An electronic appliance control apparatus

Abstract: A power controlling apparatus turns off a power to an apparatus whose connection to a central apparatus has been cut by a connection change, thus selectively turning off a power to an apparatus not required by the central apparatus. A locking/unlocking apparatus determines a value of the locking timer in the interrupt timer routine and, when the value has exceeded a predetermined level, takes a slave apparatus out of the locked state, thereby simplifying programming.

Description: The present invention relates to a power control apparatus suitably used for an audio/video (AV) system or the like. It is known for a plurality of AV apparatuses such as a video tape recorder (VTR) and a laser disc player (LDP) to be connected to an AV centre (that is, a television) for example and each of the AV apparatuses turns off its power when it is out of use for a certain period of time. However, if each of the apparatuses connected to the AV centre turns off its power, it poses the risk of turning off a power to an AV apparatus which is necessary for the AV centre. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power control apparatus that turns off only the power to those apparatuses connected to an AV centre which are not required by it for the time being. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power control apparatus for use in an audio-visual device, comprising: a main controller for controlling a main operation of said power control apparatus; a separate sub-controller for controlling a communicating operation between said power control apparatus and other apparatuses; a memory for storing commands and data necessary for said main controller and said sub-controller to perform their processing; a display; and a selector operable to select one of a plurality of signals input into said audio-visual device to pass to said display and/or one of said other apparatuses, said selector being controlled by said main controller, said sub-controller being operable , when instructed by said main controller after a communication connection between one of said other apparatuses and said power control apparatus has been terminated in favour of a connection between said power control apparatus and another one of said other apparatuses, to transmit a power-off command to the previously connected other apparatus. According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a first apparatus to control the power to a second apparatus comprising the steps of: determining if a command has come to the first apparatus from a second apparatus if a command has come, determining whether said command is a connection command; if said command is a connection command, determining whether said connection command is for internal connection to said first apparatus; if said connection command is for internal connection, determining whether said connection is the same as a previous internal connection; if said connection command is not for the same connection as the previous connection, counting a predetermined period of time; and when said predetermined period has passed, sending a power-off command to the previously connected second apparatus to turn off power thereto. The present invention will be further described by way of example in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of a power control apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a flowchart describing an example of an operation of the embodiment of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows an example of an AV system which uses a control program according to this invention. In the figure, a remote controller 2 has a power switch for turning on/off a power to an AV centre, or a television 1, a channel select button, and a sound volume adjusting switch for adjusting a sound volume of a speaker 15. The remote controller 2 also has a select switch for selecting an AV signal coming from a tuner 7 and one of AV signals entered via external AV input/output terminals, or plugs V1, V2, V3 and V4 (in the example of Fig. 1, a VTR 13 is connected to the plug V1 and an LDP 14 is connected to the V4) to be displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) 10 and outputted from the speaker. In addition, the remote controller 2 has a control switch for controlling AV apparatuses connected to the plugs V1 through V4. The remote controller 2 emits a light or an infrared radiation from an incorporated light emitting diode when one of the above-mentioned switches is operated. A photo detector 3 converts the received light or infrared radiation into an electrical signal to send it to a central processing unit (CPU) 5. An operator panel 4 has the same switches as provided on the remote controller 2 and is operated to turn on/off the power to the AV center 1, select a channel, and control the AV apparatuses connected to the plugs V1 through V4. When the remote controller 2 or the operator panel 4 is operated, the CPU 5 controls the sound volume of the speaker 15, the tuner 7, a selector 8, a controller 9, and a message display circuit 12. A read-only memory (ROM) 6A stores a program and data which are necessary for the CPU 5 to operate. A random-access memory (RAM) 6B stores data obtained as a result of processing by the CPU 5. A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) 6C stores data that need to be stored even after the power to the AV center is turned off. The control program according to the invention is stored in the ROM 6A. The program may also be stored in the NVRAM 6C. The sound volume of the speaker 15 is controlled by the CPU 5. When the volume adjusting switch of the remote controller 2 or the operator panel 4 is operated, the CPU 5 controls the sound volume to be output from the speaker 15 accordingly. The tuner 7 selects a desired frequency band (a channel) from a radio frequency fed from an antenna 16 to detect an AV signal. The detected AV signal is fed to the CRT 10 and the speaker 15 via the selector 8. The controller 9 is connected, via a control signal input/output terminal C and a control line 21 consisting of a D2B bus for example, to the AV apparatuses such as the VTR 13 and LDP 14 connected to the plugs V1 through V4 to control a power on/off operation of the connected AV apparatuses and a video and audio signal reproducing operation. The selector 8, controlled by the CPU 5, selects the AV signal coming from the tuner and one of the AV signals coming from the AV apparatuses such as the VTR 13 and the LDP 14 via the plugs V1 through V4 to feed a video signal to the CRT 10 and, via an amplifier, not shown, an audio signal to the speaker 15. Further, the selector 8 selects one of video signals coming from the AV apparatuses such as the VTR 13 and the LDP 14 controlled by the controller 9 to send the selected video signal to a picture-in-picture (PinP) circuit 11. The PinP circuit 11 converts the video signal coming from the selector 8 into a PinP video signal. That is, the PinP circuit 11 converts the video signal coming from the selector 8 such that an image corresponding to the video signal is displayed in a predetermined area (a main picture or a sub picture) of a screen of the CRT 10. The message display circuit 12, controlled by the CPU 5, outputs character data for displaying a predetermined message as a menu in a predetermined area on the screen of the CRT 10 when performing initialization for determining (or recognizing) the AV apparatuses connected to the plugs V1 through V4. The CRT 10 displays an image corresponding to a video signal coming from the selector 8. At the same time, the CRT 10 displays an image and a message character string corresponding to a video signal and character data coming from the PinP circuit 11 and the message display circuit 12 respectively in a PinP screen and a message display section on the screen of the CRT. Fig. 2 shows an example of an operation of the embodiment of Fig. 1. When a control signal is fed to the controller 9 from the VTR 13 or the LDP 14 via the control line 21, the CPU 5 determines whether the control signal is a command (step S1 of Fig. 2); if the control signal is not a command, the CPU 5 determines whether it is a request (step S2). If it is found to be a request, the CPU 5 performs request processing (step S3). If the control signal is a command (YES of step S1), the CPU 5 determines if the command is a connection command. If the command is not a connection command, the CPU 5 performs usual command processing (step S5). If the command is a connection command, the CPU 5 determines whether the connection is internal to the AV center or the television 1 (step S6); otherwise, the CPU 5 performs processing for connection to external equipment (step S7). If the connection command is for connection internal to the AV center or the television 1 (YES of step S6), the CPU 5 determines whether the connection is the same as a previous internal connection (step S8). If not, the CPU 5 controls the selector 8 to clear the previous internal connection and set the new connection (step S9). When a time set on a timer has passed (YES of step 10), the CPU 5 sends a power-off command to a previously connected AV apparatus (the VTR13 or the LDP 14) via the controller 9 and the control line 21. Accordingly, if a play command is sent from the LDP 14 to the CPU 5 via the control line 21 and the controller 9 when a video signal from the VTR 13 is being displayed by executing a play command coming from the VTR 13 by way of example, the CPU 5 controls the selector 8 so that a video signal from the LDP 14 rather than a video signal from the VTR 13 is fed to the CRT 10 because the play command sent to the CPU 5 is a connection change command. At the same time, when a preset time has passed, the CPU 5 sends a power-off command to the VTR 13 via the control line 21 to turn off the power to the VTR 13. Thus, any apparatus (the VTR 13 in the above-mentioned example) that is not needed by the AV center or television 1 can be powered off. It will be apparent that, although the apparatus not supplying a video signal to the television 1 is powered off in the above-mentioned example, there is another arrangement in which a VTR not fed with a video signal from the tuner 7 is powered off when the television 1 is connected to a plurality of VTR units selectively supplied with a video signal from the tuner 7 via the selector 8. That is, an AV apparatus not using a signal coming from inside the television 1 or not sending a signal to the inside of the television 1 can be powered off. It will be also apparent that, although an apparatus whose connection is cleared when a preset time has passed after detection of a connection change is powered off in the above-mentioned example, an apparatus whose connection is cleared upon detection of a connection change can be powered off. Although a connection path is not altered, the AV center 1 does not know an apparatus whose connection has been cleared. This problem can be solved by providing each of the apparatuses connected to the AV center 1 with a capability of powering off itself after a certain time in combination with the above-mentioned embodiment. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the CPU both detects a connection change and instructs a power-off operation to an apparatus whose connection has been cleared. Alternatively, connection change detecting means for detecting a change of connection with a plurality of apparatuses and power-off instructing means for instructing a power-off operation to an apparatus whose connection has been cleared by the connection change can be implemented by separate hardware units. It will be apparent that this invention is applicable to other various electronic equipment units than AV apparatuses shown in the above-mentioned embodiment. The power controlling apparatus according to this invention turns off a power to an apparatus whose connection to a central apparatus has been cut by a connection change, thus selectively turning off a power to an apparatus not required by the central apparatus.

