Remote controller and remote control system

• US 20070290885A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Hideki, Masaki, Yasuo, Takeshita, Masahiro, Murakami, Sadanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/13.24
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote controller that can infer the intention of a user and that can control a plurality of devices based on the inferred intention is provided. A remote controller includes memory, a control circuit, and a transmission portion. The memory stores in advance, in association with a situation sensed by a sensor, information of a first control signal. The control circuit generates, in association with the situation sensed by the sensor and the information stored in the memory, the first control signal. The transmission portion transmits the first control signal generated by the control circuit.

Claims

1. A remote controller controlling a plurality of devices each including a sensor and a transmitter connected to said sensor, comprising:

memory storing, in association with combinations of situations respectively sensed by said sensors, pieces of information of control signals respectively controlling said devices;

a reception portion receiving signals respectively representing situations respectively sensed by said sensors;

a control circuit generating, in association with the combinations of said situations represented by a plurality of signals received in serial order by said reception portion with a reception interval being at most a predetermined threshold value, and with said pieces of information stored in said memory, control signals respectively controlling said plurality of devices; and

a transmission portion transmitting said generated control signals as infrared signals.

2. A remote controller controlling a device including a sensor, comprising:

a storage portion storing, in association with a situation sensed by said sensor, information of a control signal controlling said device;

a generation portion generating, in association with the situation sensed by said sensor and with said information stored in said storage portion, a control signal controlling said device; and

a transmission portion transmitting said generated control signal.

3. The remote controller according to claim 2, controlling a plurality of the devices each including a transmitter connected to said sensor, wherein

said storage portion stores, in association with combinations of situations respectively sensed by said sensors, pieces of information of control signals respectively controlling said devices,

said remote controller further comprises a reception portion receiving signals respectively representing situations respectively sensed by said sensors, and

said generation portion generates said control signals, in association with the combinations of said situations represented by the signals received by said reception portion, and with said pieces of information stored in said storage portion.

4. The remote controller according to claim 3, wherein

said generation portion generates said control signals, in association with the combinations of said situations represented by, out of the signals received by said reception portion, a plurality of signals received in serial order with a reception interval being at most a predetermined threshold value, and with said pieces of information stored in said storage portion.

5. The remote controller according to claim 2, further comprising

a sensor, wherein

said generation portion generates said control signal, in association with a situation sensed by said sensor and with said information stored in said storage portion.

6. A remote control system controlling a device, comprising a remote controller and an adapter, said device including a sensor, wherein

said remote controller includes:

a storage portion storing, in association with a situation sensed by said sensor, information of a control signal controlling said device;

a generation portion generating, in association with the situation sensed by said sensor and with said information stored in said storage portion, a control signal controlling said device; and

a transmission portion transmitting said control signal generated by the generation portion, wherein

said adapter includes;

a storage portion storing in advance information of an operation signal in association with said control signal transmitted from said remote controller;

a reception portion receiving said control signal transmitted from said remote controller;

a generation portion generating said operation signal, in association with said control signal received by said reception portion and with the information stored in said storage portion, and

a transmission portion transmitting said generated operation signal.

7. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein

said remote controller controls a plurality of the devices each including a transmitter connected to said sensor,

said storage portion of said remote controller stores, in association with combinations of situations respectively sensed by said sensors, pieces of the information of the control signals respectively controlling said devices,

said remote controller further includes a reception portion receiving, from said transmitters, signals each representing the situation sensed by said sensors, and

said generation portion of said remote controller generates said control signals, in association with the combinations of said situations represented by the signals received by said reception portion, and with said pieces of information stored in said storage portion.

8. The remote control system according to claim 7, wherein

said generation portion generates said control signals, in association with the combinations of said situations represented by, out of the signals received by said reception portion, a plurality of signals received in serial order with a reception interval being at most a predetermined threshold value, and with said pieces of information stored in said storage portion.

9. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein

said remote controller further includes a sensor, wherein

said generation portion of said remote controller generates said control signal, in association with a situation sensed by said sensor and with said information stored in said storage portion.