JP2006197377A - Remote control device and electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

In a remote control device for remotely operating an electronic device, remote control information can be acquired from an information storage medium (IC tag) attached to the electronic device body and set in the remote control device.
A remote controller 2 stores remote control information for remotely operating an electronic device 1 and is provided with an IC tag communication unit 23 for communicating with an IC tag 10 attached to the electronic device 1, and a plurality of operation keys. The operation input unit 24 includes a microcomputer 21 that acquires remote control information from the IC tag 10 and sets the remote control information in the remote control 2. The remote control information includes assignment destination designation information for designating a remote control code corresponding to each control command for controlling each function of the electronic device 1 and an operation key of the operation input unit 24 to which the remote control code is assigned. At least, the microcomputer 21 assigns and sets the remote control code to the operation key of the operation input unit 24 in accordance with the assignment destination designation information.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control device and an electronic device, more specifically, a remote control device and a non-contact IC tag that communicate with a non-contact IC tag provided in the electronic device and can acquire remote control information from the non-contact IC tag. The present invention relates to the provided electronic device.

  A conventional remote control device (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) employs a system in which an infrared LED and a light receiving IC for an infrared remote controller are mainly used to modulate and demodulate a transmission signal of a carrier wave that matches both of them. . Among such remote controllers, there is a so-called multi-remote controller that can operate a plurality of electronic devices with one remote controller. Examples of such electronic devices that can be operated by a multi-remote control include AV devices such as television devices, DVD recorders, VTRs, audio devices, air conditioners, fluorescent lights, electric fans, and the like.

  Normally, remote control-operable electronic devices are assigned specific remote control information in accordance with the manufacturer / device / function (for example, power operation of a 2000 television device manufactured by XX). By assigning and setting information to predetermined operation keys of the multi-remote controller, a plurality of electronic devices can be operated from the multi-remote controller. This multi-remote control includes a memory for setting remote control information, and stores the remote control information using infrared communication in a state facing a dedicated remote control of an electronic device to be operated.

Instead of the infrared communication, a communication method for performing wireless communication using a small non-contact IC tag capable of storing various information has been realized. For example, in Patent Document 1, when a user uses an electronic device, the IC tag storing the user's personal information possessed by the user and the electronic device perform wireless communication, and the user's personal information is automatically transmitted by the electronic device. The electronic device is automatically read and customized according to the user based on the personal information. Patent Document 2 discloses a remote control system in which a non-contact IC card chip is incorporated in a remote controller in a device system so that wireless communication can be performed between the device and the remote controller.
JP 2003-169247 A JP 2004-120641 A

  Here, in the multi-remote control described above, when the user loses the dedicated remote control for the electronic device to be operated, the remote control information of the electronic device cannot be set, so that the remote control cannot be operated. I will be invited.

  In order to cope with the situation as described above, it is conceivable to store remote control information in an information storage medium such as an IC tag instead of a dedicated remote control as a remote control information acquisition destination. As a result, even if the dedicated remote controller for the electronic device is lost, remote control information can be obtained from the IC tag and set in the remote control device. However, this is not considered in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a remote control (remote control) device for remotely operating an electronic device, remote control information from an information storage medium (IC tag) attached to the main body of the electronic device. It is made for the purpose of acquiring the password and setting it in the remote control device.

  In order to solve the above problems, a first technical means of the present invention is a remote control device for remotely operating an electronic device, wherein the remote control device stores remote control information for remotely operating the electronic device. And communication means for communicating with an information storage medium provided in the electronic device, means for acquiring remote control information from the information storage medium, and setting means for setting the acquired remote control information in the remote control device It is characterized by being.

  A second technical means includes the operation input means provided with a plurality of operation keys in the first technical means, and the remote control information corresponds to each control command for controlling each function provided in the electronic device. Remote control code, and assignment destination designation information for designating an operation key of the operation input means to which the remote control code is assigned.

  According to a third technical means, in the second technical means, the setting means assigns and sets the remote control code to an operation key of the operation input means in accordance with the assignment destination designation information. .

  According to a fourth technical means, in any one of the first to third technical means, the information storage medium includes an IC tag, and the communication means communicates with the IC tag via radio. It is a feature.

  A fifth technical means includes, in the fourth technical means, infrared communication means for communicating with the electronic device or other external device via infrared, and means for switching the communication means and the infrared communication means. It is characterized by being.

