Remote control transmitter

A remote control transmitter is so constructed that when a group menu representing a combination of individual functions is selected by operation of an operating part, a controller effects display of the individual functions of the group menu in parallel with the group menu. Since the correspondence between an overview of the plurality of group menus and the individual functions of the specified group menu is easy to understand, the remote control transmitter obtained allows easy setting of the function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a remote control transmitter for remotely controlling an apparatus.

2. Background Art

With increasing numbers of devices capable of remotely controlling an apparatus such as a television or a videocassette recorder, remote control transmitters each capable of remotely controlling a plurality of such apparatuses through operation have recently increased in number.

Also, devices capable of storing a plurality of frequently used individual functions and sending a specified function of these set functions or all the set individual functions have increased in number.

With reference toFIGS. 6-8A,8B and8C, one of such conventional remote control transmitters is described hereinafter.

FIG. 6is an external view of the conventional remote control transmitter.FIG. 7is a circuit diagram of the same remote control transmitter. InFIG. 6, the remote control transmitter is provided with display part1, such as a liquid crystal display element, at its left front.

At the right front of the remote control transmitter, up and down selection buttons2D,2E, left and right selection buttons2F,2G, “ENTER” button2C, “POWER” button2A and others are arranged, thus forming operating part2.

The remote control transmitter is stored with controller3. Transmitter4is disposed above display part1, converts an electric signal from controller3into an infrared signal and transmits the infrared signal. Transmitter4, operating part2and display part1are connected to controller3. In this way, the remote control transmitter is formed.

A description is provided next of a remote control using the thus-constructed remote control transmitter for turning on, for example, the power to the television.

First, “POWER” button2A is pressed. Upon detecting this press, controller3causes display part1to display an initial screen, such as illustrated byFIG. 8A. This initial screen shows an apparatus menu such as “TV”, which denotes the television to be remotely controlled, and others.

Here, translucent cursor1A used for selecting a displayed option appears on “TV” located at the top of the screen. Subsequently, “ENTER” button2C is pressed with cursor1A located at “TV”. Upon detecting this press, controller3effects display of a screen, such as illustrated byFIG. 8B, showing the individual functions including “ON”, which represents the turning-on of the power to the television.

On this screen, cursor1A appears on “ON” located at the upper left. When “ENTER” button2C is pressed with cursor1A located at “ON”, controller3outputs the electric signal corresponding to “ON” for remote control. Transmitter4converts this electric signal into the infrared signal and transmits this infrared signal. Consequently, the power to the television is turned on by remote control.

A description is provided next of setting or storage of the plurality of individual functions including turning on the power to the television, turning on the power to the videocassette recorder and playing back a videocassette, and transmission of a specified function of these set functions.

First, “HOME” button2B shown inFIG. 6is pressed to display, as shown inFIG. 8A, the initial screen displaying group menus including “Favorite” representing a combination of the frequently used specified functions, in addition to the apparatus menus.

Next, cursor1A inFIG. 8Ais moved to “Favorite”, and “SETTING” button2H is pressed. Upon detecting this press, controller3brings about a state in which the individual functions can be added to “Favorite”.

Subsequently, the same procedure used in turning on the power to the television by remote control is followed. Specifically, cursor1A is moved to “TV”, and then “ENTER” button2C is pressed. Thereafter, cursor1A is moved to “ON”, and “ENTER” button2C is pressed. In this way, the function for turning on the power to the television can be added to “Favorite”.

Next, “HOME” button2B is pressed, whereby the initial screen is restored. When “ENTER” button2C is pressed with cursor1A moved to “VCR” denoting the videocassette recorder, a screen such as illustrated byFIG. 8Cappears, displaying the individual functions including “ON”, which represents the turning-on of the power to the videocassette recorder.

When “ENTER” button2C is pressed with cursor1A located at “ON” on this screen, the function for turning on the power to the videocassette recorder is added to “Favorite”.

Thereafter, “SETTING” button2H is pressed. By detecting this press, controller3judges that the setting has been terminated, and restores the view of display part1to the initial screen.

As described above, in addition of the individual function to “Favorite”, “HOME” button2B must be pressed to restore the initial screen displaying the group menus and others.

