JP2004194085A - Cellular phone system and cellular phone - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cellar phone provided with a remote control function enabling a user to operate a plurality of home electronic appliances in home or from a place where the user has gone, without causing troublesomeness. <P>SOLUTION: The above problem is solved by the cellular phone system equipped with a cellular phone provided with an infrared communication function; and a remote controller for transmitting, by an infrared communication system, remote control data for controlling the equipment to be controlled. In this system, the remote control data are previously registered in a predetermined memory of the remote controller. The cellular phone is provided with a receiving means which receives the remote control data transmitted from the remote controller by infrared ray, a storage means which stores the remote control data received by the receiving means, and a transmitting means which converts the remote control data stored in the storage means into a remote control signal for driving and controlling the equipment to be controlled, and transmitting the converted signal by infrared ray. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile phone system and a mobile phone, and more particularly, to a mobile phone system and a mobile phone that enable remote control of home appliances using an infrared communication function of the mobile phone.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, electronic devices such as a television receiver and a video tape recorder each have a remote controller, and therefore, the remote controller must be changed each time the electronic device to be operated changes, which is inconvenient. Therefore, as a control device for operating a plurality of electronic devices by one unit, a preset remote controller of a manufacturer-specified type of each device (for example, see Patent Document 1) and a remote control signal of a plurality of electronic devices are registered in one remote controller. A so-called learning remote controller (for example, see Patent Document 2) that can operate all electronic devices with the remote controller is known, and recently, a learning remote controller corresponding to a satellite broadcast tuner also exists.
[0003]
In addition, the development of the home network “Echo Net” using a power line as a medium that enables remote control of air conditioners and operation guidance / navigation of washing machines using a mobile phone by a wireless connection system using Bluetooth etc. According to this technology, cooperation between home appliances, energy saving control, remote monitoring, remote maintenance, and the like can be performed.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 04-75492
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-240977
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Many of the conventional learning remote controllers as described above include an infrared receiving module, which can receive data of an infrared remote controller such as a TV, store the data in a memory, and transmit signals for controlling a plurality of electronic devices by operating buttons. ing.
[0007]
On the other hand, mobile phones equipped with a communication function using radio waves have a high penetration rate, not an exaggeration, even as a necessity for modern people. Recently, mobile phones equipped with an infrared communication function for exchanging data between personal computers and the like have been put into practical use, and are used by many users.
[0008]
Although the learning remote controller as described above has become more familiar and more convenient, the penetration rate is far from being higher than that of a mobile phone. Further, in order to realize the above-described echo net in one home, the user has to purchase a new home electric appliance dedicated to the Internet, and there is a disadvantage that the burden on the user is large at present.
[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described matters, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone having a remote control function that can operate a plurality of home electronic devices without bothering at home or on the road. It is to provide.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a mobile phone having an infrared communication function and a remote controller transmitting remote control data for controlling a controlled device by an infrared communication system, as described in claim 1. In a mobile phone system, remote control data used for controlling a controlled device is registered in a predetermined memory of the remote control in advance, and the mobile phone transmits the remote control data transmitted from the remote control by infrared rays. Receiving means for receiving, storage means for storing remote control data received by the receiving means, and remote control data stored in the storage means converted into a remote control signal for driving and controlling the controlled device and transmitted by infrared rays And transmitting means for performing the operation.
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the mobile phone system, remote control data used for controlling one or more controlled devices is registered in a predetermined memory of the remote control in advance. I have.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the mobile phone system, wherein the remote control data designated by the operation of the operation unit of the mobile phone is read out from the storage means, and the remote control data is read out from the read means. Remote control data transmission control means for transmitting remote control data using the transmission means.
[0013]
Further, in the portable telephone system according to the present invention, preferably, the storage means stores remote control data set in advance corresponding to one or more controlled devices as preset data. It is characterized by comprising storage means, and preset data setting means for reading preset data corresponding to the remote control data from the preset data storage means and registering the same when remote control data is received by the receiving means.
[0014]
Further, claim 5 of the present invention is the mobile phone system, wherein when the mobile phone receives an incoming signal and detects a signal related to an operation instruction of an operation unit, the mobile phone responds to the detected operation instruction. An incoming-call remote control data reading means for reading the specified remote control data from the storage means is provided.
[0015]
According to the configuration of the present invention, by adding the remote control function to the mobile phone, the control of the remote control of a plurality of home electric appliances can be collectively used by one mobile phone, and the plurality of home appliances as in the related art can be used. The user is freed from the troublesome work of searching for and operating a desired remote control from among the remote controls of the product each time the user uses the desired remote control.
