Remote control apparatus, electronic apparatus, and available-button indicating method

• US 20030162494A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Oosugi, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A remote control apparatus for remotely operating an electronic apparatus, is provided with: a reception device which receives a signal indicating available operation buttons transmitted from the electronic apparatus; and an indication device which explicitly indicates available operation buttons from among a plurality of operation buttons based on the received signal which indicates available operation buttons.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus for remotely operating an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a reception device which receives a signal indicating available operation buttons transmitted from the electronic apparatus; and

an indication device which explicitly indicates available operation buttons from among a plurality of operation buttons based on the received signal which indicates available operation buttons.

3. The remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has an illumination capability; and

the indication device illuminates the available operation buttons.

4. The remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has a vibration capability; and

the indication device vibrates the available operation buttons.

5. The remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has an illumination capability and vibration capability; and

the indication device both illuminates and vibrates the available operation buttons.

7. The remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote control apparatus is a portable communications terminal.

2. A remote control apparatus for remotely operating an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of operation buttons for remotely operating the electronic apparatus;

a transmission device which transmits an operation signal to the electronic apparatus in accordance with any operation button pressed from among the operation buttons;

a reception device which receives a signal indicating available operation buttons transmitted from the electronic apparatus after the operation signal is transmitted to the electronic apparatus; and

an indication device which explicitly indicates available operation buttons from among said plurality of operation buttons based on the received signal which indicates the available operation buttons.

6. The remote control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the indication device explicitly indicates the available operation buttons only if the reception device receives a signal which indicates the available operation buttons within a predetermined time after the operation button is pressed.

8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a selection device which selects available operation buttons on a remote control apparatus equipped with a plurality of operation buttons for remotely operating the electronic apparatus; and

a transmission device which transmits a signal which indicates the selected available operation buttons to the remote control apparatus.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the remote control apparatus is a portable communications terminal.

9. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a reception device which receives an operation signal transmitted from a remote control apparatus equipped with a plurality of operation buttons for remotely operating an electronic apparatus;

a selection device which selects available operation buttons on the remote control apparatus based on the received operation signal; and

a transmission device which transmits a signal which indicates the selected available operation buttons to the remote control apparatus.

11. An electronic apparatus equipped with an operation panel which contains a plurality of operation buttons, comprising:

a recognition device which recognizes any operation button pressed from among the operation buttons;

a selection device which selects available operation buttons from among the plurality of operation buttons based on results of the recognition; and

an indication device which explicitly indicates the selected available operation buttons.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has an illumination capability; and

the indication device illuminates the available operation buttons.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has a vibration capability; and

the indication device vibrates the available operation buttons.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

each of the operation buttons has an illumination capability and vibration capability; and

the indication device both illuminates and vibrates the available operation buttons.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the operation panel is removably mounted on the electronic apparatus.

16. An available-button indicating method for explicitly indicating, to the user, operation buttons available for use to remotely operate an electronic apparatus from among a plurality of operation buttons mounted on a remote control apparatus, comprising:

a step in which the electronic apparatus selects available operation buttons on the remote control apparatus;

a step in which the electronic apparatus transmits a signal indicating the selected available operation buttons to the remote control apparatus; and

a step in which the remote control apparatus indicates the available operation buttons from among said plurality of operation buttons based on the signal indicating the available operation buttons and transmitted from the electronic apparatus.

18. The available-button indicating method according to claim 16, wherein the remote control apparatus is a portable communications terminal.

17. An available-button indicating method for explicitly indicating, to the user, operation buttons available for use to operate an electronic apparatus from among a plurality of operation buttons mounted on a remote control apparatus, comprising:

a step in which the remote control apparatus transmits an operation signal to the electronic apparatus in accordance with any operation button pressed from among said plurality of operation buttons on the remote control apparatus;

a step in which the electronic apparatus selects available operation buttons on the remote control apparatus based on the operation signal transmitted from the remote control apparatus;

a step in which the electronic apparatus transmits a signal indicating the selected available operation buttons to the remote control apparatus; and

a step in which the remote control apparatus explicitly indicates the available operation buttons from among said plurality of operation buttons based on the signal indicating the available operation buttons and transmitted from the electronic apparatus.