Remote control device and remote control method

• US 5,898,398 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kumai, Hisao
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/894,723
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 341/176, 348/734, 345/158, 455/186.1, 455/186.2
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A remote control device has the function of receiving FM multiplex broadcasting, storing the television program data transmitted from a broadcasting station into a television program memory, and displaying the stored program data. In the television program memory, the broadcasting dates, channels, broadcasting start and end times, program names, and G codes are stored. When the user chooses the program the user wants to record from the displayed programs, the remote control code for reserving the selected program for recording will be transmitted to the videotape recorder, thereby making a reservation for recording.

Claims

1. A remote control device independently provided from a to-be-controlled unit, comprising:

a receiver which receives a plurality of broadcasting program data and corresponding remote control codes;

a memory which stores said plurality of broadcasting program data and remote control codes received by the receiver;

a display which displays the plurality of broadcasting program data;

a program specifying switch which specifies a desired one of the plurality of broadcasting program data displayed by the display; and

a transmitter which radio-transmits the remote control code of the broadcasting program data specified by the program specifying switch to the to-be-controlled unit when a desired one of the broadcasting program data is designated by said program specifying switch.

2. A remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

specified program storage means for storing the desired broadcasting program data specified by said program specifying means; and

display means for displaying the desired broadcasting program data stored in said specified program storage means.

3. A remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

specified program storage means for storing the desired broadcasting program data specified by said program specifying means;

determination means for determining whether or not a change has been made in said desired broadcasting program data, on the basis of the broadcasting program data received by said reception means after the desired broadcasting program data has been stored in said specified program storage means; and

notifying means for giving notice when the determination means has determined that a change has been made.

4. A remote control device according to claim 1, wherein said remote control code is a data obtained by encoding the channel data, date data, time data, and duration data of a broadcasting program and compressing the encoded data.

5. A remote control device according to claim 1, wherein said broadcasting program data and remote control codes are multiplexed with FM radio broadcasting radiowaves and then transmitted, and

said reception means includes means for receiving FM radio broadcasting radiowaves and extracting said multiplexed broadcasting program data and remote control codes.

6. A remote control method for remote-controlling a to-be-controlled unit with a remote control device independently provided therefrom, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of broadcasting program data and corresponding remote control codes;

storing the received plurality of broadcasting program data and remote control codes;

displaying the stored plurality of broadcasting program data on a display;

specifying a desired one of said displayed plurality of broadcasting program data; and

radio-transmitting the remote control code of the specified broadcasting program data to the to-be-controlled unit when the desired one of the broadcasting program data is designated.

7. A remote control method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

storing the specified desired broadcasting program data into specified program storage means; and

displaying the desired broadcasting program data stored in said specified program storage means.

8. A remote control method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

storing said specified desired broadcasting program data into specified program storage means;

determining whether or not a change has been made in the desired broadcasting program data, on the basis of the broadcasting program data received after the desired broadcasting program data has been stored in said specified program storage means; and

giving notice when it has been determined that a change has been made.

9. A remote control method according to claim 6, wherein said remote control code is a data obtained by encoding the channel data, date data, time data, and duration data of a program and compressing the encoded data.

10. A remote control method according to claim 6, wherein said broadcasting program data and remote control codes are multiplexed with FM radio broadcasting radiowaves and then transmitted.

11. A program storage medium comprising:

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing a remote control device to receive a plurality of broadcasting program data and corresponding remote control codes;

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to store the received plurality of broadcasting program data and remote control codes;

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to display the plurality of stored program data;

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to specify a desired one of the displayed plurality of broadcasting program data; and

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to radio-transmit the remote control code of the specified broadcasting program data to the to-be-controlled unit when the desired program data is designated.

12. A program storage medium according to claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to store said specified desired broadcasting program data into a specified program storage means; and

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to display the desired broadcasting program data stored in said specified program storage means.

13. A program storage medium according to claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to store the specified desired broadcasting program data into said specified program storage means;

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to determine whether or not a change has been made in the desired broadcasting program data, on the basis of the broadcasting program data received after the desired broadcasting program data has been stored in the specified program storage means; and

computer-readable program instruction means for instructing the remote control device to give notice when it has been determined that a change has been made.

14. A program storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said remote control code is a data obtained by encoding the channel data, date data, time data, and duration data of a program and compressing the encoded data.

15. A program storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said broadcasting program data and remote control codes are multiplexed with FM radio broadcasting radiowaves and then transmitted.