Abstract:
AV equipment enables individual initial setting for each user utilizing near field communication without requiring any cumbersome operation. A determiner determines whether or not identification information of a portable device obtained by a near field communicator is identical to registered identification information to detect the registered portable device, which is located close to the AV equipment. A setter reads initial setting detail corresponding to the portable device detected by the determiner from the memory, and sets the read initial setting detail to the AV equipment. In searching the portable device, an output power controller initially sets the output power to an initial value, and gradually increases the output power while the registered portable device is not detected.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-288544 filed on Dec. 28, 2011, the disclosure of which including the specification, the drawings, and the claims is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to AV equipment, and more particularly to AV equipment such as TVs having a near field communication function. 
         [0003]    A technique is shown, which allows a viewer to recognize a mobile phone existing within a viewable range (i.e., a position capable of sending an operation signal), where a mobile phone capable of communications is detected in AV equipment such as a TV, by displaying, on a display of the AV equipment, identification image corresponding to an identifier recorded in the AV equipment in response to an identifier (ID) of the detected mobile phone. (See, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-61745.) 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    When AV equipment is powered on, for example, the channel, volume, and play position of recorded contents are set as initial settings. If the AV equipment is shared by a plurality of users such as a family, such initial settings are preferably made for each user. However, a single remote control is usually attached to AV equipment, which requires cumbersome operation in power-on if initial settings are individually made for each user. 
         [0005]    The present disclosure enables individual initial settings for each user in AV equipment utilizing near field communication without requiring any cumbersome operation. 
         [0006]    According to an aspect of the present disclosure, AV equipment includes a near field communicator configured to perform near field communication and to obtain identification information of a portable device with which the near field communication has established communication; an output power controller configured to control output power of the near field communicator; a memory configured to store registered identification information which is identification information of a portable device registered in the AV equipment, and initial setting detail of the AV equipment corresponding to the registered portable device; a determiner configured to detect the registered portable device, which is located close to the AV equipment, by determining whether or not the identification information obtained by the near field communicator is identical to the registered identification information stored in the memory; and a setter configured to read the initial setting detail corresponding to the portable device detected by the determiner from the memory when the AV equipment is powered on, and to set the read initial setting detail to the AV equipment. Search of the portable device located close to the AV equipment is executed by operation of the near field communicator, the output power controller, and the determiner. In the search, the output power controller initially sets the output power to an initial value, and gradually increases the output power while the registered portable device is not detected. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect, a method of initializing AV equipment, which includes a near field communicator configured to perform near field communication and to obtain identification information of a portable device with which the near field communicator has established communication, and a memory configured to store registered identification information which is identification information of a portable device registered in the AV equipment, and initial setting detail of the AV equipment corresponding to the registered portable device. The method includes detecting the registered portable device, which is located close to the AV equipment, by determining whether or not the identification information obtained by the near field communicator is identical to the registered identification information stored in the memory; and reading the initial setting detail corresponding to the portable device detected in the detecting from the memory when the AV equipment is powered on, and setting the read initial setting detail to the AV equipment. In the detecting, output power of the near field communicator is initially set to an initial value, and gradually increases the output power while the registered portable device is not detected. 
         [0008]    According to these aspects, the registered portable device, which is located close to the AV equipment, is detected by determining whether or not the identification information of the portable device obtained by the near field communicator is identical to the registered identification information stored in the memory. When the AV equipment is powered on, the initial setting detail corresponding to the detected portable device is read from the memory and set. With this configuration, when the AV equipment is powered on, the user who has powered on is identified by the identification information of the portable device owned by the user, and initial settings corresponding to the user can be made. Furthermore, the output power of the near field communicator is initially set to the initial value, and is gradually increased while the registered portable devices is not detected. This reliably identifies the user who is closer to the AV equipment as the user who has powered on the AV equipment. 
