Remote control system for a plurality of controlled devices

• US 5,132,679 A
• Filed: 10/16/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikezaki, Masao, Kubo, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIUST, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US07/597,688
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.24, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 358/194.1, 358/188, 455/4, 455/5, 455/6, 455/151, 455/352
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units

Abstract

Operation information for distinguishing each operation of a wireless signal transmitter of a remote control system is included in a wireless signal of the wireless signal transmitter, the operation information is memorized in an AV apparatus which is designated by the wireless signal transmitter, and the wireless signal or only one of plural message frames which have the same information as the wireless signal and are transferred from other AV apparatus connected to a common communication line is selected by comparing the operation information of the message frame with the memorized message frame in the AV apparatus.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

at least a first and a second electronic apparatus system;

means for transmitting a wireless signal, said signal including device information for designating one of said first and said second electronic apparatus systems, command information for controlling one of said first and said second electronic apparatus systems, and operation information for distinguishing said signal transmitted during each operation of said wireless signal transmitter;

said first electronic apparatus system comprising;

first means for receiving said wireless signal, said first electronic apparatus system determining, in accordance with said device information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system, whether said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled by said command information;

first means for controlling said first electronic apparatus system in accordance with said command information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

first operation memory means for storing said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

first communication signal encoder means for forming a first message frame indicative of said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is not to be controlled;

first interface means for outputting said first message frame and for receiving a second message frame, said second message frame being provided by said second electronic apparatus system;

first means for comparing operation information included in said second message frame with said operation information stored in said first operation memory means and for calculating a first minimum reception time in accordance with said operation information stored in said first operation memory means and said operation information included in said second message frame, said first comparing means comparing said first minimum reception time to a first elapsed time, said first elapsed time being an amount of time measured from when said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system is stored in said first operation memory means to when said second message frame is received through said first interface means, said first electronic apparatus system being controlled in accordance with command information included in said second message frame when said first elapsed time is larger than said first minimum reception time, said first comparing means replacing said operation information stored in said operation memory means with said operation information included in said second message frame when said first elapsed time is larger than said first minimum reception time; and

first means for decoding said second message frame when said first elapsed time is larger than said first minimum reception time, said first decoding means supplying said command information included in said decoded second message frame to said first controlling means when said first elapsed time is larger than said first minimum reception time; and

said second electronic apparatus system comprising;

second means for receiving said wireless signal, said second electronic apparatus system determining, in accordance with said device information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system, whether said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled by said command information;

second means for controlling said second electronic apparatus system in accordance with said command information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

second operation memory means for storing said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

second communication signal encoder means for forming said second message frame indicative of said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is not to be controlled;

second interface means for outputting said second message frame and for receiving said first message frame, said first message frame being provided by said first electronic apparatus system;

second means for comparing said operation information included in said first message frame with said operation information stored in said second operation memory means and for calculating a second minimum reception time in accordance with said operation information stored in said second operation memory means and said operation information included in said first message frame, said second comparing means comparing said second minimum reception time to a second elapsed time, said second elapsed time being an amount of time measured from when said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system is stored in said second operation memory means to when said first message frame is received through said second interface means, said second electronic apparatus system being controlled in accordance with said command information included in said first message frame when said second elapsed time is larger than said second minimum reception time, said second comparing means replacing said operation information stored in said second operation memory means with said operation information included in said first message frame when said second elapsed time is larger than said second minimum reception time; and

second means for decoding said first message frame when said second elapsed time is larger than said second minimum reception time, said second decoding means supplying said command information included in said decoded first message frame to said second controlling means when said second elapsed time is larger than said second minimum reception time; and

means for providing communication between said first and said second electronic apparatus systems, said communication providing means being coupled to said first and said second interface means.

2. A remote control system as in claim 1, said operation information included in the wireless signal is one of a plurality of numerals of a predetermined progression.

3. A remote control system comprising:

means for transmitting a wireless signal, said signal including device information, command information and operation information for distinguishing said signal transmitted during each operation of said wireless signal transmitter, said operation information including information indicative of a time at which said wireless signal transmitter is operated;

at least a first and a second electronic apparatus system to be controlled by said command information included in said wireless signal, said first electronic apparatus system comprising;

first means for receiving said wireless signal and determining, in accordance with said device information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system, whether said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

first means for controlling said first electronic apparatus system in accordance with said command information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

first operation memory means for storing said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

first communication signal encoder means for forming a first message frame indicative of said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system when said device information included in said wireless signal received by said first electronic apparatus system indicates that said first electronic apparatus system is not to be controlled;

first interface means for outputting said first message frame and for receiving a second message frame, said second message frame being provided by said second electronic apparatus system;

first means for comparing operation information included in said second message frame with said operation information stored in said first operation memory means, said first electronic apparatus system to be controlled in accordance with command information included in said second message frame when said operation information included in said second message frame differs from said operation information stored in said first operation memory means, said first comparing means replacing said operation information stored in said first operation memory means with said operation information included in said second message frame when said operation information included in said second message frame differs from said operation information stored in said first operation memory means; and

first means for decoding said second message frame when said operation information included in said second message frame differs from said operation information stored in said first operation memory means, said first decoding means supplying said command information included in said decoded second message frame to said first controlling means when said operation information included in said second message frame differs from said operation information stored in said first operation memory means; and

said second electronic apparatus system comprising;

second means for receiving said wireless signal and determining, in accordance with said device information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system, whether said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

second means for controlling said second electronic apparatus system in accordance with said command information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

second operation memory means for storing said operation information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is to be controlled;

second communication signal encoder means for forming a second message frame indicative of said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system when said device information included in said wireless signal received by said second electronic apparatus system indicates that said second electronic apparatus system is not to be controlled;

second interface means for outputting said second message frame and for receiving said first message frame, said first message frame being provided by said first electronic apparatus system;

second means for comparing operation information included in said first message frame with said operation information stored in said second operation memory means, said second electronic apparatus system to be controlled in accordance with command information included in said first message frame when said operation information included in said first message frame differs from said operation information stored in said second operation memory means, said second comparing means replacing said operation information stored in said second operation memory means with said operation information included in said first message frame when said operation information included in said first message frame differs from said operation information stored in said second operation memory means; and

second means for decoding said first message frame when said operation information included in said first message frame differs from said operation information stored in said second operation memory means, said second decoding means supplying said command information included in said decoded first message frame to said second controlling means when said operation information included in said first message frame differs from said operation information stored in said second operation memory means; and

means for providing communication between said first and said second electronic apparatus systems, said communication providing means being coupled to said first and said second interface means.