Remote control device

• US 7,139,562 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Gantetsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches, Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/663,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 455/419, 455/456, 455/404.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/418, 455/435.1, 340/825.37, 340/825.4, 340/426.13, 340/5.53
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/71 Directional beams
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A remote control device, which controls any of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal for controlling a target apparatus in response to a user operation, detects a position of the remote control device and generates self-position information indicating the position, and specifies one of the apparatuses that is the closest in distance from the remote control device, as the target apparatus, based on the generated self-position information and a predetermined criterion. When the remote control device detects a user operation, the remote control device transmits a remote control signal corresponding to the detected user operation.

Claims

1. A remote control device that controls any of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal for controlling a target apparatus in response to a user operation, comprising:

a self-position detecting unit operable to detect a position of the remote control device and generate self-position information indicating the position;

an apparatus specifying unit operable to specify one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus, based on the generated self-position information and a predetermined criterion;

a control operation detecting unit operable to detect a user operation;

a transmitting unit operable to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to the detected user operation;

an apparatus position obtaining unit operable to obtain apparatus position information indicating positions of the apparatuses, wherein the apparatus specifying unit specifies one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus based on (i) a distance between the remote control device and the obtained apparatus position information for each of the apparatuses, the distance being calculated by referring to the obtained apparatus position information and the generated self-position information, and (ii) the predetermined criterion, wherein the predetermined criterion is a positional relation between the remote control device and each of the apparatuses; and

wherein the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, an apparatus that is closest in distance to the remote control device out of the apparatuses;

a switch operation detecting unit operable to detect a user operation for switching the target apparatus, wherein

when the switch operation detecting unit detects the user operation for switching the target apparatus after at least one of the apparatuses has already been specified, the apparatus specifying unit newly specifies, as the target apparatus, an apparatus that is next closest in distance to the remote control device with respect to a last specified apparatus, and

the remote control signal transmitted from the transmitting unit is for controlling the newly specified apparatus and corresponding to the user operation detected by the controlling operation detecting unit.

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

an apparatus information obtaining unit operable to obtain apparatus information corresponding to an apparatus specified as the target apparatus by the apparatus specifying unit; and

an image displaying unit operable to display an image, every time the apparatus specifying unit newly specifies one of the apparatuses, based on the apparatus information corresponding to the newly specified apparatus.

3. A remote control device according to claim 2, wherein

the apparatus information obtaining unit makes a request to the apparatus for the apparatus information of the apparatus and obtains the apparatus information from the apparatus by communicating with the apparatus specified by the apparatus specifying unit;

and

the transmitting unit transmits a remote control signal determined based on the obtained apparatus information corresponding to the newly specified apparatus, the remote control signal corresponding to the operation detected by the control operation detecting unit.

4. A remote control device according to claim 1, wherein

the switch operation detecting unit detects the user operation for switching the target apparatus by sensing a vibration stronger than a predetermined intensity.

9. A remote control device according to claim 1,

wherein the self-position information also indicates a facing direction of the remote control device, the facing direction corresponding to a direction in which the transmitting unit transmits the remote control signals mainly, and

the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, an apparatus that is closest in distance to the remote control device out of the apparatuses positioned in an area within a predetermined angle in the facing direction of the remote control device.

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

a record storing unit operable to store an operation history of an apparatus specified as the target apparatus by the apparatus specifying unit, when the control operation detecting unit detects the user operation, wherein

according to the operation history stored in the record storing unit, the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, one of the apparatuses whose distance to the remote control device is closer than a predetermined distance.

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

a time unit for keeping time, wherein

according to the time indicated by the time unit, the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, one of the apparatuses whose distance to the remote control device is closer than a predetermined distance.

