Patent Abstract:
An information processing unit controls a plurality of electronic devices. The information processing unit includes a storage unit for storing input graphical-user-interface data on the electronic devices, a display unit for displaying graphical user interfaces corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data stored in the storage unit, a detecting unit for detecting user operations corresponding to the graphical user interfaces displayed on the display unit, and a transmitting unit for transmitting control signals controlling the electronic devices in accordance with the results of detection by the detecting unit.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to information processing units, information processing methods, and to provision media therewith, and in particular, relates to an information processing unit and method for outputting operation commands to different types of electronic devices, and to a medium containing the method for the information processing unit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the case where a video cassette recorder (VCR) is connected to a television (TV) receiver, a remote controller dedicated to the VCR and a remote controller dedicated to the TV receiver are used. When there are different remote controller for electronic devices, as described above, a user may be confused by forgetting the correspondence between the remote controllers and the electronic devices. In addition, for controlling a series of processes by a plurality of electronic devices as in the case where a satellite-broadcasted program, received by a set top box (STB), is recorded by a VCR while being monitored by a TV receiver, different remote controllers for the electronic devices must be used. 
     Accordingly, a multifunctional remote controller has been developed that can operate a plurality of electronic devices by using recorded operation commands for the electronic devices. 
     Although the multifunctional remote controller can control electronic devices recorded in the remote controller, it cannot control a newly acquired electronic device, i.e., an electronic device for which controller information has not yet been recorded. To solve this problem, a remote controller provided with a learning function, by which an operable electronic device can be additionally recorded in the remote controller, has been further developed. 
     In the case where the remote controller uses its learning function to learn operation commands for the added electronic device, one of the existing buttons of the remote controller must be assigned to the added electronic device. This causes a problem in that confusion may occur because the original markings for the button of the remote controller do not correspond to the added electronic device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing unit and method that output operation commands to a plurality of electronic devices without confusing user operations by displaying graphical user interfaces (GUIs) supplied from the electronic devices in the form of hypertext markup language (HTML), and to provide a medium providing the information processing method for the information processing unit. 
     To this end, according to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of an information processing unit for controlling a plurality of electronic devices. The information processing unit includes a storage unit for storing input graphical-user-interface data for the electronic devices, a display unit for displaying graphical user interfaces corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data stored in the storage unit, a detecting unit for detecting user operations corresponding to the graphical user interfaces displayed on the display unit, and a transmitting unit for transmitting control signals controlling the electronic devices in accordance with the results of detection by the detecting unit. 
     Preferably, the graphical-user-interface data are described in the form of hypertext markup language. The shapes and arrangement of symbols on each graphical user interface may be similar to those of operation buttons of a remote controller dedicated to the corresponding electronic device. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a remote controller for controlling a plurality of electronic devices. The remote controller includes a storage unit for storing externally input graphical-user-interface data on the electronic devices, the graphical-user-interface data being described in the form of hypertext markup language, a display for displaying graphical user interfaces corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data stored in the storage unit, a detector for detecting user operations corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data displayed on the display, and a transmitter for transmitting control signals controlling each electronic device in response to the result of detection by the detector. 
     Preferably, the graphical-user-interface data include command codes for controlling the electronic devices, and the command codes correspond to control buttons displayed as the graphical user interfaces, and command data are read from the storage unit by operating each control button so that each electronic device is controlled. 
     The graphical-user-interface data may be stored in the electronic devices, and the graphical-user-interface data may be supplied from the electronic devices to the storage unit. 
     The electronic devices may store addresses at which the graphical-user-interface data are stored, and the graphical-user-interface data may be supplied from an information processing unit corresponding to each address to the storage unit. 
     The graphical-user-interface data may be stored in a storage medium provided separately from the electronic devices, and the graphical-user-interface data may be supplied from the storage medium to the storage unit. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of an information processing method for controlling a plurality of electronic devices. The information processing method includes a storage step for storing input graphical-user-interface data on the electronic devices, a display step for displaying graphical user interfaces corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data stored in the storage step, a detection step for detecting user operations corresponding to the graphical user interfaces displayed in the display step, and a transmission step for transmitting control signals controlling the electronic devices in accordance with the results of detection performed in the detection step. 
     Preferably, the information processing method further includes a selection step for selecting one electronic device for supplying the graphical-user-interface data, and a record step for instructing the transmission of the graphical-user-interface data from the selected electronic device. 
