Control apparatus and control method

• US 20050122438A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• 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 7,688,391 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

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A control system comprising:

a remote control apparatus; and

a controlled apparatus controlled by the remote control apparatus,

wherein the controlled apparatus includes;

a receiving unit adapted to receive a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control apparatus; and

a control unit adapted to control the controlled apparatus to transmit a control command corresponding to the remote control signal to a first or a second external apparatus,

wherein the control unit is adapted to check an operating state of the first or the second external apparatus before the control command is transmitted to the first or second external apparatus.

18. A control system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is adapted to select the first or the second external apparatus according to the remote control signal.

19. A control system according to claim 17, wherein the remote control apparatus includes:

a selector adapted to select the first or the second external apparatus; and

a transmitting unit adapted to transmit a remote control signal for causing the control unit to select the first or the second external apparatus.

20. A control system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the controlled apparatus to display an operating state of the first or second external apparatus after the first or the second external apparatus is controlled by using the control command.

21. A control system according to claim 17, wherein the controlled apparatus is an apparatus having a TV monitor.

22. A controlled apparatus which is controlled by a remote control apparatus, the controlled apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit adapted to receive a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control apparatus; and

a control unit adapted to control the controlled apparatus to transmit a control command corresponding to the remote control signal to a first or a second external apparatus,

wherein the control unit is adapted to check an operating state of the first or second external apparatus before the control command is transmitted to the first or the second external apparatus.

23. A controlled apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control unit is adapted to select the first or the second external apparatus according to the remote control signal.

24. A controlled apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the remote control apparatus includes:

a selector adapted to select the first or second external apparatus; and

a transmitting unit adapted to transmit a remote control signal for causing the control unit to select the first or second external apparatus.

25. A controlled apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the controlled apparatus to display an operating state of the first or second external apparatus after the first or the second external apparatus is controlled by using the control command.

26. A controlled apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the controlled apparatus is an apparatus having a TV monitor.

27. A method for a controlled apparatus by a remote control apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control apparatus;

controlling the controlled apparatus to transmit a control command corresponding to the remote control signal to a first or a second external apparatus; and

checking an operating state of the first or the second external apparatus before the control command is transmitted to the first or the second external apparatus.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising a step of selecting the first or the second external apparatus according to the remote control signal.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein the remote control apparatus includes:

a selector adapted to select the first or the second external apparatus; and

a transmitting unit adapted to transmit a remote control signal for causing the control unit to select the first or the second external apparatus.

30. A method according to claim 27, further comprising a step of controlling the controlled apparatus to display an operating state of the first or the second external apparatus after the first or the second external apparatus is controlled by using the control command.

31. A method according to claim 27, wherein the controlled apparatus is an apparatus having a TV monitor.