Remote control system

• US 4,817,203 A
• Filed: 05/29/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagai, Kunio, Tsurumoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Van Beek, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US07/055,325
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 455/603, 455/608, 455/617
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units

Abstract

An electronic appliance, which can facilitate operation of a commander for transmitting a remote control signal for the electronic appliance, includes a receiver for receiving a remote control signal from a commander, a plurality of input terminals for receiving video signals from external signal sources, a signal selection switch for selecting one of the signals received at the input terminals and a broadcast signal and for delivering the selected signal as an output video signal therefrom, a code converter operable in response to the condition of the signal selection switch for converting a signal received at the receiver into a code by which the pertaining signal source can be controlled, and an output terminal for supplying an output of the code converter therefrom to the pertaining signal source via a signal cable.

Claims

1. A television signal processing apparatus for remotely controlling a plurality of external signal source devices via a signal cable connected to said devices, and for producing a video output signal from a plurality of input video signals from said source devices, comprising:

a source of a broadcast signal;

a plurality of signal input terminals connected to said cable for receiving video signals from said external sources;

a signal selection switch connected to said broadcast source and to said signal input terminals for selecting one of the signals received at said signal input terminal or said broadcast signal and for delivering the selected signal as an output video signal therefrom;

a remote control signal receiver for receiving an infrared remote control signal from a remote control commander, said infrared remote control signal being independent of the condition of said switch;

a code converter connected to said remote control signal receiver and connected to said switch and operable in response to a condition of said switch for converting the signal received at said remote control signal receiver into a code especially adapted to control the external device which is the source of the signal selected by said switch; and

a remote control signal output terminal for supplying an output of said code converter to the external device which is the source of said selected signal via said signal cable.

2. A television signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said television signal processing apparatus is a television set.

3. A television signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said television processing apparatus is a signal distributing adapter provided separately from a television set.

4. A television signal processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said broadcast signal comprises a tuner circuit for receiving a television broadcast.