REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM, TELEVISION SET AND REMOTE CONTROLLER

• US 20100014005A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hatayama, Yasuyuki, Yano, Shigehide, Saito, Koichi, Tanaka, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A remote control system of the present invention is provided with a TV apparatus (1) and a remote controller (2), and performs two-way communication. The remote controller (2) is provided with a microphone (211) and a speaker (210), and generates and outputs sound source data. Furthermore, by the use of wireless communication modules (115, 202), the sound source data produced by the remote controller (2) is transmitted to the TV apparatus (1), and the sound source data is transmitted from the TV apparatus (1) to the remote controller (2), that is, the sound source data is exchanged, with the result that the sound source data is outputted from the TV apparatus (1) and the remote controller (2).

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a television set arranged to receive a television manipulation signal corresponding to a manipulation display on a television screen and arranged to transmit encoded sound source data related to the manipulation signal; and

a remote controller arranged to transmit the manipulation signal to the television set and arranged to decode the sound source data received from the television set and to provide as output the decoded sound source data in a form of audio.

2. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the television set is arranged to transmit sound source data on a subsequent manipulation to the remote controller by reception of the manipulation signal.

3. The remote control system of claim 2 arranged such that when the subsequent manipulation is not performed within a predetermined period after reception of the manipulation signal, the television set transmits to the remote controller sound source data for prompting a user to perform the subsequent manipulation.

4. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the remote controller is arranged to receive sound source data on a following manipulation from the television set by transmission of the manipulation signal.

5. The remote control system of claim 4 arranged such that when the subsequent manipulation is not performed within a predetermined period after transmission of the manipulation signal, the remote controller receives, from the television set, sound source data for prompting a user to perform the subsequent manipulation.

6. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the television set is arranged to change the manipulation display on the television screen in response to reception of the manipulation signal.

7. The remote control system of claim 5, wherein the television set is arranged to move a display on the television screen in response to reception of the manipulation signal.

8. The remote control system of claim 7 wherein the television set can display a main screen and a sub screen on the television screen, and the display moved on the television screen is the sub screen within the main screen.

9. The remote control system of claim 7 wherein the display moved on the television screen is a pointer indicating a manipulation position within the television screen.

10. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the sound source data transmitted from the television set is ADPCM-encoded, and the remote controller has an ADPCM decoder.

11. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the remote controller has a three-dimensional force sensor for generating the manipulation signal.

12. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the remote controller has a touch panel sensor for generating the manipulation signal.

13. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the remote controller is arranged to receive and decode sound source data that is not based on a manipulation on the remote controller and that is transmitted from the television set and wherein the remote controller is arranged to provide as output the decoded sound source data in a form of audio.

14. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the remote controller is arranged to receive and decode sound source data stored in the television set by transmission from the remote controller and wherein the remote controller is arranged to provide as output the decoded sound source data in a form of audio.

15. A television set comprising:

a television screen;

a transmit/receive portion;

a manipulation control portion arranged to control the television set based on a display on the television screen and a manipulation signal received by the transmit/receive portion;

a sound source data storing portion storing encoded sound source data; and

a transmission control portion arranged to select, from the sound source data storing portion, sound source data related to the manipulation signal and arranged to transmit the sound source data through the transmit/receive portion.

16. The television set of claim 15 wherein the transmission control portion is arranged to transmit sound source data on a subsequent manipulation requested by the manipulation control portion.

17. The television set of claim 15 wherein the sound source data storing portion stores ADPCM-encoded sound source data.

18. A remote controller comprising:

a manipulation portion;

a transmit/receive portion;

a transmission control portion arranged to transmit, through the transmit/receive portion, a manipulation signal based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion;

a decoder arranged to decode sound source data received in relation to transmission of the manipulation signal; and

an output portion arranged to provide as output the sound source data decoded by the decoder in a form of audio.

19. The remote controller of claim 18 wherein the manipulation portion has a three-dimensional force sensor for generating the manipulation signal.

20. The remote controller of claim 18 wherein the manipulation portion has a touch panel sensor for generating the manipulation signal.

21. The remote controller of claim 18 wherein the decoder has an ADPCM decoder.

22. The remote controller of claim 18 further comprising:

a vibration generation portion arranged to operate when decoding is performed by the decoder to produce audio.

23. A remote control system comprising:

a television set arranged to transmit sound source data obtained by encoding audio of a program displayed on a television screen; and

a remote controller arranged to decode the sound source data received from the television set and arranged to provide as output the decoded sound source data in a form of audio.

24. The remote control system of claim 23 wherein the television set is arranged to reduce, when transmitting the sound source data to the remote controller, audio output from the television set itself.

25. The remote control system of claim 23 wherein the television set can display a main screen and a sub screen on a television screen, and the television set itself outputs audio of a program displayed on one of the main and sub screens and sound source data of audio of a program displayed on the other of the main and sub screens is transmitted to the remote controller.

26. The remote control system of claim 23 wherein the television set is arranged to delay, when transmitting the sound source data to the remote controller, an image output on the television screen in synchronization with audio output from the remote controller.

27. The remote control system of claim 23 wherein the sound source data transmitted from the television set is ADPCM-encoded, and the remote controller has an ADPCM decoder.

28. A television set comprising:

a television screen;

a speaker;

a control portion arranged to provide as output a television program through the television screen and the speaker; and

a wireless transmission portion arranged to transmit sound source data obtained by encoding audio of the television program,

wherein the television set is arranged such that, when the sound source data obtained by the encoding is transmitted from the wireless transmission portion, no audio is outputted from the speaker so that output of audio obtained by decoding the sound source data is prevented from being displaced in time from output of audio from the speaker.

