JPH10198406A - Wireless control device and its data constituting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to execute both of contents to be used for an existing format and control based on a high speed format by using a single wireless equipment or a remote control device without repreparing the existing format. SOLUTION: A composite remote control device 3 is provided with general remote control keys and a track pad 5. The keys 4 are used for controlling contents to be used for the existing format and the pad 5 is used for executing control based on the high speed format. Both signals based on the two formats are transmitted by IR or a radio wave as high speed format signals and received by a high speed format receiving part 2 built in a multi-media set top box(STB) 1. In the STB 1, the received signal is decoded and control used for the existing format or high speed format control is executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless control device using infrared rays or radio waves, and more particularly to a technique for adapting an existing general format to a high-speed format.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Television receivers (hereinafter referred to as TVs).
It has become common sense to control devices with a remote control device (hereinafter, a remote control is referred to as a remote control) in home devices such as a video recorder and a video tape recorder (hereinafter, referred to as a VTR). This remote control device is mainly configured to perform communication using infrared rays (hereinafter referred to as IR), and various formats have been established. Generally, however, 30 to 40 kHz by PPM (pulse position modulation) is used.
Modulate about z carriers.

[0003]

However, in the format of the existing remote control mainly focusing on single-function operation,
When used in multimedia equipment, there is a possibility that a high-speed format such as a high carrier frequency is required because the specifications are not sufficient such as a low transfer speed.

For example, in a multimedia STB (set-top box), not only a general remote controller having an existing format but also a wireless device having a high-speed format such as a wireless keyboard, a wireless trackpad, and a wireless trackball are required. . In that case, in order to realize the contents operated by a general remote control device in a high-speed format, the existing format must be re-created. In addition, in order to mix the existing format and the high-speed format, for example, in the IR, the carrier frequency of the high-speed format is different from the carrier frequency of the existing format. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a general remote control device and a wireless device having a high-speed format must be prepared on the transmitting side, and the multimedia STB on the receiving side must be prepared for the general format and the high-speed format. It is necessary to provide a receiving unit and a data processing unit. this is,
This leads to an increase in the cost of the remote control system.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and is not required to recreate an existing format, and it is possible to use a single wireless device or a remote control device to achieve high-speed contents. It is an object of the present invention to be able to perform control by a format.

[0006]

A method of constructing wireless control data according to the present invention is characterized in that a predetermined portion of existing format data is directly inserted into a data area of high-speed format data.

[0007] The wireless control device according to the present invention comprises: a first operation means for performing a high-speed format operation;
A second operating means for operating the existing format, and a single transmitting means for transmitting the high-speed format data and the data in which the predetermined portion of the existing format data is directly inserted into the data area of the high-speed format data; It is characterized by having.

According to the wireless control device of the present invention, when the first operation means is operated, high-speed format data is generated and transmitted from the transmission means. Further, when the second operation means is operated, data in which a predetermined portion of the data of the existing format is directly put in the data area of the high-speed format data is generated and transmitted from the transmission means.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a remote control system to which the present invention is applied. In this system, the multimedia STB 1 is controlled by a single composite remote controller 3. The composite remote controller 3 is provided with a general remote controller key 4 and a trackpad 5. The general remote control key 4 controls the contents used in the existing format, and the track pad 5 controls the high-speed format. The signals of these two formats are both high-speed format signals such as IR or radio waves (hereinafter referred to as R
F) and received by the high-speed format receiver 2 provided in the multimedia STB1. In the multimedia STB1, the received signal is decoded, and the control used in the existing format or the control of the high-speed format is executed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a high-speed format data packet used in the present invention. This data packet includes a header, data identification information, a data area, and parity. The data identification information is information for identifying the contents of the data area. For example, if the data identification information is No. If 1, the data area is S
The data in the company's existing format is included as it is,
No. In the case of No. 2, the data of the existing format of N company is included as it is. In the case of 3, the data of the existing House Association (Home Appliance Association) format is included as it is. Even when data such as a track pad or a keyboard is included in the data area, data identification information for identifying the data is also stored. Instead of providing a parity bit as shown in this figure, the same packet is transmitted a plurality of times, as in a remote control device of an existing format, and valid data is obtained when a predetermined number or more of the packets match. May be configured.

As described above, on the transmitting side, identification information for identifying the type of data (track pad data, keyboard data, data of various existing formats, etc.) to be put in the data area is added before the data area. The receiving side identifies the type of data in the data area by looking at the data identification information, and performs a decoding process according to the data.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the configuration of a remote control system to which the present invention is applied. Here, FIG. 3 shows the transmitting side and FIG. 4 shows the receiving side. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation on the transmitting side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transmitting-side composite remote controller 11 includes a keyboard 12 as a control unit and a track pointer (track pad or track ball) 13.
And a general remote control key 14.

