KR101457682B1 - Apparatus and method for controlling remotely - Google Patents

Abstract

The remote control unit of the present embodiment is a remote control unit for remotely controlling an electronic product to be set among a first electronic product and a second electronic product, the remote control unit comprising: a key input unit for receiving a first control key input by a user; And a control signal transmission format which is a waveform format for transmitting the control signal output data is stored in the key code for causing the first control key to be transmitted, ; And a control unit for controlling the first control key input through the key input unit to be transmitted to the IR according to a control signal transmission format corresponding to the first electronic product to be controlled, Is not included in the key code table for controlling the operation of the first electronic product, the setting to the second electronic product is changed according to the pattern in which the second control key is input.

Remote control unit, key code

Description

≪ Desc / Clms Page number 1 > Apparatus and method for controlling remotely &

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a remote control unit capable of remotely controlling an external electronic device and a control method thereof.

Digital TVs and set-top boxes that can receive digital broadcasts related to digital broadcasting are being popularized by the public, and many types of electronic products such as DVDs and 5.1-channel digital amplifiers related to home theater It is expanding.

1 is a flow chart for explaining an operation of a remote control unit according to the prior art.

In the prior art, when it is desired to control a plurality of devices with one remote control unit, first, each device to be controlled is selected by a remote control unit having control codes of all the devices, and then infrared And controls the operation of each device.

As shown in FIG. 1, a user having a TV, a set-top box, a DVD, audio, or the like must perform a series of operations in order to reproduce one side of a DVD movie.

First, the user selects the TV selection terminal of the remote control unit to turn on the TV (S1). The user switches the TV reception mode to the external input mode after the TV is selected and driven (S2).

In order to switch to the external input mode, a separate channel setting process is required. When the TV is selected and switched to the external input mode, the user selects the DVD power on (S3), and finally the desired content is available through the play function (S4).

Meanwhile, in order to remotely control an additional device other than a TV using a single remote control unit, a user must select a product connected to the TV provided in the remote control unit.

However, when the user uses the remote control unit equipped with the product selection button, the user may inadvertently select the product selection button. For example, if the user selects the DVD product selection button and then presses a channel key for TV channel switching Channel switching is not performed because the key value is different.

In such a case, when the user does not recognize his carelessness, the user frequently complains about the TV product itself.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control unit capable of automatically changing a control key for a product to be controlled by a user and a product setting selected by the user.

The remote control unit of the present embodiment is a remote control unit for remotely controlling an electronic product to be set among a first electronic product and a second electronic product, the remote control unit comprising: a key input unit for receiving a first control key input by a user; And a control signal transmission format which is a waveform format for transmitting the control signal output data is stored in the key code for causing the first control key to be transmitted, ; And a control unit for controlling the first control key input through the key input unit to be transmitted to the IR according to a control signal transmission format corresponding to the first electronic product to be controlled, Is not included in the key code table for controlling the operation of the first electronic product, the setting to the second electronic product is changed according to the pattern in which the second control key is input.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, even if the control key for the product to be controlled by the user and the product selection button selected by the user are different, the electronic product to be controlled can be automatically reset by the remote control unit .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Hereinafter, the 'control signal output data' represents a code value for performing functions such as power on / off, channel change, volume change, number change, etc., and 'control signal transmission format' And a 'key code' is used to mean a format including the control signal output data and the control signal transmission format.

2 is a diagram showing a part of a remote control unit for remotely controlling a plurality of devices connected to a display device.

2 is a view showing a part of a remote control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, power to the TV 10, the DVD 11, the set-top box 12 and the like (hereinafter, referred to as "electronic products") is turned off to the remote control unit 20, an external input mode key 22-24 for selecting a specific electronic product among the plurality of electronic products and a function key 25 for remotely controlling the operation of the selected electronic product , 26 are provided.

The DVD 11 and the set-top box 12 are connected to the TV 10 by wire or wireless.

The function keys 25 and 26 may be, for example, a channel key 25 for changing the channel and a volume key 26 for adjusting the volume.

Further, a display unit 27, on which the operation state of the remote control unit 20 can be displayed, may be further formed.

A plurality of keys included in the remote control unit 20 will be collectively referred to as a control key. In the following description, a channel key, a volume key, and the like will be described in detail.

Conventionally, a remote control unit capable of controlling a plurality of home appliances is called an integrated remote control unit (universal remote control unit), and the present invention is directed to this.

The universal remote control unit is set so that a plurality of electronic products can be controlled by one remote control unit. Then, the remote control signal transmission format of each of a number of electronic products is stored in the internal memory and stored in a database. Then, a suitable signal transmission format is set for each electronic product of the user, .

The remote control signal setting method of the universal remote control unit is as follows.

