Audio visual system

• US 7,378,984 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagata, Koichiro, Suzuki, Hidekazu, Yamada, Masazumi, Nio, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/732,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 348/705, 348/734, 348/706, 341/176, 398111-112, 370/450
• US Class Current: 340/12.51
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

On a display (100) end, maker codes and device codes are read from all STBs (110˜112) connected to the display (100) to create a connected-device table. When a user presses a button on a remote controller, the display receives a remote control code outputted from the remote controller, searches the connected-device table for a maker code and a device code that match the maker code and the device code included in the remote control code, controls a selector (105) so that a reception interface that is connected to an STB whose maker code and device code match those included in the remote control code is connected to a display section (102), thereby to display AV data transmitted from the STB on the display section (102).

Claims

1. An audio visual system comprising:

a display unit having a display section;

a plurality of video devices connected to the display unit; and

a plurality of remote controllers for controlling the respective video devices,

wherein a remote controller of the plurality of remote controllers transmits a remote control code to the display unit,

wherein, upon the remote control code being received by the display unit, the display unit (1) determines one of the plurality of video devices which corresponds to the remote controller, (2) transmits the remote control code to the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller, (3) extracts a command from the remote control code, and (4) determines whether the extracted command is a switching disable command or a switching enable command,

wherein, if the display unit determines that the extracted command is a switching enable command, the display unit connects the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller to the display section of the display unit, and

wherein, if the display unit determines that the extracted command is a switching disable command, the display unit does not switch a connection between the video devices and the display section of the display unit, and video data being displayed on the display section of the display unit is not required to change.

2. An audio visual system as defined in claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has one or more switching enable commands, and

the display unit obtains the one or more switching enable commands from each of the plurality of video devices and creates a switching enable command table, and connects the video device corresponding to the remote controller to the display section when the command extracted from remote control code includes a switching enable command that is included in the switching enable command table.

3. An audio visual system as defined in claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of maker ID information and device ID information, and transmits the maker ID information or the device ID information to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit creates a connected-device table on the basis of the maker ID information or the device ID information transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

4. An audio visual system as defined in claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of a vender ID and a device address, and transmits the vender ID or the device address to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit has at least one of maker ID information corresponding to vender IDs and device ID information corresponding to device addresses, creates a connected-device table on the basis of the vender IDs or the device addresses transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

5. An audio visual system as defined in claim 1, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is a digital interface.

6. An audio visual system as defined in claim 1, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is HDMI or DVI.

7. An audio visual system comprising:

a display unit having a display section;

a plurality of video devices connected to the display unit; and

a plurality of remote controllers for controlling the respective video devices,

wherein a remote controller of the plurality of remote controllers transmits a remote control code to the display unit,

wherein, upon the remote control code being received by the display unit, the display unit (1) determines one of the plurality of video devices which corresponds to the remote controller, (2) transmits the remote control code to the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller, (3) extracts a command from the remote control code, and (4) compares the extracted command to one or more stored switching disable commands and switching enable commands,

wherein, if the display unit determines that the extracted command corresponds to one of the one or more stored switching enable commands, the display unit connects the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller to the display section of the display unit, and

wherein, if the display unit determines that the extracted command corresponds to one of the one or more stored switching disable commands, the display unit does not switch a connection between the video devices and the display section of the display unit, and video data being displayed on the display section of the display unit is not required to change.

8. An audio visual system as defined in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of video devices has one or more switching enable commands, and

the display unit obtains the one or more switching enable commands from each of the plurality of video devices and creates a switching enable command table, and connects the video device corresponding to the remote controller to the display section when the command extracted from remote control code includes a switching enable command that is included in the switching enable command table.

9. An audio visual system as defined in claim 7, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of maker ID information and device ID information, and transmits the maker ID information or the device ID information to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit creates a connected-device table on the basis of the maker ID information or the device ID information transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

10. An audio visual system as defined in claim 7, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of a vender ID and a device address, and transmits the vender ID or the device address to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit has at least one of maker ID information corresponding to vender IDs and device ID information corresponding to device addresses, creates a connected-device table on the basis of the vender IDs or the device addresses transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

11. An audio visual system as defined in claim 7, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is a digital interface.

