Remote control system and method

• US 6,107,937 A
• Filed: 01/31/1996
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamada, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asongwed, Anthony A.
• Application Number:
  US08/594,797
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 348/825.69, 348/734, 359/142, 359/145, 359/146, 359/148, 379/96, 379/102, 379/202, 379/205, 379/406
• US Class Current: 340/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Remote control system and method for preventing the mixing of signals from remote manipulation devices and consolidately operating controlled devices including the remote manipulation devices comprise controlled devices including a plurality of remote manipulation devices, an image input device, a monitor device and a record device, and a computer. The computer transmits a transmission permission signal for permitting the transmission of the remote manipulation device having an ID code through the controlled device, and the remote manipulation device having the coincident ID code responds to the reception of the transmission permission signal to transmit a control signal to the controlled device. The computer 107 interprets a control command from the control signal received through the controlled device and transmits the control command to the controlled device. The controlled device responds to the control command to execute it. Accordingly, the simultaneous transmission of control commands by more than one remote manipulation devices is avoided and the mixing of the signals is prevented.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control device; and

a plurality of receiving devices, wherein

said remote control device generates control commands each of which controls one of said receiving devices,

said receiving devices receive the control commands from said remote control device and operate in accordance with the control commands,

at least one of said receiving devices includes a member to be physically moved in accordance with the control command,

and at least one of said receiving devices includes means for arbitrating the control commands that are generated by said remote control device to arbitrate a response delay time from the reception of the control command to the start of the physical movement of the member, said arbitrating means for arbitrating the control command with a predetermined order of priority.

2. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein said arbitration means holds the control command given during the response delay time.

3. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving device includes conversion means for converting an object image to an electrical signal and communication means for communicating the electrical signal converted by said conversion means.

4. A remote control system according to claim 3, wherein said conversion means converts to an electrical signal representing an animation signal.

5. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein said arbitration means causes said receiving device to operate in accordance with the commands in a sequence in accordance with priorities of the control commands.

6. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein said arbitration means controls said remote control devices such that the occurrence of a plurality of control commands from said remote control devices is prevented.

7. A remote control system according to claim 6, wherein said control means outputs a signal permitting the generation of the control command to each of said remote control devices.

8. A receiving apparatus which is utilized together with a plurality of remote control devices that generate control commands, said apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving the control commands, the receiving means having a member to be physically moved in accordance with at least one of the control commands;

means for executing an operation in accordance with at least one of the control commands received by said receiving means; and

means for arbitrating the control commands received from said remote control devices to arbitrate a response delay time from the reception of the at least one of the control commands to the start of the physical movement of the member, said arbitrating means for arbitrating the control commands with a predetermined order of priority,

wherein said arbitrating means arbitrates the control commands so as to accept a control command from a remote control device having a higher priority and not to accept a control command from a remote control device having a lower priority.

9. A receiving device according to claim 8, wherein said arbitration means holds the control command given during the response delay time.

10. A receiving device according to claim 8, further comprising conversion means for converting an object image to an electrical signal and communication means for communicating the electrical signal converted by said conversion means.

11. A receiving device according to claim 10, wherein said conversion means converts to an electrical signal representing an animation.

12. A receiving device according to claim 8, wherein said arbitration means causes said receiving device to operate in accordance with the commands in a sequence in accordance with priorities of the control commands.

13. A receiving device according to claim 8, wherein said arbitration means controls said remote control devices such that the occurrence of a plurality of control commands from said remote control devices is prevented.

14. A receiving device according to claim 13, wherein said control means outputs a signal permitting the generation of the control command to each of said remote control devices.

15. A remote operating system comprising:

a remote operating device;

a main control device; and

a plurality of controlled devices connected to the main control device and controlled by said remote operating device,

wherein said remote operating device includes memory means for storing a control signal and an identification code, transmission permission signal receiving means for receiving a transmission permission signal from said main control device and control signal transmission means for transmitting the control signal together with the identification code stored in said memory means in accordance with the received transmission permission signal, and

said main control device includes transmission permission signal transmitting means for transmitting the transmission permission signal to said remote operating device, operation status managing means for managing an operation status of said controlled devices and control means for controlling said controlled devices on the basis of the managed operation status, the control signal and the identification code.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said controlled device includes control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from said remote operating device;

and

wherein said main control device includes control signal reading means for reading the control signal through said controlled device.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein said remote operating device includes determining means for determining the transmission permission signal, control signal storing means for storing the control signal, identification code setting means for setting an identification code, identification code storing means for storing the set identification code and adding means for adding the stored identification code to the control signal.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said main control device includes identification code discriminating means for discriminating whether the control signal from said remote operating device is to be accepted or not on the basis of the identification code and prioritizing means for prioritizing whether to control said controlled device or not in accordance with the received control signal, in accordance with the identification code.

