JPH0888883A - Control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an interface which is capable of easily and surely operating plural apparatuses with fewer buttons by a remote control device, in the remote control device of an AV composite equipment or an AV system. CONSTITUTION: Buttons 1, 2 and 3 are multi-contact buttons having mechanisms which are capable of detecting that the buttons are inclined in 8 directions of the up, down, left, right, upper right, upper left, lower right and lower right, facing the each of bottons. The button 1, the button 2 and the button 3 are capable of operating a video and a television set, a cassette and a radio, and a CD and an external input (selector), respectively. A button 4, a button 5, a button 6 and a button T are assigned to the turning on/off button of a power source, a video recording button, a cassette sound recording button and a sound volume adjusting button, respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for a plurality of AV devices such as audio and image recording and reproducing devices or a composite integrated device thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a control device for operating a plurality of AV devices by itself, a general-purpose remote controller such as a preset remote controller of a manufacturer-specified method for each device or a remote controller for learning infrared control codes, or an AV device A dedicated remote controller belonging to a set product or an AV device combined-integrated product is known.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional control device, many operation buttons for each device are simply arranged on the operation surface as they are, and as the number of operable devices increases, the number and operation of buttons on the operation surface will increase. Since the number of steps tends to increase, it took time to execute and remember an arbitrary operation. Therefore, there is an increasing need for more easily operating a plurality of devices without increasing the number of buttons or the operating procedure with one control device.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device which can easily operate a plurality of devices with one unit.

[0005]

The first configuration of the control device of the present invention is, in a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, by tilting one operation button in multiple directions so that a plurality of contacts can be independently formed. A switchable pad-like button is provided on the operation surface, and each operation of at least two devices is assigned to one operation button.

In the second configuration, in the first configuration, a pair of operations / functions are assigned to symmetrical positions of a pad-shaped button capable of independently switching a plurality of contacts by tilting one operation button in multiple directions. It is a thing.

The third configuration is different from the first configuration in that it has a plurality of pad-shaped buttons in which the contacts that perform the concept operation common to a plurality of devices are unified in the same tilt direction.

In a fourth configuration, in the first configuration, one of the devices assigned to one of the pad-shaped buttons capable of operating a plurality of devices with one operation button is a reproducible package medium, and the other is a receiving-only tuner. It is the media.

In a fifth configuration, in the first configuration, when a plurality of devices can be operated with one operation button, a button printed or engraved with a pattern or a character string evoking an image of a composite device of those devices is provided. I have.

According to a sixth aspect, in a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when a device selection button is pushed, the operation button of the device is projected on an operation surface and can be operated, and a selection button of another device is operated. When the button is pressed, the protruding operation button of the previously selected device is retracted from the operation surface and becomes inoperable.At the same time, the operation button of another device protrudes, and multiple operation buttons are linked to enable operation. It has a button.

In a seventh configuration, in a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when an arbitrary operation button is pressed, the image imposing device incorporated in the display device recalls the image of the device being operated. A simple pattern or character string and operation contents are displayed as an impose on the screen of the display device.

[0012]

According to the control device of the first configuration, in a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, a pad-like button that can independently switch a plurality of contacts by tilting one operation button in multiple directions is operated. Since it is provided on the surface and each operation of at least two or more devices is assigned to one operation button, a plurality of devices can be operated by one operation button, and a plurality of devices can be easily operated. it can.

According to the control device having the second structure,
By allocating a pair of operations and functions to the symmetrical position of a pad-shaped button that can switch multiple contacts independently by tilting one button in multiple directions, you can quickly and reliably perform any operation of any device. Can be done.

According to the control device of the third structure,
Since the contact that performs the concept of operation common to multiple devices is configured to have a plurality of pad-shaped buttons that are unified in the same tilt direction, if it is a common operation, just tilt any pad-shaped button in the same direction. Often, it is not necessary to individually store the operation of the pad-shaped button of each device, and the operation common to the devices can be performed quickly.

