Remote controlling system, electronic device, and controlling method

• US 8,139,942 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsurumoto, Takashi, Nakano, Masahiro, Katsuyama, Akira, Ikeda, Yasuhisa, Nakamura, Tetsuya, Kikuchi, Kazunori, Yamasaki, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Shi K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jacob, Oommen
• Application Number:
  US12/231,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 398/108, 398115-116
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114

Abstract

A remote controlling system is disclosed. An infrared remote controller generates a first serial signal containing a command corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation and outputs the first serial signal by infrared communication. A radio remote controller generates a code signal containing a key number corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation and outputs the code signal by radio communication. An electronic device includes a light receiving section, a radio receiving section, a selecting section, and a controlling section.

Claims

1. A remote controlling system, comprising:

an infrared remote controller which generates a first serial signal containing a command corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation and outputs the first serial signal by infrared communication;

a radio remote controller which generates a code signal containing a key number corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation and outputs the code signal by radio communication; and

an electronic device having;

a light receiving section which receives the first serial signal and outputs the first serial signal,

a radio receiving section which receives the code signal, converts the code signal into a second serial signal containing a command corresponding to the key number, and generates a control signal which denotes that the code information has been received, and outputs the second serial signal and the control signal,

a selecting section which receives the first serial signal, the second serial signal and the control signal and which selects one of the first serial signal and the second serial signal based on the control signal and outputs the selected serial signal such that while the control signal is being supplied, the selecting section selects the second serial signal, and

a controlling section which controls the electronic device based on the first serial signal or the second serial signal selected by the selecting section,

wherein the radio receiving section starts converting the code signal into the second serial signal after the radio receiving section has started generating the control signal and a predetermined time has elapsed, and

the radio receiving section completes generating the control signal after the radio receiving section has completed outputting the second serial signal to the selecting section and a predetermined time has elapsed.

2. The remote controlling system as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the radio receiving section has a serial converting section which converts the code signal into the second serial signal, and

wherein the serial converting section generates the control signal based on the code signal.

3. The remote controlling system as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the radio receiving section starts generating the control signal when the code signal is input.

4. An electronic device comprising:

a light receiving section which receives a first serial signal containing a command corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation for a first remote controller by infrared communication and outputs the first serial signal;

a radio receiving section which receives a code signal containing a key number corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation for a second remote controller by radio communication, converts the code signal into a second serial signal containing a command corresponding to the key number, and generates a control signal which denotes that the code information has been received, and outputs the second serial signal and the control signal;

a selecting section which receives the first serial signal, the second serial signal and the control signal and which selects one of the first serial signal and the second serial signal based on the control signal and outputs the selected serial signal such that while the control signal is being supplied, the selecting section selects the second serial signal; and

a controlling section which controls the electronic device based on the command contained either in the first serial signal or the second serial signal selected by the selecting section,

wherein the radio receiving section starts converting the code signal into the second serial signal after the radio receiving section has started generating the control signal and a predetermined time has elapsed, and

the radio receiving section completes generating the control signal after the radio receiving section has completed outputting the second serial signal to the selecting section and a predetermined time has elapsed.

5. A controlling method for controlling an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first serial signal containing a command corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation for a first remote controller by infrared communication and outputting the first serial signal;

receiving by use of a radio receiving section a code signal containing a key number corresponding to a user'"'"'s operation for a second remote controller, converting the code signal into a second serial signal containing a command corresponding to the key number, and generating a control signal which denotes that the code information has been received, and outputting the second. serial signal and the control signal;

selecting by use of a selecting section one of the first serial signal and the second serial signal based on the control signal and outputting the selected serial signal such that while the control signal is being supplied, the second serial signal is selected; and

controlling the electronic device based on the command contained either in the first serial signal or the second serial signal selected at the selecting step,

wherein the radio receiving section starts converting the code signal into the second serial signal after the radio receiving section has started generating the control signal and a predetermined time has elapsed, and

the radio receiving section completes generating the control signal after the radio receiving section has completed outputting the second serial signal to the selecting section and a predetermined time has elapsed.