JPH03182123A - Sound remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify an operation and to make function multiple by reducing signal systems to be transmitted and received to be one at least and using the operation of mechanical control function for volume, etc., as well. CONSTITUTION:The various switch operation signals of sound signals in a remote control part 1 are transmitted by one signal system according to a modulated infrared signal, received and demodulated by a control equipment such as a main body part 1 of a television, etc. Then, the respective functions are switched by the recognition of the sound signal. The volume, etc., is controlled mechanically by switching the function according to the sound recognition and using a switch operation signal as well. Thus, various equipments such as the television, etc., is remote controlled by sounds. Then, transmitting and receiving means can be simplified and a sound remote controller can be obtained corresponding to the multiple functions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a voice remote control device that remotely controls various devices such as televisions by voice, and is capable of simplifying and multifunctionalizing transmission and reception means. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, there has been a trend in devices such as televisions, video cameras, and audio equipment to be equipped with a remote control section that is operated separately from the main body, and to perform various operations on the main body side using this remote control section. In this case, a method is used in which buttons for each type of operation are installed on the panel of the remote controller, and the content of the operation is specified by operating a predetermined button, and the operation is executed.

This button operation method has the advantage that anyone can operate the remote control accurately, but as the number of functions on the main body increases, the number of buttons on the remote control increases. For this reason, the size of the remote controller becomes larger, button operations become more complicated, and furthermore, as the number of buttons increases, problems such as malfunctions and interference increase.

Therefore, in order to reduce the number of buttons on the remote control unit and simplify operations, a voice remote control device that allows remote control operations using voice has been proposed, and has been put into practical use in the - part.

By the way, a television voice remote control device for such purpose is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the television main unit 101 receives audio signals and input instruction signals from respective receiving sections 104 .
106, and an input instruction signal from the receiving section 106 is input to the voice recognition section 103 to put it into an operating state. Also,
The audio signal from the receiving unit 104 is also input to the audio recognition unit 103, and if the input instruction signal indicates that the operation is in progress, the audio operation content is recognized, and for example, in the case of channel operation, the channel control unit 105 is instructed to perform a channel switching operation. Instruct.

On the other hand, the remote control unit 102 has an instruction button 109 for instructing an audio input mode, and a microphone 107 for converting audio into an electrical signal. The operation signal of the button 109 is input to the input instruction signal transmitter 110 to transmit the input instruction signal, and the audio signal input to the microphone 107 is transmitted from the audio signal transmitter 108.

In such a configuration, when operating the remote control by voice, first press the voice input mode instruction button 109 of the remote control unit 102. Then, the operation signal is transmitted from the input instruction signal transmitting section 110, received by the input signal receiving section 106 in the television main body section 101, and transmitted to the voice recognition section 103, which receives and receives the input instruction signal. be in a possible operating state. Next, the operator calls out the channel number into the microphone 107.
The voice is converted into an electrical signal by the microphone 107 and transmitted from the receiving section 10B. Therefore, the audio signal received by the audio signal receiving unit 104 is input to the audio recognition unit 103, and the audio recognition unit 103 recognizes the input audio signal and sends the channel number obtained as a recognition result to the channel control unit 106. Then, the channel control unit 106 switches to the input channel number.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional voice remote control device described above, two signal systems exist between the remote control section 102 and the television main body section 101: a signal for instructing input, and an audio signal. There are two transmitters in the section 102, and the TV main body section 101
requires two receivers. You can also adjust the volume, etc.
Normally, functions that are adjusted using variable resistors, fine step voltages, etc. are difficult to display or recognize by voice, so there is a problem that delicate adjustment operations cannot be performed.

In view of the problems of the conventional voice remote control device as described above, an object of the present invention is to minimize the signal system to be transmitted and received.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a voice remote control device that can be used in conjunction with mechanical adjustment functions such as volume control.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a microphone for inputting audio to the remote controller, a first microphone for instructing the audio input mode.
a second switch that mechanically instructs adjustment;
Equipped with a transmitting means for transmitting an infrared signal modulated in accordance with an audio signal and various switch operation signals, a receiving means for receiving and demodulating the infrared signal to a control device, a voice recognition means for recognizing the voice signal, and a voice recognition function. The present invention proposes a voice remote control device equipped with a control means that performs a switching operation and performs an adjustment operation in response to a switch operation signal instructing adjustment.

Function According to this configuration, the audio signal from the remote control unit and various switch operation signals are transmitted in one signal system using modulated infrared signals, which are received and demodulated by the control equipment such as the TV main unit. Each function is switched. Adjustment of the volume, etc., is performed mechanically using a combination of function switching based on voice recognition and switch operation signals.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, details of an example of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

The illustrated embodiment is an audio remote control device for television, and the remote control unit 2 has a microphone 9 for inputting audio and a switch 12 for instructing the audio input mode. A level up switch 13 and a level down switch 14 are provided as adjustment means. Then, the microphone 9 of the remote control section 2
The audio signals and the operation signals of the switches 12, 13, and 14 are input to the modulator 10 of the transmitter 8, which modulates them according to various signals and outputs modulated signals. In addition, the transmitting section 8 of the remote control section 2
has an infrared light emitting diode 11, and is configured to transmit an infrared signal according to a modulation signal.

