Patent Publication Number: US-2010123546-A1

Title: Electronic apparatus and remote control method of the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0115931, filed on Nov. 20, 2008 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an electronic apparatus and a remote control method of the same, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus and a remote control method of the same, in which if a plurality of the same kind of electronic apparatuses is provided, an error in remote control of each electronic apparatus is prevented. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     These days, most electronic apparatuses include a passive control device and a remote controller that remotely controls the passive control device. Further, it is possible to control a plurality of electronic apparatuses by a control signal output from the remote controller. Such apparatuses may be of the same kind or model, or may be different, but capable of being controlled as if they were the same kind or model (e.g., programmable to emulate a particular kind or model). As used herein, the phrase “same kind” or “same model” refers to any of the above-noted possibilities. 
     For example, if a fitness center, a hospital or the like uses a plurality of the same kind of electronic apparatuses, a plurality of passive control devices are uniformly controlled by a control signal from one remote controller. However, a problem exists if the user does not wish to control all of the plurality of passive control devices uniformly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention address at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. Also, the present invention is not required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may not overcome any of the problems described above. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control method of an electronic apparatus including a passive control device and a remote controller remotely controlling the passive control device, the remote control method including: outputting from the remote controller a control signal including an identification (ID) code and a data code; storing in the passive control device a control ID code corresponding to the ID code; comparing the ID code with the control ID code; and controlling the passive control device to operate based on the data code if the ID code is matched with the control ID code. 
     The ID code may be user selectable. 
     The ID code may include an n-bit signal. 
     The remote control method may further include outputting the control ID code from the passive control device. 
     The passive control device may include a display unit, and the control ID code may be displayed on the display unit. 
     The passive control device may include a sound output unit, and the control ID code may be output through the sound output unit. 
     The remote control method may further include controlling the passive control device not to operate based on the data code if the ID code is not matched with the control ID code. 
     The remote control method may further include informing a user of the control ID code stored in the passive control device if the ID code is not matched with the control ID code. 
     The remote control method may further include releasing a setting of the control ID code if the passive control device is turned off. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus including: a remote controller which includes an identification (ID) code generator to generate an ID code, and outputs a control signal including the ID code and a data code; and a passive control device which includes a code generator, a storage unit and a controller, wherein the code generator generates a control ID code corresponding to the ID code, wherein the storage unit stores the control ID code, and wherein the controller compares the ID code with the control ID code stored in the storage unit and controls the passive control device to operate based on the data code if the ID code is matched with the control ID code. 
     The remote controller may include a plurality of input buttons, and the ID code generator generates the ID code based on a combination of the plurality of input buttons. 
     The passive control device may further include a display unit, and the controller may control the display unit so that the control ID code can be displayed in the passive control device. 
     The passive control device may further include a sound output unit, and the controller may control the sound output unit so that the control ID code can be output in the passive control device. 
     The controller may compare the ID code with the control ID code stored in the storage unit and control the passive control device not to operate based on the data code if the ID code is not matched with the control ID code. 
     The controller may compare the ID code with the control ID code stored in the storage unit and control the display unit to display the control ID code stored in the passive control device if the ID code is not matched with the control ID code. 
     The controller may compare the ID code with the control ID code stored in the storage unit and control the sound output unit to output the control ID code stored in the passive control device if the ID code is not matched with the control ID code. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and/or other aspects of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a control block diagram of an electronic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a control signal output from a remote controller of the electronic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows interlock between the remote controller and a passive control device of the electronic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a remote control operation of the electronic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of remotely controlling the electronic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of remotely controlling the electronic apparatus according to a another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart of remotely controlling the electronic apparatus according to a still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Below, an electronic apparatus and a remote control method of the same according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. 
     While some of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described to achieve one-to-one correspondence between a remote controller and a passive control device in a place where the same kind of electronic apparatuses are installed, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, different kinds of electronic apparatuses might each be capable of being simultaneously controlled by the remote controller. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electronic apparatus  1  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a remote controller  10 , and a passive control device  50  remotely controlled by the remote controller  10 . 
     The remote controller  10  outputs a control signal  30  to control an operation of the passive control device  50 . In this embodiment, the remote controller  10  includes an input button  12  to input the control signal  30 , and an identification (ID) code generator  14  to generate an ID code  38 . 
     The input button  12  is plurally arranged in the remote controller  10 . For example, the input button  12  includes various buttons such as a power button, channel up/down buttons, volume up/down buttons and number buttons. 
     The ID code generator  14  generates the ID code  38  for allowing the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  to be paired. Here, the ID code generator  14  may generate the ID code  38  by a combination of various buttons provided as the input button  12 . For example, the ID-code generator  14  may generate the ID code  38  by a combination of “channel up+number 1+number 2” of the input button  12 , or may generate the ID code  38  by continuously inputting an arbitrary button of the input button  12 . Also, the input button  12  may include an additional button for operating the ID code generator  14 . 
