JPH11317986A - Two-way remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To make it easy to understand which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid. On the other hand, a receiving device (14) of a remote control transmitter (10).
Is a state data signal f1 from the television receiver 20.
And converts it into a state data signal h1 of an electric signal and supplies it to the remote control microcomputer 12. The remote control microcomputer 12 outputs the status data signal h1.
.., And remote control key determination data i1 as a result of the determination.
5 The light emission processing device 15 receives the remote control key determination data i1 from the remote control microcomputer 12.
., An LED (light-emitting diode) provided on an effective remote control key among the plurality of remote control keys 11, 11,...

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a bidirectional remote control device capable of transmitting and receiving control signals bidirectionally between a remote control transmitter and a controlled device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in home electric appliances such as a television receiver, a remote control device for controlling a main device, which is a controlled device, by a remote control transmitter has been widely used.

[0003] In recent years, home appliances have been increasingly sophisticated and diversified, and remote control transmitters for remotely controlling such products are provided with a large number of remote control keys. In a remote control system using a remote control transmitter with a large number of remote control keys, to avoid confusion, the remote control key pressed by the user on the remote control transmitter is invalid when it is currently invalid. (E.g., a cautionary statement or display by a light-emitting element) indicating the warning was performed on the product to be controlled. However, in this system, no warning occurs unless the remote control key is pressed, and the validity or invalidity of the specific remote control key cannot be known unless the specific remote control key is pressed. In some remote control transmitters, the remote control key pressed by the user emits light.In this case, the light emission of the remote control key is a function for notifying the remote control key at hand in the dark, and an effective remote control key is used. The key / invalid remote control key was not automatically transmitted to the user. This applies to the touch panel type remote controller.

In such a conventional remote control device provided with a large number of remote control keys, "what function (remote control key) is valid and which remote control key is invalid now?"
It is hard to understand for those who operate the product for the first time. In addition, there are many cases where a person who has a certain level of knowledge or a person who is good at operating the product performs an operation that he does not intend due to an erroneous operation or the like. As described above, when the product to be operated does not easily perform the desired operation and only the warning for the order or the like is performed, the user is stressed and loses interest in the product. Also, it may not be possible to use the convenient functions provided. Furthermore, elderly people tend to be confused simply by having a large number of operation buttons, and tend to avoid their products and functions. The above is that the function (added value) attached to the product cannot be used, and that a product that should be a convenient product does not function at all.

[0005]

In the conventional remote control device provided with a large number of remote control keys, it is difficult to know which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid. In many cases, this causes stress on the user, and in many cases, what is supposed to be a convenient product does not function at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control device which eliminates the above-mentioned problems and makes it easy to recognize which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid.

[0007]

A bidirectional remote control device according to claim 1 is a bidirectional remote control device comprising a controlled device and a remote control transmitter for remotely controlling the controlled device, A plurality of remote control keys provided on the remote control transmitter, and a remote control transmitter provided on the remote control transmitter and generating a control signal for controlling the controlled device in response to operation of the plurality of remote control keys A side transmitting device, a state determining device provided in the controlled device for determining a set state, and a controlled device provided in the controlled device and transmitting a state data signal indicating the determined state by the determining device. A state data signal is provided from the device-side transmitting device and the remote-control transmitter to receive a status data signal from the controlled-device-side transmitting device, and a valid remote control key is determined based on the reception result. A key determination device, provided in said remote control transmitter, characterized by comprising a light emitting apparatus for emitting only valid remote control key to the key determination unit has determined.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a case where the first embodiment of the bidirectional remote controller according to the present invention is applied to a television receiver set.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a remote control transmitter, which remotely controls a television receiver 20, which is a controlled device.

The remote control transmitter 10 includes a plurality of remote control keys 11, 11.
2, a transmission device 13, a reception device 14, and a light emission processing device 15.