According to the control device of the fourth structure,
One operation button allows you to operate multiple devices. One of the devices is a playable package media and the other is a receive-only tuner media. The number of contacts is small when the buttons are put in the button, and the concept of operation is not duplicated as compared with the case where a plurality of similar package media are combined, so that erroneous operations can be reduced.

According to the control device of the fifth configuration,
When multiple operation devices can be operated with one operation button, it is configured to have a button with a pattern or a character string printed or engraved on it that reminds us of the image of those combined devices, so that button can operate multiple devices. It is possible for the user to easily understand and operate multiple devices easily.

According to the control device of the sixth configuration,
In a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when the selection button of the device is pressed, the operation button of the device protrudes to the operation surface and becomes operable, and when the selection button of another device is pressed, the device is selected until then. At the same time that the operation button that was protruding from the device was pulled in from the operation surface and became inoperable, at the same time the operation button of another device protruded,
Because it is configured to have multiple buttons that are linked so that it can be operated, it is easy to visually and tactually recognize the selection status of each device and the buttons that can be operated. Since there is no possibility of touching it, it is possible to easily operate multiple devices.

According to the control device having the seventh structure,
In a control device that can operate multiple devices, when you press any operation button, a picture or character string and operation content that reminds you of the image of the device being operated by the image imposing device built into the display device are displayed. Since it is configured to display an impose on the screen of the display device, the user can know what the operated device is.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. That is, this control device is an infrared remote controller having seven operation buttons (hereinafter referred to as buttons) on the operation surface.

In FIG. 1, button 1, button 2, and button 3 have a mechanism capable of detecting that the buttons are tilted in the eight directions of upward, downward, left, right, upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left, respectively. It is a multi-contact button that has, a button 1 for VCR (video) and TV tuner (TV), a button 2 for audio cassette deck (cassette) and radio tuner (radio), and a button 3 for CD player (C).
D) and the external input selector (selector) can be operated respectively. Button 4 is assigned to a power on / off button, button 5 is assigned to a video recording button, button 6 is assigned to a cassette recording button, and button 7 is assigned to a volume control button.

Button 1, button 2, and button 3 have contact points in at least four directions such as up, down, left, and right, which have a difference in orientation of 90 degrees. By tilting the buttons, two adjacent contact points are brought into contact with each other at the same time. If configured, it is possible to detect button inputs in eight directions. For example, if it is diagonally to the upper right, it can be detected when the upper and right contacts are in contact at the same time. However, the condition determination is easier with the eight contacts. Hereinafter, each of the buttons 1 to 3 will be described assuming that there are a total of 8 contacts that can be independently switched in the upward, downward, left, right, upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left directions.

FIG. 3 shows the basic configuration of the remote controller and the main unit of this embodiment. On the remote control side, button 31
The input control unit 32 selects an infrared code to be transmitted according to the pressed button, and the transmission unit 33 for actually transmitting the infrared code selected by the input control unit 32.

On the other hand, the main body side converts the received infrared code into an operation command of the main body device, receives the infrared code, and compares the operation command with the state transition information of the main body to judge the operation instruction. It is composed of a translation control unit 35 for deciding whether to operate the main body or displaying an error message or the like on the screen, and a display unit 36 capable of displaying characters or pictures overlaid on a television or video image. .

The basic operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Button 1 can be used to operate video and TV. Pressing the button up plays the video, and pressing the button down stops the video and switches to the TV. Also, if you press the right button, fast forward while the video is stopped, forward search while the video is playing, if you press the left button, rewind when the video is stopped and reverse search is performed during the video playback, and if you press the upper right button, the forward search is performed. Cue the video, and press the upper left corner to cue the video in the opposite direction. The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed. Also, if you press the lower right, you can select the TV forward channel selection, and if you press the lower left, you can select the reverse channel TV selection.