         [0009]    According to the present disclosure, when powered on, AV equipment reliably identifies the user who has powered on the AV equipment, and makes initial settings corresponding to the identified user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a television as an example of AV equipment according to an embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate an example of what are stored in memories.  FIG. 2A  illustrates what are stored in a registered user address memory.  FIG. 2B  illustrates what are stored in an initial channel memory.  FIG. 2C  illustrates what are stored in a resume memory.  FIG. 2D  illustrates what are stored in an initial volume memory. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating example search zones according to output power. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an initialization method of a television according to an embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates sequence of communication between a television and a terminal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a television as an example of AV equipment according to an embodiment.  FIG. 1  also illustrates a plurality of portable devices located close to the television. 
         [0016]    In  FIG. 1 , a television  11  includes a near field communicator  15  performing near field communication using, for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) function. Portable terminal devices (hereinafter referred to as “terminals” as appropriate)  12 - a ,  12 - b , and  12 - c  are, for example, mobile phones and high function mobile phones (smart phones), which can communicate with the television  11  by, for example, the Bluetooth function. 
         [0017]    The television  11  further includes an operator  13 , an output power controller  14  controlling the output power of the near field communicator  15 , a detector and user determiner  16  as a determiner detecting a terminal located close to the television  11  and determining a user who has operated the television  11 , a memory  17 , a setter  22 , a channel switch  26 , a play controller  27 , and a volume controller  28 . In this embodiment, the television  11  has a recording function. 
         [0018]    The operator  13  allows a user to operate the television  11 . The operator  13  may be, for example, a main power switch provided with the body of the television  11 , or may be controlled by an attached infrared remote control. 
         [0019]    The memory  17  stores registered identification information which is the identification information of terminals registered in the television  11 , and the initial setting details of the television  11  corresponding to registered terminals. In this embodiment, user addresses, which are unique numbers of the terminals having a near field communication function, are used as the identification information of the terminals. Specifically, the memory  17  includes a registered user address memory  18  storing the user addresses of the registered terminals. In this embodiment, setting of channel selection, the play position of recorded contents, and the volume are stored as the initial settings of the television  11 . Specifically, the memory  17  includes an initial channel memory  19 , a resume memory  20 , and an initial volume memory  21 , each of which stores initial setting details corresponding to the registered user addresses. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 2A-2D  illustrate an example of what are stored in the memory  17 .  FIG. 2A  illustrates what are stored in the registered user address memory  18 . The registered user addresses are stored in the memory  18 . In this embodiment, Bluetooth addresses which are values of 12 bytes are used as the user addresses. The user addresses may be registered in, for example, setting the television  11 , or purchasing a new portable device, etc.  FIG. 2B  illustrates what are stored in the initial channel memory  19 . An initial channel for each user address is stored.  FIG. 2C  illustrates what are stored in the resume memory  20 . A content ID and the play position of contents for each user address are stored. However, no content ID and no play position are stored for the user address 00011234D79C.  FIG. 2D  illustrates what are stored in the initial volume memory  21 . An initial volume for each user address is stored. 
         [0021]    The registered user address memory  18 , the initial channel memory  19 , the resume memory  20 , and the initial volume memory  21  may be formed individually; or all or part of them may be integrated as a single memory. 
         [0022]    The setter  22  reads initial setting details of a terminal detected by the detector and user determiner  16  from the memory  17 , and sets the initial setting details to the television  11 . A channel setter  23  instructs the channel switch  26  to set a channel upon receipt of the initial channel information read from the initial channel memory  19 . A play start position setter  24  instructs the play controller  27  to set resume information upon receipt of resume information, i.e., the content ID and the play position, read from the resume memory  20 . A volume setter  25  instructs the volume controller  28  to set a volume upon receipt of the initial volume information read from the initial volume memory  21 . 
         [0023]    The output power controller  14  can gradually control the output power of the near field communicator  15 . In this embodiment, the output power controller  14  shifts the output power of the near field communicator  15  among three levels.  FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating example search zones according to the levels of the output power. In  FIG. 3 , search zones  1 ,  2 , and  3  correspond to the times when the output power is small, medium, and great, respectively. In this embodiment, when a terminal located close to the television  11  is searched, the output power of the near field communicator  15  is initially set to an initial value, which corresponds to the search zone  1 , and is then gradually increased while the registered terminal is not detected. 