  Sixth technical means includes, in the fourth technical means, radio wave communication means for communicating with the electronic device or another external device via radio waves, and means for switching between the communication means and the radio wave communication means. It is characterized by being.

  A seventh technical means is the fourth technical means, comprising: infrared communication means for communicating with the electronic device or other external device via infrared; and communication with the electronic device or other external device via radio waves. And a means for switching between the communication means, the infrared communication means and the radio communication means.

  An eighth technical means is the sixth or seventh technical means, characterized in that a frequency band used by the radio wave communication means is different from a frequency band used by the communication means.

  A ninth technical means is an electronic apparatus provided with an information storage medium capable of communicating with the remote control device according to any one of the first to eighth technical means.

  According to the present invention, in a remote control device for remotely operating an electronic device, remote control information can be acquired from an information storage medium (IC tag) attached to the electronic device body and set in the remote control device. Even if the remote control of the target electronic device is lost, the remote control can be operated. Further, by acquiring assignment destination designation information that designates an assignment destination (operation key) of each function included in the electronic device, functions of the electronic device (for example, channel up / down, volume up / down, power on / off) Etc.) can be automatically assigned to predetermined operation keys.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a remote control system using an IC tag according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an electronic device to be remotely operated, 2 is an electronic device 1 remotely A remote control device (hereinafter referred to as a remote control) to be operated is shown. The electronic device 1 stores remote control information necessary for remotely operating the electronic device 1, and an information storage medium (hereinafter referred to as an IC tag) 10 provided in the electronic device 1, a microcomputer for controlling the electronic device 1 (Hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) 11 and a memory 12 for storing a control program of the electronic device 1 and various data.

  The remote controller 2 acquires (reads) remote controller information by communicating with the microcomputer 21 for controlling the remote controller 2, the memory 22 for storing the control program and various data of the remote controller 2, and the IC tag 10 via radio. The IC tag communication unit 23, the operation input unit 24 including a plurality of operation keys, and the operation signal transmission unit 25 that transmits an operation signal corresponding to the operation key pressed by the user to the electronic device 1 are provided. In this example, the case where the remote controller 2 communicates with the IC tag 10 of one electronic device 1 is shown. However, there may be a plurality of electronic devices 1, and in this case, remote control information of each electronic device 1 is stored. The stored IC tag 10 may be assigned to each electronic device 1. Thereby, for example, a plurality of different devices such as a television device, a DVD recorder, a VTR, an audio device, and an air conditioner can be remotely operated using the remote controller 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of the IC tag 10, and the IC tag 10 includes an RF circuit 10a, a control circuit 10b, and a memory 10c. The IC tag 10 is an RFID element, and is a small storage medium capable of storing various data. Since the IC tag 10 does not have a normal power supply, it receives radio waves from the remote controller 2 and generates power by a method such as electromagnetic induction. Further, the IC tag 10 may be connected to the microcomputer 11 so as to be communicable. In this case, remote control information of the electronic device 1 can be sent from the microcomputer 11 to the IC tag 10 and stored therein.

  The RF circuit 10a and the memory 10c are each connected to the control circuit 10b. The RF circuit 10a is an analog circuit for receiving radio waves from the remote controller 2 shown in FIG. 1, and the control circuit 10b is a digital circuit that performs data processing such as modulation processing and demodulation processing via the RF circuit 10a. is there. As shown in FIG. 4 to be described later, remote control information necessary for remotely operating the electronic device 1 is stored in the memory 10c. This remote control information is stored in advance in the memory 10c. For example, a remote control code corresponding to each control command for controlling each function provided in the electronic device 1 and an operation key of the operation input unit 24 to which the remote control code is assigned. Assignee designation information for designating, category information indicating the type of electronic equipment (television device, DVD recorder, VTR, air conditioner, etc.), manufacturer code indicating the type of manufacturer (XX company, XX company, etc.) Etc. Note that some of the electronic devices have different remote control codes depending on the year of manufacture (product manufactured up to 1990, product manufactured from 1991 to the present).

