COMMAND TRANSMITTING APPARATUS

• US 20080300701A1
• Filed: 01/21/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onkyo Technology Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: ONKYO Corporation (Onkyo Home Entertainment Corp.)
• Inventors: FUJIEDA, Akifumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/10 Distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A command transmitting apparatus includes: an input section having a first key and a second key; a mode setting section having a normal mode and a menu mode, shifting from the normal mode to the menu mode in response to an operation of the first key, and shifting from the menu mode to the normal mode after lapse of predetermined time which is the same as the predetermined time set in the content reproducing apparatus; a command transmitting section for transmitting the first command to the content reproducing apparatus in response to an operation on the first key; and a mode determining section for determining a mode set in the mode setting section when the second key is operated. When it is determined that the mode setting section is in the normal mode, the command transmitting section transmits a second command for controlling the normal mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus. When it is determined that the mode setting section is in the menu mode, the command transmitting section transmits a third command for controlling the menu mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus.

Claims

1. A command transmitting apparatus for transmitting a command to a content reproducing apparatus having a normal mode and a menu mode, shifting from the normal mode to the menu mode in response to a first command and, after lapse of predetermined time since the shift to the menu mode, shifting to the normal mode, comprising:

an input section having a first key and a second key;

a mode setting section having a normal mode and a menu mode, shifting from the normal mode to the menu mode in response to an operation of the first key, and shifting from the menu mode to the normal mode after lapse of predetermined time which is the same as the predetermined time set in the content reproducing apparatus;

a command transmitting section for transmitting the first command to the content reproducing apparatus in response to an operation on the first key; and

a mode determining section for determining a mode set in the mode setting section when the second key is operated,

wherein when it is determined that the mode setting section is in the normal mode, the command transmitting section transmits a second command for controlling the normal mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus and,

when it is determined that the mode setting section is in the menu mode, the command transmitting section transmits a third command for controlling the menu mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus.

2. The command transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the content reproducing apparatus executes a predetermined process in response to the first command or the third command in the menu mode, the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode is extended, and

when the first key or the second key is operated in the menu mode, the mode setting section extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode only by the same time as the extended time of the content reproducing apparatus.

3. The command transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input section further comprises a cancellation key, and

when the cancellation key is operated, the mode setting section shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode irrespective of whether the predetermined time has elapsed or not.

4. The command transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when reproducing of content starts, the content reproducing apparatus shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode, and transmits reproducing start notification to the command transmitting apparatus,

the command transmitting apparatus further comprises a receiving section for receiving the reproducing start notification, and

when the reproducing start notification is received, the mode setting section shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode irrespective of whether the predetermined time has elapsed or not.

5. The command transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second key is a skip key,

the second command is a skip command for changing content selected by the content reproducing apparatus to forward/backward content, and

the third command is a cursor command for moving a cursor on a menu screen of the content reproducing apparatus.

6. The command transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input section further includes a third key,

the command transmitting section transmits the fourth command to the content reproducing apparatus in response to an operation on the third key,

in the menu mode, in response to the fourth command the content reproducing apparatus executes a predetermined process and extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode,

in the normal mode, in response to the fourth command the content reproducing apparatus executes the predetermined process and shifts to the menu mode,

when the third key is operated in the menu mode, the mode setting section extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode only by the same time as the extended time of the content reproducing apparatus, and

when the third key is operated in the normal mode, the mode setting section shifts from the normal mode to the menu mode.

7. A computer program instructing a computer to perform an operation of a command transmitting apparatus for transmitting a command to a content reproducing apparatus having a normal mode and a menu mode, shifting from the normal mode to the menu mode in response to a first command and, after lapse of predetermined time since the shift to the menu mode, shifting to the normal mode, the command transmitting apparatus comprising an input section having a first key and a second key,

the computer program comprising:

a mode setting step of shifting from the normal mode to the menu mode in response to an operation of the first key, and shifting from the menu mode to the normal mode after lapse of predetermined time which is the same as the predetermined time set in the content reproducing apparatus;

a command transmitting step of transmitting the first command to the content reproducing apparatus in response to an operation on the first key; and

a mode determining step of determining a mode set in the mode setting step when the second key is operated,

wherein when it is determined that the mode setting step is in the normal mode, the command transmitting step transmits a second command for controlling the normal mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus and,

when it is determined that the mode setting step is in the menu mode, the command transmitting step transmits a third command for controlling the menu mode of the content reproducing apparatus to the content reproducing apparatus.

8. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein when the content reproducing apparatus executes a predetermined process in response to the first command or the third command in the menu mode, the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode is extended, and

when the first key or the second key is operated in the menu mode, the mode setting step extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode only by the same time as the extended time of the content reproducing apparatus.

9. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the input section further comprises a cancellation key, and

when the cancellation key is operated, the mode setting step shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode irrespective of whether the predetermined time has elapsed or not.

10. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein when reproducing of content starts, the content reproducing apparatus shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode, and transmits reproducing start notification to the command transmitting apparatus,

the computer program instructs the computer to further perform a receiving step of receiving the reproducing start notification, and

when the reproducing start notification is received, the mode setting step shifts from the menu mode to the normal mode irrespective of whether the predetermined time has elapsed or not.

11. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the second key is a skip key,

the second command is a skip command for changing content selected by the content reproducing apparatus to forward/backward content, and

the third command is a cursor command for moving a cursor on a menu screen of the content reproducing apparatus.

12. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein the input section further includes a third key,

the command transmitting step transmits the fourth command to the content reproducing apparatus in response to an operation on the third key,

in the menu mode, in response to the fourth command the content reproducing apparatus executes a predetermined process and extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode,

in the normal mode, in response to the fourth command the content reproducing apparatus executes the predetermined process and shifts to the menu mode,

when the third key is operated in the menu mode, the mode setting step extends the predetermined time until shift to the normal mode only by the same time as the extended time of the content reproducing apparatus, and

when the third key is operated in the normal mode, the mode setting step shifts from the normal mode to the menu mode.