5. A remote control device that controls any of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal for controlling a target apparatus in response to a user operation, comprising:

a self-position detecting unit operable to detect a position of the remote control device and generate self-position information indicating the position;

an apparatus specifying unit operable to specify one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus, based on the generated self-position information and a predetermined criterion;

a control operation detecting unit operable to detect a user operation;

a transmitting unit operable to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to the detected user operation;

an apparatus position obtaining unit operable to obtain apparatus position information indicating positions of the apparatuses, wherein the apparatus specifying unit specifies one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus based on (i) a distance between the remote control device and the obtained apparatus position information for each of the apparatuses, the distance being calculated by referring to the obtained apparatus position information and the generated self-position information, and (ii) the predetermined criterion, wherein the predetermined criterion is a positional relation between the remote control device and each of the apparatuses;

wherein the self-position information also indicates a facing direction of the remote control device, the facing direction corresponding to a direction in which the transmitting unit transmits the remote control signals mainly, and

the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, an apparatus that is closest in distance to the remote control device out of the apparatuses positioned in an area within a predetermined angle in the facing direction of the remote control device.

6. A remote control device that controls any of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal for controlling a target apparatus in response to a user operation, comprising:

a self-position detecting unit operable to detect a position of the remote control device and generate self-position information indicating the position;

an apparatus specifying unit operable to specify one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus, based on the generated self-position information and a predetermined criterion;

a control operation detecting unit operable to detect a user operation;

a transmitting unit operable to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to the detected user operation;

an apparatus position obtaining unit operable to obtain apparatus position information indicating positions of the apparatuses, wherein the apparatus specifying unit specifies one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus based on (i) a distance between the remote control device and the obtained apparatus position information for each of the apparatuses, the distance being calculated by referring to the obtained apparatus position information and the generated self-position information, and (ii) the predetermined criterion, wherein the predetermined criterion is a positional relation between the remote contol device and each of the apparatuses; and

a record storing unit operable to store an operation history of an apparatus specified as the target apparatus by the apparatus specifying unit, when the control operation detecting unit detects the user operation, wherein

according to the operation history stored in the record storing unit, the apparatus specifying unit specifics, as the target apparatus, one of the apparatuses whose distance to the remote control device is closer than a predetermined distance.

7. A remote control device that controls any of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal for controlling a target apparatus in response to a user operation, comprising:

a self-position detecting unit operable to detect a position of the remote control device and generate self-posititon information indicating the position;

an apparatus specifying unit operable to specify one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus, based on the generated self-position information and a predetermined criterion;

a control operation detecting unit operable to detect a user operation;

a transmitting unit operable to transmit a remote control signal corresponding to the detected user operation;

an apparatus position obtaining unit operable to obtain apparatus position information indicating positions of the apparatuses, wherein the apparatus specifying unit specifies one of the apparatuses as the target apparatus based on (i) a distance between the remote control device and the obtained apparatus position information for each of the apparatuses, the distance being calculated by referring to the obtained apparatus position information and the generated self-position information, and (ii) the predetermined criterion, wherein the predetermined criterion is a positional relation between the remote control device and each of the apparatuses; and

a time unit for keeping time, wherein

according to the time indicated by the time unit, the apparatus specifying unit specifies, as the target apparatus, one of the apparatuses whose distance to the remote control device is closer than a predetermined distance.

8. A remote control device for controlling any one of a plurality of apparatuses by transmitting a remote control signal of a predetermined format that activates a selected apparatus in response to a user operation, comprising:

a remote control housing member having user interface controls;

a transmitting unit operatively connected to the user interface controls for transmitting a wireless remote control signal;

a self-position detecting unit in the remote control housing member that detects a spatial location of the remote control device and provides a corresponding signal representative of a physical location; and

an apparatus specifying unit for prioritizing, when more than one of the plurality of apparatus are within an operative range of the transmitting unit, one of the plurality apparatus based on the corresponding signal representative of the physical location of the remote control housing member and predetermined criterion entered into the remote control device, wherein a first in order of priority apparatus from the plurality of apparatus has the user interface controls automatically customized to the control characteristics of the first in order of prioritized apparatus and the transmitting unit automatically transmits a wireless remote control signal of a predetermined format for controlling the prioritized apparatus when a user activates the interface controls;

wherein the predetermined criterion provides the spatial locations of the plurality of apparatus within the operative range of the transmitting unit;

wherein the apparatus specifying unit prioritizes those plurality of apparatus within the operating range of the transmitting unit based on the physically closest distance apparatus to the remote device; and

a switch operation detecting unit that determines a user input, on the interface controls to automatically switch the remote control device to control an apparatus that is the next shortest in distance to the remote control device in the order of priority from the apparatus specifying unit.