JPH0230267A - Remote controller utilizing telephone line - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To devise the remote controller such that a device is controlled remotely in an interactive form through the utilization of a telephone line by sending a message representing the operating procedure to apply the processing so as to accept the operation of a caller. CONSTITUTION:A signal from a telephone line is given to a microcomputer 1 via a line interface 7, an amplifier 8 and a tone decoder 9. The microcomputer 1 operates a voice synthesis circuit 10 to cause the circuit 10 to send a message representing the operating procedure for the implementation of the processing. When a caller makes an operation according to the message, the operation input is discriminated by the microcomputer 1 and devices such as an air- conditioner 3 and a lighting fixture 4 are controlled via a device control interface 2.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides remote control using a telephone line that allows you to control equipment such as air conditioning and lighting in your home even when you are not home by making a telephone call from outside the home. It is related to the device.

[Conventional technology]

By sending various control signals using telephone lines,
Telecontrol systems (telecontrollers) that remotely control 0N10FF etc. of home air conditioners have been put into practical use.

In this telecontrol system, the user first switches the control device that centrally controls the home's air conditioning, lighting, etc. from home mode to out-of-home mode, and then goes out. Then, the user makes a call to his or her home from outside the home, and while a response message indicating that the user is absent is being played, the user operates the number keys on the telephone and enters the password. Then, the control device in the home switches from the answering machine mode to the device control mode, and is in a state where it can no longer accept operation inputs. Therefore, the caller operates the phone's function keys and number keys again, and the device's 0N10F
F or timer control, etc. can be performed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in such a telecontrol system,
In order to use the telephone line, which is a public communication line, an existing telephone must be used as a terminal device. However, even if the telephone is a push-button telephone, the keys for input operations are "1" to "O".
It only has the number keys ゛' and two types of function keys. Furthermore, a display device for providing operational guidance cannot be used. For this reason, callers often have to memorize the operation method, which consists of combinations of numeric keys and function keys that are not directly related to the content of the operation, or have to perform the operation while referring to a manual that explains the operation method. Ta.

Therefore, the conventional telecontrol system has the problem that the caller's operation becomes cumbersome and operation errors are likely to occur.

Moreover, such problems are common not only to telecontrol systems that control devices at home, but also to all remote control devices that use telephone lines.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, a remote control device using a telephone line according to the present invention is a remote control device that controls a device by making a call from the outside via a telephone line. a message transmitting means for transmitting a message to a person indicating processing details and operating procedures for carrying out the process by voice; an operation input means for accepting an operation from a caller after the message transmitting means transmits the message; an operation determining means for determining whether or not the operation input received by the input means is for performing the process indicated in the message; and when the operation determining means determines that the operation input is for performing the process; It is characterized by having a device control means that executes processing for the device on the receiving side based on the operation contents.

[For production]

Remote side <Tf using public communication lines such as telephone lines
The J device uses the
You may be required to enter your personal identification number (password), etc. However, when this telephone line is also used for telephone calls, it is not necessarily appropriate to request such input from the caller for the purpose of telephone calls. For this reason, the message sending means does not send a message regarding processing details or operating procedures when requesting input of a PIN number, etc., and only advances to device control mode when the caller voluntarily performs a predetermined operation. There are cases where Also, in the device control mode,
If it is not appropriate to indicate the operating procedure etc. by message, the caller is allowed to perform the predetermined operation voluntarily as before.

In cases other than the above-mentioned circumstances, the message transmitting means on the receiving side first issues a message indicating the processing details and operating procedures for carrying out the processing, and prompts the caller to perform the operation. The processing content message indicates the designation of the device to be controlled, the specific control content of the device, and the like. Further, the message of the operating procedure indicates, for example, that a function key is used to input a judgment as to whether or not the processing content should be executed, or that a number is inputted using a number key. however,"
For messages that can be answered with "yes" or "no" or prompts for numerical input, if the control key, number key, etc. that corresponds to this answer is clear, it is not always necessary to say, for example, "Please press so-and-so key." There is no need to show specific operating procedures.

When the message transmitting means transmits a message, the operation input means accepts the sender's operation.