The composite remote controller 11 converts an output from the keyboard 12 into digital data such as ASCII code, and an A / D encoder 15 converts XY coordinate values of the track pointer 13 into digital data.
A / D encoder 16 and an A / D converter for converting the output of a general remote control key 14 into digital data of an existing format.
And a D encoder 17.

Further, the composite remote control device 11 has an A / D
Buffers 18, 19, 20 to which the outputs of the encoders 15, 16, 17 are input, a data detection / selection unit 21 to which the outputs of these buffers are input, and an output of the data detection / selection unit 21 to be input Microprocessor 22 and an RO connected to microprocessor 22
M23, an IR (RF) encoder 24 for modulating a carrier by the output of the microprocessor 22, and an IR (R
F) I which transmits the output of the encoder 24 by IR or RF
R (RF) transmission unit 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, the receiving-side multimedia STB 31 receives the IR or RF signal and extracts the carrier modulated by the data packet by IR (R
F) A receiving unit 32, an IR (RF) decoder 33 for demodulating the carrier to extract a data packet, and a microprocessor 34 for extracting data in the data packet.
And a ROM 35 connected to the microprocessor 34.

Next, the operation of the system shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 will be described. First, the user operates the keyboard 12 and the track pointer 1 of the composite remote controller 11 shown in FIG.
3 or a general remote control key 14, the output of which is output to A / D encoders 15, 16, 1
7 converts the data into predetermined digital data. And
The data is sent to a data detection / selection unit 21 via buffers 18, 19, 20 connected to the A / D encoders 15, 16, 17, respectively.

The data detecting / selecting section 21 is a buffer 1
The data sent from 8 or 19 or 20 is sent to the microprocessor 22. Microprocessor 22 is RO
Referring to M23, it identifies which operation unit the control data is output from, and adds a data identification information shown in FIG. 2 according to the type of the data to generate a data packet. , IR (RF) encoder 24. The IR (RF) encoder 24 modulates the carrier according to the data packet and sends the modulated data to the IR (RF) transmitter 25. The IR (RF) transmitting unit 25 is provided with an IR or R
The carrier for F is amplified and IR or RF is transmitted to the outside. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the above processing.

The IR or RF transmitted from the composite remote controller 11 shown in FIG. 3 is the IR or RF of the multimedia STB shown in FIG.
(RF) received by the receiving unit 32. The IR (RF) receiving unit 32 extracts a carrier modulated by a data packet from the received signal and sends the carrier to the IR (RF) decoder 33.
The IR (RF) decoder 33 demodulates the carrier, extracts a data packet, and sends the data packet to the microprocessor 34.
The microprocessor 34 refers to the contents of the ROM 35 and extracts the data of the data area in the data packet.
The data retrieved by the microprocessor 34 is sent to another microprocessor (not shown) that controls the part that is controlled by the data. In the case where the microprocessor 34 controls the portion to be controlled by the data in the data area, the control target is controlled without extracting the data in the data area.

[0020]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the existing data structure is directly put on the high-speed format, so that the existing remote control key and the pointing device requiring the high-speed format can be replaced by a single wireless communication. By providing the device or the remote control device, control using the existing format and control using the high-speed format can be executed by a single wireless device or remote control device. Also, the device to be controlled need only include a single receiving unit.

Further, according to the present invention, there is no need to re-create repetitiveness data when realizing, in a high-speed format, contents executed by a general remote controller having an existing format.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a remote control system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a high-speed format data packet used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration on a transmission side of a remote control system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration on a receiving side of a remote control system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of a system in which a remote controller of an existing format and a wireless device of a high-speed format are mixed.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving side in a system in which a remote controller of an existing format and a wireless device of a high-speed format are mixed.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Multimedia STB, 2 ... High-speed format receiving part, 3, 11 ... Composite remote control device, 4, 14 ... General remote control key, 5 ... Trackpad, 12 ... Keyboard,
13: Track pointer, 24: IR (RF) encoder, 25: IR (RF) transmitter

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method of constructing wireless control data, wherein a predetermined portion of data of an existing format is directly inserted into a data area of high-speed format data. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the high-speed format data includes information for identifying data contained in the data area. 3. A first operation means for performing a high-speed format operation, a second operation means for performing an existing format operation, and a high-speed format data and a predetermined portion of the existing format data as they are. A single transmission means for transmitting the data put in the data area of the data. 4. The wireless control device according to claim 3, wherein said transmitting means transmits infrared rays or radio waves.