Remote-control system including mobile radio-signal terminal

• US 20040166840A1
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kawamura, Masakazu
• Application Number:
  US10/783,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

The remote-control system includes a mobile radio-signal terminal, a data server, and a network allowing them to communicate with each other therethrough. The mobile radio-signal terminal includes a memory storing a plurality of remote-control codes therein, a signal transmitter transmitting a first remote-control signal to a target device, based on a remote-control code selected among the remote-control codes for causing the target device to carry out a desired operation, a signal receiver receiving a second remote-control signal from a terminal which remote-controls the target device, and a controller which determines a remote-control code, based on the received second remote-control signal, receives a set of remote-control codes from the data server, and stores the received remote-control codes in the memory. The data server receives the second remote-control signal, and transmits the set of remote-control codes associated with the target device, selected based on the second remote-control signal, to the mobile radio-signal terminal.

Claims

1. A remote-control system including a mobile radio-signal terminal, a data server, and a network allowing said mobile radio-signal terminal and said data server to communicate with each other therethrough,

wherein said mobile radio-signal terminal includes:

(a) a memory storing a plurality of remote-control codes therein;

(b) a signal transmitter which transmits a first remote-control signal to a target device, based on a remote-control code selected among said remote-control codes for causing said target device to carry out a desired operation;

(c) a signal receiver which receives a second remote-control signal indicative of a certain operation, from a terminal which remote-controls said target device; and

(d) a controller which (d1) determines a remote-control code, based on said second remote-control signal having been received by said signal receiver, (d2) receives a set of remote-control codes from said data server, and (d3) stores the thus received set of remote-control codes in said memory as said plurality of remote-control codes, and

wherein said data server receives said second remote-control signal, and transmits said set of remote-control codes associated with said target device and selected in accordance with said second remote-control signal, to said mobile radio-signal terminal.

2. The remote-control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said set of remote-control codes include at least a category and a manufacturer of said target device.

3. The remote-control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller further includes a sampler which samples said second remote-control signal having been received by said signal receiver, and determines a remote-control code, based on the thus sampled second remote-control signal.

4. The remote-control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller includes a signal producer which produces said first remote-control signal, based on said remote-control code having been read out of said memory.

5. The remote-control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mobile radio-signal terminal is comprised of a cellular phone.

6. The remote-control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second remote-control signals is comprised of infra-red rays, said signal transmitter is comprised of an infra-red ray irradiator, and said signal receiver is comprised of an infra-red ray receiver.

7. A mobile radio-signal terminal having a function of making radio-signal communication with another radio-signal terminal through a network, including:

(a) a signal transmitter which transmits a first remote-control signal to a target device for remote-controlling said target device;

(b) a signal receiver which receives a second remote-control signal indicative of a certain operation, from a terminal which remote-controls said target device;

(c) a controller which obtains a remote-control code determined, based on said second remote-control signal having been received by said signal receiver;

(d) a radio-signal transceiver which transmits said remote-control code to a data server through said network, and receives a set of remote-control codes used for remote-controlling said target device, from said data server through said network; and

(e) a memory storing said set of remote-control codes having been received by said radio-signal transceiver,

wherein said controller reads a remote-control code out of said memory for causing said target device to carry out a desired operation, transmits the thus read-out remote-control code to said signal transmitter, and causes said signal transmitter to produce said first remote-control signal.

8. The mobile radio-signal terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein said set of remote-control codes include at least a category and a manufacturer of said target device.

9. The mobile radio-signal terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein said controller includes a sampler which samples said second remote-control signal having been received by said signal receiver, and determines a remote-control code, based on the thus sampled second remote-control signal.

10. The mobile radio-signal terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein said mobile radio-signal terminal is comprised of a cellular phone.

11. The mobile radio-signal terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said first and second remote-control signals is comprised of infra-red rays, said signal transmitter is comprised of an infra-red ray irradiator, and said signal receiver is comprised of an infra-red ray receiver.

12. A method of storing remote-control data used for remote-controlling a target device, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a remote-control signal to a mobile radio-signal terminal;

(b) transmitting said remote-control signal from said mobile radio-signal terminal to a data server;

(c) identifying a target device to be remote-controlled, based on said remote-control signal;

(d) identifying remote-control data used for remote-controlling said target device, among a plurality of remote-control stored in said data server;

(e) transmitting the thus identified remote-control data to said mobile radio-signal terminal; and

(f) storing said remote-control data in a memory equipped in said mobile radio-signal terminal.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said step (a) is carried out by a user by actuating a predetermined key of a remote-controller used for remote-controlling said target device.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of converting said remote-control signal into a digital signal, which is transmitted from said mobile radio-signal terminal to said data server.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said target device is identified in said step (c) by identifying at least a category and a manufacturer of said target device.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said remote-control signal is transmitted to said mobile radio-signal terminal in the form of infra-red ray in said step (a).

17. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting said remote-control data from said mobile radio-signal terminal to said target device for remote-controlling said target device.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said remote-control data is transmitted to said target device in the form of infra-red ray.

19. A program to be installed in a mobile radio-signal terminal for causing a controller to carry out a method of storing remote-control data used for remote-controlling a target device, steps executed by said controller in accordance with said program including:

(a) receiving a remote-control signal from a remote-controller used for remote-controlling said target device;

(b) transmitting said remote-control signal to a data server;

(c) receiving remote-control data used for remote-controlling said target device which remote-control data has been identified among a plurality of remote-control stored in said data server; and

(d) storing the thus received remote-control data in a memory equipped in said mobile radio-signal terminal.

20. The program as set forth in claim 19, wherein said steps further include the step of converting said remote-control signal into a digital signal, which is transmitted to said data server.

21. The program as set forth in claim 19, wherein said steps further include the step of transmitting said remote-control data to said target device for remote-controlling said target device.

22. The program as set forth in claim 19, wherein said remote-control data is transmitted to said target device in the form of infra-red ray.