Remote controlling method and system feature starting method and controlling method for audio/visual system

• US 5,488,357 A
• Filed: 12/21/1993
• Issued: 01/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Kouich, Yamazaki, Hiroshi, Sato, Makoto, Tanaka, Shigeo, Osakabe, Yoshio, Katsuyama, Akira, Kusagaya, Yasuo, Kotabe, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/170,798
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 341/176, 359/142, 359/148, 348/734
• US Class Current: 340/12.31
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] 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 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A remote control method for an audio/visual system which can perform protection during execution of a system feature and is convenient in use is applied to an audio/visual system wherein each of a plurality of units of audio/visual equipment includes a microcomputer for controlling operation of the audio/visual equipment. The microcomputers of the audio/visual equipment are connected to each other by way of a bus system. One unit of the audio/visual equipment is set as an audio/visual center equipment. The audio/visual center equipment controls the entire system in a concentrated manner. The audio/visual center equipment receives remote control signals in a concentrated manner without causing remote controller receiver sections of the audio/visual equipment other than the audio/visual center equipment to function and transfers necessary commands to the other audio/visual equipment.

Claims

1. In a remote control method for an electronic equipment system which includes a plurality of units of electronic equipment each including a remote control reception center and a microcomputer for controlling operation of the respective electronic equipment, the microcomputers of said electronic equipment being connected to each other by way of a bus system, and at least one remote control transmission unit, the improvement comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic center equipment to control said electronic equipment system in a concentrated manner;

causing said electronic center equipment to receive at the respective remote control reception section remote control signals in a concentrated manner without causing the remote control signal reception sections of said electronic equipment other than said electronic center equipment to function;

transferring a command from said electronic center equipment to said electronic equipment; and

wherein, upon initialization when each unit of said electronic equipment is connected by way of said bus system, said electronic center equipment inhibits functioning of the respective remote control signal reception sections of the other units of electronic equipment.

2. A remote control method for an electronic equipment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command peculiar to each unit of said electronic equipment from the remote control signal transmission unit provided for exclusive use with the electronic equipment; and

decoding the received command in said electronic center equipment, and when a remote control signal transmission unit of a relevant one of said electronic equipment is executing another feature, said electronic center equipment develops a warning indicative thereof.

3. A remote control method for an electronic equipment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command peculiar to each unit of said electronic equipment from the remote control signal transmission unit provided for exclusive use with the electronic equipment by said electronic center equipment;

decoding the command in the electronic center equipment; and

transferring the decoded command to a relevant one of said electronic equipment.

4. A remote control method for an electronic equipment system according to claim 3, wherein each unit of said electronic equipment outputs one of a video and an audio signal.

5. A remote commander apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment system which includes a plurality of units of electronic equipment each including a remote control reception section and a microcomputer for controlling operation of the electronic equipment, the microcomputers of said electronic equipment being connected to each other by way of a bus system, comprising:

an electronic center equipment for controlling said electronic equipment system in a concentrated manner, said electronic center equipment including means for receiving remote control signals in a concentrated manner without causing said remote control signal reception sections of said electronic equipment other than said electronic center equipment to function and transfer commands to said electronic equipment, wherein, upon initialization when each unit of said electronic equipment is connected by way of said bus system, said electronic Center equipment includes means for inhibiting functioning of the remote control signal reception section of the electronic equipment.

6. A remote commander apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment system according to claim 5, wherein each unit of said electronic equipment outputs one of a video and audio signal.

7. A remote commander apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment system according to claim 6, wherein one of said units of electronic equipment is one of a tape recording and/or reproduction apparatus and a disk recording and/or reproduction apparatus.

8. A remote commander apparatus for controlling an electronic equipment system according to claim 7, wherein said electronic equipment includes a disk apparatus which transfers a signal and a tape apparatus which records the signal from said disk apparatus.

9. A method of operating an electronic equipment which is included in and controlled by an electronic equipment system which includes, in addition to said electronic equipment, a plurality of second units of electronic equipment and electronic center equipment for controlling said electronic equipment system in a concentrated manner, each unit of said electronic equipment, and said second units of electronic equipment and said electronic center equipment including a remote control signal reception section and a microcomputer for controlling operation of the electronic equipment, the microcomputers of the electronic equipment being connected to each other by way of a bus system, the improvement comprising the steps of:

rendering inoperative the remote control signal reception sections of said electronic equipment and said second units of electronic equipment while only said electronic center equipment is rendered operative to receive remote control signals in a concentrated manner;

transferring a required command to said electronic equipment and said second electronic equipment; and

, upon initialization when said electronic equipment is connected by way of said bus system, said electronic center equipment inhibits functioning of the remote control signal reception section of said electronic equipment.

10. An electronic equipment system according to claim 9, wherein a command peculiar to said electronic equipment from remote control signal transmission means provided for exclusive use with said electronic equipment is received and decoded by said electronic center equipment and transferred to a relevant one of said second electronic equipment when necessary.

11. An electronic equipment system according to claim 9, wherein a command peculiar to said electronic equipment from remote control signal transmission means provided for exclusive use with said electronic equipment is received and decoded by said electronic center equipment, and when the remote control signal transmission means of a relevant one of said electronic equipment and said second electronic equipment are executing another feature, said electronic center equipment develops a warning indicative thereof.

12. An electronic equipment system according to claim 10, wherein each of said units of electronic equipment outputs one of a video signal and an audio signal.