     The information processing method may further include a selection step for selecting one electronic device for supplying the graphical-user-interface data, and a download step for downloading the graphical-user-interface data, based on the address of a graphical-user-interface-data storage server at which the graphical user interface data are stored. The address of the graphical-user-interface-data storage server is output from the selected electronic device. 
     According to a still further aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a provision medium for providing a computer-readable program to an information processing unit for controlling a plurality of electronic devices. The computer-readable program controls the information processing unit to execute a process including a storage step for storing input graphical-user-interface data on the electronic devices, a display step for displaying graphical user interfaces corresponding to the graphical-user-interface data stored in the storage step, a detection step for detecting user operations corresponding to the graphical user interfaces displayed in the display step, and a transmission step for transmitting control signals controlling the electronic devices in accordance with the results of detection performed in the detection step. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of an electronic device control method for controlling an electronic device controlled by an information processing unit. In the electronic device control method, when the electronic device receives from the information processing unit a request for transmitting graphical-user-interface data, and the graphical-user-interface data are stored in the electronic device or a storage medium belonging thereto, the method controls the electronic device to transmit the graphical-user-interface data to the information processing unit, and in the electronic device control method, when the graphical-user-interface data are not stored in the electronic device or the storage medium, the method controls the electronic device to output an address stored in the electronic device, which represents a server storing the graphical-user-interface data, and the method controls the electronic device downloads, from the server corresponding to the address via a network, and supplies the graphical-user-interface data to the information processing unit. 
     Preferably, the graphical-user-interface data are described in the form of hypertext markup language, and the address is an Internet protocol address. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the link of a remote controller  11  according to an embodiment of the present invention to other electronic devices; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the remote controller  11  shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the remote controller  11  shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for registering an added electronic device in the remote controller  11  shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a drawing showing an example of an initial screen displayed on the display panel  22  shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an example of a screen picture shown on the display panel  22  shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a drawing showing another example of the initial screen shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling an electronic device by using the remote controller  11  shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a drawing showing an example of a control screen displayed when the TV receiver shown in FIG. 1 is controlled; 
     FIG. 10 is a drawing showing the shapes and arrangement of operation buttons of a remote controller dedicated to a TV receiver; and 
     FIG. 11 is a drawing showing an example of a GUI displayed on the display panel  22 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows an example of the connection between a remote controller  11  according to an embodiment of the present invention and other electronic devices. An STB  2 , a VCR  3 , a digital versatile disk (DVD) player  4 , a TV receiver  5 , an amplifier  6 , a MiniDisk (MD) player  7 , a compact disk (CD) player  8 , and a personal computer (PC)  9  are connected to the remote controller  11  via a bus  1 . 
     Each of the STB  2  to the PC  9  stores GUI data described in its HTML or the Internet protocol (IP) address of a server (on a network) at which GUI data described in its HTML are stored. In response to a request from the remote controller  11 , each of the STB  2  to the PC  9  supplies the remote controller  11  with the stored HTML-form GUI data, or supplies the PC  9  with the IP address of the server. 
     The HTML-form GUI data include control codes controlling electronic devices. 
     The PC  9  is connected to a display  10 , and also to a network (not shown) such as the Internet. 
     The type of the bus  1  may include an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 cable or another type of cable, an infrared link, and a radio link. By using one of these or a plurality of types of links among these, all the electronic devices may be connected. In the following description, the remote controller  11  is connected to the other electronic devices by using the infrared link. In addition, in the case where an IEEE 1394 cable is used to exchange various data such as HTML data or GUI data (described below), by embedding the data in a known IP packet processed by a PC, and embedding the IP packet (e.g., asynchronous packet) in a packet defined in the IEEE 1394, data exchange can be performed. Definitely, also in the case where not only the IEEE 1394 but also another type of data transfer format is used, data exchange can be performed such that a packet defined in the format is used, and each device performing data exchange embeds the desired data in the packet when transmitting the packet and extracts the desired data included in the received packet when receiving the packet. 