19. A system according to claim 15, wherein said main control device includes display means for displaying the operation status of said controlled device.

20. A system according to claim 15, wherein said main control device includes determining means for determining whether a reception error has occurred in the control signal or not and informing means for informing the occurrence of the reception error to said remote operating device.

21. A system according to claim 15, wherein said main control device includes information transmitting means for transmitting information including the operation status of said controlled device to said remote operating device;

and

said remote operating device includes conversion means for converting the received information to visual information and display means for displaying the converted visual information.

22. A method for operating, using a remote operating device, a controlled device connected to a main control device, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a control signal and an identification code in a memory of the remote operating device,

receiving, using the remote operating device, a transmission permission signal from the main control device;

transmitting, from the remote operating device to the main control device, the control signal and the identification code stored in the memory in accordance with the received transmission permission signal;

transmitting, from the main control device to the remote operating device, the transmission permission signal;

managing an operation status of the controlled device; and

controlling the controlled device on the basis of the managed operation status, the control signal and the identification code.

23. A remote control system comprising:

a plurality of remote control devices each generating a control command and transmitting the control command to which an identification code specifying one of said plurality of remote control devices is added;

a receiving device for receiving the control commands and the identification codes from said remote control devices and operating in accordance with the control commands; and

a main control device for arbitrating the control commands received by said receiving device on the basis of the received identification codes.

24. A controlled apparatus connected to a main control device, which is utilized together with a plurality of remote control devices each transmitting a control command together with an identification code specifying one of the plurality of remote control devices, comprising:

transmission permission signal transmitting means for transmitting a transmission permission signal to allow a remote control device having a specific identification code to transmit the control command;

receiving means for receiving the control command from the remote control device having the specific identification code which received the transmission permission signal;

means for interpreting the control command received by said receiving means; and

means for executing an operation in accordance with the control command interpreted by said interpreting means.

25. A remote control apparatus for controlling a plurality of controlled devices, comprising:

input means for inputting a control command and an identification code specifying said remote control apparatus;

storing means for storing the input control command and the identification code;

receiving means for receiving a transmission permission signal from each of said controlled devices; and

transmission means for transmitting the control command together with the identification code stored in said storing means to said controlled device which transmitted the transmission permission signal in accordance with the received transmission permission signal.

26. A remote control apparatus for controlling a plurality of controlled devices connected to a main control device, comprising:

input means for inputting a control command and an identification code specifying said remote control apparatus;

storing means for storing the input control command and the identification code;

receiving means for receiving a transmission permission signal from said main control device; and

transmission means for transmitting the control command together with the identification code stored in said storing means to said main control device in accordance with the received transmission permission signal.

27. A remote control system comprising:

a plurality of wireless remote control devices; and

plural kinds of controlled devices,

wherein each of said plurality of remote control devices generates wireless control commands, each of which controls one of the plural kinds of controlled devices,

each of said controlled devices receives the control commands from said remote control devices and operates in accordance with the received control commands,

said plurality of controlled devices arbitrate the control commands by sending an arbitration command to at least some of said plurality of wireless remote control devices, and

said at least some of said plurality of wireless remote control devices receive the arbitration command and refrain from generating control commands in response to the arbitration command.

28. A remote control system comprising:

a wireless remote control device; and

plural kinds of controlled devices,

wherein said remote control device generates wireless control commands, each of which controls one of the plural kinds of controlled devices, and

each of said controlled devices receives the control commands from said remote control device and operates in accordance with the received control commands,

at least one of said controlled devices arbitrates the control commands that are generated by said first remote control device by sending an arbitration command to the remote control device, and

said wireless remote control device receives the arbitration command and refrains from generating certain control commands in response to the arbitration command.