Remote controller, remote control interface, and remote control system including a remote controller and a remote control interface

• US 6,160,491 A
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Toshiaki, Ikeda, Toshihisa, Kitao, Mitsuru, Nishioka, Minoru, Kurosaki, Toshihiko, Matsumoto, Mitsujiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asongwed, Anthony A.
• Application Number:
  US09/150,396
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.17, 340/825.52, 340/825.76, 359/148, 359/145, 359/142, 348/734, 455/151.4, 379/102
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/71 Directional beams

Abstract

A remote control system for controlling an electronic device includes a remote controller and a remote control interface. The remote controller includes a memory for storing a plurality of control data respectively indicating the relationship between a plurality of control signals and functions of the electronic device corresponding to the plurality of control signals; a trigger signal transmitter for transmitting a trigger signal for causing the electronic device to transmit a response signal which is specific to the type of the electronic device; a receiver for receiving the response signal; and a control signal transmitter for selecting control data specific to the type of the electronic device from the plurality of control data based on the response signal, generating one of the control signals, and transmitting the generated control signal. The remote control interface includes a receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from the remote controller; a signal generator for generating the response signal specific to the type of the electronic device; and a transmitter for, when the signal is a control signal, transmitting the control signal to the electronic device, and for, when the signal is a trigger signal demanding the response signal, transmitting the response signal to the remote controller.

Claims

1. A remote controller for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

a data generator for selectively generating a trigger signal and a control signal, said trigger signal being a signal for causing the electronic device to transmit a response signal which contains a plurality of control data respectively indicating relationships between a plurality of control signals and corresponding functions of the electronic device, and said control signal being a signal for causing the electronic device to perform a corresponding function;

a transmitter for selectively transmitting the trigger signal and the control signal generated by said data generator;

a receiver for receiving the response signal transmitted from the electronic device; and

a memory for storing the plurality of control data contained in the response signal received by said receiver;

wherein said data generator generates the control signal based on the plurality of control data stored in said memory.

2. A remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the response signal from the electronic device further contains font data indicating the functions of the electronic device, and the remote controller further comprises a display for displaying said font data.

3. A remote controller for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving from the electronic device a plurality of control data respectively indicating relationships between a plurality of control signals and corresponding functions of the electronic device;

a memory for storing the plurality of control data received by said receiver;

a data generator for generating, based on the plurality of control data stored in said memory, a control signal for causing the electronic device to perform a corresponding function; and

a transmitter for transmitting the control signal generated by said data generator to the electronic device.

4. A method of controlling an electronic device by a remote controller, comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory provided in the electronic device a plurality of control data respectively indicating relationships between a plurality of control signals and corresponding functions of the electronic device;

down-loading said plurality of control data from the electronic device into a memory provided in the remote controller; and

controlling the electronic device by the remote controller by producing, based on the control data stored in the memory provided in the remote controller, a control signal for causing the electronic device to perform a corresponding function and transmitting the control signal to the electronic device.

5. A remote controller for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

means for down-loading from the electronic device into a memory provided in the remote controller a plurality of control data respectively indicating relationships between a plurality of control signals and corresponding functions of the electronic device;

a data generator for generating a control signal based on the down-loaded plurality of control data stored in said memory; and

a transmitter for transmitting the control signal generated by said data generator to the electronic device.