     FIG. 2 shows the exterior of the remote controller  11 . An infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  receives HTML-form GUI data supplied as an infrared signal from one of the STB  2  to the CD player  8 . The infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  also transmits an operation command for operating one of the STB  2  to the CD player  8  in the form of an infrared signal. The display panel  22  is a dot-matrix display for displaying a GUI, and a touch panel  23  is integrated with the display panel  22 . The touch panel  23  is composed of a transparent member through which an image displayed on the display panel  22 , which is lower, can be observed. The touch panel  23  detects a position touched by the user, as a pair of coordinates. 
     A switching button  24  is operated for switching on and off the power supply of the display panel  22 . A jog dial  25  is used to perform frame-forwarding reproduction. Cursor keys  26 - 1  to  26 - 4  are used to move a cursor  43  for selecting one of selective items displayed on the display panel  22 . A confirming button  27  is operated for confirming the selected item. 
     FIG. 3 shows an internal structure of the remote controller  11 . An operation unit  31  detects operations by the user via the touch panel  23 , the switching button  24 , the jog dial  25 , the cursor keys  26 - 1  to  26 - 4 , and the confirming button  27 , and outputs the operation information to a CPU  33 . An HTML storage unit  32  is comprised of a memory, and stores HTML-form GUI data to be displayed on the display panel  22  and other types of display data. The HTML storage unit  32  also stores software required for displaying the HTML-form GUI data, such as an operating system and a browser. The CPU  33  controls the above-described units in accordance with the software. The above-described units are connected by a bus  34 . 
     The HTML-form GUI data stored in the HTML storage unit  32  include data directly supplied from the electronic devices (the STB  2  to the CD player  8 ) and data supplied from the PC  9  to the remote controller  11  after being downloaded from the server on the Internet to the PC  9 . 
     With reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, the operation of the remote controller  11  is described below. In this description, the VCR  3 , the DVD player  4 , the amplifier  6 , the MD player  7 , and the CD player  8  have already been recorded in the remote controller  11 , and the TV receiver  5  is additionally recorded. 
     In step S 1 , when the switching button  24  of the remote controller  11  is operated by the user, the CPU  33  displays an initial screen read from the HTML storage unit  32 . An example of the displayed initial screen is shown in FIG.  5 . Each of the device operation buttons  41 - 1  to  41 - 5  is operated to select an electronic device to be controlled. Each displayed device operation button corresponds to one electronic device (recorded electronic device) whose HTML-form GUI data are stored in the HTML storage unit  32 . In the example shown in FIG. 5, in accordance with the amplifier  6 , the CD player  8 , the MD player  7 , the DVD player  4 , and the VCR  3  that have already been recorded in the remote controller  11 , the corresponding device operation buttons  41 - 1  to  41 - 5  are displayed. 
     A recording button  42  is operated to record information for a new electronic device in the remote controller  11 . 
     Each button is selected by moving the cursor  43  with the cursor keys  26 - 1  to  26 - 4 , and is confirmed by operating the confirming button  27 . Also, each button is selected and confirmed by operating the jog dial  25  and the touch panel  23 . 
     When the recording button  42  is operated by the user in step S 2 , the CPU  33  proceeds to step S 3 , and the CPU  33  displays the recording screen shown in FIG. 6 on the display panel  22 . On the display panel  22 , the “RECORD FROM DEVICE” button  51 - 1  and the “RECORD FROM NETWORK” button  51 - 2  are displayed as command buttons. The “RECORD FROM DEVICE” button  51 - 1  is operated for reading HTML-form GUI data stored in an electronic device to be additionally recorded. The “RECORD FROM NETWORK” button  51 - 2  is operated for downloading GUI data from the server on the network by the PC  9  regardless of whether the electronic device to be additionally recorded stores HTML-form GUI data. 
     In step S 4 , the CPU  33  in the remote controller  11  determines whether the “RECORD FROM DEVICE” button  51 - 1  or the “RECORD FROM NETWORK” button  51 - 2  has been operated. The CPU  33  in the remote controller  11  waits for either button  51 - 1  or  51 - 2  to be operated. If the CPU  33  has determined that the “RECORD FROM DEVICE” button  51 - 1  has been operated, it proceeds to step S 5 . At this time, the user must operate either button  51 - 1  or  51 - 2  while aiming the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  of the remote controller  11  at the TV receiver  5  (the electronic device to be additionally recorded). 
     In step S 5 , the CPU  33  controls the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  to output a command for requesting HTML-form GUI data. When the TV receiver  5  receives the request command, it sends stored HTML-form GUI data by infrared transmission. The remote controller  11  uses the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  to receive the transmitted HTML-form GUI data. 
