Method of controlling remote control electronic apparatus coupled to a network and a remote control electronic apparatus to be coupled to a network

• US RE37,000 E
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Kono, Masanori, Shinyagaito, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/332,081
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 38/7, 38/734, 38/4, 38/9, 38/211, 38/743, 455/352
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/06 characterised by a protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 21/42212 Specific keyboard arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44582 the additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A method of controlling remote control electronic apparatus coupled to a network and a remote control electronic apparatus to be coupled to a network are disclosed. Each remote control electronic apparatus has a CPU and a ROM including a local control program expressed by an independent language which is interpretable by the CPU, a remote control program expressed by a virtual language, a virtual language processing program for processing the virtual language to make it interpretable by the CPU. When one remote control electronic apparatus is required to control another remote control electronic apparatus coupled to the network, the remote control electronic apparatus requests to transmit the remote control program of another remote control apparatus. The remote control electronic apparatus receiving the transmitted remote control program of another remote control apparatus generates an operation command signal using the received remote control program through the virtual language processing program and transmits the operation command signal to another remote control apparatus which is actually operated by the local control program existing in another remote control apparatus according to the operation command signal.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a plurality of electronic apparatus coupled to a network, each electronic apparatus having a microprocessor, a display, .Iadd..Iaddend..[.at least a.]. a memory, a remote control unit communication unit, and a functional unit effecting a plurality of functions, comprising the steps of:

providing a local control program.[.,.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.a remote control program.[.and a virtual language processing program.]. in said .[.at least a.]. memory of .Iadd.said .Iaddend.each electronic apparatus, .Iadd.and providing a virtual language processing program in said memory of at least one of said plurality of electronic apparatus .Iaddend., said local control program of said each electronic apparatus being provided to be executed by said microprocessor to control .Iadd.said .Iaddend.each electronic apparatus in response to an input operation signal from a remote control unit in cooperation with said remote control program through said remote control unit communication unit when said input operation signal is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said each electronic apparatus itself and to request another electronic apparatus to transmit said remote control program of said another electric apparatus through said network and receive said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus when said input operation signal is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus, said each local control program being expressed by each language interpretable by said microprocessor of .Iadd.said .Iaddend.each electronic apparatus, said remote control program of .Iadd.said .Iaddend.each electronic apparatus being provided to display an operation inputting interface image for selecting one of said plurality of functions of said each electronic apparatus in cooperation with said local control program of said each electronic apparatus, receive said input operation signal indicative of selecting said one of said plurality of functions from said remote control unit, and control said functional unit of said each electronic apparatus together with said local control program of said each electronic apparatus in accordance with said input operation signal indicative of selecting said one of functions, said remote control program including command and data which are expressed by a virtual language and being executed by said microprocessor through processing by said virtual language processing program, said virtual language being common in said network; and

when said microprocessor of one of said electronic apparatus receives said input operation signal indicative of a request for controlling said another electronic apparatus from said remote control unit, executing said local control program of said one of electronic apparatus to request said another electronic apparatus to transmit said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus, receiving and storing said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said .[.at least a.]. memory and executing said remote control program from said another electronic apparatus in said memory, displaying said operation inputting interface image on said display of said one of said electronic apparatus, receiving and transmitting said input operation signal indicative of selecting said one of functions of said another electronic apparatus from said remote control unit to said local control program of said another electronic apparatus through said network to effect one of said functions of said another electronic apparatus.

2. An electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network, comprising:

a microprocessor, a display, a RAM, a ROM, a remote control unit communication unit, a network interface unit, and a functional unit for effecting a plurality of functions,

wherein said ROM stores a local control program independently interpretable for said microprocessor, a remote control program including operation input interface image data for selecting one of said plurality of functions, and a virtual language processing program for interpreting said remote control program for said microprocessor, said microprocessor receives an input operation signal from a remote control unit via said remote control unit communication unit in cooperation with said local control program and said remote control program,