When the operation input means receives an operation from the caller, the operation determination means determines whether or not the operation input means to perform the process indicated in the message. An operation input to perform this process is, for example, when an operation is performed in response to a "yes" response to the message "What do you want to do?" or when a response is made to the message "Please enter the time." This is the case when a valid number is entered for a given number. Note that if this operation input is invalid, a message prompting the user to redo the operation is sent, or other error processing is performed. Furthermore, for valid operations, a message indicating the details of the operation may be sent for confirmation.

If the operation determining means determines that the input is an operation input for performing a process, the device control means executes the process indicated in the message on the receiving device based on the operation content. At this time, for example, if there is an operation input that corresponds to a "yes" response to the message "Do you want to do something?", execute that process and select "Please enter the time".
If a valid number is input for a message, the processing indicated in the message will be performed according to the time indicated by the number.

As a result, the caller can remotely control the device in an interactive manner.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

The remote control device using a telephone line according to this embodiment is controlled by a microcomputer 1, as shown in FIG. This microcomputer 1 is connected to an air conditioner 3, a lighting fixture 4, etc. via a device control interface 2, and centrally manages these devices within the house.

The microcomputer 1 is also connected to a display section 5 and a key power section 6, and controls the air conditioner 3, lighting equipment 4, etc. according to operation input from the key power section 6. The key manual section 6 also performs an operation for switching the remote control device between the at-home mode and the out-of-home mode. Note that the display section 5 is connected to this key human power section 6.
This is used to display messages prompting users to perform operations, as well as to display operation details, control status, etc.

With the above configuration, this microcomputer 1 can centrally control various devices 3, 4, . . . by operating it at home.

A telephone line drawn into the home is connected to the microcomputer 1 via a line interface 7. That is, a signal from a telephone line arriving at line interface 7 is input to microcomputer 1 via amplifier 8 and tone decoder 9. The amplifier 8 amplifies the signal from the telephone line, and the tone decoder 9 is a circuit that decodes the D'TMF signal from the push-button telephone into a digital signal. The signal output from the microcomputer 1 is transmitted from the line interface 7 to the telephone line via the voice synthesis circuit 10 and the amplifier 11. The voice synthesis circuit IO is a circuit that generates a predetermined voice signal based on the digital signal output from the microcomputer 1, and this voice signal is amplified by the amplifier 11 and sent from the line interface 7 to the telephone line. Furthermore, a detection signal from a call signal detection circuit 12 that detects a call signal from a telephone line is also input to the microcomputer 1.

With the above configuration, the microcomputer 1 can detect a detection signal from the call signal detection circuit 12, connect a line, and communicate with the outside via the line interface 7.

The operation of the remote control device having the above configuration will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. Note that this flowchart is
2 shows an outline of the operation of the remote control device.

When the remote control device is in out-of-home mode and a call signal is sent to the telephone line, first in step (hereinafter referred to as rSJ) 1, this call signal is
Wait until the turn. Note that the number of times the call signal is waited for can be freely changed by setting. When the call signal rings three times, the line is connected 32), and the voice synthesis circuit 10
Send out the outing message synthesized by (S3)
. Furthermore, while the going out message is being sent, it is determined whether or not a password has been input via the tone decoder 9 (S4). This PIN number is, for example, '123
The caller presses the number key and function key on the push-button telephone in the order of 4#'''. S5).

When the PIN number is input, since the phone is used to control devices at home from outside, the first step is to determine whether the input PIN number matches a pre-designated number (S6).
). If the passwords do not match, predetermined error processing is performed (S7).

If the PIN numbers match, the system enters the device control mode, first sends the message "Please enter the device number," and accepts input from the telephone line (SS).
Determine which device number this operation input corresponds to (
S9). This device number can be, for example, “°1#” or “2#”.
Input by pressing the number key indicating the number of the predetermined device and the function key as shown in the following steps. And from then on,
Only the case of controlling the first device indicated by "1#" will be shown, but if this device number is "2#゛° or "'3#
”..., the same control process will be performed according to each device (S10)
.

If the operation input for the device number is "1#", which specifies the first device, the message "Do you want to set the timer?"
” message and accepts operation input from the telephone line (S12). In this case, the caller inputs a YES answer by operating the "#°" function key, or a NO answer by operating the "PA*" function key. Then, this operation input is judged (312
), the case where the operation input is No will be explained later.

