JPH07336779A - Centralized controller for electric equipment of the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To operate remotely electric devices or the like installed in home according to a desired operation sequence simultaneously in parallel. CONSTITUTION:A control program signal to control an electric device 1 is sent from a system controller 3 to a storage section 6 of a control code converter 4. When a remote controller 7 is used to control the operation of a desired device (such as turn-on operation of a television receiver 1b), a reception section 9 receives the signal and a 2nd memory section 11 stores the signal. Then a control section 13 allows a control code conversion section 12 to convert the data in the 2nd memory section into a device code and an instruction code to operate a control object device. Then a specific optical communication transmission unit 13b sending a signal only to a television receiver sends an optical command signal to the television receiver, which receives the signal and turns on its power supply.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centralized control device for electric equipment using a so-called home computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electrical equipment installed in a home, for example,
Video tape recorders, video disc players, television sets, stereo sets, etc. are equipped with independent power switches, function switches, adjustment knobs, etc. Therefore, the user needs to face the operation panel of each device. It is necessary to make various adjustments individually. By the way, there is a method of providing a centralized control device capable of performing centralized control by a so-called home computer for turning on / off or individually adjusting the power supply of the individual electric devices described above. motion,
For example, there is an operation example in which a tuner receives a satellite broadcast, a television receiver displays an image, and a stereo amplifier outputs sound. Also, use a remote control for each device,
The method of using a learning remote control is also used.
However, since these centralized control devices give an operation instruction to a plurality of electric devices based on an optical command signal from one optical communication transmission unit, they become serial operations and it takes time to complete the operations of all the devices. Moreover, if an obstacle such as a person enters between the electric device and the optical communication transmission unit during the operation instruction based on the optical command signal, it may malfunction or become inoperable. Further, there is a problem that when the electric device is replaced or the grade is changed, the control code of the device is replaced and the operation cannot be performed.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. A transmission signal from each optical communication transmission unit is received and decoded only by an electric device corresponding to each unit. Then run. Further, it is another object of the present invention to allow each electric device to simultaneously and in parallel receive a transmission signal from each optical communication transmission unit and execute a commanded operation.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a system controller for supplying a plurality of control program signals to an electric device and a desired program are selected from the control programs, and A remote controller for operating the functions of the electric device, an input unit for receiving a transmission signal from the system controller, a receiving unit for receiving a selection / operation signal from the remote controller, and a control program signal supplied from the system controller. A storage unit for storing, a first memory unit for storing the data received by the receiving unit, a control unit for decoding and executing a control program signal stored in the storage unit, a device code and an instruction code for each electric device in the previous term. A second memory section for storing, a control code conversion section for specifying a device code and an instruction code based on a controlled device, and A control code converter configured by a plurality of optical communication transmitting units or the like that transmits an optical command signal based on a command from the control unit, and a plurality of units that execute an operation based on the optical command signals from the optical communication transmitting units. The present invention provides a centralized control device for an electric device or the like, which is characterized by including an electric device.

[0005]

According to the above structure, the control program signal for controlling the electric equipment is sent from the system controller to the storage section of the control code converter. When a desired device operation (for example, power-on operation of the television receiver) is designated by the remote controller, the receiving unit receives the same signal and stores it in the second memory unit. Thereafter, the control unit converts the device to be controlled based on the data in the second memory unit into the device code and the instruction code of the corresponding device in the control code conversion unit. Then, an optical command signal is transmitted from the specific optical communication transmitting unit that transmits the signal only to the television receiver to the television receiver, and the television receiver receives the signal and turns on the power. At the time of the above operation, other electric devices can simultaneously perform various functional operations.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a tuner 1a receives radio waves such as satellite broadcasting and terrestrial broadcasting. 1b is a television receiver, 1c is an audio amplifier, and 1d is a video tape recorder. Infrared remote control control receiving units 2a to 2d are attached to the respective electric devices. A system controller 3 is a device such as a home computer, which outputs a control program signal to the electric device 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a control code converter, which is a device for receiving a control program signal from the system controller 3 to remotely control each of the electric devices 1, and is composed of the following parts.

An input unit 5 receives a plurality of control program signals sent from the system controller 3 and stores them in the storage unit 6. A remote controller 7 selects a desired program from the control programs, designates various operations of the electric device, and sends the commands by an infrared signal 8.
Reference numeral 9 is a receiving unit, which receives an infrared signal 8 from the remote controller 7. The first memory unit 10 stores the data received by the receiving unit 9. A second memory unit 11 stores a device code and an instruction code corresponding to each electric device 1. A control code conversion unit 12 converts the control code (device code and instruction code) in the control program signal stored in the storage unit 6 into the control code of the corresponding device. Thirteen
Is a control unit that decodes and executes the control program signal stored in the first memory unit 10 and controls each unit. 14a, b, c, d are optical communication transmitting units, which transmit an optical command signal based on a command from the control unit 11,
Tuner 1a, TV receiver 1b, audio amplifier 1c
The video tape recorder 1d is provided for each electric device 1 so as to correspond to each one-to-one correspondence.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the remote controller 7. As shown in the drawing, reference numeral 16 is an infrared ray emitting section for sending a control signal. 1
A function key 7 selects and specifies one operation (program) from a plurality of control programs stored in the storage unit 6. A function key 18 is a key for volume adjustment, channel switching, and the like. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control program and shows a procedure for operating each electric device 1. In the above configuration, first, as a preparatory operation, the system controller 3 sends a program for causing each electric device 1 to execute a series of operations to the control code converter 4. For example, the tuner 1a receives 7 channels of satellite broadcasting, the received signal is connected to the television receiver 1b for display, and the audio signal from the tuner 1a is amplified by the amplifier 1c.
A control program for connecting to and outputting audio from the speaker of the amplifier 1c. Other desired electrical equipment 1
The composite operation procedure program of is sent from the system controller 3 to the control code converter 4. R is the communication method between both devices
A signal such as S-232C or infrared transmission is signaled, and the transmission signal is stored in the storage unit 6 via the input unit 5.

