FR2652975A1 - Method and device for remote control of a distribution centre of a television distribution network of the star or double-star type with differentiated contents - Google Patents

Abstract

The method according to the invention comprises a learning phase, consisting in storing, in a memory (15) situated within the receiving module (1), binary words of the "user" code, each associated with an identification code, and a utilisation phase, comprising the comparison of each binary word received by the receiving module (1), originating from the remote control device (2), with the words of the "user" code stored in the memory (15), and the transmission, to the distribution centre (7) of the network, of an instruction corresponding to the identification code associated with the word of the "user" code stored in memory (15), which is identical to the binary word transmitted by the remote control device (2). The invention makes it possible to use the remote control device (2), associated with the reception module (1), to select the programs offered by the distribution centre of a network of the star or double-star type with differentiated contents.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for the remote control of a distribution center of a television distribution network of star or double star type with differentiated content from a remote control device associated with a reception module. , such as, for example, a television receiver connected to said network.

In general, we know that, unlike cable TV distribution networks of the tree type, transporting the various programs in modulated form by frequency multiplexing, and in which the selection of the program chosen consists in tuning the tuner of a television set. on the corresponding channel, star or double star networks with differentiated content convey, at a given time, only one program. The choice of this program by the user requires that an instruction go back to the distribution center where the line of this user is connected to the chosen source, according to the same principle as that of a telephone exchange.

For this, the user has a command associated with the interface box inserted between the cable arrival and his television or monitor. This command, local (in the form of pushbuttons on the cabinet) or remote (using an infrared or ultrasonic remote control transmitter), generates coded pulse trains which go up the line from the user to the distribution center, where a decoder recognizes them and activates the program selection circuits. The transport of these pulses takes place in modulated form, in a frequency spectrum compatible with the bandwidth of the cable and not interfering with the video signal flowing in the opposite direction.

In the most common case, the user has two different devices to select his program and adjust the quality of the image he is looking at - a device (usually controlled by infrared)
to switch on your television, adjust the intensity
light and sound, validate the SCART input
at the expense of the HF input - a device (also infrared) associated with the cabinet
interface, to select the program of your choice.

This situation is inconvenient for the user, forced to use two different devices, and expensive, since it leads him to acquire two devices when only one should make it possible to perform all the functions.

The transmission codes used by the various manufacturers of televisions are generated by electronic integrated circuits coming from various manufacturers, and, in the absence of standardization in this field, there is little chance that the codes generated by the remote control of the be recognized without error by the decoders of the distribution center.

To solve this problem, there exist on the market so-called "intelligent remote control" boxes, from which one can "learn" both the code of the cable distribution system, and that of the television set or the user's monitor.

If this method solves well the problem of the uniqueness of the control device, it is economically heavy, since it makes the remote control of the user unnecessary and requires him to purchase a very expensive sophisticated box.

The object of the invention is therefore more particularly to eliminate these drawbacks by means of a method and a device enabling the user to leave the arrangement of his usual remote control unit in such a way that the program instructions which usually actuate the part HF receiver on its television, are properly interpreted by the cable distribution system when the receiver is connected to it.

It more specifically proposes a method of the aforementioned type in which the remote control device comprises means capable of transmitting to the reception module a plurality of instructions each consisting of a binary coded word forming part of a "user" code identifiable by the module reception, while the distribution center comprises means capable of receiving and decoding instructions in the form of binary words coded according to a network code different from the "user" code.

According to the invention, this method is more particularly characterized in that it comprises a prior learning phase consisting in storing, in a memory located at the level of the reception module, each binary word of the "user" code associated with a code of identification and a phase of use comprising - the comparison of each binary word received by the module
reception, from the remote control device,
with the words of the code "user" stored in the memory, and - the transmission, to the distribution center, of an instruction
tion corresponding to the identification code associated with the word
"user" code which is identical to the binary word trans
put.

