WO2009107032A1

WO2009107032A1 - Remote control with activity mode / state amendment

Info

Publication number: WO2009107032A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/050653
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rogier L. J. W. Thissen
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2008-02-25
Filing date: 2009-02-18
Publication date: 2009-09-03

Abstract

In an apparatus (1), mode suppliers (2) supply mode codes defining activity modes for bringing device-systems (40) to be controlled into activity modes defining states of the device-system (40), and state suppliers (3, 4, 5) supply state codes defining changes of the states or further states of the device-systems (40) for making amendments within the activity modes. By providing mode signals, a user selects activity modes. By providing state signals, the user can make amendments within said activity modes such as changes in the states or introductions of further states. The changes of the states or the further states may depend on the activity modes, and the amendments may be corrections. This way, the apparatus (1) has become less complex and more user- friendly, and the user has for example got an 'audio' option, a 'video' option and/or a 'power' option. A remote-control-system (30) may comprise the apparatus (1).

Description

Remote control with activity mode / state amendment

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system, and also relates to a remote-control-system, to a device-system, to a method, to a computer program product to be run via a computer for performing the method, and to a medium for storing and comprising the computer program product.

Examples of such a remote-control-system are universal remote control units, and examples of such a device-system are systems comprising one or more devices such as consumer products and non-consumer products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

US 2006 / 0161865 discloses a hand-held electronic device having a remote control application user interface that displays operational mode information to a user. The graphical user interface may be used to setup the remote control application to control appliances for one or more users in one or more rooms, to perform activities, and to access favorites. The remote control application is upgradeable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to provide an apparatus for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system. Further objects are to provide a remote-control-system, a device-system, a method, a computer program product and a medium.

A first aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system, the apparatus comprising: a mode supplier for, in response to a reception of a mode signal, supplying a mode code defining an activity mode for bringing the device-system into the activity mode, the activity mode defining a state of the device-system, and a state supplier for, in response to a reception of a state signal, supplying a state code defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system for making an amendment within the activity mode. By providing a mode signal, a user selects an activity mode such as "watch the television", "listen to the radio", "watch a DVD", "listen to a CD" etc. The apparatus supplies, in response to a reception of the mode signal, a mode code that defines the activity mode for bringing a device-system into the activity mode. Thereto, for example a remote control unit comprising the apparatus may transmit an infra-red or radio -frequency signal comprising this mode code to the device-system. Alternatively, the infra-red or radio- frequency signal may comprise one or more other codes for bringing the device-system into the activity mode. Such one or more other codes may for example be derived from and/or generated in response to the supplied mode code. This activity mode defines one or more states of the device-system such as power (de)activation, input selection, output selection etc. Preferably, the activity mode defines one or more states of one or more parts of the device- system such as power (de)activation, input selection, output selection etc. for each part of the one or more parts of the device-system.

By providing a state signal, the user can make an amendment within said activity mode. The apparatus supplies, in response to a reception of the state signal, a state code that defines a change of the state or a further state of the device-system such as a change in the power (de)activation, input selection, output selection etc. or an additional state etc. Thereto, for example a remote control unit comprising the apparatus may transmit an infrared or radio-frequency signal comprising this state code to the device-system. Alternatively, the infra-red or radio-frequency signal may comprise one or more other codes for making the amendment within the activity mode. Such one or more other codes may for example be derived from and/or generated in response to the supplied state code.

As a result, the apparatus is less complex, owing to the fact that the activity mode of the device-system no longer needs to define all possible states within this activity mode, for all possible activity modes, and the apparatus is more user-friendly, owing to the fact that the user can change a state within the activity mode in an intuitive way with immediate feedback. These are great advantages.

