switch 123 of the same category.
[0024]
FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of the operation surface of the common format dedicated remote controller 200. The second embodiment shows a remote controller dedicated to a common format, and has basic function operation units 201 to 205 for each of five types of TV, VTR, audio, and lighting devices of different manufacturers. Is shown. Each operation unit has an operation key row 220 for each function and a label 211 indicating correspondence with a common format. If there is one remote controller 200 that supports only this common format, it is possible to remotely control all the electronic devices that support the common format regardless of the company, other companies, and models. In-house remote controls may use their own conventional codes only for dedicated functions, and other categories may have common format keys.
[0025]
The remote controller 200 according to the second embodiment can be controlled by directing the light emitting surface of the remote controller to the controlled device to be controlled and pressing the desired function key in the function key row 220 on the operation surface of the controlled device. The function keys in the function key column 220 of each controlled device may be arranged by selecting the basic function of each controlled device. With such a setting, remote control of the controlled device can be performed intuitively. As in the first embodiment, the same model selection switch may be provided. In the example of FIG. 6, a dedicated control key row 220 is provided for each controlled device. However, as in the first embodiment, a desired model, for example, a model selection key such as a VTR, TV,... The setting may be such that after pressing, the function key is pressed. In this way, the remote control itself can be made smaller.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention sets a new custom code that is not set by any conventional manufacturer in the custom code (consisting of the manufacturer code and the category code) of the signal format for remote control, By using the custom code as a common code that is used by each manufacturer in common, if the controlled device has a decoder that supports the common code, it can be controlled by any common code compatible remote controller. All devices can be remotely controlled.
[0027]
The greatest effect of the present invention is that, as long as the remote controller and the controlled device are compatible with a common format, the receiving unit of the controlled device can be freely designed with its own remote control code without being bound by other companies. Only the decoding of the limited function of the common code is added to it, and the transmitter of the remote control has a function designed for its own remote control code, and if the common code is added to it, the TV of other companies ( Remote control of their own TV).
[0028]
For example, taking the case of a VTR as an example, the VTR unit needs only one company code and the TV unit needs only one common code, and there is no need to store codes of several tens companies as in the conventional preset type. . Therefore, a significant memory reduction and a preset operation for the user to select a manufacturer are not necessary. In addition, the company code is completely free, the functions can be increased freely, and the features of the product can be utilized widely. In this way, it solves the trouble of presetting and the disadvantage that the code and function cannot be increased, and also saves memory.
[0029]
Furthermore, the conventional decoder can use the remote control format of each company as it is as before, or it can be changed at all. Functions can be added freely. A common decoder is added there, but in most cases, the decoder is made of a software program, and a new common decoder portion is added to the conventional decoder, so that only a small amount of program storage memory is required.
[0030]
In addition, even when a system is built by combining VTR, TV, BS tuner, audio, etc., if a controller is made with only a common code, the receiver unit will work regardless of the manufacturer of the manufacturer, and it will be greatly improved for all. This makes it possible to save time and labor.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a common format code of a remote control transmitter according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a remote control system of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of command signals in the controlled device of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing each device of the remote control system of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an external view of the operation surface of the remote control transmitter according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an external view of an operation surface of a remote control transmitter according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional preset type remote control system.
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a conventional learning type remote control system.
FIG. 9 is an external view of a conventional remote control transmitter.
FIG. 10 is a format and code configuration diagram of a conventional remote control system.
[Explanation of symbols]
A to E Controlled device, 10 remote control, 11 various function keys for common format, 12 CPU, 13 light emitting unit, 21 light receiving unit, 23 format discriminator, 24, 25 decoder, 26 function controller

Claims (10)

A remote control comprising a first device, another device of a different manufacturer from the first device, and a remote control transmitter that is used together with the first device and that can also operate the other device. In the system,
The remote control transmitter has an operation key corresponding to at least one of the functions of the first device or the other device;
Custom code and control code included in the signal transmitted from the remote control transmitter , set as a new standard that is not assigned to the first device or the other devices, which differs for each manufacturer and model Storage means for storing in advance a code comprising a custom code and a control code corresponding to the operation key;
Processing means for reading and transmitting the code from the storage means by operating the operation key;
A remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices, wherein the other device includes a decoder that decodes the transmitted code.   The remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 1, wherein the first device includes a decoder for decoding the code transmitted from the remote control transmitter.   The remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a display or a label indicating that the first device or other device can decode the transmitted code.   4. The remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 1, wherein the remote control transmitter includes a display or a label indicating that the code is transmitted.   2. The remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 1, wherein the other device decodes a signal transmitted from a remote control transmitter used together with the other device. A remote control comprising a first device, another device of a different manufacturer from the first device, and a remote control transmitter that is used together with the first device and that can also operate the other device. In the system,
The remote control transmitter has an operation key corresponding to at least one of the functions of the first device or the other device;
Custom code and control code included in the signal transmitted from the remote control transmitter , set as a new standard that is not assigned to the first device or the other devices, which differs for each manufacturer and model Storage means for storing in advance a code comprising a custom code and a control code corresponding to the operation key;
Processing means for reading and transmitting the code from the storage means by operating the operation key;
2. The control method in the remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 1, wherein the other device comprises a step of decoding the code sent from the remote control transmitter.   7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first device includes a decoder that decodes the code transmitted from the remote control transmitter.   8. The control method in the remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 6 and 7, further comprising a display or a label indicating that the first device or the other device can decode the transmitted code.   9. The control method in the remote control system for a plurality of electronic devices according to claim 6, wherein the remote control transmitter is provided with a display or label indicating that the code is transmitted.   7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the other device decodes a signal transmitted from a remote control transmitter used together with the other device.

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