[0016]
Further, since it is not necessary to add new hardware and software to a conventional home electric appliance, it is possible to avoid an increase in cost burden on the user side.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a mobile phone system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a mobile phone of the system.
[0019]
(Embodiment 1)
In FIG. 1, this mobile phone system includes a mobile phone 10, a plurality of home appliances (A home appliances A30, B home appliances B31, G home appliances G32) and remote controllers 20 to 22 for controlling the home appliances. Is done. The mobile phone 10 and the remote controllers 20 to 22 are provided with an infrared transmitting / receiving function for performing infrared communication. Most of the remote controls 20 to 22 of the above home appliances use an infrared remote control system that can be inexpensive in small houses in Japan, but in the United States and other foreign countries, an RF remote control system using radio waves (RF) is also available. It is widely used. The difference between the two is simply the difference in the transmission medium, and appears as a difference in the transmission / reception circuit, modulation circuit, amplification circuit, etc. of the transmission / reception device of the home appliance remote control code. In the embodiment, the case where the control of the remote controller is performed by infrared rays will be described. In the case of remote control by radio waves, the following “infrared rays” will be replaced with “RF”.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 1, the basic operation of the mobile phone system of the present invention is as follows. The mobile phone 10 receives and stores remote control data transmitted from the remote controls 20 to 22 of home electric appliances by infrared rays, and operates the operation unit. The stored remote control data is read and transmitted to the corresponding home electric appliance. Actually, remote control data from one remote control selected by the user is received and stored by the mobile phone 10.
[0021]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the remote control function is added to the mobile phone 10, the user is freed from complicated work such as searching for and operating a desired remote control from a plurality of types of remote controls.
[0022]
Next, the mobile phone 10 according to the present invention will be described.
[0023]
2, the mobile telephone 10 includes an antenna 11, a wireless communication unit 12, a control unit 13, an infrared transmission unit 14, an infrared reception unit 15, a display operation unit 16, and a remote control code data recording unit 17.
[0024]
The display operation unit 16 includes a plurality of operation keys, and supplies a corresponding signal to the control unit 13 when an operator operates these keys. The control unit 13 is configured to include a microcomputer in the present embodiment, and controls the entire mobile phone 10. For example, when an operation for transmission is performed on the display operation unit 16, the transmission is performed through the wireless communication unit 12 based on a signal from the display operation unit 16. At that time, a telephone number or the like is displayed on a liquid crystal display unit (not shown) in the display operation unit 16 in accordance with an operation on the display operation unit 16. In addition, at the time of an incoming call, based on a signal received by the wireless communication unit 12 through the antenna 11, the sound generation unit is caused to sound, and a message is displayed on a liquid crystal display unit in the display operation unit 16. Since the basic configuration and operation of the mobile phone 10 are already well known, a detailed description is omitted here.
[0025]
The infrared transmitter 14 includes, for example, a light emitting diode (not shown), and the infrared receiver 15 includes, for example, a phototransistor (not shown). The control unit 13 performs processing as shown in FIG. 3 as means for realizing the function according to the present invention.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure in the control unit 13 when registering remote control data of the home appliance A of Company A, as an example. Here, a general TV is assumed as the home appliance A.
[0027]
In FIG. 3, when the control unit 13 receives remote control data transmitted from the remote control 20 of the home appliance A of company A (S2) in the state where the infrared receiving unit is ON (S1), the remote control code defined in the remote control data is changed to the remote control code. The remote controller code data storage unit 17 is accessed to confirm which operation key of which model of which manufacturer and which model (S3). The remote control code data storage unit 17 stores and manages remote control codes corresponding to operation keys for each company and each model as shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows a remote control code corresponding to an operation key of a home appliance A of a company A (eg, a TV with a product code 001, where the product code corresponds to, for example, a model name of the TV). When the operator wants to preset a channel (eg, CH1) on the operation keys of the TV remote controller 20 to the mobile phone 10, the remote controller code corresponding to channel 1 (in this example, (Corresponding to binary data: 00001011) is transmitted from the remote controller 20 to the mobile phone 10 by infrared rays. FIG. 2B shows a remote control code corresponding to an operation key of a home appliance B (example: air conditioner) of Company A, and an operator operates a heating ON (Heat ON) on the operation key of the air conditioner remote control. Is desired to be preset in the mobile phone 10, a remote control code corresponding to heating ON (in this example, corresponding to binary data: 10011001) is transmitted from the remote control to the mobile phone 10. In the above example, for the sake of simplicity, remote control code data corresponding to one company's home electric appliances has been described. Of course, the remote control code data storage unit stores remote control codes corresponding to operation keys of a plurality of home electric appliances. The code is stored and managed.
