Abstract:
An electronic device includes a design changing unit, a communication unit and a light emitting unit. The design changing unit changes a color of the background of a control panel to a color selected by a user. The control panel is stored in the electronic device, to be displayed by a controller and to be used to control the electronic device. The communication unit transmits the control panel changed by the design changing unit from the electronic device to the controller so that the electronic device is remotely controllable using the control panel changed by the design changing unit. The light emitting unit emits light of a color the same as a background color of the control panel displayed by the controller and selected by a user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a remote control system for remote controlling plural electronic devices on a network system. 
   2. Background Related Art 
   For remote controlling the plural electronic devices on a network system, there have been proposed various systems. In the network system based on the IEEE1394-1995 standard, there is being proposed a system capable, by merely operating a control panel displayed on a controller (control device), of remote controlling various functions of a target (controlled device) corresponding to such control panel. 
   However such system has been associated with the following drawbacks. 
   In case plural targets are of a same manufacturer, a same type and a same version, the control panels of such targets usually have an identical design. When the control panel of such target is displayed on the controller, the user may become unable to recognize the correspondence between the control panel and the target unless the user pays sufficient attention. Also unless the correspondence between the control panel and the target is always kept in mind, the user may erroneously operate the control panel of a target different from the desired target. Furthermore, in order to confirm the correspondence between the control panel and the target, it is necessary to actually operate each control panel thereby specifying the actually functioning target. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described drawbacks. 
   Another object of the present invention is to achieve simple identification of the control panels of plural targets, thereby preventing erroneous operation of the user. 
   The above-mentioned objects can be attained, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by an electronic device which is remote controlled according to a control panel displayed on a controller, comprising:
     a memory storing said control panel; and   changing means for changing the design of said control panel.   

   Still other objects of the present invention, and the features thereof, will become fully apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments, to be taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a remote control system embodying the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a view showing a default design of a control panel provided in targets  120  and  140 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing a method of simply identifying the correspondence between the control panel and the target. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In the following the present invention will be explained by a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   At first reference is made to  FIG. 1  for explaining a remote control system embodying the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there are shown a display device  100  functioning as a controller (control device); a digital video recorder (digital cassette recorder or VCR)  120  functioning as a target (controlled device), and a digital video recorder (VCR)  140  functioning as a target (controlled device) similarly to the target  120 . The manufacturer, device type and version of the target  140  are same as those of the target  120 . 
   The target  120  is provided with a control panel, constituting the graphical user interface for remote controlling the various functions of the target  120 . Similarly the target  140  is provided with a control panel, constituting the graphical user interface for remote controlling the various functions of the target  140 . Since the manufacturer, device type and version of the target  120  are same as those of the target  140 , the default design of the control panel provided in the target  120  is same as that of the control panel provided in the target  140 . 
     FIG. 2  shows the default design of the control panel provided in the targets  120  and  140 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , there are shown a button element  201  correlated with the recording function of the digital video recorder, a button element  202  correlated with the stopping function of the digital video recorder, a button element  203  correlated with the fast forward function of the digital video recorder, a button element  204  correlated with the playing function of the digital video recorder, a button element  205  correlated with the rewinding function of the digital video recorder, a text element  206  for displaying a character train selected by the user, and an icon element  207  for displaying an icon selected by the user. 
   The user can remote control the target  120  by operating the control panel of the target  120 , and can remote control the target  140  by operating the control panel of the target  140 . 
   In the following there will be explained the principal configuration of the controller  100  with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a digital interface  101  based on the IEEE1394-1995 standard and the IEEE1394a-2000 standard (hereinafter called IEEE1394 interface). The IEEE1394 interface  101  receives the control panels transmitted from the targets  120  and  140 . There are also provided a control portion  102 , a memory  103  for storing the control panel of the target  120  and that of the target  140 , a speaker  104 , an image synthesis portion  105  for synthesizing the control panels of the targets  120 ,  140  in the image data of each image frame, a display device  106  such as a CRT, a liquid crystal panel or a plasma display panel, a remote controller  107  for remote controlling the control panel of the target  120  and that of the target  140  displayed on the display device  106 , and a remote control interface  108  for receiving a control signal transmitted by infrared communication or wireless communication from the remote controller  107 . 