A specific product is selected by pressing the external input mode key 22-24 to be used among the external input mode keys 22-24 installed in the universal remote control unit.

That is, when the user presses the external input mode key 22 to 24 to select a corresponding electronic product such as a TV, a VCR, or a DVD to be set, the control unit of the remote control unit 20 selects the customized IR signal Information on whether a command code for controlling the TV or a command signal for controlling the DVD is included in a code (custom code).

Therefore, when the signal transmitted from the remote control unit 20 is an IR signal and the DVD selected by the user is selected by the user, the control unit of the remote control unit controls the DVD in the custom code of the IR signal .

In this case, when the TV 10 receives the IR signal transmitted from the remote control unit, it indicates that the custom code information of the received IR signal is for controlling the DVD, not for controlling the TV. The TV 10 is not controlled according to a command of the control signal output data included in the received IR signal.

In this case, even if the user intends to control the TV, if the product selection key of the remote control unit 20 is selected as the DVD, the operation of the TV is not controlled even if the user inputs the control key. For example, even if the user inputs the channel key 25 for channel change of the TV, the channel of the TV 10 is not changed.

It is necessary to remotely operate the product to be controlled according to the intention of the user even when the product of the control target intended by the user is different from the product selection actually selected in the remote control unit.

To this end, an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a remote control unit for identifying an electronic product to be controlled from a pattern in which a user operates an input key of a remote control unit.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the remote control unit 100 of the present invention includes a key input unit 110 for receiving a command input by a user, an IR output unit 130 for outputting an IR signal for controlling the electronic product according to the input signal, An output unit 160 and a controller 130 for transmitting an IR signal corresponding to a signal input through the control key 110. [

The memory unit 140 stores the transmission format of the IR signal to be transmitted through the IR output unit 160 and the key codes of the IR signal to be transmitted through the IR output unit 160. In the memory unit 140, Are also stored.

That is, information on the electronic product currently selected by the user and information on the electronic product selected before is stored in the memory unit 140, and the control unit 130 receives the input through the key input unit 110 So that the electronic product to be controlled can be automatically changed according to the pattern of the key input.

First, the controller 130 controls the output of the control signal output data according to a control signal transmission format for controlling the electronic product set by the user. This is the case with a conventional universal remote control.

For example, when the user operates the keys provided in the remote control unit 100 to set the DVD control, the control unit 130 transmits a control signal corresponding to the DVD in order to control the selected DVD Control signal output data of the key input inputted by the user is transmitted according to the format.

However, when the control target set by the user forgets that the electronic product is a DVD and inputs a channel key for controlling the TV, the channel change of the TV is not performed and the operation of the DVD is also not controlled do.

That is, the control code output data for the channel key does not exist in the key code for DVD control among the key code tables stored in the memory unit 140. Therefore, when the electronic product to be controlled is set to DVD, the operation of the TV as well as the DVD is not controlled even if a channel key is input.

In this case, when the same key is repeatedly input by the user repeatedly, the control unit 130 searches the key code table including the control signal output data for the corresponding key, The control signal output data for the input key and the control signal output format are set using the most recently set table.

For example, in the case of the key code table including the control signal output data for the channel key, the key code table may be a normal image display device or a set-top box. The set-top box or the set-top box is set as the electronic product to be controlled.

The automatic setting of the electronic product to be remotely controlled by the control unit will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The remote control unit 100 may further include a display unit 150 displaying a message indicating that the control unit 130 is performing a change or an operation is completed by the control unit 130.

The control unit 130 may guide the user to easily set the electronic product to be controlled by using the display unit 150 or may display the contents of the electronic product setting of the control unit to be changed automatically .

A method for remotely controlling an electronic product using the remote control unit as described above will be described.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a remote control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, a case where a setting for controlling a specific electronic product is set by the remote control unit will be described as an example.

When the user inputs a control key (e.g., a channel key, a volume key, a power key, etc.) provided in the remote control unit (S101), the control unit 130 of the remote control unit 100 It is checked whether the key is included in the key code table corresponding to the selected product (S102).

As a result of confirmation, when the control key is a control key that can be controlled by the user - that is, a remote control object to be remotely controlled by the remote control unit, control of the control key in accordance with the control signal transmission format of the corresponding key code table Signal output data is output.

On the other hand, when the input control key is not included in the key code table for controlling the electronic product of the current setting, that is, when the operation control of the set electronic product and the unauthorized key are performed, It is monitored whether the same control key is input repeatedly (S103).

Here, the control unit 130 performs a process for automatically changing an electronic product to be controlled when the same control key is repeatedly input (a preset number of times) The automatic change process of the control object can be performed even when the control key irrespective of the operation control of the currently set electronic product is input a plurality of times.