Other and further kinds of activity modes and other and further kinds of states are not to be excluded. The mode signal and the state signal may come from a user directly or indirectly or may come from a machine for building and/or testing the apparatus.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the change of the state or the further state depending on the activity mode, the amendment being a correction. With this embodiment, the user may make a correction within the activity mode, and the apparatus reacts to the state signal in an intelligent way by supplying the state code that depends on the activity mode. For example in case the activity mode is "watch a DVD", and the DVD player is powered on, but the television is still switched off, then a state signal defining a change of a power (de)activation will be considered to be a request for switching on the television. For example in case the activity mode is "listen to the radio", then a state signal defining a change of an input selection will be considered to be a request for switching the radio from input cable to input antenna or vice versa. For example in case the activity mode is "listen to the radio", then a state signal defining a change of an output selection will be considered to be a request for changing the loudspeakers etc.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the device-system comprising a device, the state of the device-system comprising a state of the device, and the change of the state or the further state of the device-system comprising a change of the state or a further state of the device. Preferably, the state comprises an audio state and/or a video state and/or a power state respectively, the change of the state or the further state comprising a different audio state and/or a different video state and/or a different power state respectively. This way, for a device, the user may define a wrong audio situation and request for an audio correction and/or may define a wrong video situation and request for a video correction and/or may define a wrong power situation and request for a power correction. Other and further states are not to be excluded.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the device-system comprising a source device and a destination device, the state of the device-system comprising a source state of the source device and comprising a destination state of the destination device, and the change of the state or the further state of the device-system comprising a change of the source state or a further source state of the source device and/or comprising a change of the destination state or a further destination state of the destination device. Preferably, the source state comprises an audio source state and/or a video source state and/or a power source state respectively, the change of the source state or the further source state comprising a different audio source state and/or a different video source state and/or a different power source state respectively, and the destination state comprising an audio destination state and/or a video destination state and/or a power destination state respectively, the change of the destination state or the further destination state comprising a different audio destination state and/or a different video destination state and/or a different power destination state respectively. This way, for a source device such as a player and a destination device such as a rendering device, the user may define a wrong audio situation and request for an audio correction and/or may define a wrong video situation and request for a video correction and/or may define a wrong power situation and request for a power correction. The apparatus will know or anticipate for which device the situation is defined and for which device the correction is required. Other and further states are not to be excluded, and other and further devices are not to be excluded, such as intermediate devices and more than one source device and more than one destination device etc.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the apparatus being a programmable apparatus, the apparatus further comprising: an input interface for receiving mode information and/or state information respectively for programming the mode code and/or the state code respectively. The user or the machine for building and/or testing the apparatus may provide this information. Especially for a user who is programming the apparatus, it is highly advantageous that an activity mode of the device-system no longer needs to define all possible states within this activity mode, for all possible activity modes.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the apparatus further comprising: a database, the mode supplier and the state supplier forming parts of the database.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is defined by the apparatus further comprising: - a processor-system, the mode supplier and the state supplier forming parts of the processor-system.

A second aspect of the invention provides a remote-control- system comprising the apparatus as defined above, the remote-control-system further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the codes or other codes derived from and/or generated in response to the codes to the device-system. The transmitter may for example transmit infra-red or radio- frequency signals comprising the codes or the other codes, without having excluded other and further signals and codes. Such a remote-control-system may be a single remote control unit or may comprise two or more interacting remote control parts.

According to an embodiment, a remote-control-system is defined by the remote-control- system further comprising a receiver for receiving the mode signal and the state signal. The receiver may for example be a man-machine-interface for receiving mode signals, mode information, state signals, state information and/or conversions thereof, without having excluded other and further signals and information. A third aspect of the invention provides a device-system comprising the apparatus as defined above, the device-system further comprising one or more devices.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a method for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system, the method comprising the steps of: - in response to a reception of a mode signal, supplying a mode code defining an activity mode for bringing the device-system into the activity mode, the activity mode defining a state of the device-system, and in response to a reception of a state signal, supplying a state code defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system for making an amendment within the activity mo de .

A fifth aspect of the invention provides a computer program product to be run via a computer for performing a method as defined above.

A sixth aspect of the invention provides a medium for storing and comprising the computer program product as defined above. Embodiments of the remote-control- system and of the device-system and of the method and of the computer program product and of the medium correspond with the embodiments of the apparatus.

An insight might be that an activity mode of a device-system does not need to define all possible states within this activity mode, for all possible activity modes. A basic idea might be that a mode code is to be supplied for defining an activity mode for bringing a device-system into an activity mode, the activity mode defining a state of the device-system, and that a state code is to be supplied for defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system for making an amendment within the activity mode.

The invention solves a problem to provide a less complex and simpler and more user- friendly apparatus for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system. The invention is further advantageous in that a user can change a state within an activity mode in an intuitive way with immediate feedback.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of an apparatus comprising a database, Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus comprising a processor- system, and

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a remote-control-system and a device-system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus 1 shown in the Fig. 1 comprises a database 10 that is for example controlled via a controller 7. An input of the controller 7 is coupled to an input interface 6 and an output of the controller 7 is coupled to an output interface 8. The database 10 for example comprises fields, whereby for example per row of fields a first field functions as a mode supplier 2 and second, third and fourth fields function as state suppliers 3, 4 and 5. Alternatively, other field constructions may be used.

