Remote controller and method for presetting control data therein

• US 5,745,068 A
• Filed: 03/10/1994
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Toshiyuki, Yano, Hajime, Takiguchi, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/208,384
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 341/173, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

A remote controller that has preset therein control signals of various formats/code systems in correspondence with different kinds of electronic equipment and of different manufacturers detects the control signal from another remote controller typically used with the electronic equipment, compares it with the preset data, selects a predetermined signal from the preset data and stores it in a memory for use in controlling the electronic equipment. Identifier codes may also be stored in the memory to save memory capacity. With only one input operation, all control signals in the same category, such as channel codes for a television, may be learned and stored in the memory in correspondence with the respective keys. Provision is made to determine whether the input control signal is in the form of a toggle code, thereby executing the learn function for control signals that include the toggle code.

Claims

1. A remote controller having a plurality of operating buttons for causing predetermined control signals to be transmitted to electronic equipment in response to operation of said operating button to execute respective operations of said electronic equipment, comprising:

input means for receiving a control signal output from another remote controller;

decoder means for decoding the control signal received by said input means;

first storage means for storing as preset data control signals of a plurality of signal structures associated with different units of the electronic equipment;

second storage means for storing one of the predetermined control signals and identifier codes representative of the control signals associated with each of the plurality of operating buttons;

analyzer means for analyzing the received control signal from said input means and for determining whether a signal structure and a control content of the control signal are in the form of a toggle code; and

control means responsive to said analyzer means determining the control signal to be a toggle code having a portion thereof alternately changed in value in response to successive operations of said operating button and storing the control signal in said second storage means in correspondence with a predetermined one of said operating buttons, wherein if one of the operating buttons corresponding to the control signal stored in said second storage means is operated in an operational mode, the control signal is outputted and transmitted, while the portion of the control signal is changed in response to the number of operational times.

2. A remote controller having a plurality of operating elements for operational input to transmit predetermined control signals to units of electronic equipment in response the operation of said operating elements, to thereby cause the units of electronic equipment to execute respective operations, comprising:

input means for detecting a control signal output from another remote controller;

storage means for storing the control signals in correspondence with associated ones of said operating elements;

analysis means for analyzing the control signal detected by said input means and for determining whether a signal structure and a control content of the control signal are in the form of a toggle code; and

control means, wherein if the inputted control signal is determined to be in the form of the toggle code by the analyzing means, and said control means determines said control signal to be the toggle code having a portion thereof alternately changed in value in response to successive operations of said operating elements, said control means causes the control signal to be stored in said storage means in correspondence with a predetermined one of said operating elements, and

wherein if one of the operating elements corresponding to the control signal stored in said storage means as the toggle code is operated in an operational mode, the control signal is output and transmitted while the portion of the control signal is changed in response to the number of operational times.

3. A method of presetting the toggle codes to a remote controller having operating buttons, comprising the steps of:

decoding an input control signal from another remote controller;

comparing a decoded signal with each preset data that was stored in a first storage memory;

determining agreement between the decoded signal and some preset data, referring to a toggle library in said first storage memory on the basis of the results of the determination;

discriminating whether the control signal is in the form of the toggle code; and

in the case of the control signal being determined to be in the form of the toggle code storing the control signal at a predetermined address in a second storage memory in correspondence with a predetermined one of the operating buttons,

wherein if one of the operating buttons corresponding to the control signal stored in the second storage memory as the toggle code is operated in an operational mode, the control signal is outputted and transmitted having a portion of the control signal alternately changed in value in response to successive operations of said one of the operating buttons.

4. A method of presetting toggle codes to remote controller having operating buttons, comprising the steps of:

decoding a inputted control signal from another remote controller;

comparing the decoded signal and each preset data stored in a first storage memory in advance;

if the inputted control signal is determined to be in the form of the toggle code by analysis, determining said control signal to be the toggle code having a portion thereof alternately changed in value in response to successive operation of said operating buttons and storing the control signal in a second storage memory in correspondence with a predetermined one of the operating buttons,

wherein if one of the operating buttons corresponding to the control signal stored in said second storage memory as the toggle code is operated in an operational mode, the control signal is outputted and transmitted while the portion of the control signal is changed in response to the number of operational times.