30. The television set of claim 28 further comprising:

image delaying means for delaying, when the sound source data is transmitted from the wireless transmission portion, an image output on the television screen such that audio obtained by decoding the sound source data and provided as an output is synchronized with a corresponding image on the television screen.

31. The television set of claim 28, comprising

a television screen;

a speaker;

a control portion arranged to provide as output a television program through the television screen and the speaker;

a wireless transmission portion arranged to transmit sound source data obtained by encoding audio of the television program; and

image delaying means for delaying, when the sound source data obtained by the encoding is transmitted from the wireless transmission portion, an image output on the television screen such that audio obtained by decoding the sound source data is synchronized with an image on the television screen.

32. The television set of claim 28 wherein the sound source data transmitted from the television set is ADPCM-encoded.

29. A television set comprising:

a television screen;

a speaker;

a wireless transmission portion;

a display control portion arranged to display a main screen and a sub screen on the television screen; and

an audio control portion arranged to provide as output audio of a program displayed on one of the main and sub screens and arranged to transmit, from the wireless transmission portion, sound source data obtained by encoding audio of a program displayed on the other of the main and sub screens.

33. A remote control system comprising:

a television set that can receive a television manipulation signal corresponding to a manipulation display on a television screen, that can transmit encoded sound source data related to the manipulation display and that can transmit sound source data obtained by encoding audio of a program displayed on the television screen; and

a remote controller arranged to transmit the manipulation signal to the television set and arranged to decode the sound source data received from the television set and to provide as output the decoded sound source data in a form of audio.

34. A remote controller comprising:

a manipulation portion;

a transmission portion arranged to transmit a manipulation signal;

an output portion arranged to provide as output sound source data on a manipulation in a form of audio;

a power supply portion arranged to switch between an activated state and a sleep state; and

a control portion arranged to prevent, even if the transmission of the manipulation signal is completed, the power supply portion from switching from the activated state to the sleep state until the output of the audio from the output portion is completed.

36. The remote controller of claim 34 wherein the control portion includes control means for performing the switching of the power supply portion from the activated state to the sleep state a predetermined period after the transmission of the transmission portion is completed and control means for performing the switching of the power supply portion from the activated state to the sleep state based on completion of the output of the audio from the output portion.

37. The remote controller of claim 34 wherein the sound source data is ADPCM-encoded.

38. The remote controller of claim 34 further comprising:

a reception portion arranged to receive the sound source data.

35. A remote controller comprising:

a manipulation portion;

a transmission portion arranged to transmit a manipulation signal;

an output portion arranged to provide as output sound source data on a manipulation in a form of audio;

a power supply portion arranged to switch between an activated state and a sleep state; and

a control portion arranged to control the switching of the power supply portion between the activated state and the sleep state such that the power supply portion switches to a different state according to whether the output portion is operated.

39. A remote controller comprising:

a manipulation portion;

a transmission portion arranged to transmit a manipulation signal;

an output portion arranged to provide as output sound source data on a manipulation in a form of audio; and

a volume control portion arranged to control a volume of audio outputted from the output portion.

40. The remote controller of claim 39, further comprising:

a reception portion arranged to receive sound source data for use in volume control.

41. The remote controller of claim 40 further comprising:

a transmission portion arranged to transmit a signal for preventing audio from being outputted externally while the audio is outputted, the volume of which is controlled by the volume control portion.

42. A television set comprising:

a television screen;

a speaker;

a control portion arranged to provide as output a television program through the television screen and the speaker;

a wireless transmission portion arranged to transmit encoded sound source data for testing; and

an administration portion arranged to prevent audio from being outputted from the speaker when the encoded sound source data is transmitted from the wireless transmission portion.

43. A remote controller comprising:

a manipulation portion;

a transmission portion arranged to transmit a manipulation signal;

a reception portion arranged to receive sound source data that is not based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion; and

an output portion arranged to provide as output the received sound source data in a form of audio,

wherein the remote controller is locatable by transmission of the sound source data.

44. The remote controller of claim 43 arranged such that sound source data based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion and received by the reception portion is provided as an output from the output portion such that information related to the manipulation on the manipulation portion is obtained in a form of audio.

45. The remote controller of claim 44 arranged such that a volume of the output portion can be variably set, and arranged such that when the sound source data that is not based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion is received, a maximum volume output is produced irrespective of a setting of the volume.

46. The remote controller of claim 44 arranged such that the volume of the output portion is set differently for the sound source data that is based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion and the sound source data that is not based on a manipulation on the manipulation portion.

47. The remote controller of claim 43 arranged such that the remote controller can be started up either by a manipulation on the manipulation portion or by the reception of the sound source data by the reception portion.

48. The remote controller of claim 43 wherein the sound source data is ADPCM-encoded.

49. A remote control system comprising:

a main body arranged to be manipulated by a manipulation signal and that has a memorizing portion for memorizing sound source data; and

a remote controller arranged to transmit sound source data of acquired audio to the main body and arranged to receive the transmitted sound source data and then provide as output the transmitted sound source data in a form of audio.

50. A remote controller comprising:

audio acquisition means;

a transmission portion arranged to transmit sound source data of acquired audio;

a reception portion arranged to receive the transmitted sound source data; and

an output portion arranged to provide as output the received sound source data in a form of audio.

51. The remote controller of claim 50 wherein the sound source data is ADPCM-encoded.