     In general, the control signal  30  output from the remote controller  10  includes a leader pulse  32 , a custom code  34  and a data code  36 . In this embodiment, the remote controller  10  controls the ID code generator  14  to add the ID code  38  to the control signal  30 . 
     The leader pulse  32  of the control signal  30  output from the remote controller  10  indicates input of an infrared (IR) signal. The custom code  34  is a signal containing a manufacturing company, the kind, a model number, etc. of the electronic apparatus  1 . The command code  36  is a signal for controlling the passive control device  50 , and the ID code  38  is a signal for one-to-one correspondence between the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50 . 
     The control signal generally includes a 32-bit signal. The general control signal includes two 8-bit custom codes  34  and two 8-bit data codes  36 . On the other hand, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control signal  30  output from the remote controller  10  is achieved by adding an n-bit ID code  38  to total 32-bit custom and data codes  34  and  36 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the control signal  30  output from the remote controller  10  in this embodiment includes a 4-bit ID code  38 . Here, the ID code is n-bit, the number of the ID code is 2n. The ID codes  38  are pared with 2n passive control devices  50  one-to-one. For example, a 1-bit ID code  38  generates the ID codes  38  to be pared with 21=2 passive control devices  50 , respectively. In other words, the 1-bit ID code  38  means that the same kind of only two remote controllers  10  and two passive control devices  50  can be paired with each other. 
     In this embodiment, the 4-bit ID code  38  generates 16 ID codes  38  to be pared with 24=16 passive control devices  50 , respectively. Thus, the number of remote controllers  10  and passive control devices  50  to be paired one to one in the same kind of electronic apparatuses  1  increases as n becomes higher. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , if there are three electronic apparatuses  1 , the remote controller  10  generates the ID codes (A), (B) and (C)  38  corresponding to the passive control devices (A), (B) and (C)  50 . 
     The passive control device  50  includes a display unit  52 , a sound output unit  54 , a code generator  56 , a storage unit  58  and a controller  60 . In this embodiment, a video device is described as an example of the passive control device  50 , but not limited thereto. Alternatively, the passive control device  50  may include various devices such as an audiovisual (AV) system. 
     The display unit  52  outputs a video signal or displays a control ID code under control of the controller  60  to be described later. Further, the sound output unit  54  outputs an audio signal, or outputs a control ID code as a sound under the control of the controller  60 . Further, the display unit  52  and the sound output unit  54  will be described in detail together with description of the controller  60 . 
     The code generator  56  generates a control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38  based on the control signal  30  from the remote controller  10 . That is, the code generator  56  serves to generate the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38  so that the remote controller  10  can be pared with the passive control device  50  one to one. The storage unit  58  stores the control ID code generated by the code generator  56 . 
     The controller  60  receives the control signal  30  from the remote controller  10  and controls the code generator  56  to generate the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38  involved in the control signal  30 . That is, the controller  60  controls the code generator  56  to set up the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38 , thereby generating the control ID code. 
     Further, the controller  60  controls the display unit  52  to display the control ID code or the sound output unit  54  to output the control ID code as a sound when the control ID code is generated and stored. The controller  60  controls the display unit  52  to display an on screen display (OSD) menu or the sound output unit  54  to output a sound, thereby informing a user that the control ID code is set up corresponding to the ID code  38 . Here, the control ID code output as the OSD menu on the display unit  52  may be accomplished by a combination of various characters like ‘SET 001’ or ‘SET 002.’ On the other hand, the control ID code output as a sound may be achieved by a beep sound or a previously stored voice. 
     If the control signal  30  is received from the remote controller  10  after storing the control ID code in the storage unit  58 , the controller  60  compares the ID code  38  with the control ID code stored in the storage unit  58  and controls the operation of the passive control device  50  according to the data code  36  when the control code  38  is matched with the control ID code. For example, the controller  60  compares the ID code  38  and the stored control ID code when receiving the data code  36  for channel-up and the ID code  38 , and controls the passive control device  50  to perform the channel-up if the ID code  38  is matched with the stored control ID code. 
