Abstract:
A remote controller includes: a switch for selecting one of a plurality of options in one dimension out of control items laid out in a plurality of dimensions, an item selector for selecting one of a plurality of options in another dimension out of the control items laid out in the plurality of dimensions. The remote controller transmits a remote control code in accordance with an output of the switch and an output of the item selector. The device to be controlled by the remote controller is provided with a display for showing the control items in accordance with a signal from the remote controller. Every time the first remote control code is transmitted, the display displays control items selectable by the item selecting means for a certain period of time.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a remote controller and a device to be controlled by the remote controller.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002]     With the start of satellite digital broadcasting and terrestrial digital broadcasting, multi-channel and multifunction are advancing. Television receivers and integrated receivers decoders (IRDs) that receive these broadcasts are operated by remote controllers with buttons. The number of the buttons has been increasing. This tendency is seen not only in the television receivers and integrated receivers decoders (IRDs) but also in various other devices. As the result of the increased number of buttons, remote controllers have poor usability, forcing users to manipulate with both hands while looking at the buttons on the remote controllers.  
         [0003]     To solve this, the conventional approaches are all to determine a remote control code to be transmitted by a combination of a plurality of switches on the remote controller side and then to transmit the remote control code determined. Such conventional techniques are disclosed, e.g. in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application Nos. H11-312441, H07-107567 and H07-30972.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     A remote controller comprises:  
         [0005]     a switching means for selecting one of a plurality of options in one dimension out of control items laid out in a plurality of dimensions; and  
         [0006]     an item selecting means for selecting one of a plurality of options in another dimension out of the control items laid out in the plurality of dimensions,  
         [0007]     wherein a remote control code in accordance with an output of the switching means and an output of the item selecting means is transmitted.  
         [0008]     A device to be controlled by the aforementioned remote controller comprises a displaying means for showing control items in accordance with a signal from the remote controller,  
         [0009]     Wherein every time the first remote control code is transmitted, the displaying means displays control items selectable by the item selecting means for a certain period of time.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a view showing a two-dimensional layout of functions to be selected by a rotary selector switch on the remote controller according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view showing a display example on a television receiver according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view showing another embodiment according to the present invention which is intended to represent the general use of the remote controller. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     Although these conventional solution approaches have reduced the number of buttons on a remote controller, thus simplifying manipulation, the problem still remains that the user must manipulate while looking at the buttons on the remote controller.  
         [0015]     The present invention has an object of providing a remote controller allowing the user to manipulate with one hand without looking at the buttons on the remote controller so as to operate a television receiver.  
         [0016]     The present invention will be described with the following embodiments.  
         [0000]     (Exemplary Embodiment 1)  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , remote controller  10  is provided with rotary selector switch  1  and item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 . Display  6  will be described later.  
         [0018]     Rotary selector switch  1  is an example of a selecting means. The selecting means is not limited to rotary selector switch  1  but can be a switch capable of selecting one of a plurality of options. Rotary selector switch  1  passes through a plurality of contact points in one turn, and every time it contacts with a contact point, rotary selector switch  1  transmits a predetermined signal or first remote control code assigned to the contact point. Item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  are an example of an item selecting means. The item selecting means is not limited to item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  but can be a switch capable of selecting one of a plurality of options.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a relation between remote control codes to be generated by rotary selector switch  1 , item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  and control items to be controlled by the remote controller. Remote controller  10  is a means for selecting items on the vertical axis of a table in which the functions of a device such as a television receiver are laid out two dimensionally. These selected items are stored on the receiving side of the remote control codes, and a specified control of the television receiver is performed in accordance with a combination of a first remote control code and a second remote control code.  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 2 , control item table  20  contains control items which are laid out two dimensionally and are controlled by the remote controller. The item on vertical axis  21  is determined by rotary selector switch  1 , and a predetermined signal is transmitted as the first remote control code in accordance with the determination. The item on horizontal axis  22  is determined by item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 , and a predetermined signal is transmitted as the second remote control code in accordance with the determination.  
         [0021]     Pushing item selector button  2  designates “J”; pushing item selector button  3  designates “K”; pushing item selector button  4  designates “L”; and pushing item selector button  5  designates “M”. Thus, the second remote control codes dedicated to the respective item selector buttons are transmitted.  
         [0022]     When received one of the codes “J” through “M” as the second remote control code, the television receiver combines the code with the one received last of “A” through “D” as the first remote control code. Then, remote controller  10  specifies the function to operate the television receiver, thus operating the television receiver.  
