JPH10145634A - Remote commander - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the remote commander that scans a television channel through remote control to restore the original channel after automatic scanning of other channels for a prescribed time. SOLUTION: When a scan switch 10 of a remote control terminal 1 is depressed, a remote control input signal 4 instructing scanning start is sent. Upon the receipt of this signal by a light receiving section 21 of a television timer 2, at first a current channel number is stored in a storage section 22. Then a remote control output signal 5 to instruct channel sequential scanning is sent from a light emitting section 23 to a television receiver 3 to scan channels and when a prescribed scanning time is exceeded, a remote control output signal 5 to instruct channel restoration is sent. Thus, the channels are scanned by having only to depress the scan switch 10 at once and the original channel is restored after a prescribed time.

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 for scanning a television channel using a remote control terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some remote control devices used for selecting a channel of a television have a channel scanning function. This is a function of automatically switching channels sequentially at regular intervals when a scan start button is pressed. Such a remote control device is also known as a pay TV timer with a remote control used especially in hospitals and hotels. Once the apparatus starts scanning, the apparatus continues scanning until a scan stop button is pressed. When the button is pressed to stop scanning, the channel scanned at that time is selected.

[0003]

The conventional remote controller has the following problems. For example, when watching a commercial program,
Suppose you want to scan another channel only during commercial hours. In the conventional remote control device, in order to return to the original channel during scanning, the user has to press the scan stop button by himself. Therefore, if the scan time is inadvertently increased, the commercial may end and the original program may be resumed.

[0004] Also, without remembering the original channel,
If the commercial ends and the program does not start, it may not be possible to return to the original channel. An object of the present invention is to automatically scan another channel for a predetermined time and return to the original channel.

[0005]

A remote control device according to the present invention is a remote control device for scanning a television channel based on a signal from a remote control terminal, wherein the remote control terminal includes a scan instruction means for instructing a scan start and an instruction from the scan instruction means. Transmitting means for transmitting a scan start signal according to the following. The remote control device includes a receiving means for receiving a signal from the remote control terminal, a channel storage means for storing a channel number, and a scan storage for storing a scan interval and a scan time. Means, channel switching request means for transmitting a channel switching instruction to the television receiver,
When a scan start signal is received from the remote control terminal, a current channel number is stored in the channel storage means, and a predetermined order is provided for each scan interval stored in the scan storage means. A channel switching instruction is issued, and when the scan time exceeds the time stored in the scan storage unit, a channel switching to a number stored in the channel storage unit is performed.

[0006] Further, there is provided input means for setting and inputting at least one of a scan interval and a scan time. This stores the channel currently being viewed at the start of the scan, and sequentially scans other channels at a predetermined scan interval and outputs a signal to return to the stored channel after a predetermined scan time. Automatically scan channels and return to the original channel. Further, the scan interval and the scan time are changed by the setting unit.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. This device includes a remote control terminal 1, a television timer 2, and a television receiver 3.
The remote control terminal 1 includes a scan switch 10 for instructing a start of a scan, and a remote control light emitting unit 11 for transmitting a remote control input signal 4 to the television timer 2.

The television timer 2 stores a CPU 20, a light receiving unit 21 for receiving a remote control input signal 4, a channel number selected immediately before scanning, a scanning interval, and a scanning time from the start of scanning to the return to the original channel. The storage unit 22 includes a light-emitting unit 23 that transmits the remote control output signal 5 to the television receiver 3. The CPU 20 has a built-in timer for counting time (not shown).

The television receiver 3 includes a receiving device (not shown) for receiving a remote control output signal 5 from the television timer 2. The transmission of the remote control input signal 4 and the remote control output signal 5 can use optical communication such as infrared rays. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main part of the invention. The operation will be described with reference to FIG.

The remote control terminal 1 is waiting for the depression of the scan switch 10 (step S1, branch N), and when pressed (branch Y), transmits a remote control input signal 4 for notifying the television timer 2 of a scan start instruction (step S1). Step S
2). This signal is received by the light receiving section 21 of the television timer 2 (step S3, branch Y), and when the CPU 20 confirms that the scan switch has been pressed (step S4, branch Y), the channel number currently being viewed is stored in the storage section 22. (Step S5).

Next, the CPU 20 resets the one-minute timer to measure the scan time (here, one minute) before returning to the original channel, and starts the time measurement (step S6), and scans the operation mode. The mode is switched (step S7). Further, after resetting a 5-second timer for measuring the channel scanning interval (here, 5 seconds) (step S8), a channel forward signal is transmitted from the light emitting section 23 to the television receiver 3 as the remote control output signal 5 ( Step S9), and return to step S3. When the television receiver 3 receives the remote control output signal 5, the channels are switched in a predetermined order.

If the depression of the scan switch is not confirmed in step S4 (branch N), the scan mode is canceled (step S15), and another mode processing is performed (step S16). In the scan mode (step S10, branch Y) without detecting the input signal by the light receiving unit 21 (step S3, branch Y), a 5-second timer is set every 5 seconds of the scan interval (step S11, branch Y). It resets (step S8) and transmits a channel forward signal (step S9).

Within 5 seconds of the scan interval, that is, while a certain channel is being scanned (step S11, branch N), if the scan time of one minute has not elapsed (step S1).
(2, branch N) Return to step S3, but if it has elapsed (step S12, branch Y), a return signal for returning to the original channel of the number stored in the storage unit 22 is transmitted (step S13), and scanning is performed. The mode is released (step S14).

With the above operation, the scan switch 10
By pressing, another channel is sequentially scanned at intervals of 5 seconds, and after one minute, the channel returns to the original channel without operating the remote control terminal. The scan interval and the scan time to return to the original channel can be determined by a setting input device such as a keyboard from the storage unit 22 of the television timer 2.
And the setting can be changed.

[0015]

According to the present invention, the channel currently being viewed is stored at the start of a scan, and a return signal is transmitted when a predetermined scan time has elapsed while another channel is being scanned. You can return to the channel. Thus, for example, by simply pressing the scan switch once when the commercial starts, it is possible to watch programs on other channels in order, and then return to the original program when the commercial ends. If a setting means such as a keyboard is provided, the scan interval and scan time can be easily changed.

[0016] As a result of the above, particularly when a viewer with a limb in a hospital or the like wants to scan a television channel, the user can easily operate the remote controller.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation based on the invention of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Remote control terminal, 2 ... TV timer, 3 ... TV receiver, 4 ... Remote control input signal, 5 ... Remote control output signal, 1
0: scan switch, 11: remote control light emitting unit, 20:
CPU, 21: light receiving unit, 22: storage unit, 23: light emitting unit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device for scanning a television channel by a signal from a remote control terminal, wherein the remote control terminal includes: a scan instruction means for instructing a scan start; and a transmission means for transmitting a scan start signal in accordance with an instruction of the scan instruction means. The remote control device includes: a receiving unit that receives a signal from the remote control terminal; a channel storage unit that stores a channel number; a scan storage unit that stores a scan interval and a scan time; and a channel switching instruction to the television receiver. A channel switching request unit for transmitting, and a timing unit for timing a scan interval and a scan time. When a scan start signal is received from the remote control terminal, the current channel number is stored in the channel storage unit, and the scan storage unit is stored. Predetermined order for each memorized scan interval A remote control device for issuing a channel switching instruction and instructing a channel switching to a number stored in the channel storage means when the scan time exceeds the time stored in the scan storage means. 2. The remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising input means for setting and inputting at least one of a scan interval and a scan time.