when said microprocessor receives said input operation signal indicative of a request for controlling another electronic apparatus from said remote control unit, in cooperation with said local control program of said electronic apparatus, said microprocessor requests said another electronic apparatus to transmit said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus through said network, receives and stores said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said RAM, said microprocessor executes said remote control program from said another electronic apparatus in said RAM using said virtual language processing program, displays said operation inputting interface image data of said another electronic apparatus on said display, and receives and transmits said input operation signal indicative of selecting said one of .Iadd.a .Iaddend.plurality of functions of said another electronic apparatus from said remote control unit to said another electronic apparatus through said network and said network interface unit to effect one of said functions of said another electronic apparatus through said local control program in said another electronic apparatus. .Iadd.3. A method of controlling a plurality of electronic apparatus coupled to a network, each electronic apparatus having a microprocessor, a memory, and a functional unit effecting a plurality of functions, comprising the steps of;

having a local control program and a remote control program in said memory of said each electronic apparatus, and having a virtual language processing program in said memory of at least one of said plurality of electronic apparatus, said local control program of said each electronic apparatus being executed by said microprocessor to control said each electronic apparatus in response to an input operation signal when said each electronic apparatus receives said input operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said each electronic apparatus itself, and said local control program of at least said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus requesting another electronic apparatus to load said remote control program of said another electric apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through said network, said each local control program being expressed by each language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said each electronic apparatus, said remote control program including command and data for controlling said functional unit of said each electronic apparatus itself in cooperation with said local control program, each remote control program being expressed by a virtual language which is common in said network and being executed by said microprocessor in said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through interpreting by said virtual language processing program,

for the purpose of controlling said another electronic apparatus from said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus in accordance with said input operation signal which is indicative of a request for controlling said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus, executing said local control program of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus to request said another electronic apparatus so as to load said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through said network,

receiving and storing said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, and executing said remote control program, which is loaded from said another electronic apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, to control said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus together with said local control program of said another electronic apparatus through said network..Iaddend..Iadd.4. An electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network, comprising;

a microprocessor, a memory, and a functional unit for effecting a plurality of functions,

wherein said memory stores a local control program and a virtual language processing program for interpreting a virtual language being common in said network, said virtual language processing program is executed by said microprocessor,

said local control program is executed by said microprocessor to control said electronic apparatus in response to an input operation signal when said electronic apparatus receives said input operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself, and said local control program requests said another electronic apparatus to load said remote control program of said another electric apparatus into said memory of said electronic apparatus through said network, said local control program is expressed by a language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said electronic apparatus,

in accordance with said input operation signal which is indicative of a request for controlling said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus, said microprocessor executes said local control program of said electronic apparatus to request said another electronic apparatus so as to load a remote control program of said another electronic apparatus into said memory through said network, said remote control program is expressed by said virtual language,

said microprocessor receives and stores said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory, and

by using said virtual language processing program, said microprocessor executes said remote control program, which is loaded from said another electronic apparatus into said memory, to control said function unit of said another electronic apparatus together with said local control program of said another electronic apparatus through said

3. network..Iaddend..Iadd. An electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network, comprising:

a microprocessor, a memory, and a functional unit for effecting a plurality of functions,

wherein said memory stores a local control program and a remote control program,

said local control program is executed by said microprocessor to control said electronic apparatus in response to an input operation signal when said electronic apparatus receives said input operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself, and said local control program is expressed by a language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said electronic apparatus,

said remote control program includes command and data for controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself in cooperation with said local control program, said remote control program is expressed by a virtual language which is common in said network, and

when said microprocessor receives a request for transmitting said remote control program of said electronic apparatus from said another electronic apparatus through said network, said microprocessor transmits said remote control program of said electronic apparatus to said another electronic a apparatus through said network..Iaddend..Iadd.6. A method of displaying an operation input interface image of a plurality of electronic apparatus coupled to a network, each electronic apparatus having a microprocessor, a memory, and a functional unit effecting a plurality of functions, and at least one of said plurality of electronic apparatus having a display and an operation device for operating one of said plurality of functions of said functional unit in cooperation with an operation input interface image displayed on said display, comprising the steps of;

having a local control program and a remote control program in said memory of said each electronic apparatus, and having a virtual language processing program in said memory of at least one of said plurality of said electronic apparatus, said local control program of said each electronic apparatus being executed by said microprocessor to control said each electronic apparatus in response to an operation signal from said operation device when said each electronic apparatus receives said operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said each apparatus itself, and said local control program of at least said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus requesting another electronic apparatus to load said remote control program of said another electric apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through said network, said each local control program being expressed by each language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said each electronic apparatus, said remote control program including command, data and said operation input interface image for controlling said functional unit of said each electronic apparatus itself in cooperation with said local control program, said remote control program being expressed by a virtual language which is common in said network and being executed by said microprocessor in said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through interpreting by said virtual language processing program,