As described above, the buttons 1 can be assigned and operated up and down, and the operation can be reversed symmetrically.

Next, the button 2 can operate the cassette and the radio, but the operation method is basically the same as that of the button 1.
Pressing the top of the button 2 will play the cassette, and pressing the bottom of the button 2 will stop the cassette and switch to the radio. Also, if you press the right button, fast forward when the cassette is stopped and forward voice search during cassette playback, press the left button when the cassette is stopped, rewind and reverse voice search during cassette playback, and the upper right button is pressed. For example, to find the beginning of the song in the forward direction, press the upper left to find the beginning of the song in the opposite direction. The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed.
Also, if you press the lower right, you can select the radio for forward tuning, and if you press the lower left, you can select for reverse radio tuning.

Next, the button 3 can operate the CD and the selector. Press the top of button 3 to play the CD, press the bottom to C
When D is stopped, the image and sound are switched to those of the external input device. In addition, if you press the right button, you can go forward one song while the CD is stopped, and search forward in the voice direction while playing the CD.
When D is stopped, one track is played back, and when CD is being played, voice search is performed in the reverse direction. When the upper right is pressed, the track is played forward in the forward direction. . The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed. Also, pressing the lower right will select the external input device in the forward direction, and pressing the lower left will select the external input device in the reverse direction.

The contents of the operations performed on the above buttons 1 to 3 are summarized in FIG. As is clear from FIG. 4, operations of the same concept are unified in the same direction.

At the center of the button 1, an icon imitating the design of "tele video" which is a composite device of television and video is printed. Also in the center of the button 2, an icon imitating "radio cassette" which is a composite device of a radio and a cassette is printed. In this way, devices that are combined devices are grouped into one button, and printing is performed to represent the image. The icon may not be printed but may be an uneven stamp or a character string such as "tele video".

In the first embodiment, the outer shapes of the buttons 1 to 3 are star-shaped with protrusions in eight directions, but any shape is acceptable as long as it is understood that they are pushed in eight directions. Absent. Further, the projections are provided in the up, down, left, and right directions to make the directions easy to understand, but any shape may be used as long as the difference from the adjacent directions is known.

The button 4 is a power on / off button, but the power is automatically turned on even if an operation is performed with the buttons 1 to 3 while the power is off, and the operation can be performed. It is not essential as an interface in the remote control of such a complex device or system, if the power of the related device is not stopped and continues until the end of the recording or recording even if the power is turned off during recording or recording. It's not, but it's easy to use.

Next, although the button 5 is a video recording button, a cathode ray tube, that is, a square button associated with an image is used so that the button 5 can be easily distinguished visually from the button 6.

Further, a one-touch recording interface in which a recording time is set according to the number of times of pressing is adopted. The one-touch recording is a continuous recording state when the recording button 5 is pressed once, but the recording time can be set by pressing the recording button again within a certain fixed time.

For example, depending on the number of times of continuous pressing, ∞ (until the end of the tape) → 30 minutes → 60 minutes → 90 minutes → 1
You can set the recording time by toggle like 20 minutes → 0 minutes (stop). In this case, when you want to stop recording, press the record button to set the recording time to 0 minutes (stop), or press the record button and press under button 1 within a certain time, that is, stop the video. In the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the accidental stop of recording.

Button 6 is a cassette recording button,
A round button that is associated with a microphone, that is, a voice is used so that it can be easily distinguished from the button 5. This is also button 5
It has the same interface as. That is, the recording time can be set depending on the number of times of pressing.

The button 7 is a volume control button, but if the right end is pressed or the whole is tilted to the right, the volume increases,
On the contrary, if you push the left end or tilt the whole to the left, it is a seesaw type switch that reduces the volume.

A second embodiment will be described here with reference to FIG. That is, this control device is a remote controller having 31 buttons on the operation surface.

