Remote controller and method for presetting control data therein

• US 5,654,714 A
• Filed: 12/11/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Toshiyuki, Yano, Hajime, Takiguchi, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILL, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US08/570,264
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 341/177, 341/178, 341/179, 341/181, 341/182, 359/146, 359/148, 340/825.57, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A remote controller that has preset therein control signals of various formats/code systems in correspondence with different kinds of electronic equipment and of different manufacturers detects the control signal from another remote controller typically used with the electronic equipment, compares it with the preset data, selects a predetermined signal from the preset data and stores it in a memory for use in controlling the electronic equipment. Identifier codes may also be stored in the memory to save memory capacity. With only one input operation, all control signals in the same category, such as channel codes for a television, may be learned and stored in the memory in correspondence with the respective keys. Provision is made to determine whether the input control signal is in the form of a toggle code, thereby executing the learn function for control signals that include the toggle code.

Claims

1. A remote controller having a plurality of operating buttons for operational input to transmit predetermined control signals to electronic equipment in response to actuation of one of the buttons for controlling the electronic equipment to perform respective operations, comprising:

input means for receiving a control signal produced by another remote controller;

decoder means for decoding the control signal received by said input means;

first storage means for storing preset data consisting of control signals corresponding to a plurality of signal structures associated with respective units of the electronic equipment and identification codes to discriminate at least one of carrier frequency, category, signal format, and function of said control signals;

second storage means for storing one of the predetermined control signals associated with each of the plurality of operating buttons;

comparing means for performing a comparison of said preset data with a decoded control signal from said decoder means and for outputting, in response to said comparison, one of a first comparison result and a second comparison result; and

control means receiving one of the first comparison result and second comparison result from the comparing means;

wherein, upon the reception of the first comparison result, the control means reads out a predetermined control signal from said first storage means and stores the read-out signal in said second storage means at a predetermined address corresponding to one of the operating buttons in response to actuation of said one of the operating buttons to thereby selectively set up the preset data in response to the received control signal;

wherein, upon the reception of the second comparison result, the control means stores the control signal received by said input means in said second storage means at a predetermined address corresponding to one of the operating buttons; and

whereby upon actuation of said one of the operating buttons when an operational mode is selected, the control signal stored in correspondence with the operated button is read out from said second storage means and transmitted.

2. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said preset data includes at least category information and function information.

3. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said comparing means compares a carrier frequency of a decoded control signal from said decoder means and predetermined frequencies stored in said first storage means to decide a format of the received control signal.

4. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said comparing means compares a decoded control signal from said decoder means with one of category data and function data.

5. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said control signal transmitted from said remote controller consists of identification code to discriminate at least one of signal format, carrier frequency, category, and function.

6. A remote controller having a plurality of keys whose operation transmits predetermined control signals to electronic equipment to thereby execute respective operations, comprising:

input means for detecting control signals transmitted from another remote controller;

decoder means for decoding control signals detected by said input means;

first storage means for storing preset data including control signals of a plurality of signal structures associated with respective units of the electronic equipment;

second storage means for storing one of the predetermined control signals and identifier codes representing the predetermined control signals associated with each of the plurality of keys; and

control means for comparing said preset data with a decoded signal from the decoder means and for generating one of a first comparison result and a second comparison result;

wherein, upon generating a first comparison result the control means reads out respective control signals from said first storage means corresponding to detected control signals and stores one of the read-out control signals and the identifier codes representing the control signals at a plurality of predetermined addresses in said second storage means, each of said plurality of addresses corresponding respectively with a predetermined one of said plurality of keys to selectively set up the preset data in response to the detected control signal;

wherein, upon generating a second comparison result the control means stores the control signal received by said input means in said second storage means at a predetermined address corresponding to one of the operating buttons; and

wherein upon a key being operated and an operational mode being selected, if a control signal had been stored at the predetermined address corresponding to the key being operated then the control signal stored at that predetermined address is read from the second storage means for transmission and if a control signal had not been stored at the predetermined address corresponding to the key being operated then the identifier codes stored in correspondence with the operated key are read out from said second storage means and the control signal corresponding to the read-out identifier codes are read out from said first storage means for transmission.

7. A method of presetting remote control signals to a remote controller having operating elements, comprising the steps of:

decoding a control signal input from another remote controller;

comparing a decoded signal and each preset data that was stored in a first storage memory;

determining agreement between the decoded signal and some preset data;

generating a positive agreement result if there is agreement between the decoded signal and the preset data to which it is compared and generating a negative agreement result if there is not agreement between the decoded signal and the preset data to which it is compared;

reading out, when said positive agreement result is generated, a predetermined control signal from said first storage memory;

storing, when said positive agreement result is generated, the read-out control signal in a second storage memory at a predetermined address in correspondence with one of said operating elements to thereby selectively set up the preset data in response to the input control signal; and

storing, when said negative agreement result is generated, the decoded input control signal in the second storage memory at a predetermined address in correspondence with one of said operating elements.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

determining if any of the operating elements is operated when an operational mode is selected and reading out and transmitting the control signal stored in correspondence with the operated operating elements from said second storage means on the basis of the determination.

9. The method according to claim 7, comprising the further steps of:

analyzing the carrier frequency of the decoded signal;

comparing the decoded signal and category data; and

comparing the decoded signal and function data.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said preset data provide at least category information and function information.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of comparing includes comparing the decoded signal and one of category data and function data.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein said preset data to be stored in the second storage memory is an identification code that discriminates at least one of carrier frequency, category, and function.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said control signal transmitted from the remote controller consists of identification code that discriminates at least one of signal format, carrier frequency, category, and function.