   Now reference is made again to  FIG. 1  for explaining the principal configuration of the targets  120  and  140 . Since the target  120  is same in the manufacturer, device type and version as the target  140 , the principal configuration of the target  120  is same as that of the target  140 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a digital interface  121  based on the IEEE1394-1995 standard and the IEEE1394a-2000 standard (hereinafter called IEEE1394 interface). The IEEE1394 interface  121  transmits the control panel to the controller  100 . There are also provided a control portion  122 , a memory  123  for storing the control panel of the target  120  or that of the target  140 , a light emitting portion  124  for emitting light of a color same as that of the background of the control panel, a display device  125  for displaying a character train same as that displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel and an icon same as that displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel, a speaker  126  for emitting sound same as that outputted from the controller  100  when the control panel is focused, and a design change portion  127  for changing the design of the control panel according to the instruction of the user. 
   In case of changing the color of the background of the control panel, the user operates the design changing portion  127  and selects a desired color from the plural colors (for example red, green, blue, yellow, pale blue, pink, violet and orange). The control portion  122  changes the color of the background of the control panel to the color selected by the user. By selecting different colors for the backgrounds of the control panels of the targets  140  and  120 , the control panel of the target  140  can be easily identified from that of the target  120  and the erroneous operation can be prevented. 
   Also in case of changing the character train displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel, the user operates the design changing portion  127  to select desired one from plural character trains (for example “my VCR”, “daddy&#39;s VCR”, “mammy&#39;s VCR” etc.). The control portion  122  changes the character train displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel to the character train selected by the user. By selecting different character trains for the control panels of the targets  140  and  120 , the control panel of the target  140  can be easily identified from that of the target  120  and the erroneous operation can be prevented. 
   Also in case of changing the icon displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel, the user operates the design changing portion  127  to select desired one from plural icons. The control portion  122  changes the icon displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel to the icon selected by the user. By selecting different icons for the control panels of the targets  140  and  120 , the control panel of the target  140  can be easily identified from that of the target  120  and the erroneous operation can be prevented. 
   Also in case of changing the sound emitted from the speaker  104  when the control panel is focused, the user operates the design changing portion  127  to select desired one from plural sounds. The control portion  122  changes the sound of the control panel to the sound selected by the user. By selecting different sounds for the control panels of the targets  140  and  120 , the control panel of the target  140  can be easily identified from that of the target  120  and the erroneous operation can be prevented. 
   In the following there will be explained, with reference to  FIG. 3 , a method for easily identifying the correspondence between the control panel and the target. 
   In  FIG. 3 , there are shown a control panel  301  provided by the target  120 , and a control panel  302  provided by the target  140 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the color of the background of the control panel  301  is selected different from that of the background of the control panel  302 . Also the text displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel  301  is selected different from that of the control panel  302 . Further, the icon displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel  301  is selected different from that of the control panel  302 . Further, the sound of the control panel  301  (“sound 1”) is selected different from that of the control panel  302  (“sound 2”). 
   When the control panel  301  of the target  120  is focused (namely when the control panel  301  is selected by the remote controller  107 ), the light emitting portion  124  emits light of a color same as that of the background of the control panel. Also in such case, the display device  125  displays a character train same as that displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel, and also displays an icon same as that displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel. Also in such case, the speaker  126  emits a sound same as that emitted from the speaker  104  of the controller  100 . Thus the user can easily identify the correspondence between the control panel  301  and the target  120 . 
   When the control panel  302  of the target  140  is focused (namely when the control panel  302  is selected by the remote controller  107 ), the light emitting portion  124  emits light of a color same as that of the background of the control panel. Also in such case, the display device  125  displays a character train same as that displayed in the text element  206  of the control panel, and also displays an icon same as that displayed in the icon element  207  of the control panel. Also in such case, the speaker  126  emits a sound same as that emitted from the speaker  104  of the controller  100 . Thus the user can easily identify the correspondence between the control panel  302  and the target  140 . 
   As explained in the foregoing, the present embodiment allows to change the background color of the control panel, thereby enabling to simply identify the control panels of the plural targets and to prevent erroneous operation. 
   Also the present embodiment allows to change the character train displayed in the control panel, thereby enabling to simply identify the control panels of the plural targets and to prevent erroneous operation. 
   Also the present embodiment allows to change the icon displayed in the control panel, thereby enabling to simply identify the control panels of the plural targets and to prevent erroneous operation 
   Also the present embodiment allows to change the sound emitted from the speaker of the controller when the control panel is focused, thereby enabling to simply identify the control panels of the plural targets and to prevent erroneous operation. 
   Also the present embodiment allows to select the control panel of the desired target without confusion, thereby improving the operability. 
   Also the present embodiment allows to easily identify the correspondence between the control panel and the target. 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from essential characteristics thereof. 
   Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, and are not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. 
   The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims, and is not limited to only the specific descriptions in this specification. Furthermore, all the modifications and changes belonging to equivalents of the claims are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.