When “Favorite” is selected on the initial screen, a screen showing the functions such as turning on the power to the television and turning on the power to the videocassette recorder is displayed. By pressing “ENTER” button2C with cursor1A moved to the function for turning on the power to the television on that screen, such remote control as to turn on the power to the television can be carried out.

A description is provided next of setting or storage of the plurality of individual functions including turning on the power to the television, turning on the power to the videocassette recorder and playing back the videocassette, and transmission of all these set functions.

First, “HOME” button2B is pressed to display, as shown inFIG. 8A, the initial screen displaying the group menus including “Macro” representing a combination of the individual functions, in addition to the apparatus menus.

Next, cursor1A is moved to “Macro”, and “SETTING” button2H is pressed. In the same manner as in the addition of the specified functions to “Favorite”, the function for turning on the power to the television, the function for turning on the power to the videocassette recorder and the function for playing back the videocassette are added to “Macro” in this order.

Thereafter, “SETTING” button2H is pressed. By detecting this press, controller3judges that the setting has been terminated and restores the view of display part1to the initial screen.

As described above, even in addition of the individual functions to “Macro”, “HOME” button2B must be pressed to restore the initial screen displaying the group menus and others.

When “ENTER” button2C is pressed with cursor1A moved to “Macro” on the initial screen, controller3detects this press and successively outputs the electric signal corresponding to the turning-on of the power to the television, the electric signal corresponding to the turning-on of the power to the videocassette recorder and the electric signal corresponding to the replay of the videocassette in this order for remote control.

Accordingly, transmitter4converts these electric signals into the infrared signals and transmits those infrared signals, whereby first, the power to the television is turned on, next, the power to the videocassette recorder is turned on, and then the videocassette is replayed.

Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2002-152863 is known as an example of conventional art that pertains to the above-described invention.

The above-described conventional remote control transmitter, however, requires that in setting of the specified function such as the frequently used individual function, “HOME” button2B should be pressed to restore the initial screen displaying the group menus each representing the combination of the set individual functions, and others. The correspondence between an overview of the plurality of group menus and the individual functions of the specified group menu is thus hard to understand, and accordingly, the specified function is hard to set.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A remote control transmitter includes:

a display part for displaying at least one of an individual function of an apparatus to be remotely controlled and a group menu representing a combination of the individual functions;

an operating part for selecting and deciding on the at least one of the individual function and the group menu;

a transmitter for sending a signal for remotely controlling the apparatus; and

a controller for controlling a view of the display part in response to an operation of the operating part,

wherein the controller causes the display part to display the group menu and the individual functions of the group menu simultaneously when the group menu is selected by the operation of the operating part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are demonstrated hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 1-5.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1is an external view of a remote control transmitter in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 2is a circuit diagram of the same remote control transmitter. InFIG. 1, the remote control transmitter is provided with display part11, such as a liquid crystal display element, at its left front.

On a left portion of display part11, a plurality of group menus20is provided vertically on an outer periphery of a cylindrical frame and includes “CHANNEL” and “INPUT”, each representing a combination of individual functions of an apparatus to be remotely controlled.

Here, translucent cursor11A used for selecting a displayed option is displayed at middle group menu20, “CHANNEL”.

On the right of these group menus20, a plurality of individual functions21is provided vertically on an outer periphery of another cylindrical frame and includes “Channel 1” and “Channel 2”, representing the respective individual functions in group menu20, “CHANNEL”, which is being selected by cursor11A.

Above these group menus20and individual functions21, apparatus menus22including “TV”, which denotes the television to be remotely controlled, and representative menus23including “Customize”, which represents a combination of group menus20, are arranged side by side.

At the right front of the remote control transmitter, “POWER” button12A, “RETURN” button12B and others are disposed, thus forming operating part12.

Display part11is provided with so-called transparent touch panel16at its front. This panel16is formed of a flexible upper substrate having transparent upper electrodes made of indium-tin oxide or the like on its bottom surface, and a lower substrate having, on its top surface, lower electrodes facing the respective upper electrodes across a specified clearance.

The remote control transmitter is stored with controller13formed of, for example, a microcomputer. Transmitter14formed of, for example, an infrared-emitting diode is disposed above display part11, converts an electric signal from controller13into an infrared signal and transmits the infrared signal.

Transmitter14, display part11, operating part12and transparent touch panel16are connected to controller13. In this way, the remote control transmitter is formed.

A description is provided hereinafter of setting or storage of the plurality of frequently used individual functions and transmission of a specified function of these set functions through use of the thus-constructed remote control transmitter.

First, “POWER” button12A is pressed. Upon detecting this press, controller13causes display part11to display an initial screen, such as shown inFIG. 1. The initial screen shows individual functions21, group menus20, apparatus menus22, representative menus23and others simultaneously.

Next, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “Customize”, which is representative menu23, is touched, whereby the upper and lower electrodes of panel16that correspond to this part are brought to an ON state. Upon detecting this ON state, controller13moves cursor11A to “Customize” as shown inFIG. 3A.

Controller13also effects display of the cylindrical frame on a lower-left portion and group menu name selection screen24displaying vertically arranged names of group menus20on the right of the cylindrical frame. The names of group menus20include “Favorite-1”, which will be displayed on the cylindrical frame.

When a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “Favorite-1” is touched on the above screen, controller13effects, as shown inFIG. 3B, display of “Favorite-1” as group menu20on the outer periphery of the left cylindrical frame.

Thereafter, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “TV”, which is apparatus menu22denoting the television, is touched. Accordingly, cursor11A appears on “TV” as shown inFIG. 3C, thus selecting the television.

Here, function name selection screen25appears in place of the cylindrical frame displaying group menu20, and another cylindrical frame appears on the right of this screen25. Function name selection screen25displays vertically arranged names of the individual functions of the television, such as “ON”.

Subsequently, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “ON” is touched on function name selection screen25. Accordingly, “TV ON”, which is individual function21for turning on the power to the television, appears on the outer periphery of the right cylindrical frame as shown inFIG. 3D.

In other words, “TV ON”, which is individual function21, is added to “Favorite-1”, which is group menu20, by controller13.

Next, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “VCR”, which is apparatus menu22denoting the videocassette recorder, is touched. Accordingly, cursor11A moves from “TV” to “VCR” as shown inFIG. 4A.

Here, the names of the individual functions of the television that have been displayed on function name selection screen25are replaced by names of the individual functions of the videocassette recorder.

Next, the same operation used in setting “TV ON” is performed on “ON”, which represents turning-on of the power to the videocassette recorder, and “PLAY”, which represents a replay of a videocassette, on function name selection screen25. Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 4B, “VCR ON” and “VCR PLAY” are displayed as individual functions21on the outer periphery of the cylindrical frame, in addition to “TV ON”.

Controller13also replaces function name selection screen25with the cylindrical frame showing group menu20, “Favorite-1”, on its outer periphery.

Next, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of, for example, “TV ON” (individual function21) is touched. Upon detecting this touch, controller13outputs the electric signal corresponding to the turning-on of the power to the television. Transmitter14converts this electric signal into the infrared signal and transmits this infrared signal. Consequently, the power to the television is turned on by remote control.

A description is provided next of setting or storage of the plurality of individual functions including turning on the power to the television, turning on the power to the videocassette recorder and playing back the videocassette, and transmission of all these set functions.

First, the part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “Customize”, which is representative menu23, is touched. Accordingly, group menu name selection screen24appears as shown inFIG. 3A, displaying the vertically arranged names of group menus20, including “Favorite-1” and “Macro-1”.

Next, in the same manner as in the addition of the individual functions to “Favorite-1”, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “Macro-1” is touched, whereby “Macro-1” is selected. Subsequently, the same individual functions as those added to “Favorite-1” are added to “Macro-1” in the same order.

As a result, as shown inFIG. 4D, group menu20, “Macro-1”, is displayed in addition to “Favorite-1” with the same individual functions as those of “Favorite-1” displayed on the right.

Next, a part of transparent touch panel16that is in front of “Macro-1” is touched. Upon detecting this touch, controller13decides on “Macro-1” (group menu20) and successively outputs the electric signal corresponding to the turning-on of the power to the television, the electric signal corresponding to the turning-on of the power to the videocassette recorder and the electric signal corresponding to the replay of the videocassette in this order for remote control.

