Transmitter for remote control with operation switches having changeably displayed forms

• US 5,038,401 A
• Filed: 03/30/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Inotsume, Fusako
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Application Number:
  US07/501,984
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 455/92, 455/95, 455/100, 455/151, 455/154, 455/158, 455/352, 455/355, 455/603, 340/712, 340/722, 340/723, 341/23, 358/194.1
• US Class Current: 455/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0016 Indicating arrangements digital indication of tuning in general H03J1/048
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/25 Remote control device with display

Abstract

In the transmitter for remote control, a frequency at which an individual key switch is operated is counted, and a display formation of operation contents corresponding to the individual key switches is changed in accordance with the frequency. The changed operation contents are displayed by a display panel. The display formation includes the size, density, color, and sequence of operation menu displayed in the display panel. By using a transparent touch panel type display panel, an arrangement formation of the individual key switches can also be changed in accordance with the frequency at which they are used. The arrangement formation of the individual key switches includes the size and sequence of the individual key switches. In this way, an operator can easily find the operation menu on the display panel and easily operate key switches corresponding to frequently used key switches.

Claims

1. A transmitter for remote control comprising:

switching means for inputting an operation instruction, including a plurality of operation switches;

control means electrically connected to said switching means, said control means controlling generation of a remote control signal corresponding to an operation instruction which is inputted by said switching means;

remote control signal generation means electrically connected to said control means, said remote control signal generation means being controlled by said control means such that it generates the remote control signal corresponding to said operation instruction which is inputted by said switching means and externally outputs the generated signal; and

display means electrically connected to said control means, said display means displaying operation instruction images expressing the operation instructions in a form corresponding to the arrangement form of said plurality of operation switches of said switching means;

said control means including;

counting means for counting an input frequency of an individual operation instruction inputted into said switching means; and

changing means for changing display formation of said operation instruction images displayed on said display means and/or an arrangement formation of said plurality of operation switches in said switching means in accordance with said input frequency.

2. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 1, wherein said counting means includes switch operation frequency counting means for counting the number of times when each individual operation switch in said plurality of operation switches is operated within a predetermined period of time, and said changing means includes display formation control means for changing a display formation of said operation instruction images displayed by said display means in accordance with said number of times.

3. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 1, wherein a display formation of said operation instruction images expressing remote control contents includes a shape, density, size, color, and/or sequence of said operation instruction images, and a combination thereof.

4. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of operation switches comprise transparent touch panel switches which are provided on said operation instruction images, and wherein said control means includes switch operation frequency counting means for counting the number of times when each individual switch in said plurality of operation switches is operated within a predetermined period of time, and input formation control means for changing the arrangement formation of said plurality of operation switches placed on the operation instruction images displayed by said display means in accordance with said number of times.

5. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement formation of said plurality of operation switches includes a shape and/or sequence of said operation switches, and a combination thereof.

6. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 2 or 4, wherein said control means includes switch operation frequency counting means having a timer and counter for said every operation switch and memory means for storing said number of times after each predetermined period of time has elapsed.

7. A transmitter for remote control according to claim 2 or 4, wherein said control means includes storage means for storing respective switch numbers of said plurality of operation switches operated within a fixed period of time by sequentially updating said switch numbers, said switch operation frequency counting means including a counter for totaling the numbers of frequency of occurrence of said switch numbers of said plurality of operation switches stored in said storage means for each switch, and said memory means including total memory means for storing a total of the numbers of said plurality of operation switches.