Of course, the invention also relates to a device for implementing the method defined above, this device involving an interface circuit inserted between the cable network and the reception module, this circuit comprising means for detecting the transmitted signals. by the remote control device, a transcoding device comprising a memory in which binary words of the "user" code transmitted by the remote control device can be stored with a corresponding identification code, during a learning phase, comparison means making it possible to compare the binary words transmitted by the remote control device with the binary code words "user" contained in the memory, and means capable of transmitting to the distribution center an instruction in network code corresponding to the code identification associated with the word of the memorized "user" code, which is identical to the binary word sent by the device itif remote control.

An embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 shows the block diagram of a
device according to the invention
Figure 2 is a schematic representation
showing the structure of a binary word emanating from a
remote control device and identification code
associated with it
Figure 3 is a schematic representation my
trating the memory structure of the interface circuit
that of the device shown in FIG. 1; and
Figures 4 and 5 are partial views of the circuit
interface, which illustrate the principle of function
operation of this circuit, in learning mode (figure
4) and in use mode (Figure 5).

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the reception module consists of a television receiver 1 of conventional type equipped with a remote control unit 2. This remote control unit 2, for example with infrared, is designed so to transmit to receiver 1, the usual instructions for control and adjustment and, in particular, for program selection.

These instructions are in the form of binary words coded according to a user code specific to the receiver 1.

This receiver 1 is connected to a cable television distribution network via an interface circuit 3 connected to its scart socket 4 and / or to its UHF input 5.

This interface circuit 3 firstly comprises a line amplifier-receiver 6 which receives the video signal delivered by the distribution center of the network 7, (see line 8) and which transmits this signal to the image input 4 '' from the scart socket 4 of the receiver 1 via an amplifier circuit 9. The amplifier-receiver 6 is also connected by its output to the input of a demodulator of the sound signal 10, the output of which is connected to the 4 "sound input of the SCART socket 4 via an amplifier circuit 12. A UHF modulator 13 connected to the output of the amplifier circuits 9 and 12 allows connection to the network of receiver 1 by its UlIF socket 5.

The interface circuit 3 further comprises a circuit for transmitting the instructions emitted by the remote control unit 2, this circuit comprising - a circuit 22 for detecting remote control pulses
emitted in series by the unit 2, - a logic controller 23 comprising a shift register
14 which ensures a serial / parallel conversion of words
binaries received by the detection unit 8, - a memory 15 intended to contain the code words
"user" transmitted by the box 8 during the phase
learning with the identification codes which their
are associated, - a comparison circuit 16 allowing, in the use phase
to compare the binary words received by the circuit
22, with the code words "user" contained
in memory 15, - a code generator 17 making it possible to generate a word of
network code from the identified identification code
by the comparison circuit (digital comparator 16), this
identification code being the one associated with the word
of the "user" code identical to the word detected by the circuit
detection 22, - an injection circuit 18 of network code words on the
line 8, towards distribution center 7.

As previously mentioned, the interface circuit 3 is managed by a microcomputer (not shown) programmed so as to allow two modes of operation, namely, a learning mode and a mode of use.

It will be recalled that the purpose of the learning phase is to store, in memory 15, the binary words of the "user" code used by the remote control unit 2 to carry out the control of the television receiver 1, and to associate an identification code with each of these words.

Consequently, during this learning phase, the user must successively activate the program selection commands of his box 2 so that all the corresponding "user" codes can be taken into account by the interface circuit. 3.

Thus, when the box 2 sends the code word "user" corresponding to the program nO 1, the train of pulses received by the detection circuit 22, reshaped by an amplifier 19, is transmitted to the shift register 14 whose length (number of bits) is sufficient to receive the longest message sent according to commonly used "user" codes.

The binary word thus available on the parallel outputs of the register 14 is completed by an identification code. This identification code here corresponds to the number 1, that is to say the program number. The number of bits that can be used for this identification code is such that the highest program number can be coded (for example 5 bits for 32 programs).