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the remote controller 2. The remote controller 2 includes a microcomputer 21, a memory 22, an IC tag communication unit 23, an operation input unit 24, and an operation signal transmission unit 25, and an electronic device (this example) Then, it is possible to communicate with the IC tag 10 attached to the television apparatus 1 via wireless. The IC tag communication unit 23 includes a modulation circuit 23a that performs predetermined modulation processing on transmission data, a transmission control unit 23b that transmits the modulated modulated radio wave to the IC tag 10, and a remote controller that is returned from the IC tag 10 in response to an RF reaction. A reception control unit 23c that receives information, a demodulation circuit 23d that performs predetermined demodulation processing on the received modulated radio wave, and an antenna 23e that performs communication with the IC tag 10 via the transmission control unit 23b and the reception control unit 23c. Has been.

  The operation signal transmission unit 25 may transmit an operation signal to the electronic device 1 using, for example, a conventional infrared transmission method or radio wave transmission method. When the radio wave transmission method is used, the frequency band used for transmitting the operation signal is determined so as not to overlap with the wireless frequency band used for communication with the IC tag. Further, as a method for transmitting an operation signal to the electronic device 1, for example, an IC tag method may be used instead of an infrared transmission method or a radio wave transmission method as in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-120641. Good.

  Here, the microcomputer 21 constitutes means for setting the remote control information acquired from the IC tag 10 in the remote control 2. For example, the microcomputer 21 may assign and set the remote control code corresponding to each function of the electronic device 1 to the operation key of the operation input unit 24 according to the assignment destination designation information included in the remote control information. Thereby, even when the dedicated remote controller of the electronic device 1 is lost, the user can easily and quickly perform the setting process of the remote controller information to the remote controller 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of remote control information stored in the IC tag 10.
FIG. 4A shows an example of remote control information. As described above, the remote control information shown in this example includes the remote control code corresponding to each control command for controlling each function provided in the electronic device 1 and the operation key of the operation input unit 24 to which the remote control code is assigned. It is assumed that assignment destination designation information for designation, category information indicating the type of the electronic device 1, and the like are included.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting state of category information corresponding to the type of the electronic device 1. In this example, the television device is set to “1”, the DVD recorder is set to “2”, and the VTR is set to “3”. FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting state of assignment destination designation information corresponding to the function of the electronic device 1. In this example, the power is set to “1”, the channel up is set to “2”, and the channel down is set to “3”.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of remote control information setting processing by the remote controller 2. In this example, an example will be described in which the remote control information shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C is acquired and set in the remote control 2. For example, “1” in the remote control code indicates code information corresponding to a control command for controlling the power supply of the television apparatus (category information “1”). The microcomputer 21 uses the remote control code “1” corresponding to the power control command of the electronic device 1 (that is, the television device) as the operation key of the operation input unit 24 according to the assignment destination designation information “1” included in the remote control information. Assign and set. This setting information is stored in the memory 22. The assignment destination designation information corresponds to the operation key of the operation input unit 24. For example, when the assignment destination designation information is “1”, the assignment destination designation information is automatically assigned to the operation key corresponding to “1”.

  The remote controller 2 may switch the mode of the remote controller 2 based on the category information and set the remote controller information for each mode. This mode switching process is executed by the microcomputer 21. Here, the mode is set based on the category information of the electronic device 1. For example, a television mode, a DVD recorder mode, a VTR mode, or the like can be set according to the electronic device 1 to be operated by the remote controller 2.

  When operating the electronic device 1 from the remote controller 2, when the user switches to a mode corresponding to the electronic device 1 to be operated and presses a desired operation key in that mode, an operation signal is transmitted to the electronic device 1. The electronic device 1 according to the mode can be operated.

  According to the present invention, in a remote control device for remotely operating an electronic device, remote control information can be acquired from an IC tag attached to the electronic device body and set in the remote control device. Remote control can be performed even if the remote control is lost. Further, by acquiring assignment destination designation information that designates an assignment destination (operation key) of each function included in the electronic device, functions of the electronic device (for example, channel up / down, volume up / down, power on / off) Etc.) can be automatically assigned to predetermined operation keys.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a remote control system using an IC tag according to another embodiment of the present invention. The remote controller 2 further includes the electronic device 1 or the configuration shown in FIG. An infrared communication unit 26 for communicating with other external devices via infrared rays, and a radio wave communication unit 27 for communicating with electronic device 1 or other external devices via radio waves are provided. As another embodiment, the IC tag communication unit 23 and the infrared communication unit 26 or the combination of the IC tag communication unit 23 and the radio wave communication unit 27 may be used.

