Wirless control system, control device, controllable device device control method, control program, and computer readable recording medium containing the same

• US 20060234659A1
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 10, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/151.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

The wireless control system of the present invention constitutes a wireless AV system (101) which forms a wireless transmission network (1) in which a wireless center unit (102) and a TV main body unit (103) are connected with each other by a wireless LAN. The wireless center unit (102) transmits to the TV main body unit (103) control data having, in a control command, a discrimination code for discriminating between devices in the wireless AV system (101). The TV main body unit (103) reads out the discrimination code included in the received control data, discriminates a device to carry out the control command included in the control data, and transmits the control data to the discriminated device. As a result, even when the number of controlled devices that a controlling device has to control increases, a throughput of the controlling device for discrimination of control data does not increase, and therefore the whole system constituted of the controlling device and the controlled devices can be smoothly operated.

Claims

1. A wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

wherein the controlling device wirelessly transmits control data to the controlled devices, the control data having, in a control command for controlling the controlled devices, a discrimination code for discriminating between a controlled device to which the control command is to be transmitted and other one or more controlled devices in the system, and

the controlled devices receive the wirelessly transmitted control data from the controlling device, read out the discrimination code included in the received control data, discriminate a controlled device to carry out the control command included in the control data, and transmit the control data to the discriminated controlled device.

2. A wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

wherein the controlling device includes:

a control data generating section for generating control data having, in a control command for controlling the controlled devices, a discrimination code for discriminating between a controlled device to which the control command is to be transmitted and other one or more controlled devices in the system; and

a wireless communication section for transmitting the control data transmitted from the control data generating section, to a controlled device with which the wireless communication section is in communication, and

the controlled devices include;

a wireless communication section for receiving the control data from the controlling device;

a discrimination section for reading out the discrimination code included in the received control data and discriminating a controlled device to carry out the control command included in the control data; and

a control data transmission section for transmitting the control data to the controlled device discriminated by the discrimination section.

3. The wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein, when generated control data includes same data as a predetermined key code, the control data generating section performs a predetermined conversion of the same data, and transmits the converted control data to the wireless communication section.

4. The wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein control data generated in the control data generating section is any one of control data to be transmitted to a control section included in the controlling device, control data to be transmitted to the wireless communication section in the controlling device, control data to be transmitted to a control section included in the controlled devices, and control data to be transmitted to the wireless communication section in the controlled devices.

5. The wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the control data includes, as a control command, a command for performing a change of a data transmission rate, a change of a wireless communication channel, a change of a tuner channel, switching of an input, and acquisition of a communication state.

6. The wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireless communication section transmits control data using a spread spectrum wireless system.

7. The wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireless communication section performs low power, close range, two-way wireless communication such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth or UWB (Ultra Wide Band).

13. A control program for operating the wireless control system as set forth in claim 2, said control program being for causing a computer to function as each of the sections.

14. A storage medium readable by a computer, for storing the control program as set forth in claim 13.

8. Controlled devices, included in a wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

said controlled devices (i) receiving control data which includes a discrimination code for discriminating between the controlled devices in the system, and (ii) discriminating a controlled device to carry out a control command included in the control data, based on the discrimination code included in the received control data.

9. Controlled devices, included in a wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

said controlled devices including:

a wireless communication section for receiving from the controlling device control data including a discrimination code for discriminating between the controlled devices in the system;

a discrimination section for reading out the discrimination code included in the received control data and discriminating a controlled device to carry out a control command included in the control data; and

a control data transmission section for transmitting the control data to the controlled device discriminated by the discrimination section.

10. A controlling device, included in a wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

said controlling device wirelessly transmitting control data to the controlled devices, the control data having, in a control command for controlling the controlled devices, a discrimination code for discriminating between a controlled device to which the control command is to be transmitted and other one or more controlled devices in the system.

11. A controlling device, included in a wireless control system comprising a controlling device and controlled devices that are wirelessly controlled by the controlling device,

said controlling device including:

a control data generating section for generating control data having, in a control command for controlling the controlled devices, a discrimination code for discriminating between a controlled device to which the control command is to be transmitted and other one or more controlled devices in the system; and

a wireless communication section for transmitting the control data transmitted from the control data generating section, to a controlled device with which the wireless communication section is in communication.

12. A method of controlling devices, in which a controlling device wirelessly controls controlled devices,

wherein the controlling device wirelessly transmits control data to the controlled devices, the control data having, in a control command for controlling the controlled devices, a discrimination code for discriminating between a controlled device to which the control command is to be transmitted and other one or more controlled devices in the system, and

the controlled devices receive the control data wirelessly transmitted from the controlling device, and, based on the discrimination code included in the received control data, discriminate a controlled device to carry out the control command included in the control data, and transmit the control data to the discriminated controlled device.