The apparatus 1 shown in the Fig. 2 comprises a processor-system 20, 21 that for example comprises a processor 20 and a memory 21. An input of the processor 20 is coupled to the input interface 6 and an output of the processor 20 is coupled to the output interface 8. In this case, the mode supplier 2 and the state suppliers 3, 4, 5 form parts of the processor-system 20, 21, for example in the form of hardware, software or a mixture of both.

The apparatus 1 as shown in the Fig. 1 and 2 supplies codes for remotely controlling a device-system 40 as shown in and discussed for the Fig. 3. The mode supplier 2 supplies, in response to a reception of a mode signal via the input interface 6, a mode code defining an activity mode for bringing the device-system 40 into the activity mode. The activity mode, such as for example "watch the television", "listen to the radio", "watch a DVD", "listen to a CD" etc. defines one or more states of the device-system 40 such as power (de)activation, input selection, output selection etc. The state supplier 3, 4, 5 supplies, in response to a reception of a state signal via the input interface 6, a state code defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system 40 for making an amendment within the activity mode.

By providing the mode signal, a user selects a particular activity mode. By providing the state signal, the user can make an amendment within said activity mode. Preferably, the amendment may be a correction within said activity mode. The change of the state or the further state may depend on the activity mode, to allow the apparatus 1 to react to the state signal in an intelligent way by supplying the state code that depends on the activity mode. The apparatus 1 may be a programmable apparatus, whereby respective mode information and/or state information for programming the respective mode code and/or state code may be received via the input interface 6.

The remote-control-system 30 shown in the Fig. 3 comprises the apparatus 1 as shown in the Fig. 1 and 2 and further comprises a receiver 31 coupled to the input interface 6 and a transmitter 33 coupled to the output interface 8 and a controller 32 for controlling the receiver 31, the apparatus 1 and the transmitter 33. This remote-control- system 30 is in the form of a remote control unit, but alternatively the remote-control- system 30 may comprise two or more interacting remote control parts, such as for example (not shown) a first hand-held-part and a second device-system-part etc. The receiver 31 for example receives the mode signal and the state signal. The receiver 31 may for example be a man-machine-interface for receiving the mode signals, the mode information, the state signals, the state information and/or conversions thereof from the user. The transmitter 33 for example transmits these codes or other codes derived from and/or generated in response to these codes to the device-system 40 as parts of infra-red or radio-frequency signals. So, according to a first option, the mode and state codes are direct control codes that are to be supplied to the device-system 40. According to a second option, the mode and state codes are indirect control codes, whereby the device-system 40 takes care of converting these mode and state codes into direct control codes. According to a third option, the mode and state codes are indirect control codes, whereby the apparatus 1 and/or the remote-control-system 30 takes care of converting these mode and state codes into direct control codes that are to be supplied to the device-system 40.

The device-system 40 shown in the Fig. 3 comprises a source device 41 such as a cable decoder or a satellite receiver or a player etc. that is coupled to an intermediate device 42 such as a television that is coupled to two destination devices 43 and 44 such as an audio rendering device (for example a high fidelity installation) and a video rendering device (for example a projector).

The remote-control- system 30 shown in the Fig. 3 and (one or more parts of) the device-system 40 shown in the Fig. 3 may be sold separately or may be sold together as a combination 50. Alternatively, (one or more parts of) the device-system 40 may comprise (not shown) the apparatus 1 and/or the remote-control- system 30.

In a minimum situation, the device-system 40 comprises one device, for example the intermediate device 42 such as a television. In that case, the state of the device- system 40 comprises a state of the device 42, and the change of the state or the further state of the device-system 40 comprises a change of the state or a further state of the device 42. Preferably, the state comprises an audio and/or video and/or power state, and the change of the state or the further state comprises (defines) a different audio and/or different video state and/or a different power state. In a more common situation, the device-system 40 comprises for example a source device 41 and one or more destination devices 43, 44. In that case, the state of the device-system 40 comprises a source state of the source device 41 and comprises a destination state of the destination device 43, 44, and the change of the state or the further state of the device-system 40 comprises (defines) a change of the source state or a further source state of the source device 41 and/or comprises (defines) a change of the destination state or a further destination state of the destination device 43, 44. Preferably, the source state comprises an audio and/or video and/or power source state, the change of the source state or the further source state comprises (defines) a different audio and/or different video and/or different power source state, and the destination state comprises an audio and/or video and/or power destination state, the change of the destination state or the further destination state comprises (defines) a different audio and/or different video and/or different power destination state.