         [0024]    Each of terminals  12 - a ,  12 - b , and  12 - c  includes a terminal-side near field communicator  121  performing near field communication using a Bluetooth function, and a terminal-side memory  122  storing user addresses. In  FIG. 1 , the internal configurations of the terminals  12 - a  and  12 - c  are not shown. 
         [0025]    An initialization method of the television  11  according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the initial channel memory  19  stores unique channel information set for each registered user. The initial volume memory  21  stores unique volume information set for each registered user. Once a registered user is detected, the resume memory  20  updates the resume information of the registered user every time when recorded contents are played. That is, the resume memory  20  stores the content ID and the play position of the last recorded contents viewed by the registered user. 
         [0026]    A user operates the operator  13  to power on the television  11  (S 41 ). When the television  11  is powered on, first, the output power controller  14  sets the output power corresponding to the search zone  1  to the near field communicator  15  (S 42 ). 
         [0027]    Then, the output power controller  14  instructs the near field communicator  15  to issue (i.e., broadcast) an inquiry to many and unspecified terminals having a near field communication function. In order to measure the duration time for the inquiry issued by the near field communicator  15 , the output power controller  14  starts a timer at the start of issuing the inquiry. The inquiry from the near field communicator  15  continues until the near field communicator  15  has received a response message from any one of the terminals, or until a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) has passed (S 43 ). 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  illustrates sequence of communication between a television and a terminal.  FIG. 5  illustrates that the television  11  makes inquiry using near field communication, and, for example, that the terminal  12 - b  responds to the inquiry. The terminal  12 - b  (as well as the other terminals  12 - a  and  12 - c ) sends the response message to the near field communicator  15  upon receipt of the inquiry from the near field communicator  15 . The response message to be sent includes a user address (herein a Bluetooth address) for identifying an individual terminal. The user address is held in the terminal-side memory  122 . The terminal-side near field communicator  121  reads the user address from the terminal-side memory  122 , includes the user address in the response message, and sends the response message. 
         [0029]    The near field communicator  15  stops the issue of the inquiry upon receipt of the response message from the terminal-side near field communicator  121  (“RESPONSE” in S 43 ), analyzes the contents of the received response message, and transfers the user address included in the response message to the detector and user determiner  16 . The detector and user determiner  16  determines whether or not the transferred user address is identical to a user address registered in the registered user address memory  18  (S 44 ). 
         [0030]    The detector and user determiner  16  transfers the user address to the memory  17  when it has determined that the transferred user address is identical to a registered user address (“YES” in S 44 ). In addition, the detector and user determiner  16  instructs the output power controller  14  to stop the inquiry. Upon receipt of the instructions, the output power controller  14  stops the inquiry from the near field communicator  15 . 
         [0031]    When the user address is transferred to the memory  17 , the initial setting details corresponding to the user address is read, and transferred to the setter  22 . Specifically, the initial channel information is read from the initial channel memory  19 , and transferred to the channel setter  23 . The resume information, i.e., the content ID and the play position are read from the resume memory  20 , and transferred to the play start position setter  24 . The initial volume information is read from the initial volume memory  21 , and transferred to the volume setter  25 . 
         [0032]    The setter  22  makes initial settings corresponding to the registered user address in accordance with the transferred initial setting details. Specifically, the channel setter  23  instructs the channel switch  26  to change the channel upon receipt of the channel information. The play start position setter  24  instructs the play controller  27  to change the resume information upon receipt of the resume information. The volume setter  25  instructs the volume controller  28  to change the setting of the volume upon receipt of the volume information (S 47 ). 