The television main unit 1 also includes a photodiode 4 of a receiving unit 3 that receives an infrared signal and converts it into an electrical signal.The signal from the photodiode 4 is input to a demodulator 5 and outputs audio from the remote control unit 2. signal or each switch operation signal. When a switch signal instructing the voice input mode is also transmitted from the remote control unit 2, the voice recognition unit 6 is put into operation, and when a voice signal is input next,
Again, the voice recognition unit 6 recognizes voice signals for channel selection, volume adjustment, etc., and instructs the control unit 7 to perform each operation. Incidentally, the volume adjustment instruction is sent directly to the control section T by the demodulator 5 or the level-up or down switch operation signal.
The circuit is configured as instructed.

Next, details of remote control using the voice remote control device configured as described above will be described.

First, when the operator inputs audio, the remote control section 2
All you have to do is press the switch 12 to instruct the input of the voice. When the switch 12 is pressed, the modulator 10 of the transmitter 8
generates a signal modulated by the carrier alone or by a code for operating the voice recognition unit 6 built into the television main unit 1.

The generated carrier signal and the like are transmitted to the television main body 1 as infrared rays by the infrared light emitting diode 11. In the television main unit 1, the photodiode 4 of the receiving unit 3 receives an infrared signal transmitted from the remote control unit 2 and converts it into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is demodulated in the demodulator 6, and a signal that puts the speech recognition section 6 into an operating state is sent to the speech recognition section 6.
Output to. The voice recognition section 6 is brought into an operational state, that is, a state in which it can receive data, by the signal outputted from the demodulator 5 to put it into an operational state.

Thereafter, the operator calls into the microphone 9 for the desired switching operation. That is, for example, when an operator who wishes to switch to "1 channel" calls out "I" into the microphone 9, the operator's voice is converted into an electrical signal by the microphone e. Modulator 1
0 performs modulation using the carrier signal as a modulated signal and the converted electric signal as a modulating signal, and the modulated signal is transmitted to the television main body 1 as an infrared signal by an infrared light emitting diode 11.

In the television main unit 1, the photodiode 4 receives an infrared signal transmitted from the remote control unit 2, and converts it into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is demodulated in a demodulator 6,
Although it is output as an audio electrical signal to the voice recognition section 6, the voice recognition section 6 recognizes that the operator has uttered "Ichi" and outputs this result to the control section 7. The control unit 7 selects one channel based on the result recognized by the voice recognition unit 6.

If the operator wants to adjust the volume after the voice recognition unit enters the operating state, the operator should speak into the microphone 9 and press "
You can adjust the volume by saying "Onlyyou". That is, the operator's voice converted into an electrical signal by the microphone 9 is modulated by the modulator 10 using the carrier signal as a modulated signal and the converted electrical signal as a modulating signal.
The modulated signal is transmitted to the television main unit 1 as an infrared signal by the infrared light emitting diode 11. In the television main unit 1, a photodiode 4 receives an infrared signal transmitted from a remote control unit 2, and converts it into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is demodulated by the demodulator 6 and outputted to the speech recognition section 6 as an audio electrical signal. The electrical signal of this voice is used by the voice recognition section 6 to recognize that the operator has uttered "only", and outputs this result to the control section 7. The control unit 7 selects the volume adjustment function based on the result recognized by the voice recognition unit 6.

After the volume adjustment function is selected, the operator who wants to perform the volume adjustment operation can press the level increase switch 13 used for adjusting the volume etc. if he wants to increase the volume, and press the same level switch 13 if he wants to decrease the volume. All you have to do is press the switch 14 for lowering the volume until the desired volume is reached. That is, when the switch 13 or 14 is pressed, the modulator 10 modulates the carrier signal with the code corresponding to the switch, and the modulated signal is transmitted to the TV main unit 1 as an infrared signal by the infrared light emitting diode 11. .

In the television main unit 1, a photodiode 4 receives an infrared signal transmitted from a remote control unit 2, and converts it into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is demodulated in a demodulator 6,
The control unit 7 sends a control signal to raise the level used for adjusting the volume, etc. or a control signal to lower the level.
It continues to output only while the signal is being input. Therefore, while these control signals are being input, the control unit 7
Continue to raise and lower the TV volume.

In the above embodiment, the television main body includes a voice recognition section, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1. For example, even if the remote control section includes a voice recognition section, It is clear that it is effective.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a voice remote control device is configured to modulate an audio signal and a switch operation signal such as an audio input mode instruction, and transmit and receive the signal using one signal system. Therefore, a minimum of one transmitter and receiver is required, simplifying the transmission and reception system.

Furthermore, by using voice recognition and switch operations in combination, functions such as volume adjustment can be performed accurately using the remote control.

Furthermore, since the structure is configured to modulate and transmit and receive infrared signals in a short wavelength band, it is possible to reliably transmit and receive audio signals and various switch operation signals without confusing them.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a voice remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional voice remote control device. 1...TV main unit, 2...Remote control unit, 3...
Receiving unit, 6... Voice recognition unit, 7... Control unit, 8...
- Transmission unit, 9...Microphone, 12...Audio input mode instruction switch, 13.14...Switch for volume adjustment.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A microphone that inputs audio to the remote control unit, a first switch that instructs the audio input mode, a second switch that instructs mechanical adjustment, and a transmitter that transmits infrared signals modulated according to the audio signal and various switch operation signals. have the means,
A voice remote control device equipped with a receiving means for receiving and demodulating an infrared signal in a control device, a voice recognition means for recognizing an audio signal, and a control means that performs a function switching operation based on voice recognition and performs an adjustment operation based on a switch operation signal instructing adjustment. .