If the operation input is YES, it will send the message "Setting the timer. What time and minutes?"
Input is accepted (S13). In this case, the caller must enter a four-digit number and “#°°”, for example “1230#”.
Specify the time by entering . In addition, this is
This will indicate 12:30. Is it rON when the time is specified? " message is sent, the operator's power is accepted (S14), and the operator's power is judged (
S15). The case where the operation input is "'*°" which means NO will be explained later.

If the operation input is YES, the message "What time and minute will you be at 0FFL?" is sent out, the operation input is accepted (S16), and the operation input is determined (S17). In this case, the caller also sends a message such as "1500#".
Specify the time by inputting a 4-digit number and "#pa" -0 Also, by inputting "*°" which means No here, the setting of the OFF time can be skipped.

If the operation input is a time specification, it will send the message "[Device L] ONL at 12:30, OFF L at 15:00," and set the timer of the first device according to the message. (818). In addition, here [
Device l] indicates the specific name of the first device. Also, if the operation input is NO, it means that the OFF time was not set, so "[Device 1] is set at 12:30.
In addition to sending out the message "ONL in minutes,"
Set the timer of the th device according to the message (S1
9). Then, when the timer of [device 1] is set, the processing of the remote control device ends.

If the operation input in S15 is No,
Since the previous time specification was the OFF time, the message "At what hour and minute will you turn on?" is sent, the operation input is accepted (S20), and the operation input is determined (S21). .

For example, if an operation input of "1500#" is made and the time is specified, "[Device 1] will be set to 0FFL at 12:30 and ONL at 15:00."

” and sets the timer of the first device according to the message (322). Also, rr
*If the ON time is skipped due to n operator power, "[Device 1] will be set to 0FFL at 12:30."
At the same time, the timer of the first device is set according to the message (S23). Then, when the timer of [device 1] is set, the processing of the remote control device ends.

If the operation input in S12 is No,
Since you will not be setting the timer, is it rON?
” message and accepts the operation input (S24
), the operation input is determined (325). If the operation input is "#" and the answer is YES, the message "Turn [Device 1] on" is sent and [Device 1] is turned ON (S26). Also, the operation input is “°＊
If the answer is NO, set [Device 1] to 0FF.
At the same time, [Device 1]
is turned off (S27). Then, [Device 1] is turned on.
Or, if it is set to OFF, the processing of the remote control device ends.

As a result, the caller can remotely control the home appliances in an interactive manner from an external telephone.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the remote control device using a telephone line according to the present invention is a remote control device that controls a device by making a call from the outside via a telephone line. a message transmitting means for transmitting a message indicating processing contents and operating procedures for carrying out the processing by voice; an operation input means for receiving an operation from a caller after the message transmitting means transmits the message; and an operation input means. An operation determining means for determining whether or not the received operation input is for performing the process indicated in the message, and the operation details when the operation determining means determines that the received operation input is for performing the process. and a device control means that executes processing for the device on the receiving side based on the above information.

This makes it possible to remotely control devices in an interactive manner using a telephone line.

Therefore, the present invention eliminates the need to memorize operating methods for controlling devices, and also eliminates the need to perform complicated operations according to manuals, making it possible to remotely control devices simply and accurately. play.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 1(a) and 2(b) are flowcharts showing the operation of the remote control device, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote control device. It is a block diagram. 1 is a microcomputer, 3 is an air conditioner (equipment) 1
, 4 are lighting equipment (equipment). =35

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a remote control device that controls equipment by making a call from the outside via a telephone line, when the line is connected, the receiving party indicates to the caller the processing details and operating procedures for carrying out the processing by voice. A message transmitting means for transmitting a message, an operation input means for accepting an operation from a sender after the message transmitting means transmits a message, and an operation input means for performing processing indicated in the message according to the operation input received by the operation input means. an operation determining means for determining whether or not a process is to be performed; and a device control means for executing a process for the receiving device based on the operation content when the operation determining means determines that the input is an operation input for performing processing. A remote control device using a telephone line, characterized in that: