Information processing apparatus and electronic appliance controlling system

A portable telephone 14 is connected to wire network 11 via a base station 13 . To wire network 11 information server 12 for providing various information such as telecast programs and so on is connected. For example, data showing telecast programs are downloaded to portable telephone 14 , and the G-code of any telecast program desired to record is extracted and transmitted to video tape recorder 17 1 . There is no need to limit to a case wherein controlling information is transmitted in response to a request from the side of portable telephone 14 to various kinds of information servers 12 , and it is possible for the side of information server 12 to appropriately supply the portable telephone with controlling information when any change is made to the controlling information to thereby control a relevant electronic appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and its modifications will be provided hereinafter. (The Embodiment) FIG. 1 illustrates an abstract of the construction of an electronic appliance controlling system using a portable telephone as an information processing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , there is shown wire network 11 represented by the Internet and a portable telephone network, to which information servers 12 1 through 12 N and base station 13 which provide various kinds of information such as telecast programs are connected. Base station 13 is arranged to do a radio communication with portable telephone 14 . Portable telephone 14 is provided therein with infrared-ray transmitting circuit 15 so as to conduct controlling of electronic appliances 17 1 through 17 M such as a video tape recorder and so on by the use of infrared-ray 16 . FIG. 2 illustrates the construction of portable telephone 14 of FIG. 1 . Portable telephone 14 is provided with data-controlling unit 21 constituted by a non-illustrated CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing therein controlling programs, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as an operating memory, and so on. Data-controlling unit 21 is arranged to be connected to radio unit 23 having antenna 22 attached thereto, operating key unit 24 in which operating keys are arranged, display unit 25 consisting of a liquid crystal display and its drive circuit (both are not shown), and remocon-controller unit 26 for remotely controlling electronic appliances 17 1 through 17 M shown in FIG. 1 . Remocon-controller unit 26 is provided with transmitting-code generating unit 28 supplied with controller data 27 from data-controlling unit 24 , and transmitting-code output unit 33 to which transmitting-code 29 is inputted from transmitting-code generating unit 28 so as to output drive signal 32 for driving infrared light emitting diode (LED) 31 . Transmitting-code generating unit 28 is arranged so that two memory units, i.e., preset memory unit 35 and transmitting format memory unit 36 , are connected to unit 28 . Transmitting format memory unit 36 stores therein the respective formats of transmitting-code for remotely and separately controlling electronic appliances 17 1 through 17 M such as a video tape recorder and so on. Preset memory unit 35 stores therein preset information comprised of manufacturers' name, product numbers and so on with respect to electronic appliances 17 1 through 17 M for using it to specify each individual format. At this stage, data-controlling unit 21 conducts entire controlling for permitting controller unit 26 to operate in association with radio unit 23 and the other units connected to unit 21 , and further controls the transmitting and receiving of the data implemented in radio unit 23 , the processing of input data at the time when an operator conducts various operation from operating key unit 24 , and the displaying by displaying unit 25 in a manner similar to that of the controlling performed by the conventional portable telephone. However, the explanatory description of the latter controlling operation will be omitted here in principle, and the description of the remote controlling operation for the electronic appliances will centrally be provided hereinbelow. The operator operates portable telephone 14 shown in FIG. 2 to select from a non-illustrated display of portable telephone 14 , a preset mode of an electronic appliance. The preset mode should be understood as one of modes, which specifies an electronic appliance that is an object to be controlled by portable telephone 14 . For example, when a plurality of electronic appliances within a home should be controlled by portable telephone 14 , it is possible to conduct presetting for each individual appliance of them. Here, the case where presetting of the video tape recorder 17 1 is performed under the preset mode. FIG. 3 illustrates the flow of processing when the presetting of an electronic appliance is performed under the preset mode. Under the preset mode, data-controlling unit 21 reads out the data concerning the sort or type of the electronic appliance from the aforementioned ROM thereby permitting display unit 25 to display the data (step S 41 ). Then, the operator operates operating key unit 24 to input the sort of the appliance to be preset. Thus, when video tape recorder 17 1 is selected as the sort of the appliance (step S 42 : Y), data-controlling unit 21 then reads out a list of manufactures corresponding to the selected electronic appliance thereby permitting display unit 25 to display thereon the selecting picture (step S 43 ). It should be noted that when the screen for selecting the sort of the electronic appliance is displayed at step S 41 , the operator could complete the preset mode of the electronic appliance without practicing the mode (step S 42 : N, step S 44 : Y). In this case, the processing goes to an end (End) to return to the main menu again. On the other hand, when the selected picture of the manufactures is displayed at step S 43 , the operator selects the name of the manufacturer of the video tape recorder 17 1 in this example. When the operation to complete the preset mode is not performed (step S 46 : N, step S 45 : N), and when the inputting of the selection of the manufacturer is performed (step S 46 : Y), data-controlling unit 