The buttons 21, 22 and 23 are
It is a button that has a mechanism that interlocks with each other so that you can press only one of them. For example, when the button 21 is pushed in, the button 21 is fixed in the pushed state, but when the button 22 is pushed in this state, the button 21 returns to the position before being pushed in, and the button 22 is pushed in state. Fixed by. In this way, only one of the buttons is always pressed, and it is impossible to press multiple buttons at the same time. Such a mechanism may be realized electrically using an actuator or the like,
It can be easily realized by using a button group having an interlock / release mechanism that works together.

Further, the button 21, the button 22 and the button 23 are interlocked with the respective eight buttons arranged around them. For example, when the button 21 is not pressed, the top of the buttons of the buttons 211 to 218 is below the operation surface, but when the button 21 is pressed, the buttons are pushed out together. At this time, when the button 21 or the button 23 is pressed to return the button 21 to the original position, the buttons 211 to 218 are also interlocked and returned to the original position. However, by pressing buttons 211 to 218, button 2
1 never returns.

The basic operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the button 21 is pressed, the buttons 211 to 218 are enabled and the video and TV can be operated.
If the button 211 is pressed, the video is reproduced, and if the button 215 is pressed, the video is stopped and the television is switched. Also,
If button 213 is pressed, it is fast forward during video stop, forward search during video playback, if button 217 is rewind during video stop, reverse search during video playback, and button 212 is forward. Video Cue, Button 2
Press 18 to jump to the reverse video direction. The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed. In addition, if the button 214 is pressed, the TV is selected in the forward order, and if the button 216 is pressed, it is selected in the reverse order of the TV.

Next, when the button 22 is pressed, the button 221
Up to 228 can be used, and the cassette and the radio can be operated, but the operation method basically corresponds to the button 21. If the button 221 is pressed, the cassette is reproduced, and if the button 225 is pressed, the cassette is stopped and the radio is switched to. Further, if the button 223 is pressed, fast forward is performed while the cassette is stopped, and forward sound search is performed during cassette playback. If the button 227 is pressed, rewind is performed when the cassette is stopped and reverse sound search is performed during cassette playback. If 222 is pressed, the music is cued in the forward direction, and if the button 228 is pressed, the music is cued in the reverse direction. The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed. Further, if the button 224 is pressed, the radio station is selected for forward transmission, and if the button 226 is pressed, the radio station is selected for reverse transmission.

When the button 23 is pressed, the buttons 231 to 238 can be used and the CD operation and the external input (selector) can be switched. If the button 231 is pressed, the CD is reproduced, and if the button 235 is pressed, the CD and the audio are switched to those of the external input device together with the stop of the CD. Also, if you press button 233, C
During D playback, forward voice search, if button 237 is pressed, 1 song return while CD is stopped, reverse voice search is performed during CD playback, if button 231 is pressed, forward song search is performed. When the play button 238 is pressed, the reproduction of the music in the reverse direction is performed. The number of cue points is determined by the number of times the button is pressed. If the button 234 is pressed, the external input device is selected in the forward direction,
When the button 236 is pressed, the external input device is selected in the reverse direction.

The button 24 is assigned to a power on / off button, the button 25 is assigned to a video recording button, the button 26 is assigned to a cassette recording button, and the button 27 is assigned to a volume control button.

As common to the first and second embodiments, all the operation results are displayed on the screen. At this time, the operation content is displayed together with the icon or the name of the device imitating the operated device. This way, you can see which button the user pressed right now, without looking at it.

For example, when a video-related operation such as a video stop button is performed during recording, as shown in FIG. 5, a "televideo" icon and "video recording! To stop recording, press the recording button □. Please display. ”On the screen, so that not only the text but also the picture and guidance will be given on the situation in which the device you were trying to operate could not be operated, and how to operate it. By expressing the figure in combination, it is possible to realize an interface that is more intuitive and easy for the user to understand.

[0046]

As described above, the control device of the present invention has the following excellent effects.