12. An audio visual system as defined in claim 7, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is HDMI or DVI.

13. An audio visual system comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of video devices connected to the display unit; and

a plurality of remote controllers for controlling the respective video devices,

wherein the display unit comprises a controller, a selector, and a display section connected to the selector,

wherein a remote controller of the plurality of remote controllers transmits a remote control code to the display unit,

wherein, upon the remote control code being received by the display unit, the controller (1) determines one of the plurality of video devices which corresponds to the remote controller, (2) transmits the remote control code to the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller, (3) extracts a command from the remote control code, and (4) determines whether the extracted command is a switching disable command or a switching enable command,

wherein, if the controller determines that the extracted command is a switching enable command, the controller sends a switching signal to the selector instructing the selector to perform a switching operation so as to connect the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller to the display section of the display unit, and

wherein, if the controller determines that the extracted command is a switching disable command, the controller does not send a switching signal to the selector, and video data being displayed on the display section of the display unit is not required to change.

14. An audio visual system as defined in claim 13, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has one or more switching enable commands, and

the display unit obtains the one or more switching enable commands from each of the plurality of video devices and creates a switching enable command table, and connects the video device corresponding to the remote controller to the display section when the command extracted from remote control code includes a switching enable command that is included in the switching enable command table.

15. An audio visual system as defined in claim 13, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of maker ID information and device ID information, and transmits the maker ID information or the device ID information to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit creates a connected-device table on the basis of the maker ID information or the device ID information transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

16. An audio visual system as defined in claim 13, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of a vender ID and a device address, and transmits the vender ID or the device address to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit has at least one of maker ID information corresponding to vender IDs and device ID information corresponding to device addresses, creates a connected-device table on the basis of the vender IDs or the device addresses transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

17. An audio visual system as defined in claim 13, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is a digital interface.

18. An audio visual system as defined in claim 13, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is HDMI or DVI.

19. An audio visual system comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of video devices connected to the display unit; and

a plurality of remote controllers for controlling the respective video devices,

wherein the display unit comprises a controller, a selector, and a display section connected to the selector,

wherein a remote controller of the plurality of remote controllers transmits a remote control code to the display unit,

wherein, upon the remote control code being received by the display unit, the controller (1) determines one of the plurality of video devices which corresponds to the remote controller, (2) transmits the remote control code to the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller, (3) extracts a command from the remote control code, and (4) compares the extracted command to one or more stored switching disable commands and switching enable commands,

wherein, if the controller determines that the extracted command corresponds to one of the one or more stored switching enable commands, the controller sends a switching signal to the selector instructing the selector to perform a switching operation so as to connect the one of the video devices determined to correspond to the remote controller to the display section of the display unit, and

wherein, if the controller determines that the extracted command corresponds to one of the one or more stored switching disable commands, the controller does not send a switching signal to the selector, and video data being displayed on the display section of the display unit is not required to change.

20. An audio visual system as defined in claim 19, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has one or more switching enable commands, and

the display unit obtains the one or more switching enable commands from each of the plurality of video devices and creates a switching enable command table, and connects the video device corresponding to the remote controller to the display section when the command extracted from remote control code includes a switching enable command that is included in the switching enable command table.

21. An audio visual system as defined in claim 19, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of maker ID information and device ID information, and transmits the maker ID information or the device ID information to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit creates a connected-device table on the basis of the maker ID information or the device ID information transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

22. An audio visual system as defined in claim 19, wherein

each of the plurality of video devices has at least one of a vender ID and a device address, and transmits the vender ID or the device address to the display unit after being connected to the display unit, and

the display unit has at least one of maker ID information corresponding to vender IDs and device ID information corresponding to device addresses, creates a connected-device table on the basis of the vender IDs or the device addresses transmitted from each of the plurality of video devices, and identifies the video device corresponding to the remote controller from the connected-device table using at least one of the maker ID information and the device ID information that is included in the remote control code outputted from the remote controller.

23. An audio visual system as defined in claim 19, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is a digital interface.

24. An audio visual system as defined in claim 19, wherein an interface means for connecting the display unit and the plurality of video devices is HDMI or DVI.