for the purpose of controlling said another electronic apparatus from said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus in accordance with said input operation signal which is indicative of a request for controlling said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus, executing said local control program of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus to request said another electronic apparatus so as to load said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus through said network,

receiving and storing said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, and

executing said remote control program, which is loaded from said another electronic apparatus into said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, and displaying said operation input interface image of said another electronic apparatus on said display of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, in cooperation with said local control program of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus to control said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus by using said operation device of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus..Iaddend..Iadd.7. The method of displaying an operation input interface image of a plurality of electronic apparatus coupled to a network according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of;

when one of said plurality of functions of said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus is selected by using said operation device of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, receiving operation command by said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus, and transmuting operation command to said another electronic apparatus through said network by said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus,

receiving said operation command and executing said local control program of said another electronic apparatus for operating said function unit of said another electronic apparatus according to said operation command by said microprocessor of said another electronic apparatus,

generating and transmitting status information indicative of an operation status of said another electronic apparatus to said one of said plurality of electronic apparatus through said network by said another electronic apparatus, and

receiving said status information and displaying said status information of said another electronic apparatus on said display of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus by executing said local control program of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus and said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus by said microprocessor of said one of a plurality of electronic apparatus..Iaddend..Iadd.8. An electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network, comprising;

a microprocessor, a display, a memory, a functional unit for effecting a plurality of functions, and an operation device for operating one of said plurality of functions of said functional unit in cooperation with an operation input interface image on said display, wherein said memory stores a local control program and a virtual language processing program for interpreting a virtual language being common in said network, said virtual language processing program is executed by said microprocessor,

said local control program is executed by said microprocessor to control said electronic apparatus in response to an operation signal from said operation device when said electronic apparatus received said operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself and said local control program requests said another electronic apparatus to load said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus into said memory of said electronic apparatus through said network, said local control program expressed by a language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said electronic apparatus,

in accordance with said operation signal which is indicative of a request for controlling said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus, said microprocessor executes said local control program of said electronic apparatus to request said another electronic apparatus so as to load a remote control program of said another electronic apparatus into said memory through said network, said remote control program includes command, data and said operation input interface image for controlling said another electronic apparatus, and said remote control program is expressed by said virtual language,

said microprocessor receives and stores said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory, and

by using said virtual language processing program, said microprocessor executes said remote control program, which is loaded from said another electronic apparatus into said memory, and said microprocessor displays said operation inputting interface image of said another electronic apparatus on said display in cooperation with said local control program of said electronic apparatus to control said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus by using said operation device..Iaddend..Iadd.9. The electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network according to claim 8, wherein;

when one of said plurality of functions of said functional unit of said another electronic apparatus is selected by using said operation device, operation command is received by said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory and operation command is transmitted to said another electronic apparatus through said network,

when said microprocessor receives a status information indicative of an operation status of said another electronic apparatus through said network, said microprocessor displays said status information of said another electronic apparatus on said display by executing said local control program and said remote control program of said another electronic apparatus in said memory..Iaddend..Iadd.10. An electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network, comprising;

a microprocessor, a memory, a functional unit for effecting a plurality of functions,

wherein said memory stores a local control program and a remote control program, said local control program is executed by said microprocessor to control said electronic apparatus in response to an operation signal when said electronic apparatus receives said operation signal which is indicative of controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself, and said local control program is expressed by a language which can be directly executed by said microprocessor of said electronic apparatus,

said remote control program includes command and data for controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus itself in cooperation with said local control program,

said remote control program includes an operation input interface image for controlling said functional unit of said electronic apparatus, said remote control program is expressed by a virtual language which is common in said network, and

when said microprocessor receives a request for transmitting said remote control program of said electronic apparatus from said another electronic apparatus through said network, said microprocessor transmits said remote control program of said electronic apparatus to said another electronic

4. apparatus through said network..Iaddend..Iadd.11. The electronic apparatus to be coupled to another electronic apparatus through a network according to claim 10, wherein:

when said microprocessor receives an operation command of said functional unit from said another electronic apparatus through said network, said microprocessor executes said local control program for operating said functional unit according to said operation command, and

said electronic apparatus generates and transmits a status information indicative of an operation status of said electronic apparatus to said another electronic apparatus through said network..Iaddend.