         [0023]     Here, for example when rotary selecting switch  1  is manipulated to generate the first remote control code that designates “D” on vertical axis  21 , and item selector button  2  is manipulated to generate the second remote control code that designates “J” on the horizontal axis, remote controller  10  controls the television receiver so that “Mute” is executed.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a display example on a display of the television receiver. Display  31  of the television receiver shows image  33  which is being received. When the television receiver is controlled by remote controller  10 , control items  32  are also displayed on display  31 . To display control items  32  on display  31  is an example of a displaying means for displaying the control items.  
         [0025]     Every time a first remote control code is transmitted by turning rotary selector switch  1 , items selectable in accordance with the transmitted first remote control code are shown in control items  32 .  FIG. 3  shows a case where “Mute”, “Sound multiplexing”, “Recall” and “Video” are shown as control items  32 . This is a case where the position on vertical axis  21  in  FIG. 2  is determined by rotary selecting switch  1 , and the control items in the horizontal axis corresponding to the position are “Mute”, “Sound multiplexing”, “Recall” and “Video”.  
         [0026]     It is also possible to let the aforementioned control items  32  be displayed on remote controller  10 . In  FIG. 1 , display  6  displays information corresponding to control items  32  of  FIG. 3 . Remote controller  10  displays the control items on display  6  so that the user can check the control items close at hand. Display  6  has a function to show selection status when the user can not recognize the selection status. To display control items on display  6  is other example of the displaying means for showing the control items.  
         [0027]     The present invention is not limited to the remote controller that performs only the aforementioned two operations. The remote controller shown in  FIG. 1  may be combined with the conventional remote control system which operates one function by one key.  FIG. 4  shows a remote controller structured by combining the system shown in  FIG. 1  with the conventional remote control system which operates one function by one key.  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 4 , remote controller  40  is provided with rotary selector switch  41 , item selector buttons  42 ,  43 ,  44  and  45 , power button  46 , channel selector button  47 , volume button  48 , color selector button  49  and determination button  50 . Rotary selector switch  41  looks similar and has similar functions to rotary selector switch  4  shown in  FIG. 1 . Item selector buttons  42 ,  43 ,  44  and  45  look similar and have similar functions to item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 , respectively.  
         [0029]     Power button  46  is a button to control the power on/off of the television receiver similarly to the power button of the conventional remote controller. Channel selector button  47  is a button to control the channel selection of the television receiver similarly to the channel selector button of the conventional remote controller. Volume button  48  is a button to control the volume of the television receiver similarly to the volume button of the conventional remote controller. Color selector button  49  is a button to specify the selection on the screen at data broadcasting and the like similarly to the color selector button of the conventional remote controller. Determination button  50  is a button to make various determinations similarly to the determination button of the conventional remote controller.  
         [0030]     The description above deals with a case where the control items to be controlled by remote controller  10  are laid out two dimensionally. In  FIG. 2 , the item on vertical axis  21  is determined by rotary selector switch  1  so as to transmit the first remote control code, and the item on horizontal axis  22  is determined by item selector buttons  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  so as to transmit the second remote control code. The present invention is not limited to the case where the control items are laid out two dimensionally as shown in  FIG. 2  but may have a multidimensional or hierarchical structure.  
         [0031]     It is preferable that the number of the item selector buttons as an item selecting means be kept within easy manipulation with one hand, and that the function do not start until an item selector button is pushed. It is also possible to have a structure in which the item on the vertical axis selected by the rotary selector switch as a switching means is stored in memory.  
         [0032]     The description above deals with a case where the device to be controlled is a television receiver; however, the device to be controlled by the remote controller according to the present invention is not limited to the television receiver. The same effects could be obtained when the remote controller according to the present invention is used to control an integrated receiver decoder (IRD), an audio device or any other device provided with a display part. Thus, the present invention is applicable to various product fields besides household electric appliances.  
         [0033]     As apparent from the description hereinbefore, the present invention can provide a remote controller allowing the user to manipulate with one hand without looking at the buttons on the remote controller. The present invention can also provide a device which has good operability and is controlled by the aforementioned remote controller.  
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
       [0034]     The remote controller according to the present invention allows the user to manipulate with one hand without looking at the buttons on the remote controller, thus being applicable to various other product fields besides household electric appliances which are having more and more functions every year.