Control apparatus and control method

• US 20020047944A1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 6,940,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a remote control system capable of remotely controlling two or more pieces of electronic equipment using one remote controller. At first, a piece of electronic equipment (hereinbelow, called the first electronic equipment), which receives a remote control signal transmitted from the remote controller, judges external equipment (hereinbelow, called the second electronic equipment) corresponding to the remote control signal. Then the first electronic equipment transmits control data corresponding to the received remote control signal to the second electronic equipment. The second electronic equipment controls its operation on the basis of the control data transmitted from the first electronic equipment.

Claims

1. A control apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote controller;

judgment means for judging an external equipment corresponding to the remote control signal; and

transmitting means for transmitting control data corresponding to the remote control signal to the external equipment judged.

2. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means is a digital interface based on the IEEE 1394-1995 standard.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is a digital video recorder.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is a TV monitor.

5. A control apparatus, comprising:

selection means for selecting an external equipment;

receiving means for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote controller; and

transmitting means for transmitting control data corresponding to the remote control signal to the external equipment selected.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transmitting means is a digital interface based on the IEEE 1394-1995 standard.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control apparatus is a digital video recorder.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control apparatus is a TV monitor.

9. A control method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote control controller;

judging an external equipment corresponding to the remote control signal; and

transmitting control data corresponding to the remote control signal to the external equipment judged.

10. A control method according to claim 9, wherein the control data are transmitted to the external equipment through a digital interface based on the IEEE 1394-1995 standard.

11. A control method according to claim 9, wherein said control method is to control the operation of a digital video recorder.

12. A control method according to claim 9, wherein said control method is to control the operation of a TV monitor.

14. A control method according to claim 13, wherein the control data are transmitted to the external equipment through a digital interface based on the IEEE 1394-1995 standard.

15. A control method according to claim 13, wherein said control method is to control the operation of a digital video recorder.

16. A control method according to claim 13, wherein said control method is to control the operation of a TV monitor.

13. A control method, comprising the steps of:

selecting an external equipment;

receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote controller; and

transmitting control data corresponding to the remote control signal to the external equipment selected.