A plurality of remote control keys 11, 11... Are provided on the remote control transmitter 10, select control signals by respective input operations, and supply a remote control key input signal a1 of the selection result to the microcomputer 12 for remote control. I do. The remote control microcomputer 12 receives a remote control key input signal a1 from the remote control key input device 11.
Is detected, and the detection result is converted into a control signal b1 of an electric signal and supplied to the transmission device 13. The transmitting device 13 converts the control signal b1 from the remote control microcomputer 12 into an infrared control signal c1 and transmits it to the television receiver 20. Thereby, the transmission device 13 generates a control signal c1 for controlling the television receiver 20 in response to the operation of the plurality of operation remote control keys 11, 11,.

On the other hand, the receiving device 14 of the remote control transmitter 10
Is a state data signal f1 from the television receiver 20.
And converts it into a state data signal h1 of an electric signal and supplies it to the remote control microcomputer 12. The remote control microcomputer 12 outputs the status data signal h1.
.., And remote control key determination data i1 as a result of the determination.
5 The light emission processing device 15 receives the remote control key determination data i1 from the remote control microcomputer 12.
., An LED (light-emitting diode) provided on an effective remote control key among the plurality of remote control keys 11, 11,...

The television receiver 20 is, for example, an interactive television receiver.
, TV microcomputer 22, and transmission device 2
And 3.

The receiving device 21 receives the infrared control signal c1 from the remote control transmitter 10, converts it into an electric signal control signal d1, and supplies it to the television microcomputer 22.

The television microcomputer 22 decodes the control signal d1 and controls the television receiver 20 based on the decoded control data.

The television microcomputer 22
Determines a state set in advance or set based on the decoded control data, generates a state determination data signal e1 indicating the determined state, and supplies it to the transmitting device 23. The transmission device 23 inputs the state determination data signal e1 from the television microcomputer 22 to the transmission buffer as transmission buffer data, converts the transmission buffer data into an infrared state data signal f1, and transmits the infrared state data signal f1 to the remote control transmitter 10.

With this configuration, the remote control microcomputer 12 is provided in the remote control transmitter 10, receives the status data signal f1 from the controlled device-side transmission device 23, and activates based on the reception result. The light emission processing device 15 is provided in the remote control transmitter 10 so as to emit only valid remote control keys determined by the key determination device.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the periodic processing of the television receiver 20 of FIG.

In FIG. 2, first, in step S1, the television microcomputer 22 determines whether or not the power is on. If the power is off, the determination in step S1 is NO, and the process ends. If the power is off, the determination in step S1 is YES and the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the television microcomputer 22 performs a process of determining the current state (mode) of the television receiver 20, and generates a state determination data signal e1 indicating the determined state. The data is input to the transmission buffer, and the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, the television microcomputer 22
It controls the transmission device 23 to transfer the transmission buffer data as the status data signal f1.

The microcomputer 22 for the television repeats the processing of steps S1 to S3 at a predetermined cycle.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the details of the process in step S2 of FIG.

In FIG. 3, step S2 = step S
In 2-1 to S2- (2n + 1), n (n is a natural number of 2 or more) states (modes) are determined.

First, the television microcomputer 22
Inputs the status number "NO1" indicating the television receiving mode to the A register in step S2-1, and shifts to the process of step S2-2.

In step S2-2, the television microcomputer 22 determines whether or not the current mode is the television reception mode. In the case of the television reception mode, the determination in step S2-2 is YES, and step S2- (2
n + 1), and if the mode is not the television reception mode, the determination in step S2-2 is NO and the
The process proceeds to 2-3.

In step S2-3, the television microcomputer 22 inputs the status number "NO2" indicating the character program mode to the A register, and then proceeds to step S2-.
The processing moves to the processing of step 4. In this case, the previously input state number "NO1" is deleted.

In step S2-4, the television microcomputer 22 determines whether or not the current mode is the text program mode. In the case of the character program mode, step S
If the determination at 2-4 is yes, step S2- (2n +
If the processing shifts to the processing of 1) and there is no character program mode, the same mode number as in steps S2-1 to S2-4 is input and the mode is determined for the next mode. Step S2- (2n
The process proceeds to +1). Thereby, step S2-
By the time the processing shifts to (2n + 1), the A register holds the state number of the determined mode.