     In step S 6 , the HTML-form GUI data received as described above are stored in the HTML storage unit  32 . 
     If the CPU  33  has determined in step S 4  that the “RECORD FROM NETWORK” button  51 - 2  has been operated, it proceeds to step S 7 . In step S 7 , the CPU  33  controls the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  to output a command for requesting the IP address of the server at which the HTML-form GUI data are stored. When the TV receiver  5  receives the request command, it supplies the PC  9  with the stored IP address of the server. 
     The PC  9  accesses, via the network, the server corresponding to the IP address supplied from the TV receiver  5 , and downloads the stored HTML-form GUI data. In step S 8 , the downloaded HTML-form GUI data are sent to the remote controller  11  by infrared transmission, and the transmitted HTML-form GUI data are received by the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21 . In step S 9 , the received HTML-form GUI data are stored in the HTML storage unit  32 . 
     After the received HTML-form GUI data of the TV receiver  5  are stored in the HTML storage unit  32 , as described above, the CPU  33  proceeds to step S 10 , and a device operation button corresponding to the TV receiver  5  is added in the initial screen (displayed in step S 1  and shown in FIG.  5 ). In other words, a command button  41 - 6 , indicated as “TV”, is additionally displayed as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     If it is found in step S 5  that the TV receiver  5  has no HTML-form GUI data of the TV receiver  5 , the TV receiver  5  supplies the PC  9  with the IP address of the server at which the HTML-form GUI data of the TV receiver  5  are stored. Subsequently, processing from step S 7  is similarly performed. 
     The HTML-form GUI data of the device (TV receiver  5 ) to be additionally recorded may be distributed to the user by using a storage medium such as a magnetic disk, and from the storage medium, the HTML-form GUI data may be provided to the remote controller  11 . 
     With reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, a process for controlling an electronic device by using the remote controller  11  is described below. 
     In step S 21 , an initial screen is displayed on the display panel  22 . In this process, the initial screen shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display panel  22 . 
     In step S 22 , among the device operation buttons  41 - 1  to  41 - 6 , one device operation button is selected and confirmed by the user. For example, when the device operation button  41 - 6  is selected and operated, a GUI for controlling the TV receiver  5  is displayed on the display panel  22  in step S 23 . In other words, if the CPU  33  has determined that the device operation button  41 - 6  has been operated, it reads the HTML-form GUI data of the TV receiver  5  stored in the HTML storage unit  32 , and displays the read data on the display panel  22 . An example of the GUI corresponding to the TV receiver  5  is shown in FIG.  9 . 
     In the example shown in FIG. 9, a minus button  61 - 1  and a plus button  61 - 2  are operated for changing channels. A minus button  62 - 1  and a plus button  62 - 2  are operated for changing the volume. A command button  63  is operated for returning to the initial screen (shown in FIG.  7 ). 
     After the GUI is displayed on the display panel  22 , a user operation is accepted. For example, when the minus button  62 - 1  is operated, the operation is detected by the operation unit  31 , and the detection signal is output to the CPU  33 . The CPU  33  reads a command code (included in the GUI data) corresponding to the minus button  62 - 1  from the HTML storage unit  32 , and uses the infrared transmitting/receiving unit  21  to transmit the read code. The TV receiver  5  reduces the volume in response to the transmitted code. 
     By designing GUI symbols (operation buttons) to be similar to the shapes and arrangement (shown in, e.g., FIG. 10) of operation buttons of a remote controller dedicated to the TV receiver  5 , that is, as in the example shown in FIG. 11, no confusion occurs in user operations. In addition, the GUI may be designed to be similar to the shapes of operation buttons provided in an electronic device itself. 
     In addition, only by preparing and storing, in the remote controller  11 , HTML-form GUI data including command codes for an electronic device, an electronic device capable of being controlled by the remote controller  11  can be added without addition and modifications in hardware. 
     By describing GUI data in the HTML, an electronic device can be controlled by using a device (e.g., personal computer) capable of treating HTML-form data, in other words, the electronic device can be remote-controlled. 
     A computer program for performing the foregoing processing may be provided to the user not only on an information recording medium such as a magnetic disk or a compact-disk read-only memory but also by a network provision medium such as the Internet or digital satellite link.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7