Claims: A power control apparatus (1) for use in an audio-visual device, comprising: a main controller (5) for controlling a main operation of said power control apparatus; a separate sub-controller (9) for controlling a communicating operation between said power control apparatus (1) and other apparatuses (13, 14); a memory (6) for storing commands and data necessary for said main controller and said sub-controller to perform their processing; a display (10); and a selector (8) operable to select one of a plurality of signals input into said audio-visual device to pass to said display (10) and/or one of said other apparatuses, said selector (8) being controlled by said main controller (5), said sub-controller (9) being operable , when instructed by said main controller (5) after a communication connection between one of said other apparatuses (13, 14) and said power control apparatus (1) has been terminated in favour of a connection between said power control apparatus (1) and another one of said other apparatuses (13, 14), to transmit a power-off command to the previously connected other apparatus (13,14). A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an infrared radiation receiver (3) for receiving infrared radiation modulated by a remote controller (2) with a control signal of said power control apparatus; and a message display circuit (12) for generating a message signal to be displayed on said display (10). A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a picture-in-picture circuit (11) for performing picture-in-picture processing to generate any of a main picture signal and a sub-picture signal; and a speaker (15) for generating a sound signal from an electrical audio signal. A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said memory comprises: a read-only memory (6A) for storing any of said commands and data necessary for said power control apparatus to perform its processing; a random access memory (6B) for storing a result of the processing by said power control apparatus; and a non-volatile random access memory (6C) for storing any of said commands and data to be retained after power to said power control apparatus is turned off. A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said main controller is operable to perform processing comprising the steps of: determining (S1) whether a command has come; if a command has come, determining (S4) whether said command is a connection command; if said command is a connection command, determining (S6) whether said connection command is for internal connection to said audio-visual device; if the connection is for internal connection to said audio-visual device, determining (S8) whether said connection is with the same other apparatus as the previous connection; if said connection is not the same as the previous connection, making (S9) the new connection and counting (S10) a predetermined period of time after making said new connection; and when said predetermined period of time has passed, sending (S11) a power-off command to said other apparatus in the previous connection to turn off power thereto. A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further comprising: said other apparatus (13, 14) to be controlled by said power control apparatus, wherein said other apparatus is arranged to turn off its own power after a predetermined period of time has passed after a connection to it is terminated. A method of using a first apparatus (1) to control the power to a second apparatus (13, 14) comprising the steps of: determining (S1, S2) if a command has come to the first apparatus (1) from a second apparatus (13, 14); if a command has come, determining (S4) whether said command is a connection command; if said command is a connection command, determining (S6) whether said connection command is for internal connection to said first apparatus (1); if said connection command is for internal connection, determining (S8) whether said connection is the same as a previous internal connection; if said connection command is not for the same connection as the previous connection, counting (S10) a predetermined period of time; and when said predetermined period has passed, sending (S11) a power-off command to the previously connected second apparatus (13, 14) to turn off power thereto. A power control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 or a method according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined period of time expires immediately.

Inventors: TANAKA SHIGEO, TANAKA, SHIGEO, TANAKA, SHIGEO, C/O SONY CORPORATION
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, H04Q9, H04B1