In step S2- (2n + 1), the television microcomputer 22 performs an operation on the state number held in the A register to generate and transmit a state determination data signal e1 indicating the determined state. The data is input to the transmission buffer of the device 23.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process of the remote control transmitter 10 of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the remote control microcomputer 12 first sends the status data signal f1 to the receiver 14 of the remote control transmitter 10 in step S31.
Is performed, and the routine goes to step S32.

Next, in step S32, the remote control microcomputer 12 determines whether or not a state number (a state data signal f1 indicating a state number) has been received from the output of the receiving device 14. If the status number has not been received, the determination in step S32 is NO, and the process ends. If the status number has been received, the determination in step S32 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S33-1.

At step S33-1, remote control microcomputer 12 determines that the received status number is NO.
It is determined whether it is 1 or not. If the status number is NO1, the process proceeds to step S33-2, and if the status number is not NO1, the process proceeds to step S33-3.

In step S33-2, the remote control microcomputer 12 controls the light emission processing device 15 to emit light from only the remote control key corresponding to the state number NO1 among the plurality of remote control keys 11, 11,. To end.

In step S33-3, the remote control microcomputer 12 determines that the received status number is NO.
It is determined whether it is 2 or not. If the status number is NO2, the process shifts to step S33-4 to control the light emission processing device 15 and to set the status number N among the plurality of remote control keys 11, 11,.
Only the remote control key corresponding to O2 emits light, and the processing is terminated. If the state number is not NO2, the same state number determination and key emission processing as in steps S33-1 to S33-4 are performed for the remaining modes. Do.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing key light emission according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
1 and FIG. 5B shows a case where the state number is NO2.

Referring to FIG. 5, a remote control transmitter / receiver 16 formed of a member that transmits infrared remote control signals is provided at one end of the remote controller transmitter 10. And a light receiving unit of the receiving device 14 are provided.

On one surface of the remote control transmitter 10, a power switch 17, a flash key 31, a library key 32, and a table of contents key 3, which are a plurality of remote control keys 11 in FIG.
3, complement key 34, IT key 35, registration key 36, page left key 37, page right key 38, channel direct keys 41 to 48, channel up key not shown,
A channel down key, a volume up key, a volume down key, a subtitle key, a program up key, a program down key, up, down, left and right cursor keys, an enter key, and the like are provided.

First, when the power of the television receiver 20 is turned on, the television microcomputer 22 determines the current state. For example, if the current mode is the television reception mode, the transmission device 23 keeps transmitting the state number “NO1” as needed. On the other hand, the remote control microcomputer 12 is waiting in a receiving state,
When this state can be received by the receiving device 14, the valid remote control key data table for each predetermined state is referred to, and the remote control key determined according to the received data is caused to emit light. In this case, the status number "NO
As shown in FIG. 5A, the channel direct keys 41 to 48, the channel up key, the channel down key, the volume up key, and the volume down key are made to emit light, and the other remote control keys 10 emit light as shown in FIG. Do not let.

Next, when the television receiver 20 changes to the character program mode, the television microcomputer 22 transmits another state number "NO2" through the transmission device 23. The remote control microcomputer 12 has a receiving system at any time, and has a different status number (in this case, “NO
2)), the light emission of the previous valid remote control key is stopped, and according to the state number "NO2", the valid remote control key data table for each state is again referred to, and the operable remote control key is lighted again. In this case, the state number "N
O2 ”, the flash key 31, the library key 32, and the table of contents key 3 as shown in FIG.
3. Make the complement key 34, IT key 35, registration key 36, page left key 37, page right key 38, up / down / left / right cursor keys, enter key, subtitle key, program up key, program down key emit light, and other remote controls The key does not fire. Hereinafter, the same is repeated when the television state changes.