Accordingly, transmitter14converts these electric signals into the infrared signals and transmits those infrared signals. As a result, first, the power to the television is turned on, next, the power to the videocassette recorder is turned on, and then the videocassette is replayed by remote control.

Even to remotely control the specified apparatus by selection of this apparatus, not through the performance of the individual functions set in the above manner, the same operation used in performing the set individual functions can be done.

For example, to call up Channel 2 on the television by remote control, first, “TV”, which is apparatus menu22, is touched inFIG. 1to select the television.

Next, if “CHANNEL” representing the combination of the individual functions of the television is not group menu20being selected, “CHANNEL” is touched to be selected.

Then “Channel 2”, which is one of the plurality of individual functions21included in “CHANNEL” (group menu20), is touched to be decided on.

As described above, the remote control transmitter of the first embodiment is so constructed that when group menu20representing the combination of individual functions21is selected by the operation of operating part12, controller13effects display of individual functions21of selected group menu20in parallel with group menus20. Since the correspondence between an overview of the plurality of group menus20and individual functions21of specified group menu20is easy to understand, the remote control transmitter obtained allows easy setting of the specified function.

Deciding on specified group menu20by the operation of operating part12results in the transmission of all individual functions21included in this group menu20, so that the operation for such transmission is facilitated. Deciding on specified individual function21of specified group menu20that is displayed in parallel with specified group menu20results in the transmission of only this specified function21, so that the operation for such transmission is facilitated.

Displaying apparatus menu22, which denotes the apparatus to be remotely controlled, in addition to group menu20and individual function21facilitates the selection of group menu20of the specified apparatus. Displaying representative menu23, which represents the combination of the group menus, in addition to group menu20and individual function21facilitates the selection of group menu20of the specified representative menu.

Displaying group menu20and individual function21on the respective cylindrical frames can easily remind that, even when group menus20or individual functions21are too many to be all displayed, group menu20or individual function21that cannot be displayed is in hiding on a back side of the cylindrical frame. This facilitates the selection of specified group menu20or specified individual function21.

In the above description of the first embodiment, transparent touch panel16is disposed at the front of display part11for operation such as selecting or deciding on group menu20or individual function21. However, instead of this touch panel16, a button, a trackball, a pad or the like may be used for such selection and decision.

For example, as shown inFIG. 5, selection button12E which turns vertically for vertical selection, left and right selection buttons12F,12G, and “ENTER” button12H may be formed. With selection buttons12E,12F,12G, cursor11A is moved to select group menu20or individual function21. With “ENTER” button12H, the one selected is decided on.

Forming selection button12E, which not only turns vertically but also can be pressed, placing a switch behind this button12E for electrical conduction responsive to the press and forming “ENTER” button12H integrally with selection button12E not only allows the selection of the function but also the decision with one selection button12E, thus furthering ease of use.

Selection button12E can be made spherical and can be formed integrally with left and right selection buttons12F,12G.

The remote control transmitter may have selection button12E on its right side instead of at its right front.

The description has referred to simultaneous display of two apparatus menus22and two representative menus23. However, in cases where the number of menus is too large, causing hard view, the menus may be pushed one after another to the left and right to be all displayed by pushing parts in front of respective left and right ends26,27, which face each other across the menus as shown inFIG. 3A.

In cases where the number of names on group menu name selection screen24or function name selection screen25is too large, causing hard view, the names may be pushed one after another upwardly and downwardly to be all displayed by touching parts in front of respective upper and lower ends28and29or30and31facing each other across the names.

In the above description, the name of group menu20or the like is selected from group menu name selection screen24or the like. However, the name such as “Favorite-1” may be changed to a favorite name such as “Favorite” by inputting letters or the like.

In the above description, deciding on “Macro-1” (group menu20) results in the transmission of all individual functions21included in “Macro-1”. However, individual functions21included in another group menu20such as “Favorite-1” may all be transmitted by selecting “Favorite-1” and selecting “Favorite-1” once again, whereby “Favorite-1” is decided on.

According to the present invention described above, the remote control transmitter obtained allows easy setting of the specified function.