Remote-control apparatus and image input apparatus

• US 5,838,250 A
• Filed: 06/02/1997
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maekawa, Yoshito
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/867,176
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.17, 340/825.06, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.07, 455/92, 379/102, 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 25/02 by signalling back receiving station to transmitting station
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A remote-control apparatus for remotely controlling one or more controlled apparatuses includes a video camera capable of inputting an image of a controlled apparatus and outputting the input image to outside the remote-control apparatus, and a controller for controlling the controlled apparatus the image of which has been input by the video camera, by using a wireless signal. The video camera and the controller are disposed in one body.

Claims

1. A remote-control apparatus for remotely controlling a plurality of controlled apparatuses, comprising:

(a) image input means for inputting images of said controlled apparatuses;

(b) control means for controlling each controlled apparatus the image of which has been input by said image input means, said control means including a signal transmitting section for transmitting an optical signal for controlling the to-be-controlled apparatuses, the transmitting direction of the optical signal being the same as an image pickup direction of the image input means;

(c) means for changing the image pickup direction of the image input means; and

(d) image transmitting means for outputting the images input by said image input means to outside the remote-control apparatus.

2. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image transmitting means can be connected to a communication line.

3. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting section is portable jointly with said image input means.

4. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transmitting section and said image input means are disposed in one body.

5. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

drive control means for driving and controlling said image input means; and

control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal for said drive control means from outside the remote-control apparatus.

6. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control signal receiving means can be connected to a communication line.

7. A remote-control apparatus for remotely controlling a plurality of controlled apparatuses by using an optical signal, comprising:

(a) image input means for inputting images of said controlled apparatuses;

(b) image transmitting means for outputting the images input by said image input means to outside the remote-control apparatus;

(c) drive control means for driving and controlling said image input means including changing an image pickup direction of the image input means;

(d) first receiving means for receiving a first control signal for said drive control means from outside the remote-control apparatus;

(e) second receiving means for receiving a second control signal for instructing a remote operation for said plurality of controlled apparatuses from outside the remote-control apparatus;

(f) conversion means for converting the second control signal received by said second receiving means into a remote-control signal for said plurality of controlled apparatuses; and

(g) output means for outputting the remote control signal converted by said conversion means in the form of an optical signal, said optical signal of said output means having a transmitting direction which is the same as the image input direction of the image pickup means.

8. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said remote-control apparatus is connected to another apparatus through a communication line.

9. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a body case in which said image input means and said output means are housed.

10. A remote-control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said drive control means controls the direction in which an image is input by said image input means and the direction in which the signal is output by said output means.

11. A system for remote control of a plurality of controlled apparatuses situated at a first location, comprising:

(a) image pickup means at said first location for viewing said controlled apparatuses and generating image signals indicative thereof;

(b) signal transmission means for conveying said generated image signals to a second location remote from said first location;

(c) display means at said second location for displaying images in said image signals;

(d) first control means at said second location for controlling said image pickup means to so change its viewing relation with said controlled apparatuses as to convey an image signal through said signal transmission means of an image signal indicative of a selected one of said controlled apparatuses;

(e) second control means at said second location for generating a control signal for said selected one of said controlled apparatuses; and

(f) conversion means for converting the control signal into an optical remote control signal for said selected one of said control apparatuses, said optical remote control signal having a transmitting direction which is the same as an image pickup direction of the image pickup means.