A user selects an activity mode such as "watch a DVD" via the remote- control-system 30 such as for example a single remote control unit. The remote control unit sends infra-red or radio-frequency signals comprising one or more mode codes (or one or more other codes derived from and/or generated in response to the one or more mode codes) to a DVD player (for example device 41) and a television (for example device 42). The one or more codes for example switch on the DVD player and switch on the television and activate an output of the DVD player and an input of the television. In case the user does not hear any sound or is unhappy with the sound while watching the DVD being played via the DVD player and rendered via the television, the user presses for example an "audio" button (or a "wrong audio" or "incorrect audio" button) of the remote control unit or touches a touch screen of the remote control unit displaying for example "audio" (or "wrong audio" or "incorrect audio"). As a result, the remote control unit sends infra-red or radio-frequency signals comprising one or more state codes (or one or more other codes derived from and/or generated in response to the one or more state codes) to the device-system 40. According to a first option, the loudspeakers of the television that were deactivated are now activated in response to a reception of the one or more codes, such that the user can now also hear the sound from the DVD. According to a second option, the high fidelity installation (for example device 43) is switched on, such that the user can now listen to an improved reproduction of the sound from the DVD.

The first and second options can be offered in several ways. According to a first possibility, each time the user presses the "audio" button or touches the touch screen displaying "audio", a new option is offered by sending one or more new state codes (or new other codes). According to a second possibility, the user keeps pressing the "audio" button or touching the touch screen displaying "audio", and each new time-interval a new option is offered by sending one or more new state codes (or new other codes). As soon as the user has stopped pressing the "audio" button or touching the touch screen displaying "audio", the present option is kept.

In case the user does not see any video or is unhappy with the video while watching the DVD being played via the DVD player and rendered via the television, the user presses for example a "video" button (or a "wrong video" or "incorrect video" button) of the remote control unit or touches a touch screen of the remote control unit displaying for example "wrong video" (or "wrong video" or "incorrect video"). As a result, the remote control unit sends infra-red or radio-frequency signals comprising one or more state codes (or one or more other codes derived from and/or generated in response to the one or more state codes) to the device-system 40. According to a first option, the television in tuned to a different input channel in response to a reception of the one or more codes, such that the user can now see the video from the DVD. According to a second option, the projector (for example device 44) is switched on, such that the user can now look at an improved reproduction of the video from the DVD.

The first and second options can be offered in several ways. According to a first possibility, each time the user presses the "video" button or touches the touch screen displaying "video", a new option is offered by sending one or more new state codes (or new other codes). According to a second possibility, the user keeps pressing the "video" button or touching the touch screen displaying "video", and each new time-interval a new option is offered by sending one or more new state codes (or new other codes). As soon as the user has stopped pressing the "video" button or touching the touch screen displaying "video", the present option is kept.

Similarly, there may be a "power" option (or a "wrong power" or "incorrect power" option). Thereby it is not to be excluded that an existing "power on/off button or an existing touch screen displaying "power on/off is given a "power" option, for example in dependence of the activity mode. So, for non-activated activity modes and possibly for certain activated activity modes an existing button or touch screen may represent and have its natural function, where for other activated activity modes the existing button or touch screen may represent and have its new (amendment and/or correction) function.

Further similarly, the "audio" button and the "video" button may be combined into an "audio/video" button (or "wrong audio/video" or "incorrect audio/video" button), and the touch screen may display "audio/video" (or "wrong audio/video" or "incorrect audio/video") etc. Especially in this case, but not exclusively in this case, pressing a button or touching a screen may result in the apparatus and/or the remote-control-system asking a question and offering a user an option to respond to this question. Such a response may then result in the state signal being supplied etc.