Next, as a normal operation, when the operator depresses a desired selection key 17 from the function keys 17 of the remote controller 7, the infrared light emitting section 16 selects the selection key 17
A control signal corresponding to, for example, a control No. 1 signal is transmitted. This signal is received by the receiving unit 9 of the control code converter 4 and stored in the first memory unit 10. Therefore, the control unit 13 sequentially executes the control program corresponding to the control No. 1 signal stored in the storage unit 6 in order to execute the control program corresponding to the stored control No. 1 signal.
Therefore, the control unit 13 sequentially executes the control signals constituting the control program. For example, even the power-on control signal is different for each electric device 1, so that the control code conversion unit 12 outputs the control code of the corresponding device. Convert. These control signals are a reader code (informing the receiving side that remote control data is about to be sent), a custom code (code determined by the manufacturer and device,
The receiving side judges from this code whether it is an instruction for itself), and a data code (a code corresponding to the operation, and the receiving side judges what kind of operation is to be performed by this code).

The series of operations will be described with reference to FIG. In step 1 (hereinafter referred to as ST1), the tuner 1a,
The optical communication transmission unit 14a outputs control signals for turning on the power sources of the television receiver 1b and the amplifier 1c, respectively.
14b and 14c are individually sent to the corresponding electric devices. The control signal sent from the optical communication sending unit 14a is received by the remote control control receiving unit 2a of the tuner 1a, the tuner 1a is turned on, and the control signal sent from the optical communication sending unit 14b is the remote control of the television receiver 1b. The control receiving unit 2b receives the power, the power of the television receiver 1b is turned on, the control signal sent from the optical communication sending unit 14c is received by the remote control receiving unit 2c of the amplifier 1c, and the power of the amplifier 1c is turned on.

Thereafter, the control unit 13 sends a control signal for switching the input terminal of the television receiver 1b to the video 1 from the optical communication sending unit 14b in ST2, and receives it by the remote controller control receiving unit 2b. Switch the input terminal of 1b to video 1. In parallel with this operation,
In ST2, the control unit 13 sends a control signal from the optical communication sending unit 14c to switch the external terminal of the amplifier 1c to the sound signal receiving side in order to receive the sound signal from the tuner 1a by the amplifier 1c in ST2, and the remote control control receiving unit 2c. Receive and switch the external terminal to the audio signal receiving side. Thus, the control sequence corresponding to the control No. 1 signal ends. Next, in ST3, the operator operates the function key 1 of the remote controller 7.
8 is operated and, for example, the channel 7 key of BS is pressed, the data is stored in the first memory unit 10 via the receiving unit 9. Therefore, the control unit 13 converts this control signal by the control code conversion unit 12, sends it from the optical communication sending unit 14a, receives it by the remote control receiving unit 2a of the tuner 1a, and broadcasts the BS7 channel to the television receiver 1b. .

In another embodiment, when the electric device 1 is replaced, if the corresponding code in the second memory section 11 of the control code converter 4 is changed from the system controller 3, the control code is replaced by the manufacturer of the device. Even if it changes, it can respond.

[0013]

As described above, in the present invention, a dedicated optical communication transmission unit (a plurality of units) is provided for each of a plurality of electric devices and remote control is performed. Compared to the case of performing control, there is an advantage that a person does not pass through during the control operation and the communication is not disturbed, and an obstacle such as a malfunction is eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a centralized control device for electric equipment and the like according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a remote controller of a centralized control device for electric equipment and the like according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation program diagram of a centralized control device for electric equipment and the like according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric equipment 2 Remote control control receiving unit 3 System controller 4 Control code converter 5 Input section 6 Storage section 7 Remote control 8 Infrared signal 9 Reception section 10 First memory section 11 Second memory section 12 Control code conversion section 13 Control section 14 Optical transmission unit 16 Infrared light emitting part 17 Function key 18 Function key

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A system controller for supplying a plurality of control program signals to an electric device, a remote controller for selecting a desired program from the control programs and operating a function of the electric device, and the system controller. Input unit for receiving a transmission signal from the remote controller, a receiving unit for receiving a selection / operation signal from the remote controller, a storage unit for storing a control program signal supplied from the system controller, and a data received by the receiving unit. A first memory unit, a control unit that decodes and executes a control program signal stored in the storage unit, a second memory unit that stores a device code and an instruction code for each electrical device in the previous term, a device code based on a control target device And a plurality of control code converters that specify an instruction code and a plurality of optical command signals that are transmitted based on a command from the controller. Centralized electrical equipment and the like, comprising: a control code converter configured by the optical communication transmission unit, etc., and a plurality of electrical equipments that perform an operation based on the optical command signal from each optical communication transmission unit. Control device. 2. A control program signal for the electric device is transmitted from the system controller to the control code converter, and the remote controller controls the electric device via the control code converter. The centralized control device according to item 1. 3. The centralized control according to claim 1, wherein when the electric equipment is replayed, the system controller changes the code in the second memory section of the control code converter. apparatus. 4. The centralized control device according to claim 1, wherein each of the optical communication transmission units transmits an optical command signal only to the specified electric device.