The code word "user", supplemented by its identification code, is then placed at address No. 1 of memory 15.

This operation is repeated for each program, preferably in the order of their numbering.

At the end of the learning phase, the memory 15 is therefore loaded with N words each containing a program number and the "user" code word P which is associated with it.

Once this learning phase has been completed, the device is ready to be used and is placed in "use" mode.

In this mode of use, when the detection circuit 12 receives a "user" code word, this word is placed in the same way as previously in the shift register 14.

The parallel outputs of this shift register are then applied to the digital comparator 16 which successively compares the binary word present in this register 14 with the "user" code words contained in the memory 15, until the comparator 16 detects bit by bit coincidence between the two words applied to it.

The identification code of the binary word thus detected is then transmitted to the network code generator 17 which generates the pulse sequence corresponding to the instruction of a program associated with the identification code. This sequence is applied to line 8 in the direction of distribution center 7. The latter then switches to line 8 the video signal corresponding to the requested program.

 I1 emerges from the foregoing description that one of the appreciable advantages of the invention consists in that it allows the user to keep his usual remote control unit (specific to the television set) to select programs when the television set is connected to a star or double star type network with differentiated content. It is found that this solution does not generate an additional cost, the addition of the interface circuit being offset by the economy of a remote control unit.

Claims (4)

Claims  1. Method for the remote control of the distribution center (7) of a distribution network of star or double star type with differentiated content, from the remote control device (2) associated with a reception module (1), connected to said network, this reception module (1) possibly consisting of a conventional television receiver, while said remote control device (2) comprises means able to transmit to the reception module (1), a plurality of instructions each consisting of a binary coded word forming part of a "user" code, the distribution center (7) comprising means capable of receiving and decoding instructions in the form of binary words coded according to a different network code of the "user" code, characterized in that it comprises a prior learning phase consisting in storing, in a memory (15) located at the level of the reception module (1), binary words of the code " user "associated, each one, with an identification code and a phase of use including - the comparison of each binary word received by the module  reception, from the remote control device  (2), with the words of the code "user" stored in the memory  (15), and - the transmission to the distribution center (7) of a  instruction corresponding to the asso identification code  linked to the code word "user" stored in memory (15) which is  identical to the binary word transmitted by the device  remote control (2).  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the binary words transmitted in series by the remote control device (2) are temporarily stored in a shift register (14) so as to be able to be compared bit by bit with the binary words stored in the memory (15) during the learning phase.  3. Device for implementing the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an interface circuit (3) inserted between the cable network and the reception module (1), this circuit comprising means for detecting (22) the signals transmitted by the remote control device (2) and a transcoding device comprising a memory (15) in which binary words of the "user" code received by the detection means (22) can be stored, with a corresponding identification code, during a learning phase, comparison means (16) making it possible to compare the binary words transmitted by the remote control device (2) with the binary words of the "user code" "contained in the memory (15) and means capable of transmitting to the distribution center (7) of the network, an instruction in network code corresponding to the identification code associated with the word of the stored" user "code, which is identical to the word binary transmitted by the remote control device (2).  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the interface circuit comprises - a detection circuit (22) of the remote control pulses  series sent by the box (2), - a logic controller (23) comprising a deca register  lage (14) which ensures a series / parallel conversion of  binary words received by the detection unit (8), - a memory (15) intended to contain the code words  "user" transmitted by the housing (8) during the phase  learning with the identification codes which their  are associated, - a comparison circuit (16) allowing, in the use phase  reading, to compare the binary words received by the  detection circuit (12), with the code words "user"  contained in the memory (15), - a code generator (17) making it possible to generate a word  network code from the identification code deter  undermined by the comparison circuit (digital comparator  (16)), this identification code being the one associated  linked to the word of the "user" code identical to the word detected by  the detection circuit (12), - an injection circuit (18) of the network code words on the  line (8), towards the distribution center (7).