Audio-visual system having integrated components for simpler operation

• US 5,473,317 A
• Filed: 02/28/1995
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Yutaka, Inomata, Kaname
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/396,055
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.25, 340/825.21, 340/825.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.06, 340/825.14, 348/734, 348/705, 348/525
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units

Abstract

An audio-visual system including a plurality of audio-visual components, and a control panel or remote control unit for applying an operating signal to each of the components. Each component performs a specified operation corresponding to the operating signal. A status detector for detecting operation status of each of the plurality of audio-visual components. A switch for switching the audio-visual components to the status required to perform the specified operations, and remote control code transmitter generates a signal to allow operation of each of the audio-visual components by converting the operating signal into a remote control code signal and transmits the remote control code signal to the audio-visual component.

Claims

1. An audio-visual system comprising:

a plurality of audio-visual components;

input means including a control panel with a plurality of keys for applying an operating signal to each of said components, each said component performing a predetermined operation corresponding to said operating signal, each said keys corresponding to a predetermined function;

status detector means, responsive to the input means, for detecting an operating status of each of the plurality of audio-visual components, the detecting means including a synchronous separator for detecting horizontal/vertical video synchronization signal;

means, responsive to the operating status of the status detector means, for switching the audio-visual components to the operating status required to perform the predetermined operations; and

remote control code transmitting means for generating a signal to enable operation of each of the audio-visual components by converting the operating signal to a remote control code signal and for transmitting the remote control code signal to the audio-visual components, wherein an activation of a single function key of the control panel activates the predetermined operation of each of said plurality of components necessary to complete the predetermined function corresponding to said single function key.

2. The audio-visual system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for registering respective manufacturers corresponding to the plurality of audio-visual components so that the remote control code transmitting means transmits a remote control code corresponding to the registered manufacturer.

3. The audio-visual system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said remote control code signal is transmitted through optical means.

4. An audio-visual system comprising:

a plurality of audio-visual components;

input means including a control panel with a plurality of keys for applying an operating signal to each of said components, each said component performing a predetermined operation corresponding to said operating signal;

status detector means, responsive to the input means, for detecting an operating status of each of the plurality of audio-visual components, the detecting means including a synchronous separator for detecting horizontal/vertical video synchronization signal;

means, responsive to the operating status of the status detector means, for switching the audio-visual components to the operating status required to perform the predetermined operations;

remote control code transmitting means for generating a signal to enable operation of each of the audio-visual components by converting the operating signal to a remote control code signal and for transmitting the remote control code signal to the audio-visual components, wherein an activation of a single function key of the control panel activates the predetermined operation of each of said plurality of components necessary to complete the predetermined function corresponding to said single function key; and

means for registering respective manufacturers of the plurality of audio-visual components by automatically determining the manufacturers according to a pre-stored function, wherein the remote control code transmitting means transmits a remote control code corresponding to the respective registered manufacturer.

5. The audio-visual system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said remote control code signal is transmitted through optical means.