(1) In a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, a pad-like button capable of independently switching a plurality of contacts by inclining one button in multiple directions is provided on the operation surface, and one of the buttons is provided. Since each operation of at least two or more devices is assigned to, a plurality of devices can be operated with one button, and there is an effect that a plurality of devices can be easily operated.

(2) By allocating a pair of operations / functions to symmetrical positions of a pad-shaped button capable of independently switching a plurality of contacts by inclining one button in multiple directions, any device of any device can be selected. Since the operation can be performed quickly and surely, the effect of labor saving at the time of function selection can be obtained.

(3) Since a plurality of pad-shaped buttons having the same contact direction for performing the same concept operation among a plurality of devices are unified in the same tilt direction, any pad-shaped button is the same as long as it is a common operation. Since it is only necessary to tilt the device in the direction, it is not necessary to individually store the operation of the pad-shaped button of each device, and operations common to the devices can be performed quickly.

(4) Multiple buttons can be operated with one button. One of the buttons assigned to one of the pad buttons is a reproducible package medium, and the other is a tuner medium for receiving only. Equipment 1
The number of contact points can be reduced when they are put into one button, and since the concept of operation does not overlap as compared with the case of combining a plurality of similar package media, erroneous operation can be reduced.

(5) When a plurality of devices can be operated with one button, the buttons or buttons are printed or engraved with a pattern or a character string that reminds them of the image of the combined device. The user can easily understand that the device can be operated, and can easily operate a plurality of devices.

(6) In a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when the device selection button is pressed, the operation button of the device is projected on the operation surface to be operable, and when the selection button of another device is pressed, The projecting operation button of the previously selected device is pulled in from the operation surface and becomes inoperable, while at the same time the operation button of another device projects and has multiple buttons that work together to enable operation. With this configuration, it is easy to visually and tactually recognize the selection status of each device and the buttons that can be operated, and there is no possibility of touching meaningless operation buttons, making it easy to operate multiple devices. It becomes possible to do.

(7) In a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when an arbitrary operation button is pressed, a picture or a pattern reminiscent of the image of the device being operated by the image imposing device incorporated in the display device. Since the character string and the operation content are configured to be displayed on the screen of the display device, the user can know what the operated device is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a remote controller and a main device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing operation contents assigned to buttons of a remote controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display during remote control operation according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Video and TV operation buttons 2 Cassette and radio operation buttons 3 CD and selector operation buttons 4 Power button 5 Recording button 6 Recording button 7 Volume control button

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. In a control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, a pad-shaped button capable of independently switching a plurality of contacts by tilting one operation button in multiple directions is provided on the operation surface. A control device in which each operation of at least two or more devices is assigned to one. 2. A pair of operation / functions are assigned to symmetrical positions of a pad-shaped button which can independently switch a plurality of contacts by tilting one operation button in multiple directions. Control device. 3. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pad-shaped buttons in which contacts which perform a concept operation common to a plurality of devices are unified in the same inclination direction. 4. One of the pads assigned to one of the pad-like buttons capable of operating a plurality of devices with one operation button is a reproducible package medium, and the other is a tuner medium for receiving only. 1. The control device according to 1. 5. A button having a pattern or a character string printed or engraved thereon that reminds an image of the composite device when a plurality of devices can be operated with one operation button. Control device. 6. A control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, when a device selection button is pressed, the device operation button projects to the operation surface and becomes operable, and when another device selection button is pressed, At the same time as the protruding operation button of the selected device is retracted from the operation surface and becomes inoperable, at the same time the operation button of another device protrudes and has multiple buttons that work together so that it can be operated. Control device characterized by. 7. A control device capable of operating a plurality of devices, and when an arbitrary operation button is pressed, a picture or character which causes the image of the device being operated by the image imposing device incorporated in the display device. A control device characterized by displaying the columns and operation contents on the screen of the display device.