21 permits display unit 25 to display a confirmation picture (step S 47 ). Namely, for example, the confirmation picture stating “the video tape recorder made by the company A is set for registeration” is displayed. In this respect, when the operator selects the setting for registration (step S 48 :Y), the data specifying the video tape recorder made by the company A is set in preset memory unit 35 (step S 49 ). If the operator selects the completion of the mode without selecting the setting for registration (step S 48 : N, step S 50 : Y), the preset mode is completed in a manner as described hereinbefore (End), and the processing is returned to the main menu again. When the operator conducts continuous presetting of a plurality of electronic appliances such as, for example, not only house hold video tape recorder 17 1 but also an air conditioner, a television and so on, the above-described processing is repeated a plurality of times. Thus, the data for specifying one or a plurality of electronic appliances, which can be controlled by specified portable telephone 14 are stored in preset memory unit 35 . FIG. 4 illustrates the flow of processing for making reservation for the picture recording on a video tape recorder. The operator operates portable telephone 14 to connect it to an information server arranged exclusively for the provision of television programs (hereafter called as telecast programs) (step S 61 ). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that this information server corresponds to information server 12 1 shown in FIG. 1 . When portable telephone 14 is connected to information server 12 1 , data is sent from information server 12 1 for inquiring whether or not downloading of the data concerning the list of the telecast program should be conducted (step S 62 ). When the operator operates operating key unit 24 (refer to FIG. 2 ) in order to reply that the downloading should be conducted, data-controlling unit 21 of portable telephone 14 detects the reply and sends the request for the downloading to information server 12 1 (step 62 : Y). Based on this request, information server 12 1 transmits the data concerning the list of the telecast programs of predetermined broadcasting stations for a predetermined time period (step S 63 ). It should be noted that there is either a case where the side of portable telephone 14 firstly accesses information server 12 1 , or a case where a change of the combination of the telecast programs and the broadcasting stations is made. In these cases, the setting of permission of the downloading as shown simply in step S 62 should be replaced with the displaying of a non-illustrated setting screen for the downloading of the telecast programs, so that setting or changing of the content may be conducted therethrough. Thus, the content once set is memorized in information server 12 1 in the form corresponding to the telephone number of the portable telephone, and therefore a more command for the permission of downloading makes it possible to download the data concerning the necessary telecast programs to portable telephone 14 . When the data concerning the telecast programs are downloaded to portable telephone 14 , the operator is able to select telecast programs to be reserved from the content of the list of the telecast programs displayed on display unit 25 of portable telephone 14 (step S 64 ). Whenever one of the telecast programs is selected, data-controlling unit 21 extracts a G-code, and indicates a cursor at the place of the G-code (step S 65 ). The extraction of the G-code is conducted by retrieving the code information of the number of digits of the numerals that constitute the G-code, from the head of the data of the selected telecast programs. Until the operator indicates completion of the selecting operation, selection of a plurality of telecast programs may be effected (step S 66 ). When the selection of the telecast programs is completed (step S 66 : Y), data-controlling unit 21 shown in FIG. 2 allows display unit 25 of portable telephone 14 to display the list of the selected telecast programs and respective time zones (step S 67 ). Thus, the operator conducts checking of the displayed content, and when the operator conducts an operation for “confirmation” (step S 68 : Y), transmitting-code generating unit 28 reads out the data concerning the sort of the electronic appliances and the manufacturers thereof, which are stored in preset memory unit 35 , and further reads out the corresponding formats stored in transmitting format memory unit 36 to produce the transmitting codes (step S 69 ). Then, the produced transmitting codes are transmitted to video tape recorder 17 1 by using infrared transmitting circuit 15 via infrared-rays (step S 70 ). Thus, the reservation of the desired telecast programs is completed. At this stage, when the operation for the “confirmation” of step S 68 is not conducted, and when the operator conducts an operation for re-selecting the telecast programs (step S 71 : Y), the processing is returned to step S 64 to conduct the re-selection of the telecast programs. Further, in the present embodiment, the screen for confirmation of the reservation of the telecast programs is displayed at step S 67 . However, this display of the confirmation screen may be omitted, and instead when all of the telecast programs are selected together at the step S 66 , all of the G-codes of these programs may be transmitted together after conversion of all G-codes into a transmitting format. In this case, the processing of step S 65 is unnecessary. Of course, instead of processing all together, the conversion of the G-code may be conducted every time a telecast program is selected, and in such case, transmission of the transmitting code might be effected each time. (The First Modification) FIG. 5 illustrates an principal portion of the control on the portable telephone side in the electronic appliance controlling system according to a first modification of the above-described embodiment. When a telecast program or telecast programs are downloaded from information server 12 1 of FIG. 1 (step S 81 : Y), portable telephone 14 displays on its display unit 25 a retrieval screen (step S 82 ). Under this condition, the operator inputs, from the data of the telecast