Patent Publication Number: US-2012046952-A1

Title: Remote control system and method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to remote control systems and methods, and particularly to, a remote control system and method for controlling different electronic devices. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There are many different kinds of electronic devices. Each kind of electronic device has a control module and corresponding control commands. If users want to control a plurality of electronic devices, they may need to use different control modules. So, it is inconvenient for users to control at least two kinds of electronic device. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the remote control system. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a remote control method of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of an audio recognition process of  FIG. 2  in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or Assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a remote control system  10  is connected to a first electronic device  20  and a second electronic device  40 . The remote control system  10  is configured to receive a user command and convert the user command into a control command to send to the corresponding electronic device. In one embodiment, the first and second electronic devices  20 ,  40  are any two of a computer, a digital photo frame, a digital television, a stereo system for example. The first and second electronic devices  20 ,  40  can communicate over a network via a known method such as with Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH, infrared, 3G connection, and so on. 
     The remote control system  10  includes a receiving and analysis module  102 , a converting module  104 , and a control interface module  106 . The receiving and analysis module  102  is connected to the converting module  104 . The converting module  104  is connected to the control interface module  106 . The receiving and analysis module  102  is connected to an audio recognition server  30 . The control interface module  106  is connected to the first electronic device  20  and the second electronic device  40 . 
     The receiving and analysis module  102  is used for receiving and analyzing a signal from a user. The signal may be an audio signal or a key command. The receiving and analysis module  102  includes an audio receiving sub-module  1022  and an audio recognition sub-module  1024 . The audio receiving sub-module  1022  is used for receiving an audio signal from a user and sending the audio signal to the audio recognition sub-module  1024 . In one embodiment, the audio receiving sub-module  1022  is a microphone. The audio recognition sub-module  1024  is used for recognizing voice commands and sending the voice commands to the converting module  104 . 
     The audio recognition sub-module  1024  is connected to the audio recognition server  30 . The audio recognition sub-module  1024  is used for sending the audio signal to the audio recognition server  30 . The audio recognition server  30  is used for recognizing the audio signal, from the audio recognition sub-module  1024 , as a user command corresponding to an electronic device and sending the user command to the audio recognition sub-module  1024 . In one embodiment, the audio recognition server  30  is provided by a web-accessible multimodal interface (WAMI). 
     The converting module  104  is used for converting the user command into a control command identifiable by the corresponding electronic device and sending the control command to the control interface module  106 . The control command includes a channel part and a content part. The channel part is the transmission method over the network, such as Wi-Fi. The content part is control information corresponding to the audio signal. 
     The control interface module  106  is used for sending the control command to the corresponding electronic device. For example, if the control command corresponds to the first electronic device  20 , the first electronic device  20  performs actions corresponding to the control command. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a remote control method is shown. An embodiment of the method is as follows. 
     In step S 10 , the receiving and analysis module  102  receives a signal, such as audio signal, and recognizes the audio signal as a user command corresponding to an electronic device, such as the first electronic device  20 . 
     In step S 12 , the converting module  104  converts the user command to a control command identifiable by the electronic device  20  and sends the control command to the control interface module  106 . 
     In step S 14 , the control interface module  106  sends the control command to the electronic device  20  by network communication with the electronic device  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an audio recognition process in step S 10  is shown. An embodiment of the process is as follows. 
     In step S 102 , the audio receiving sub-module  1022  receives the audio signal and sends the audio signal to the audio recognition sub-module  1024 . 
     In step S 104 , the audio recognition sub-module  1024  recognizes the audio signal as a user command. 
     In step S 106 , the audio recognition sub-module  1024  sends the user command to the converting module  104 . 
     Wherein in step  104 , the audio recognition sub-module  1024  sends the audio signal to the audio recognition server  30 , and the audio recognition server  30  recognizes the audio signal as the user command and sends it to the audio recognition sub-module  1024 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 
     Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of methods described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.