Remote control system and control method

A remote control system comprising:

• an operation input means for outputting position specification information through line or radio transmission in accordance with an operation;
• a reception means for receiving the position specification information transmitted by said operation input means;
• a memory means for storing various command codes which are divided into a plurality of groups;
• a display control means for outputting for display on a display screen the control pictures corresponding to the command codes stored in said memory means in groups in accordance with the position specification information received by said reception means and for outputting for displays a position specification picture indicating one of the control pictures output for display;
• a command generation means for reading the command code corresponding to the control picture specified by said position specification picture in accordance with the position specification information received by said reception means and for outputting the same;
• and
• a transmission means for transmitting the command code output by said command generation means to an apparatus or portion to be controlled,
• wherein a control area associated with the control picture(s) indicating one or a plurality of command codes stored in said memory means is set in the display screen and wherein said display control means causes the control pictures indicating said particular command code(s) to be displayed when said position specification picture is moved into said control area on the display screen in accordance with the position specification information received by said reception means.

A control method for a remote control system comprising a remote input means for transmitting a position specification signal, a memory means for storing a plurality of picture data constituted by a plurality of mode setting data for setting the operation modes of a plurality of apparatus to be controlled and a plurality of command codes corresponding to said picture data, and a control means which is supplied with the position specification signal from said remote control means, for reading the picture data corresponding to the position specification signal supplied from said memory means, displaying said picture data on a display means, reading the command code corresponding to the position specification signal supplied from said memory means, and supplying it to said apparatus to be controlled,

• wherein, with the picture data read from said memory means displayed on said display means, said control means reads a command code from said memory means in accordance with the position specification signal corresponding to said mode setting data input by said remote input means and supplies it to said apparatus to be controlled;
• and when said control means detects that the position specification signal input by said remote input means is a signal corresponding to a certain position, it reads the picture data corresponding to the position specification signal input by said remote input means from said memory means and displays the picture data newly read from said memory means instead of the picture data currently displayed on said display means.

A remote control system comprising:

• a remote input means for transmitting a position specification information signal when it is operated;
• a reception means for receiving the position specification information signal input by said remote input means;
• a memory means for storing first picture data constituted by a plurality of mode setting data corresponding to a plurality of operation modes of at least one apparatus to be controlled, second picture data for controlling the output state of said apparatus and a plurality of command codes corresponding to said operation modes and said second picture data;
• a display control means for reading said first or second picture data in accordance with the position specification information signal output by said reception means and for displaying the data on a display means;
• a command generation means for reading from said memory means the command code corresponding to said mode setting data or said second picture data specified by the position specification information signal input by said remote input means with said first or second picture data displayed on said display means and for outputting the data;
• and
• a transmission means for transmitting the command code output by said command code generation means to said at least one apparatus to be controlled,
• wherein said display control means displays said second picture data on said display means when the position specification information signal input by said remote input means indicates a predetermined position on said display means with said first picture data displayed on said display means.

A remote control system comprising:

• a remote input means for transmitting a position specification information signal when it is operated;
• a reception means for receiving the position specification information signal input by said remote input means;
• a memory means for storing first picture data constituted by a plurality of mode setting data corresponding to a plurality of operation modes of a plurality of apparatus to be controlled, second picture data for controlling the output state of said apparatus and a plurality of command codes corresponding to said operation modes and said second picture data;
• a display control means for reading said first or second picture data in accordance with the position specification information signal output by said reception means and for displaying the data on a display means;
• a command generation means for reading from said memory means the command code corresponding to said mode setting data or said second picture data specified by the position specification information signal input by said remote input means with said first or second picture data displayed on said display means and for outputting the data;
• and
• a transmission means for transmitting the command code output by said command code generation means to said at least one apparatus to be controlled,
• wherein, with said first picture data displayed on said display means, said display control means reads another item of said first picture data from said memory means and displays the data on said display means when it detects that the position specification information signal input by said remote input means has reached a position corresponding to a peripheral portion of said display means, and reads said second picture data from said memory means and displays the data on said display means when it detects that the position specification information signal input by said remote input means has reached a predetermined position on said display means.

A remote control system comprising:

• an audio apparatus for reproducing at least one audio signal;
• a video apparatus for reproducing at least one video signal and one audio signal;
• a remote input means for transmitting a position specification signal;
• a selector having a receiving portion connected to said audio apparatus and said video apparatus for receiving the position specification signal from said remote input device, a memory portion for storing picture data including mode setting data for setting a plurality of operation modes of said audio apparatus and said video apparatus, command codes corresponding to said operation modes, and selection picture data for selecting said audio apparatus or said video apparatus, a control portion for reading picture data from said memory portion in accordance with the position specification signal input by said remote input means when it detects that the input position specification signal is a signal indicating a predetermined position, and a command generating portion for selectively supplying the command codes to said audio apparatus or said video apparatus in accordance with the input position specification signal;
• and
• an output device having a display portion to which the picture data read by said control portion from said memory portion are supplied and being supplied with the output signal of either said audio apparatus or said video apparatus as selected by said selector,
• wherein, with the picture data for either said audio apparatus or said video apparatus displayed on said display portion, the control portion of said selector reads a command code from said memory device in accordance with the position specification signal input by said remote input device and supplies it to at least either one of said audio apparatus or said video apparatus from said command generation portion and wherein, when said control portion detects that the position specification signal input by said remote input device is a signal indicating the position corresponding to any one of the four sides of said display portion with the picture data of either said audio apparatus or said video apparatus displayed on said display device, either the picture data associated with the other apparatus or said selection picture data are read from said memory portion and are displayed on said display portion.