  In FIG. 6, the remote controller 2 has a configuration including only the IC tag communication unit 23, a configuration including the IC tag communication unit 23 and the infrared communication unit 26, and an IC tag communication unit 23 and radio waves as communication means for acquiring remote control information. Any of the configuration including the communication unit 27 and the configuration including the IC tag communication unit 23, the infrared communication unit 26, and the radio wave communication unit 27 can be employed, depending on the distance to the device to be communicated and the configuration thereof. The communication units may be switched for communication. At this time, the communication mode can be switched to an arbitrary communication mode using a communication mode switching key (not shown) provided in the operation input unit 24. When the radio communication unit 27 is provided, the frequency band used in the radio communication unit 27 is different from the frequency band used in the IC tag communication unit 23 so that malfunction can be prevented.

  As the other external devices described above, for example, a device such as a dedicated remote controller that stores remote control information of the electronic device 1 or a storage medium that stores remote control information is assumed. However, communication target devices such as the above-described electronic device 1 and other external devices need to be provided with communication means for performing infrared communication and radio wave communication with the remote controller 2.

  Here, the communication method of the remote controller 2 may be switched according to the distance between the remote controller 2 and the communication target device. That is, the IC tag method may be used at a short distance (for example, about several tens of cm to 1 m), and the infrared communication method or the radio wave method may be used for a long distance (for example, about 2 m to 30 m). . Moreover, you may make it switch the communication system of the remote control 2 according to the structure of communication object apparatus. That is, the communication method may be switched depending on whether an IC tag is attached to the communication target device and whether the communication target device includes a means for communicating via infrared rays and / or radio waves.

  According to the present invention, in addition to the IC tag communication method, communication using an infrared communication method or a radio wave communication method is possible, and these communication methods can be switched and used. The optimal communication method can be selected according to the configuration of the communication target device.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the remote control system using the IC tag which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of schematic structure of an IC tag. It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structural example of a remote control. It is a figure which shows an example of the remote control information memorize | stored in the IC tag. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting process of remote control information by a remote control. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the remote control system using the IC tag which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic device, 2 ... Remote control apparatus (remote control), 10 ... Information storage medium (IC tag), 10a ... RF circuit, 10b ... Control circuit, 11, 21 ... Microcomputer (microcomputer), 10c, 12, 22 ... Memory, 23 ... IC tag communication unit, 23a ... Modulation circuit, 23b ... Transmission control unit, 23c ... Reception control unit, 23d ... Demodulation circuit, 23e ... Antenna, 24 ... Operation input unit, 25 ... Operation signal transmission unit, 26 ... Infrared communication unit, 27 ... radio wave communication unit.

Claims (9)

  In a remote control device for remotely operating an electronic device, the remote control device stores remote control information for remotely operating the electronic device and communicates with an information storage medium provided in the electronic device. A remote control device comprising: means for acquiring remote control information from the information storage medium; and setting means for setting the acquired remote control information in the remote control device.   2. The remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising operation input means provided with a plurality of operation keys, wherein the remote control information is a remote control code corresponding to each control command for controlling each function provided in the electronic device. A remote control device comprising at least assignment destination designation information for designating an operation key of the operation input means to which the remote control code is assigned.   3. The remote control device according to claim 2, wherein the setting means assigns and sets the remote control code to an operation key of the operation input means according to the assignment destination designation information.   4. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage medium includes an IC tag, and the communication unit communicates with the IC tag via radio. Control device.   5. The remote control device according to claim 4, comprising infrared communication means for communicating with the electronic device or other external device via infrared, and means for switching between the communication means and the infrared communication means. Remote control device characterized by.   5. The remote control device according to claim 4, further comprising: radio wave communication means for communicating with the electronic device or other external device via radio waves; and means for switching the communication means and the radio wave communication means. Remote control device characterized by.   5. The remote control device according to claim 4, wherein infrared communication means for communicating with the electronic device or other external device via infrared rays, and communication with the electronic device or other external device via radio waves. A remote control device comprising: radio wave communication means; and means for switching between the communication means, the infrared communication means, and the radio wave communication means.   8. The remote control device according to claim 6, wherein a frequency band used by the radio wave communication unit is different from a frequency band used by the communication unit.   An electronic apparatus provided with an information storage medium capable of communicating with the remote control device according to claim 1.

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