JPH0514968A - Mutual connection control system for audio video equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to operate even by the command of the operation of different AV equipments by finding an AV equipment capable of judging and performing a command operation given from an operation part and making the AV equipment operate by an operation part. CONSTITUTION:When an operation part 1 is operated, this is detected by an equipment control means 2 and the operation instruction contents of functions is transmitted to a system control means 4. The means 4 analyzes the contents and selects the function and an AV equipment operating it based on the information within a system state storage means 5 and the information from the means 2. Then, the means 4 instructs the control means 2 to operate the selected AV equipment. The control means 4 passes an operation instruction and an instruction destination to a communication means 6 and the means 6 transmits the operation instruction to the instruction destination. The means 2 makes the AV equipment in accordance with the operation instruction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a television receiver,
The present invention relates to an interconnection control system for audio / video devices, which is formed by connecting audio / video devices (hereinafter collectively referred to as AV devices) such as video tape recorders (hereinafter referred to as VTRs), digital audio recorders, and video disc players. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to operate a desired function, it is necessary to select, find, and operate an operation section (remote control) corresponding to a specific AV apparatus from all AV apparatuses having the function. It was (For example, when recording on a VTR, in order to operate the VTR, it is necessary to take out the remote controller of the VTR from among the remote controllers of various AV devices and perform the recording operation.) Also, select the remote controller, In some cases, a remote controller common to the system (for example, a remote controller integrated with operation keys of a television receiver, a VTR, a video disc player, etc.) is used in order to reduce the trouble of searching. Such a technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-2
This is a known technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5170 (H04N5 / 00).

[0003]

By the way, in the case where each device has a remote controller as described above, if a user wants to use a certain function, an AV device having the function is selected and a remote controller for the corresponding device is searched for. After that, there is a drawback that it has to be operated.

On the other hand, when operating a remote controller common to AV systems and utilizing a desired function, the number of keys is increased because an operation key is required for each AV device. Further, when a new AV device is added to the AV system, there is a drawback that it cannot be dealt with.

In either of the above cases, if the operator wants the AV device to perform a desired operation, and if the AV device is in a state of not accepting the operation, the AV
It was necessary to perform another operation in order to make the device ready for reception, or to operate another AV device having the same function as that function again. (For example, when the VTR issues a playback command during recording, it was necessary to first give a command to stop recording and then issue a playback command.)

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an operation section (1) for giving an instruction to each function of AV equipment, and a system control means (4) whose operation contents will be described later. Further, according to the instruction from the system control means (4), the AV equipment is controlled to perform the operation corresponding to the instruction based on the information from the equipment state detection means (3) described later, and In accordance with an instruction from the system control means (4), the equipment state detection means (3) reads the required equipment state and transmits it to the system control means (4). A device status detecting means (3) for detecting the status of each function, analyzes information received from the communication means described later, and operates each function of the AV equipment according to the information, or reads the status of the equipment.
A command is issued to the device control means (2), the operation content received from the device control means (2) is analyzed, and based on information from a system state storage means (5) described later, A
The contents of the instruction for each AV device constituting the V system are obtained, and the contents are read by the device control means (2) and other A
The system control means (4) for passing the V device together with the destination to the communication means (6) for controlling the V device, the types of the AV devices making up the current AV system, and those AV devices.
A system state storage unit (5) for storing the function of the device, its performance, etc., and information transmitted from another AV device, passing it to the system control unit (4), and the system control unit. The information passed from (4)
The system control means (4) is provided with a communication means (6) for transmitting to an AV device.

[0007]

The present invention has the above-mentioned configuration,
Regardless of the operation unit of any AV device, the command given from the operation unit is judged, the AV device capable of performing the command operation is found, and the AV device is operated according to the command. did.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, when the user operates the operation unit (1), the device control means (2) detects the operation and transmits the operation instruction content of the function indicated by the operation to the system control means (4).