According to such an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting device 23 of the television receiver 20 transmits the state data signal f1 indicating the set state, and the light emitting processing device 15 of the light emitting means is Since only the valid remote control key indicated by the state number indicated by the state data signal f1 emits light,
It is possible to easily understand which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid.
Operability can be improved.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a case where the second embodiment of the bidirectional remote controller according to the present invention is applied to a television receiver set, and has the same configuration as the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. Elements are assigned the same reference numerals and explanations are omitted.

In FIG. 6, a remote control transmitter 50 is adapted to remotely control the television receiver 20 which is a controlled device.

What is different in this embodiment is that the remote control transmitter 5
0 is provided with a plurality of remote control keys and a liquid crystal panel 51 for displaying valid remote control keys.

The remote control transmitter 50 comprises a plurality of remote control keys, a remote control microcomputer 52, a transmission device 13, a reception device 14, and a video display processing device 55.

The microcomputer 52 for the remote control
A valid remote control key is determined from the status data signal h1 from the receiving device 14, and remote control key determination data i1 of the determination result is supplied to the video display processing device 55. The video display processing device 55 includes a microcomputer 52 for a remote control.
Only valid remote control keys among the plurality of remote control keys are determined based on the remote control key determination data i1 from the liquid crystal panel 5.
1 is displayed on the screen.

With such a configuration, the remote control microcomputer 52 is provided in the remote control transmitter 50, receives the status data signal f1 from the controlled device-side transmission device 23, and is enabled based on the reception result. The video display processing device 55 is provided in the remote control transmitter 50 and displays only valid remote control keys determined by the key determination device.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

The periodic processing of the television receiver 20 is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the interrupt processing of the remote control transmitter 50 of FIG.

In FIG. 7, first, the remote control microcomputer 52 causes the receiving device 14 to perform the receiving process in step S41, and receives the state number in step S42, similarly to steps S31 and S32 in FIG. Is determined. If the state number has not been received, the determination in step S42 is NO and the process ends, and if the state number has been received, the determination in step S42 is YES and the process moves to step S43-1.

In step S43-1, remote control microcomputer 52 determines that the received status number is NO.
It is determined whether it is 1 or not. If the status number is NO1, the process proceeds to step S43-2. If the status number is not NO1, the process proceeds to step S43-3.

In step S43-2, the remote control microcomputer 52 controls the video display processing device 55 to display the video of the remote control key corresponding to the state number NO1 among the plurality of remote control keys 11, 11,. The process ends.

In step S43-3, remote control microcomputer 52 determines that the received status number is NO.
It is determined whether it is 2 or not. If the status number is NO2, the process proceeds to step S43-4, where the video display processing device 55 is controlled to display video of only the remote control key corresponding to the status number NO1 among the plurality of remote control keys, and the process ends. If the state number is not NO2, the same state number determination and key light emission processing as in steps S43-1 to S43-4 are performed for the remaining modes.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a video display of keys according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 (a) shows a case where the state number is NO1, and FIG. NO2
Is shown.

In FIG. 8, remote control transmitter 50 includes:
A remote control transmission / reception unit 16 and a power switch 17 similar to those in FIG. 5 are provided.

On one surface of the remote control transmitter 50, a liquid crystal panel 51 shown in FIG. 6 is provided, and a flash key, a library key,
Table of contents key, complement key, IT key, registration key, page left key, page right key, channel direct key, channel up key, channel down key, volume up key, volume down key, subtitle key, program up key, program down key , Up / down / left / right cursor keys, an enter key, and the like.