programs, relevant dates and times or only relevant times if the date is the same as that date of input, by using operating key unit 24 ( FIG. 2 ). Thus, when the inputting of the time information for the retrieval is completed (step S 83 : Y), data-controlling unit 21 retrieves the telecast programs on the relevant dates and times to display the result of retrieval on display unit 25 (step 84 ). The operator looks at the displayed content, and selects some of the telecast programs for picture reservation. Thus, when the selection of the telecast programs for the picture reservation are completed (step S 85 : Y), data-controlling unit 21 commands the controller unit 26 so that the telecast programs are converted into the corresponding transmitting formats in a manner as described in the previous embodiment, to thereby produce the data of the telecast programs. Then, the data are transmitted from infrared-ray transmitting circuit 15 within radio unit 23 (step S 86 ). FIG. 6 illustrates the flow of the controlling process made on the video tape recorder side in this modification. Video tape recorder 17 1 of the previous embodiment is a widely used video tape recorder, and therefore upon receipt of the G-codes, the recorder immediately uses them to make reservation for the picture recording. Nevertheless, it should be understood that video tape recorder 17 1 of the first modification is provided with a function for extracting G-codes out of the received data. This is because portable telephone 14 of this modification transmits all of the data of the relevant telecast programs together to the video tape recorder without extraction of any G-code. On the side of the video tape recorder 17 1 , when the data of the telecast programs are received (step S 91 : Y), as described in the previous embodiment, the data constituted by the predetermined number of numerals or characters are extracted as G-codes (step S 92 ). Based upon these G-codes, the data concerning the channel numbers and recording times of the corresponding telecast programs are displayed on a non-illustrated display (step S 93 ). Then, from the displayed content, the operator can select one of the two operations, i.e., “registration” and “cancellation” by using a non-illustrated operating unit on the side of video tape recorder 17 1 . When the operator selects the operation of “registration” (step S 94 : Y), the registration of reservation for the telecast programs is completed (step S 95 ). On the contrary, when the operator selects the operation “cancellation” (step S 94 : N, step S 96 : Y), the processing on the side of video tape recorder 17 1 is completed without making any reservation of the telecast programs (End). In this first modification, in consideration of the case of erroneous extraction of the G-codes, the process of confirmation of the extracted G-codes is conducted at steps S 93 , S 94 , and S 96 . However, as required, it might be possible to conduct registration of the reservation for the telecast programs while omitting of such confirmation process (step S 95 ). Further, in this modification, although the extraction of the G-codes is conducted by the side of video tape recorder 17 1 so as to reduce any extra load of extraction of the G-codes provided on portable telephone 14 , it is, of course, possible to adopt such a processing that the extraction of the G-codes is conducted on the side of portable telephone 14 . In such case, the particular controlling process of video tape recorder 17 1 as shown in FIG. 6 is not required. Further, in this first modification, the data concerning the time or hour are inputted in order to select the telecast programs. However, either other retrieving data might be inputted to do manual retrieval or a plurality of retrieving conditions might be set for the retrieval. (The Second Modification) In the electronic appliance controlling system of the next second modification, information servers 12 1 through 12 N as shown in FIG. 1 appropriately transmit, to respective portable telephones 14 under a predetermined contract, the controlling information necessary for the electronic appliances owned by the users of portable telephones 14 (the operators). In this modification, Nth information server 12 N is assumed to be a service company providing a service relative to the weather forecast, and the description of an example in which the controlling information for the air conditioner 17 M that is one of the electronic appliances is periodically supplied to the portable telephone 14 will be provided hereinbelow. FIG. 7 illustrates the flow of an principal portion of the controlling process made on the side of a portable telephone in the electronic appliance controlling system according to the second modification. When portable telephone 14 receives a controlling information for the electronic appliances (step S 101 : Y), it determines electronic appliances that are to be controlled from the information specifying the sort of information server 12 and further information attached to the electronic appliance controlling information to specify particular electronic appliances (step S 102 ). In this modification, the controlling information relative to the weather forecast which is a premise of air conditioner 17 M to be controlled is received from Nth information server 12 N . Data-controlling unit 21 shown in FIG. 2 stores the controlling information in a non-illustrated built-in memory, and determines the electronic appliance that is an object of controlling (air conditioner 17 M in this case) while displaying on display unit 25 the fact that the controlling information was received (step S 103 ). Thus, when the operator recognizes the displaying on display unit 25 , a command may be immediately given by the operator to portable telephone 14 to transmit the controlling information to air conditioner 17 M , if the latter is located at a position adjacent to the operator (step S 104 ). However, the operator might often be out of the house and away from air conditioner 17 M to be controlled. Therefore, as soon as portable telephone 14 receives the command for transmitting the controlling information from the operator (step S 104 : Y), telephone 14 transmits the controlling information to air conditioner 17 M (step S 105 ). Then, when