Control bus system with plural controllable devices

• US 5,457,446 A
• Filed: 07/13/1993
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILL, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US08/091,402
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.06, 340/825.24, 340/825.54, 340/825.55, 340/825.07, 340/825.5, 340/825.72, 340/825.01, 340/825.25, 364/424.01
• US Class Current: 340/12.31
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00

Abstract

A control bus system for a home entertainment system has a single bus to which there are connected various electronic or audiovisual devices including a TV tuner, a BS tuner, VTRs, a CD player, an LD player, a cassette deck, etc. The electronic devices have respective controllers which have features to be executed thereby. At least two of the electronic devices are selected so as to be connected to the single bus, and the features of the controllers of the two selected electronic devices are arranged by a feature arranging unit to prevent the same features of the controllers from conflicting on the single bus. The feature arranging unit disables at least one of the features to be executed by the controller of one of the two selected controllers if one of the features is the same as one of the features to be executed by the controller of the other of the two selected electronic devices.

Claims

1. A control bus system comprising:

a single bus;

a plurality of electronic devices connected to said single bus;

selecting means for selecting at least two of said plurality of electronic devices for operation;

said electronic devices having respective controllers, said controllers each issuing commands to respective devices for causing functions to be executed by said respective devices;

display means connected to said single bus for displaying at least the functions to be executed by the controllers of said at least two selected electronic devices; and

function arranging means connected to said single bus for controlling via commands on said single bus said display means and the functions to be executed by the respective controllers of said at least two selected electronic devices and including means for disabling at least one of the functions to be executed by the controller of one of said selected electronic devices if said at least one of the functions is the same as one of the functions to be executed by the controller of the other of said at least two selected electronic devices and issuing a command via said single bus to update said display means by using a different color for the disabled functions,

wherein said function arranging means acquires from a controller of any one of said at least two selected electronic devices information related to functions that said controller of said one of said at least two selected electronic devices is capable of performing by issuing an inquiry command for said information via said single bus to said controller of said one of said at least two selected electronic devices and receiving said information from said controller of said one of said at least two selected electronic devices via said single bus, and said information includes the functions that said controller of said one of said at least two selected electronic devices is capable of performing and a range of operation corresponding to each of the functions that said controller of said one of said at least two selected electronic devices is capable of performing.