Remote-controlled apparatus, a remote control system, and a remote-controlled image-processing apparatus

• US 7,023,498 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• 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: Ishihara, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US10/290,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter (30) receives a voice signal (S) by means of infrared rays (RV) from a remote control transmitter, and then performs voice recognition. An item of control information indicated by a recognized word (W) is converted into a control code (C) in the same format as that of a control code indicated by a remote control signal (RK). The control codes are entered into a remote control pulse selector (23) as respective remote control pulses P1 and P2 in the common format. The remote control pulse selector (23) enters exclusively one of the remote control pulses P1 and P2 into a remote control pulse decoder (24) in response to a remote-control-pulse switching signal (N).

Claims

1. A remote-controlled apparatus comprising:

(A) a remote control receiver for receiving a remote control signal and converting the remote control signal into first remote control pulses;

(B) a voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter for receiving a voice signal, selecting a control code corresponding to the voice signal, converting the control code into second remote control pulses, and sending out a switching signal for selecting the second remote control pulses a predetermined first time interval before sending out the second remote control pulses, thereafter, sending the second remote control pulses, and stopping of sending out the switching signal a predetermined second time interval after sending out the second remote control pulses;

(C) a remote control pulse selector for selecting the second remote control pulses in accordance with the switching signal, and for selecting the first remote control pulses in accordance with no switching signal; and

(D) a remote-control-pulse processing section for decoding the remote control pulses selected by said remote control pulse selector into the control code and performing the control over operations according to the control code.

2. A remote-controlled apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

(A) said voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter comprises:

(a) a dictionary including objects of voice recognition;

(b) a voice recognition section for calculating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and each of said objects of voice recognition, and selecting one of a candidate for said object of voice recognition corresponding to said voice signal and an error code on the basis of the degrees of similarity;

(c) a control code storage section for storing control codes each corresponding to said object of voice recognition and said error code; and

(d) an output controller for reading a control code corresponding to one of the candidate for said object of voice recognition and said error code from said control code storage section, converting the control code into said second remote control pulses, and sending out said second remote control pulses to said remote control pulse selector together with said switching signal; and

(B) said remote-control-pulse processing section comprises;

(a) a remote control pulse decoder for decoding the remote control pulses selected by said remote control pulse selector, and converting the remote control pulses into a corresponding control code;

(b) a control data storage section for storing control data and commands each corresponding to said control codes; and

(c) a device controller for reading from said control data storage section an item of the control data and/or commands corresponding to the control code that said remote control pulse decoder decodes into, and performing a predetermined control over operations on the basis of the item of control data and/or commands.

3. A remote-controlled apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

(A) said remote-controlled apparatus comprises a parameter storage section including a piece of nonvolatile media;

(B) said voice recognition section sends out voice recognition parameters to said output controller;

(C) said control code storage section stores control codes corresponding to said voice recognition parameters;

(D) said output controller reads said control code from said control code storage section, converts the control code into said second remote control pulses, and sends out the second remote control pulses to said remote control pulse selector;

(E) said control data storage section stores said voice recognition parameters corresponding to said control codes; and

(F) said device controller reads from said control data storage section said voice recognition parameters corresponding to said control code that said remote control pulse decoder decodes into, and writes the voice recognition parameters into said parameter storage section.

4. A remote-controlled apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter comprises:

(A) a voice input section for receiving a user'"'"'s voice and converting the voice into said voice signal; and

(B) a startup controller for starting said voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter according to the amplitude of said voice signal.

5. A remote control system comprising a remote-controlled apparatus and a remote control transmitter for transmitting a remote control signal, wherein said remote control transmitter comprises:

(a) a voice input section for receiving a user'"'"'s voice and converting the voice into a voice signal; and

(b) a wireless transmitter for modulating a carrier based on supersonic waves, infrared rays, or radio waves, according to said voice signal and transmitting the carrier, and said remote-controlled apparatus comprises;

(A) a remote control receiver for receiving the remote control signal and converting the remote control signal into first remote control pulses;

(B) a voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter for receiving the carrier, decoding the carrier into the voice signal, selecting a control code corresponding to the voice signal, converting the control code into second remote control pulses, and sending out a switching signal for selecting the second remote control pulses a predetermined first time interval before sending out the second remote control pulses, thereafter, sending the second remote control pulses, and stopping of sending out the switching signal a predetermined second time interval after sending out the second remote control pulses;

(C) a remote control pulse selector for selecting the second remote control pulses in accordance with the switching signal, and for selecting the first remote control pulses in accordance with no switching signal; and

(D) a remote-control-pulse processing section for decoding the remote control pulses selected by said remote control pulse selector into the control code and performing the control over operations according to the control code, and wherein said voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter includes;

(a) a wireless receiver for receiving said carrier; and

(b) a startup controller for starting said voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter according to the amplitude of said carrier.

6. An image-processing apparatus comprising a screen display section and a remote-controlled apparatus, wherein said remote-controlled apparatus comprises:

(A) a remote control receiver for receiving a remote control signal and converting the remote control signal into first remote control pulses;

(B) a voice-signal/remote-control-pulse converter comprising;

(a) a dictionary including objects of voice recognition;

(b) a voice recognition section for receiving a voice signal, calculating the degree of similarity between said voice signal and each of said objects of voice recognition, and selecting one of a candidate for said object of voice recognition corresponding to said voice signal and an error code on the basis of the degrees of similarity;

(c) a control code storage section for storing control codes each corresponding to said object of voice recognition and said error code; and

(d) an output controller for reading a control code corresponding to one of the candidate for said object of voice recognition and said error code from said control code storage section, converting the control code into said second remote control pulses, and sending out a switching signal for selecting the second remote control pulses a predetermined first time interval before sending out the second remote control pulses, thereafter, sending the second remote control pulses, and stopping of sending out the switching signal a predetermined second time interval after sending out the second remote control pulses;

(C) a remote control pulse selector for selecting the second remote control pulses in accordance with the switching signal, and for selecting the first remote control pulses in accordance with no switching signal; and

(D) a remote-control-pulse processing section comprising;

(a) a remote control pulse decoder for decoding the remote control pulses selected by said remote control pulse selector, and converting the remote control pulses into a corresponding control code;

(b) a control data storage section for storing the control data and commands for said screen display section and view data to be displayed by said screen display section in a manner of establishing respective correspondences with predetermined control codes; and

(c) device controller for reading from said control data storage section said view data corresponding to the control code that said remote control pulse decoder decodes said second remote control pulses into, and causes said screen display section to display the view data, and wherein said screen display section displays a predetermined image under the control of said device controller.

7. An image-processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said view data include text data.

8. An image-processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said view data include image data.