That is, although the case where the same control key is repeatedly input by the user is shown in step S103 of FIG. 4, even when a control key not included in the key code table of the currently set electronic product is inputted a plurality of times, Is included in the idea of.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S103 that the specific control key is repeatedly input by the user, the control unit 130 searches the memory unit 140 for the key code tables including the input control key (S104).

That is, a process of searching for electronic products whose operation is controlled remotely by a control key input by a user is performed.

After searching the key code tables including the control signal transmission format and the control signal output data for the input control key, the key code table corresponding to the electronic product most recently set by the user, Unit is set (S105).

That is, the key code table including the control key input by the user is extracted, and then the key code table inputted in accordance with the most recently used key code table is transmitted.

Even if the user does not directly change the electronic product to be controlled by this process, the electronic product change of the control object is automatically set, and the control keys input by the user at a later time are transmitted according to the key code table for the set electronic product do.

However, the key code table corresponding to the modified control target product may be configured to be temporarily applied only to the control keys repeatedly input in step S103. That is, when the control key irrelevant to the set first electronic product is repeatedly input, the key code is changed to a key code for controlling the second electronic product that has been recently set, and the control key is temporarily stored in the second electronic product And transmits it in a transmission format for controlling the operation.

Thereafter, when a control key for controlling the operation of the first electronic product previously set is normally input, the control keys inputted in the transmission format for controlling the first electronic product are transmitted again.

In addition to the above-described method, the display unit provided in the remote control unit may be used to guide the user to select another electronic product.

The list of electronic products for each of the key code tables searched in the preceding step S104 may be displayed through the display unit of the remote control unit and the user may be guided to select any one of the listed electronic products.

When resetting the electronic product to be controlled among the list-up electronic products, control is performed such that the control key inputted to the corresponding key code table is transmitted (S106).

According to the embodiments of the present invention as described above, even if the control key for the product to be controlled by the user is different from the product selection button selected by the user, the electronic product to be controlled is automatically reset by the remote control unit There is an advantage that can be.

1 is a flow chart for explaining an operation of a remote control unit according to the prior art;

Fig. 2 shows a part of a remote control unit for remotely controlling a plurality of devices connected to a display device; Fig.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a remote control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (8)

1. A remote control unit for remotely controlling an electronic product to be set among a first electronic product and a second electronic product, A key input unit for receiving a user's control key input; A memory unit for storing control signal output data for indicating the contents of the control key and a control signal transmission format as a waveform format for transmitting the control signal output data; And And a controller for transmitting the control signal transmission format corresponding to the received control key input to the IR, Wherein the control unit determines whether a key code corresponding to the input control key is included in a key code table for controlling an operation of a first electronic product set as a control object and outputs a key code for controlling the operation of the first electronic product And changes the setting for the controlled object from the first electronic product to the second electronic product according to a pattern in which the control key is input, when the control key is not included in the table. The method according to claim 1, If the pattern to which the control key is input is a pattern in which a control key corresponding to a key code not included in the key code table of the first electronic product is continuously input a plurality of times, 1 < / RTI > to a setting for the second electronic product. 3. The method of claim 2, When the control unit changes the setting of the control object from the first electronic product to the second electronic product, the control unit selects a key code used before the control key input from among a plurality of key code tables stored in the memory unit, And sets the electronic product corresponding to the table to the electronic product corresponding to the table. The method according to claim 1, And a display unit for displaying an image or character according to the control of the control unit, When the key code corresponding to the input control key is not included in the key code table of the first electronic product, the control unit searches the memory unit to find a key code table including the key code corresponding to the control key Search, And the information of the search result is displayed through the display unit. 5. The method of claim 4, Wherein the information of the search result includes a list of electronic products corresponding to a key code table including a key code corresponding to the control key, Wherein the control unit sets the electronic product selected by the user as the control target among the information of the search result displayed through the display unit. A remote control method of a remote control unit for remotely controlling a plurality of electronic products, Receiving a user's control key input; Determining whether a key code corresponding to the input control key is included in a key code table corresponding to a first electronic product set as a control target; Checking an input pattern of the control key if the key code corresponding to the input control key is not included in the set key code table of the first electronic product; And Searching the key code table including the key code corresponding to the control key according to the input pattern of the control key to change the control object from the first electronic product to the second electronic product. Lt; / RTI > The method according to claim 6, The step of confirming the input pattern of the control key And confirming whether the input pattern of the control key is a pattern for inputting the same control key plural times in succession. The method according to claim 6, The step of changing the control object from the first electronic product to the second electronic product Searching a key code table including a key code of the input control key; Displaying a list of electronic products corresponding to the searched key code table, And receiving a selection of at least one of the electronic products from the displayed list.

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