First, when the power is turned on in the television receiver 20 and the current mode is the television reception mode, the transmission device 23 transmits this state number "NO1". On the other hand, the remote control microcomputer 52 stands by in a receiving state, and when this state can be received by the receiving device 14, the microcomputer 52 refers to a predetermined valid remote control key data table for each state and determines the reception state. The remote control key determined according to the data is displayed on the video display processing device 5.
5 through the liquid crystal panel 51. In this case, since the state number "NO1" has been received, the state number shown in FIG.
As shown in "1", "1", "2", "3", "4", "1"
6 "," 6 "," 38 "," 8 "," 9 "," 10 ",
The image of the channel direct key, channel up key, channel down key, volume up key and volume down key of “46” and “12” is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 51.

Next, when the television receiver 20 changes to the text program mode, another status number "NO2" is transmitted via the transmission device 23. The remote control microcomputer 52 is in a receiving system at any time. When another state number (in this case, “NO2”) is received, the emission of the previous valid remote control key is stopped, and each state is again set according to the state number “NO2”. Referring to the effective remote control key data table for each, the operable remote control keys are displayed in the video display processing device 55.
Is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 51 via the. In this case,
Since the state number “NO2” has been received, as shown in FIG. 5B, a flash key, a library key, a table of contents key, a complementary key, an IT key, a registration key, a program up key,
Program down key, subtitle key, up / down / left / right cursor keys,
The enter key, the page left key, and the page right key emit light, and the other remote control keys do not emit light. Hereinafter, the same is repeated when the television state changes.

According to such an embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting device 23 of the television receiver 20 transmits the status data signal f1 indicating the set status, and the video display processing device 55 Only the valid remote control key indicated by the state number indicated by the data signal f1 emits light, so that it is easy to recognize which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid, thereby improving the operability of the remote control transmitter 10. can do.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a case where a control signal is transmitted from a remote control transmitter to a controlled device,
Although infrared is used as a means for transmitting the operation remote control key information signal from the controlled device to the remote control transmitter, various other means such as an electromagnetic wave or an ultrasonic wave having a lower frequency than infrared can be used. In addition, the present invention can be applied to various types such as a smart TV, an inter text, a multimedia, and the like, in addition to the television receiver.

[0063]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily determine which remote control key is valid and which remote control key is invalid, so that the operability of the remote control transmitter 10 can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a two-way remote controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart showing periodic processing of the television receiver in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of a process in step S2 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process of the remote control transmitter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing key light emission according to the embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a two-way remote controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing interrupt processing of the remote control transmitter of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing video display of keys according to the embodiment of the invention in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 remote control transmitter 11 remote control key 12 remote control microcomputer 13 transmission device 14 reception device 15 light emission processing device 20 television receiver 21 reception device 22 television microcomputer 23 transmission device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bidirectional remote control device comprising a controlled device and a remote control transmitter for remotely controlling the controlled device, wherein: a plurality of remote control keys provided on the remote control transmitter; A remote control transmitter-side transmitting device that is provided in the transmitter and generates a control signal for controlling the controlled device in response to the operation of the plurality of remote control keys; and A state discriminating device that discriminates a state that has been determined, a controlled device-side transmitting device that is provided in the controlled device, and that transmits a status data signal indicating the state discriminated by the discriminating device, and that is provided in the remote control transmitter. A key determination device that receives a state data signal from the controlled device-side transmission device and determines a valid remote control key based on the reception result, and is provided in the remote control transmitter, A light emission processing device that emits light only from valid remote control keys determined by the key determination device. 2. A bidirectional remote control device comprising a controlled device and a remote control transmitter for remotely controlling the controlled device, wherein a plurality of remote control keys provided on the remote control transmitter; A remote control transmitter-side transmitting device that is provided in the transmitter and generates a control signal for controlling the controlled device in response to the operation of the plurality of remote control keys; and A state discriminating device that discriminates a state that has been determined, a controlled device-side transmitting device that is provided in the controlled device, and that transmits a status data signal indicating the state discriminated by the discriminating device, and that is provided in the remote control transmitter. A key determination device that receives a state data signal from the controlled device-side transmission device and determines a valid remote control key based on the reception result, and is provided in the remote control transmitter, A video display processing device that displays only valid remote control keys determined by the key determination device.