JPH05130679A - Remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To optionally program the number of display characters or keys in accordance with a user's request by making it possible to switch and select the display state of each display key on a face display input means. CONSTITUTION:The key input of a key depressed by the 1st key operation part 11 is judged by a key input judging part 12 and its information is sent to a CPU part 13. The key array of the 2nd key operation part 21 is displayed on an LCD display part 17 and characters to be displayed on the LCD 17 can be selected from message codes previously stored in the 1st memory part 14 by the key operation of the 1st key operation part 11 in accordance with user's liking. The selected message code is stored in the 2nd memory part 15 through the CPU part 13 and displayed on the display part 17 as characters. Consequently only necessary keys can be displayed on the display part 17 and the clear display part 17 from which unnecessary keys are removed can be formed by a user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control device capable of switching and selecting at least a part of operation keys.

In general, many television receivers, video tape recorders (VTRs), satellite broadcasting (BS) channel selection devices, etc. are equipped with a remote control device that enables operation from a distant position. .. Then, for example, when reproducing the VTR, the user first turns on the power of the television receiver with the remote control device dedicated to the television receiver, and also turns on the reproduction button switch to start the reproduction. The remote control device dedicated to each device was used properly to operate each device.

However, with the development of AV (audiovisual) equipment in recent years, for example, in addition to ordinary television receivers, a plurality of high-definition television receivers, video tape recorders of various formats, so-called CD players, etc. The number of users who own the device is increasing. In such a situation, as described above, it is very troublesome to properly use the remote operation device provided in each device and operate each device. Therefore, there is known a remote control device having a so-called learning function that can store a plurality of remote control devices for each device by storing an operation signal for each remote control device. There is. By using the remote operation device having the learning function, it is possible to save the troublesome work of properly using the plurality of remote operation devices.

The remote operation device having the learning function can combine a plurality of remote operation devices for each device into one, but by combining the plurality of remote operation devices into one, a considerable number of operation switches can be obtained. Will be needed. If these operation keys are simply provided on the remote operation device, the number becomes considerably large, and the area of the remote operation device itself becomes large. For this reason, among remote control devices having a learning function, for example, there is a remote control device with a liquid crystal panel (LCD) that displays operation keys on the liquid crystal panel in accordance with the selected external device.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the LCD remote control device. In FIG. 5, the LCD remote control device 30 includes a switch rubber 33 between the upper case 31 and the lower case 38 corresponding to the switch portions 32a and 32b on the upper case.
a, 33b, the rubber connector 34, the transparent touch panel switch part 35, the LCD 36, and the substrate 37 are sandwiched and connected by a fixing means such as a screw S.

[0006]

By the way, the LCD described above is used.
A remote control device (hereinafter referred to as an LCD remote control device) has a group of characters of operation keys as a pattern according to each selected mode. For example, when the TV channel mode is selected, all the operation patterns necessary for operating the TV channel are displayed on the LCD 36. Among the display of the operation patterns, there are some that are annoying to the user and some that are conversely necessary but not displayed, but cannot be changed according to taste.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device in which the number of display characters and keys can be freely programmed according to the wishes of the user.

[0008]

A learning type remote control device according to the present invention is a remote control device which transmits a remote control signal according to the operation of an operation key, and a key is displayed as at least a part of the operation key. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by having a surface display input means in which a transparent input panel is arranged on a display surface, and by making it possible to switch and select the display state of each display key of the surface display input means. It is a thing.

[0009]

The operation keys of the transparent input panel provided on the LCD display, which is a part of the operation key portion, can be freely selected by the software of the CPU, so that the keys required by the user can be displayed.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a remote control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a remote control device according to the present invention. In FIG.
In the present embodiment, the first key operation unit 11 and the second key operation unit 21, and which key is input by the key operation on the first key operation unit 11 and the second key operation unit 21 are described. The key input determination unit 12 for determining and the key input determination unit 1
A CPU unit 13 for analyzing the key input determined in 2, and a first memory unit connected to the CPU unit 13 for storing a message code corresponding to the key input determined by the key input determination unit 12 14, a second memory unit 15 for storing the message code selected by the CPU unit 13 from the first memory unit 14, and a message code stored in the second memory unit 15 for the CPU unit 13
LCD drive circuit 16 supplied via
An LCD display unit 17 for displaying the message code as a character by the drive circuit 16, a remote operation signal generation unit 18 for generating a remote operation signal corresponding to a key operation from the result analyzed by the CPU unit 13, and an LE.
It is composed of a D drive circuit 19 and a light emitting diode 20.