     On the other hand, if the control signal  30  is received from the remote controller  10  after storing the control ID code in the storage unit  58 , the controller  60  compares the ID code  38  with the control ID code stored in the storage unit  58  and controls the passive control device  50  not to operate corresponding to the data code  36  when the control code  38  is not matched with the control ID code. Further, if the passive control device  50  does not operate based on the data code  36 , the controller  60  controls the display unit  52  to display the control ID code or the sound output unit  54  to output the control ID code as a sound, thereby informing a user that the remote controller  10  is not paired with the passive control device  50 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the electronic apparatuses  1  are remotely controlled as follows according to whether the ID code  38  and the control ID code are matched or not matched. The control signal  30  having the additional ID code (A)  38  from the remote controller  10  applies the data code  36  not to the passive control devices (B) and (C) respectively corresponding to the ID codes (B) and (C)  38  but only to the passive control device (A)  50 . Likewise, the control signal  30  having the additional ID code (B)  38  from the remote controller  10  applies the data code  36  only to the passive control device (B)  50 , and the control signal  30  having the additional ID code (C)  38  from the remote controller  10  applies the data code  36  only to the passive control device (C)  50 . Consequently, only the paired electronic apparatus  1  is remotely controlled, but others are not remotely controlled, thereby preventing a control error. 
     The controller  60  releases a setting of the control ID code when the passive control device  50  is turned off. That is, when the passive control device  50  is turned off, the controller  60  deletes the control ID code stored in the storage unit  58 . Such control of the controller  60  may be available when the remote controller  10  is replaced or the like. 
     Below, a remote control method of the electronic apparatus  1  with this configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
     First, at operation S 10 , the remote controller  10  generates the ID code  38  to be paired with the passive control device  50  one to one, and transmits the control signal  30  involving the generated ID code  38  to the passive control device  50 . 
     At operation S 30 , the passive control device  50  receives the control signal  30  involving the ID code  38  and generates the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38 . At operation S 50 , the generated control ID code is stored in the storage unit  58 . Then, the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are paired with each other. 
     After the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are paired with each other one to one, at operation S 70  the remote controller  10  outputs the control signal  30  and the passive control device  50  compares the received ID code  38  with the stored control ID code and operates based on the data code  36  involved in the control signal  30  if the received ID code  38  is matched with the stored control ID code. 
     In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a remote control method of the electronic apparatus  1  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention including the display unit  52  is as follows. 
     First, at operation S 100  the control signal  30  involving the ID code  38  is output. At this time, the ID code  38  may be changed by a combination of the input buttons  12  in the operation S 100  of outputting the control signal  30 . 
     At operation S 120 , the passive control device  50  receives the control signal  30  from the remote controller  10  and generates the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38  involved in the control signal  30 . At operation S 140 , the generated control ID code is stored in the storage unit  58  of the passive control device  50 . At operation S 160 , the control ID code is displayed on the display unit  52 , thereby informing a user that the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are paired with each other one to one. 
     At operation S 180 , the remote controller  10  outputs the control signal  30  to operate the passive control device  50 . Here, the control signal  30  involves the data code  36  for operating the passive control device  50 . At operation S 200 , the passive control device  50  compares the ID code  38  with the control ID code stored in the storage unit  58 . 
     If the ID code  38  is matched with the control ID code, at operation S 220  the passive control device  50  operates corresponding to the data code  36 . 
     On the other hand, if the ID code  38  is not matched with the control ID code, at operation S 240  the passive control device  50  is not operated by the data code  36 . Then, at operation S 260 , the control ID code of the passive control device  50  is displayed on the display unit  52 , so that a user can be informed that the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are not paired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a remote control method of the electronic apparatus  1  according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention including the sound output unit  54  is as follows. 
     First, at operation S 300  the control signal  30  involving the ID code  38  is output. At this time, the ID code  38  may be changed by a combination of the input buttons  12  in the operation S 100  of outputting the control signal  30 . 
     At operation S 320 , the passive control device  50  receives the control signal  30  from the remote controller  10  and generates the control ID code corresponding to the ID code  38  involved in the control signal  30 . At operation S 340 , the generated control ID code is stored in the storage unit  58  of the passive control device  50 . At operation S 360 , the generated control ID code is output as a sound through the sound output unit  54 , thereby informing a user that the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are paired with each other one to one. 
     At operation S 380 , the remote controller  10  outputs the control signal  30  to operate the passive control device  50 . Here, the control signal  30  involves the data code  36  for operating the passive control device  50 . At operation S 400 , the passive control device  50  compares the ID code  38  with the control ID code stored in the storage unit  58 . 
     If the ID code  38  is matched with the control ID code, at operation S 420  the passive control device  50  operates corresponding to the data code  36 . 
     On the other hand, if the ID code  38  is not matched with the control ID code, at operation S 440  the passive control device  50  is not operated by the data code  36 . Then, at operation S 460 , the control ID code of the passive control device  50  is output through the sound output unit  54 , so that a user can be informed that the remote controller  10  and the passive control device  50  are not paired. 
     Thus, the remote controller and the passive control device are paired with each other one to one, so that other devices than that paired with the remote controller can be prevented from being controlled, thereby improving reliability of a product. 
     Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.