Other options, otherwise indicated options, further options, further indicated options, other activity modes, further activity modes, other states, further states, other devices, further devices, other kinds of buttons or displays and further kinds of buttons and displays etc. are not to be excluded. The devices in the device-system 40 may be any kind of devices and may be coupled to each other in any way. A device that in a first activity mode has a source (intermediate, destination) function may get an intermediate (source, destination) function in a second activity mode and may get a destination (source, intermediate) function in a third activity mode and vice versa etc. About the Fig. 1 and 2 and 3, the input interface 6 may partly or entirely be integrated with the receiver 31 , the output interface 8 may partly or entirely be integrated with the transmitter 33, and the controller 7 and/or the processor 20 may partly or entirely be integrated with the controller 32 etc. The infra-red or radio-frequency signals transmitted from the remote-control-system 30 to one or more of the devices of the device-system 40 may be serial signals or parallel signals and each signal may comprise one or more serial codes and/or one or more parallel codes.

Summarizing, according to an embodiment and without excluding further embodiments, in an apparatus 1, mode suppliers 2 supply mode codes defining activity modes for bringing device-systems 40 to be controlled into activity modes defining states of the device-system 40, and state suppliers 3, 4, 5 supply state codes defining changes of the states or further states of the device-systems 40 for making amendments within the activity modes. By providing mode signals, a user selects activity modes. By providing state signals, the user can make amendments within said activity modes such as changes in the states or introductions of further states. The changes of the states or the further states may depend on the activity modes, and the amendments may be corrections. This way, the apparatus 1 has become less complex and more user- friendly, and the user has for example got an "audio" option, a "video" option and/or a "power" option. A remote-control-system 30 may comprise the apparatus 1. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. For example, it is possible to operate the invention in an embodiment wherein different parts of the different disclosed embodiments are combined into a new embodiment. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An apparatus (1) for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system

(40), the apparatus (1) comprising: a mode supplier (2) for, in response to a reception of a mode signal, supplying a mode code defining an activity mode for bringing the device-system (40) into the activity mode, the activity mode defining a state of the device-system (40), and a state supplier (3, 4, 5) for, in response to a reception of a state signal, supplying a state code defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system (40) for making an amendment within the activity mode.

2. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the change of the state or the further state depending on the activity mode, the amendment being a correction.

3. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the device-system (40) comprising a device (42), the state of the device-system (40) comprising a state of the device (42), and the change of the state or the further state of the device-system (40) comprising a change of the state or a further state of the device (42).

4. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 3, the state comprising an audio state and/or a video state and/or a power state respectively, the change of the state or the further state comprising a different audio state and/or a different video state and/or a different power state respectively.

5. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the device-system (40) comprising a source device (41) and a destination device (43, 44), the state of the device-system (40) comprising a source state of the source device (41) and comprising a destination state of the destination device (43, 44), and the change of the state or the further state of the device- system (40) comprising a change of the source state or a further source state of the source device (41) and/or comprising a change of the destination state or a further destination state of the destination device (43, 44).

6. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 5, the source state comprising an audio source state and/or a video source state and/or a power source state respectively, the change of the source state or the further source state comprising a different audio source state and/or a different video source state and/or a different power source state respectively, and the destination state comprising an audio destination state and/or a video destination state and/or a power destination state respectively, the change of the destination state or the further destination state comprising a different audio destination state and/or a different video destination state and/or a different power destination state respectively.

7. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the apparatus (1) being a programmable apparatus, the apparatus further comprising: an input interface (6) for receiving mode information and/or state information respectively for programming the mode code and/or the state code respectively.

8. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the apparatus (1) further comprising: a database (10), the mode supplier (2) and the state supplier (3, 4, 5) forming parts of the database (10).

9. An apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the apparatus (1) further comprising: a processor-system (20, 21), the mode supplier (2) and the state supplier (3, 4, 5) forming parts of the processor-system (20, 21).

10. A remote-control- system (30) comprising the apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the remote-control- system (30) further comprising a transmitter (33) for transmitting the codes or other codes derived from and/or generated in response to the codes to the device- system (40).

11. A remote-control-system (30) as defined in claim 10, the remote-control- system (30) further comprising a receiver (31) for receiving the mode signal and the state signal.

12. A device-system (40) comprising the apparatus (1) as defined in claim 1, the device-system (40) further comprising one or more devices (41-44).

13. A method for supplying codes for remotely controlling a device-system (40), the method comprising the steps of: in response to a reception of a mode signal, supplying a mode code defining an activity mode for bringing the device-system (40) into the activity mode, the activity mode defining a state of the device-system (40), and in response to a reception of a state signal, supplying a state code defining a change of the state or a further state of the device-system (40) for making an amendment within the activity mode.

14. A computer program product to be run via a computer for performing a method as defined in claim 13.

15. A medium for storing and comprising the computer program product as defined in claim 14.