In FIG. 1, the key input of the key pressed by the first key operation unit 11 is determined by the key input determination unit 12, and the information is sent to the CPU unit 13. This CPU
The section 13 analyzes what command the key operation corresponds to based on the information from the key input determination section 12. The command is, for example, a command to display the layout of the keys of the second key operation unit 21 on the LCD display unit 17, a command to display the operation state of the remote control device itself, and the remote control signal generation unit 18. On the other hand, it is a command for transmitting a remote control signal such as channel selection to, for example, a television receiver.

Here, the character displayed on the LCD display unit 17 is selected by the user by operating the key of the first key operation unit 11 among the message codes stored in advance in the first memory unit 14. Can be selected according to.
The selected message code is stored in the second memory unit 1 described above.
5 is stored in the CPU 5 via the CPU 13 and displayed as a character on the LCD display 17.

Next, a specific example of an embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention as seen from the upper surface.

In FIG. 2, the first key operation unit 11 is described.
Is a power key 3 for controlling on / off of main power of the main electronic device and each external device connected to the outside.
And the mute key 4 that temporarily erases the sound that is produced.
And, there is a key to select the device to operate,
For example, a television operation key 5 for designating the operation of the television receiver, a video operation key 6 for designating the operation of the video tape recorder, and the like are provided, and these key inputs are supplied to the CPU section 13. ..

The second operation area 2 is composed of, for example, a key matrix using transparent electrodes and a liquid crystal display panel. In the present invention, the user can freely select the character displayed in the second operation area. The operation method is as follows.

First, when the commander (remote operation) off key 7 and, for example, the television operation key 5 are pressed in the first key operation section, a character 31 as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the second operation area 2. Is displayed. This character 3
1, "TV", "VIDEO1", "CLEA
Three items of "R" are displayed. Here, if the reset key 8 is pressed once, the character 32 changes to “TV”, and if the reset key 8 is pressed once, the character 33 is displayed.
"VIDEO 1", followed by pressing the reset key 8 once to the character 34 "CLEAR", another successive press to the character 35 "blank", one more press to the character 32 "TV". After that, each time the reset key 8 is pressed, the character sequentially switches.

It is the arrangement of the second operation keys on the LCD display shown in FIG. 4 that only the channel operation section for watching television, for example, is selected by the above-described operation method. Here, only the VHF / UHF channel selection section 9 and the BS channel selection section 10 are displayed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the overall flow of the operating method of the remote control device according to the present invention. When this flow is started, it is determined in step S41 whether or not the set mode is entered. This set mode operation is completed by pressing the commander off key 7 as described above. Here, if NO is determined, the process returns to the start, and if YES is determined, the process proceeds to step S42. In this step S42, for example, all the characters shown in Table 1 are displayed. Step S from this
With the user key selection 43, the necessary key switch display is selected as described above. When the selection is completed in step S43 and each character is displayed in the second operation area 2, the setting is completed.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention, only the key switches necessary for the second operation area 2 can be displayed.

Needless to say, the remote control device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the controlled device to be further applied is not only AV equipment but also an air conditioner or the like. Extends to

[0021]

In the remote control device according to the present invention, the display state of each display key of the surface display input means as at least a part of the operation keys can be switched and selected, so that only the keys necessary for the LCD display section can be selected. Can be displayed, and the user can form a neat display unit without annoying keys.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a remote control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an operation unit of the embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating selection of a character displayed on the second key operation unit of the embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display of a second key operation unit selected in the embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the overall operation of the embodiment of the remote control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a remote control device including an LCD display unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11-First key operation unit 12-Key input determination circuit 13-CPU 14-First memory 15-Second memory 17 ... LCD display section 18 ... remote control signal generation circuit 20 ... light emitting diode 21 ... second key operation section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device for transmitting a remote control signal in response to an operation of an operation key, in which a transparent input panel is provided on a display surface on which a key is displayed as at least a part of the operation key. A remote control device comprising input means, wherein the display state of each display key of the surface display input means can be switched and selected.