Peripheral device control apparatus

• US 20050243057A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Tadashi, Fukuyama, Tatsuya, Oba, Toshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

Upon receipt of an IR code from a remote controller, a peripheral device control apparatus generates, on the basis of peripheral device control information acquired from a server, a code for causing a peripheral device, which is an object of remote control by the control apparatus, to perform an operation as instructed by the received IR code, and then the control apparatus outputs the generated code as an IR code via an infrared ray generation section. In this way, the peripheral device control apparatus can readily control any one of a plurality of types of peripheral devices, in response to a user just giving an operation signal to a single input section.

Claims

1. A peripheral device control apparatus comprising:

a storage section that stores a plurality of operation tables, each indicative of operational content for remote-controlling a desired peripheral device in response to an operation signal, in association with a plurality of operation modes and also stores a current operation mode;

an input section that receives an operation signal; and

a control section that performs remote control, corresponding to the operation signal received via said input section, on the peripheral device in accordance with the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage section.

2. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a signal generation section that generates a remote control signal, and a transmission section that transmits the remote control signal generated by said signal generation section, and

wherein said storage section further stores peripheral device control information related to remote control signals receivable by various types of peripheral devices, and

wherein, when a remote control signal to be transmitted to a desired peripheral device is designated, in association with the operation signal received via said input section, in the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage section, said control section performs control to cause said signal generation section to generate the remote control signal on the basis of the peripheral device control information stored in said storage section.

3. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 2 which further comprises a communication section, and

wherein said control section downloads the peripheral device control information from a server via said communication section and stores the downloaded peripheral device control information into said storage section.

4. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said input section includes a wireless signal reception section that receives an operation signal from a remote controller, and

wherein, when the operation signal received via said wireless signal reception section is an operation signal transmitted from a remote controller other than a particular remote controller, said control section causes said signal generation section to generate a remote control signal identical to said operation signal.

5. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when a change in the operation mode is instructed, as a change in the operational content responsive to the operation signal received via said input section, in the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage section, said control section changes the operation mode to be stored in said storage section, in accordance with the instructed change in the operation mode.

6. A peripheral device control apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of operation tables, each indicative of operational content for remote-controlling a desired peripheral device in response to an operation signal, in association with a plurality of operation modes and also for storing a current operation mode;

input means for receiving an operation signal; and

control means for performing remote control, corresponding to the operation signal received via said input means, on the peripheral device in accordance with the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage means.

7. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 6 which further comprises signal generation means for generating a remote control signal, and transmission means for transmiting the remote control signal generated by said signal generation means, and

wherein said storage means further stores peripheral device control information related to remote control signals receivable by various types of peripheral devices, and

wherein, when a remote control signal to be transmitted to a desired peripheral device is designated, in association with the operation signal received via said input means, in the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage means, said control means performs control to cause said signal generation means to generate the remote control signal on the basis of the peripheral device control information stored in said storage means.

8. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 7 which further comprises communication means, and

wherein said control means downloads the peripheral device control information from a server via said communication means and stores the downloaded peripheral device control information into said storage means.

9. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said input means includes wireless signal reception means for receiving an operation signal from a remote controller, and

wherein, when the operation signal received via said wireless signal reception means is an operation signal transmitted from a remote controller other than a particular remote controller, said control means causes said signal generation means to generate a remote control signal identical to said operation signal.

10. A peripheral device control apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein, when a change in the operation mode is instructed, as a change in the operational content responsive to the operation signal received via said input means, in the operation table corresponding to the current operation mode among the plurality of operation table stored in said storage means, said control means changes the operation mode to be stored in said storage means, in accordance with the instructed change in the operation mode.