Then, the system control means (4) analyzes the contents, and among the AV equipment having the function to be operated, the AV equipment for operating the function is stored in the system state storage means (5). Information, the device status information from the device control means (2), and the information obtained by inquiring other AV devices.

At this time, if the selected AV device is the AV device itself having the system control means (4), the device control means (2) is instructed to operate the function.
If the selected AV device is another AV device, the AV device is instructed to operate the function.

Further, in order to inquire other AV equipment about desired information, the system control means (4) passes the inquiry content and the inquiry destination to the communication means (6). The communication means (6) transmits the inquiry contents to the inquiry destination. Upon receiving the inquiry content, the communication means (6) of the inquiry destination AV device sets the inquiry content and the inquiry source to the AV
It is passed to the system control means (4) of the device.

Then, the system control means (4) passes the inquiry contents to the device control means (2). The device control means (2) obtains desired information from the device state detection means (3) according to the inquiry content, and passes it to the system control means (4).

Further, the system control means (4) passes the inquiry result and its transmission destination (inquiry source) to the communication means (6) in order to return the inquiry result to the inquiry source. The communication means (6) transmits the inquiry result to the destination. The communication means (6) of the AV device as the inquiry source that has received the inquiry result passes the inquiry result to the system control means (4).

Next, the system control means (4) passes the operation instruction and the instruction destination to the communication means (6) in order to cause the function of the other AV equipment to perform a desired operation. The communication means (6) transmits the operation instruction to the instruction destination. The communication means (6) of the instructed AV device receiving the operation instruction passes the operation instruction to the system control means (4). The system control means (4) passes the operation instruction to the device control means (2). The device control means (2) controls the AV device according to the operation instruction.

The embodiment of the present invention operates as described above, but here, in order to understand in more detail, one TV (TV
1 (7)), two VTRs (VTR1 (14), VTR2
An embodiment of the present invention in the AV system consisting of (21) will be described below with reference to FIG.

As a first example, using the tuner function of the TV 1 (7), the audio switching button of the remote controller of the VTR 1 (14) is operated to listen to the sub audio while watching the audio multiplex TV broadcast with the main audio. When pressed, if the present invention is applied, the TV broadcast received by the tuner function of the TV 1 (7) is switched to the sub audio, and the user can obtain the desired result. The system control in this case is VTR1
If the system control means (18) of (14) is supposed to perform, the processing contents of the system control means (18) will be described below.

The system control means (18) of the VTR 1 is
Device control means (16) indicating that the voice switching button has been pressed
When it is recognized through, the system state storage means (19) is asked what AV device is currently outputting sound from the speaker, and it is obtained that it is TV1 (7) (28).

Therefore, the TV 1 (7) is inquired about the AV device which is the source of the sound output from the speaker, and it is determined that it is the TV 1 (7) itself (2
8).

Next, the system state storage means (19) is asked if the tuner function of the TV 1 (7) is compatible with audio multiplex broadcasting, and it is confirmed (28). Therefore, the TV 1 (7) is instructed to switch the audio (3
0).

As a second example, when the timer recording reservation is set in the VTR 1 (14) and the timer recording reservation is already set at a time overlapping with the time when the timer recording is set, the present invention is applied. For example, the same timer recording reservation is set in the VTR 2 (21), and the user can obtain the desired result. System control in this case is VTR
The processing content of the system control means (18) when the system control means (18) of No. 1 (14) performs the processing will be described below.

System control means (1) of the VTR 1 (14)
8) receives an instruction from the device control means (16) to set a timer recording reservation that could not be set in the VTR 1 (14) in another AV device, and obtains the timer recording reservation information. Therefore, the system control means (18) asks the system state storage means (19) for another AV device having a timer recording reservation function, and obtains that there is a VTR 2 (21) (28).

Then, the VTR 2 (21) is asked whether or not this timer recording reservation can be set, and it is obtained (28). Therefore, the VTR 2 (21) is instructed to set the timer recording reservation (30).