a notice of completion of receipt of the controlling information from air conditioner 17 M arrives (step S 106 : Y), portable telephone 14 completes the processing of the transmission of the controlling information (End). FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the flow of the controlling process conducted on the side of the air conditioner according to the second modification. The air conditioner 17 M is waiting for receiving of the controlling information (step S 121 ), and as soon as it receives the controlling information (step S 121 : Y), the content of the controlling for air conditioner 17 M is either set or renewed by the use of the received controlling information (step S 122 ). Namely, in compliance with a change in the outdoors weather due to time lapse, which is shown by the information on the weather forecast, the temperature and humidity in a given room are changed from the standard controlling content. Thus, on a day when the outdoors temperature is extremely low, it is possible either to slightly lower the temperature in the room from the standard temperature value or to adjust the temperature and humidity in the room thereby permitting a human body to be easily adapted to the environmental temperature around the turn of the weather. In the described second modification, there has been provided a description of a case where the controlling information on the weather forecast is used for controlling the air conditioner 17 M . However, it should be understood that the second modification is not intended to be limited to such case, and alike the previous embodiment and the first modification, the present modification will be applicable to the transmitting and receiving of various kinds of controlling information in relation to various kinds of electronic appliances. Further, in the present modification, a case is described in which the controlling information is periodically supplied from the information servers. However, alternately, it should be noted that the supply of any controlling information may be conducted at the time of occurrence of any important controlling information, for example, when any change in the controlling information has occurred or a correction of a product should be made. Furthermore, in the described embodiment and the modifications, examples have been illustrated in which information servers 12 1 through 12 N are connected to wire network 11 . However, wire network 11 might be replaced with either a portable telephone network for portable telephones 14 or the Internet connected to the portable telephone network. Also, the present invention may be similarly applicable to a communication network, which employs, in a part thereof, a cable television network (CATV). As described in the foregoing, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claims 1 through 6, since the information processing apparatus transmits controlling information received by a controlling information receiving means from a communication network after converting the information into data formats that can be read by predetermined specified electronic appliances, to the relevant electronic appliances, the transmission of the information is consistently conducted by the electric signals. Thus, the electronic appliances such as video tape recorders and so on can be controlled by a simple operation without necessity of any paper medium such as a telecast list, and without occurrence of any erroneous inputting of the information. Further, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim 2, only necessary controlling information can be selected by the controlling information selecting means from the controlling information received by the controlling information receiving means, and from such controlling information selected by the controlling information selecting means, the data that can be objects readable to the concretely specified electronic appliances are extracted by the data extracting means. Then, the data extracted by the data extracting means are converted to signal formats readable to the concretely specified electronic appliances and are subsequently transmitted to the relevant electronic appliances. Therefore, a user (an operator) on the side of the information processing apparatus can selectively take in or discard the controlling information at his or her own will. Furthermore, the information source arranged on the side of the communication network is sufficient to transmit only the generalized controlling information, and accordingly any cost incurred by the use of the information can be reduced. In accordance with the invention as claimed in claim 3, since the widely used portable telephones are employed, the operation of the controlling system can be achieved by a large majority of persons without necessity of additional purchase of particular devices. Also, since the portable telephone may be easily moved to the site where the electronic appliances that are controlled objects are arranged, such advantage can be acquired that any limit to an extent of the electronic appliances that can be controlled objects is not reduced. Furthermore, in the present invention, since the transmitting means is constituted by a communication means employing the infrared-rays, it is possible to immediately use the existing communicating means of many of the electronic appliances. Further, in accordance with the invention as claimed in claim 5, the information server transmits controlling information in response to a request for acquirement of the controlling information from the information processing apparatus, and therefore, for example, in a system in which fare is charged to the transmission of the controlling information, it is possible to prevent occurrence of any inappropriate situation in which undue fare is charged. Furthermore, in accordance with the invention described in claim 6, since the side of the information server automatically and independently supplies necessary information to the electronic appliances, it is possible to unfailingly by supply the side of the electronic appliances with maintenance information necessary for the appliances and so on. Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modification may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.