         [0033]    On the other hand, in the step S 44 , when it has been determined that the transferred user address is not identical to any registered user address and is a non-registered address (“NO” in S 44 ), the detector and user determiner  16  notifies the output power controller  14  that the transferred user address is a non-registered address. Upon receipt of the notice, the output power controller  14  instructs the near field communicator  15  to restart stopped issuance of the inquiry, thereby restarting the issuance of the inquiry (S 48 ). 
         [0034]    In the step S 43 , if the output power controller  14  has not received any response message from a registered user address within the predetermined time measured by the timer (“NO RESPONSE” in S 43 ), the output power controller  14  determines whether or not the present output power reaches a predetermined upper limit (S 45 ). If the present output power does not reach the upper limit (“NO” in S 45 ), the output power controller  14  instructs the near field communicator  15  to set the output power one level higher (S 46 ). If the present output power corresponds to the search zone  1 , the near field communicator  15  sets the output power to correspond to the search zone  2 . The output power controller  14  resets the timer to 0 second, and restarts the search for the registered user address in the search zone  2  as described above. 
         [0035]    If no registered user address is detected even in the search zone  2 , the output power is set to correspond to the search zone  3 , i.e., the upper limit. If no registered user address is detected even in the search zone  3  (“YES” in S 45 ), the output power controller  14  instructs the near field communicator  15  to stop the inquiry. 
         [0036]    As such, in this embodiment, the output power of the near field communication is initially set to the initial value, and the output power is gradually increased to expand the range of the search zone. This reliably identifies the user located closest to the television  11  as the user who has made operation. Furthermore, even a terminal located out of the search zone  1  can be detected. 
         [0037]    While the initial channel memory  19  stores unique channel information, for example, the channel information may be updated every time when the display is changed since the registered terminal is detected, and the channel viewed last may be stored as the channel information of the user address. Similarly, while the initial volume memory  21  stores unique volume information, for example, the volume information may be updated every time when the volume is changed since the registered terminal is detected, and the volume set last may be stored as the volume information of the user address. 
         [0038]    While in this embodiment, the television  11  has the recording function, the television  11  itself may not necessarily have the recording function. In this case, for example, resume play of DVD or BD contents recorded by other equipment may be initialized similar to the above-described embodiment. 
         [0039]    While in this embodiment, the volume, the channel selection, and the play position of recorded contents are initialized, not all of them may be necessarily initialized, but part of them may be initialized. Other setting details may be also initialized. 
         [0040]    While in this embodiment, the output power is set to three levels, the levels are not limited thereto. 
         [0041]    The upper limit of the output power may be a predetermined fixed value, or may be set by a user from the outside of the television  11 . The user may input the width of the room for viewing the contents when, for example, setting the television  11 , thereby automatically setting the upper limit of the output power. 
         [0042]    In a search zone, if a plurality of registered terminals are detected, the terminal for reading the initial settings may be determined in accordance with predetermined priority. For example, the user may set the priority such as 1) grand mother, 2) father, and 3) child. Alternatively, the television  11  may automatically determine the priority in accordance with the frequency of viewing. 
         [0043]    While in the flow chart of  FIG. 4 , the registered terminal is searched after powering on the television  11 , the order is not limited thereto. For example, the registered terminal may be searched at standby of the television  11 , and the initial settings corresponding to the registered terminal detected at standby may be made when powered on. This largely shortens the time from power-on to the initialization. Where the registered terminal is searched at standby, search is preferably performed in, for example, predetermined intervals in view of power consumption. 
         [0044]    While in this embodiment, the television has been described as an example of AV equipment, the equipment is not limited thereto. The AV equipment may be, for example, a recorder which receives and records digital broadcast. While Bluetooth is used as an example of near field communication, the communication is not limited thereto. Where home use is assumed, no problem arises in near field communication capable of communication at a distance of about 10 m. 
         [0045]    In the present disclosure, when AV equipment is powered on, a user who has powered on is identified, and initial settings corresponding to the identified user is made. Therefore, the present disclosure is useful for improving the convenience of televisions, recorders, etc.