As a third example, when the tuner function of the TV 1 (7) is compatible with stereo broadcasting and the tuner function of the VTR 1 (14) is compatible with monaural broadcasting with poor performance, V
When the tuning button of the remote controller of TR1 (14) is pressed, if the present invention is applied, the tuner function of TV1 (7) is selected, and the user can obtain the best result obtained from the AV system at that time. Be done. If the system control means (18) of the VTR 1 performs the system control in this case, the processing contents of the system control means (18) will be described below.

The system control means (18) of the VTR 1 is
The device control means (16) obtains the fact that the tuning button has been pressed and its channel number. Therefore, the system control means (18) asks the system state storage means (19) for the AV equipment having the tuner function and the performance of each function (in this case, stereo broadcasting support or monaural broadcasting support), and the TV 1 (7). And VTR2 (21) has a tuner function, TV1 (7) supports stereo broadcasting, VTR2
It is obtained that (21) is compatible with monaural broadcasting (2
8).

Then, the TV 1 (7) is asked if the tuner function can be used, and it is obtained (28). Therefore, the TV 1 (7) is instructed to select this channel (30).

In each of the above examples, when there is a negative answer to each inquiry (29), the next candidate is selected and the same process is performed (28). If there is no next candidate, that process is not performed.

For example, in Example 3, the tuner function of TV1 (7) cannot be used (29), and VTR2 (2)
When the tuner function of 1) is also compatible with stereo broadcasting, the system control means (18) of the VTR 1 (14)
The VTR2 (21) is inquired whether the tuner function is available (28), and if it is available, the VTR2 (21) is instructed to select this channel (30).
The tuner function of VTR2 (21) cannot be used (2
In the case of 9), the system control means (18) of the VTR 1 (14) instructs its own device control means (16) to select this channel in order to use the tuner function of the remaining VTR 1 (14) ( 30).

The process of discriminating and registering the AV equipment constituting the AV system in the system state storage means (19) given in the above example is performed by, for example, the system control means (18). Do this when the equipment starts up. This process is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-126846 (H04
L11 / 00) technology may be used.

In the system state storage means (19),
The process of registering the function and performance of each AV device is performed, for example, by the system control means (18) when the AV device is started up and after inquiring to each other AV device after the above process is completed. Also, each AV is stored in the system state storage means (19).
The process of storing the operation state of the device is performed by, for example, the system control means (18) periodically inquiring each other AV device.

[0031]

The system described above has the following effects.

It is not necessary to select and operate the operation section corresponding to the AV equipment to be operated, and it is possible to operate the operation section of any AV equipment as long as the operation section can operate the function to be operated. The result of is obtained. Therefore, even if a function having a different operation method exists, that function can always be used in the same operation method.

Even if the function of the operated AV device is not usable at that time, the user can obtain a desired result by operating another AV device having the same function.

No matter which AV equipment is operated,
You can always enjoy the best features of the system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an application example to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of system control means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation part 2 Equipment control means 3 Equipment state detection means 4 System control means 5 System state storage means 6 Communication means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication location H04N 5/44 A 7037-5C H04Q 9/00 321 E 7170-5K

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A plurality of audio / video devices (AV devices) are connected via an audio / video signal line and a control signal line for controlling the AV devices, and control signal lines are provided between the AV devices. Audio that enables communication with each other via
In the interconnection control system for video equipment, each of the above A
The V device detects an operation means for operating the AV device, a device state detecting means for detecting the current state of each AV device, an operation command from the operating means, and further detects an operation command from the device state detecting means. A device control unit for reading information, a communication unit for receiving a control signal from another AV device and transmitting the control signal to another AV device, and an AV currently connected
A system state storage unit that stores the type of device and the function of the device, and information from the communication unit are received, and the AV device to be controlled is controlled by the information from the device control unit and the information from the system state storage unit. An interconnection control system for audio / video equipment, comprising: a system control means for judging and transmitting a command.