[0028]
Referring back to FIG. 3, in the process of (S <b> 3), the control unit 13 refers to the remote control code stored and managed in the remote control code data storage unit 17 by referring to the remote control code transmitted from the remote control 20. When the operation key corresponding to the remote control code is found out, the remote control code of the operation key is assigned to the key to be preset which is selected and pressed by the user on the display / operation unit 16 and a predetermined area or predetermined area of the remote control code data storage unit 17 is assigned. (S4) is registered in a memory (not shown). Preset registration is also performed for other keys (not shown, for example, channels 2...) Of the remote controller 20 by the same operation as described above.
[0029]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the remote control code corresponding to each operation of the remote control is registered in the mobile phone 10 using infrared communication, and the remote control code for controlling the corresponding home appliance by the user's operation is transmitted by infrared light. Is done. That is, since the function of a remote controller is added to the mobile phone 10, the control of a plurality of remote controllers for home appliances can be centralized and used by one mobile phone. The user can be relieved of complicated work such as searching for and operating a desired remote control each time the user uses the remote controller. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, home appliances such as an air conditioner, a TV, and a VTR can be controlled by one mobile phone 10.
[0030]
In addition, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to add new hardware or software to the home electric appliance as described above, so that the convenience of the user can be improved without increasing the cost.
[0031]
Furthermore, since the present invention utilizes the infrared communication function between the mobile phone 10 and the remote controller, communication between the mobile phone and the base station can be reduced, and the load on the infrastructure can be reduced.
[0032]
(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, the remote controller and the mobile phone perform infrared communication, and the operation keys to be preset are set and registered in the mobile phone 10, but the present invention is not limited to such a mode. . For example, a memory (not shown) such as a ROM is provided inside the mobile phone 10, and remote control codes of remote controls of companies A, B,... Then, by selecting and operating an operation key of the display operation unit 16 and a key indicating one of the companies, the remote control operation function of the designated company is set to a certain operation key (registered in a predetermined memory). The control unit 13 outputs the corresponding code data registered in the predetermined memory to the infrared transmission unit 14 based on the operation of the operation key of the display operation unit by the user.
[0033]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the remote control code data corresponding to the operation keys of the home electric appliances of each company is stored in the ROM of the mobile phone 10 in advance, the user can preset the mobile phone 10 as necessary. Since the remote control code of the home electric appliance of an arbitrary company to be registered is simply read out from the ROM and preset, the remote control function setting in comparison with the first embodiment in which the remote control code of the remote control is registered and learned opposite to many remote controls is set. This has the effect of greatly reducing the trouble of
[0034]
According to the first and second embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, home electric appliances 40 to 42 (example: air conditioner, TV, VTR) in house 100 can be controlled by mobile phone 10. However, besides this method, the home appliances 40 to 42 in the house 100 can be controlled using the mobile phone 10 according to the present invention.
[0035]
For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the mobile phone 10 is placed in front of the home appliances 40 to 42 in the house 100 (however, the distance from which the infrared radio wave from the mobile phone 10 reaches the home appliances), and Outside, such as a fixed telephone 50 outside the home (which may be a mobile telephone), makes a call to the mobile telephone 10, and controls the home appliance from the fixed telephone 50 on the transmitting side to the mobile telephone 10 on the receiving side. This can be easily realized by sending a command signal for performing the operation.
[0036]
(Embodiment 3)
The communication function of the wireless communication unit 12 of the mobile phone 10 usually has a communication function for setting up a telephone line (circuit switching function) and a function of connecting to the Internet (packet communication function).
[0037]
The third embodiment of the present invention utilizes the connection function to the Internet. As shown in FIG. 7, the mobile phone 10 is an EPG (Eloctronic Program Guide: electronic program guide) on the Internet 200. (The server stores the latest TV program information.) The server 300 accesses the server 300, downloads information of a desired program guide from the EPG server 300, and transmits the downloaded program guide to a VTR, DVD, or the like by infrared rays. . As a result, the user can make a recording reservation for a favorite program by operating the VTR, DVD, or the like from the mobile phone 10, thereby improving the usability.
[0038]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, by adding a remote control function to a mobile phone, control of a plurality of home appliance remote controls can be centralized and used by one mobile phone. It is possible to release the user from the complicated work of searching for and operating a desired remote control from among a plurality of remote controls of home electric appliances each time the user uses the remote control.
[0039]
Further, since it is not necessary to add new hardware and software to a conventional home electric appliance, it is possible to avoid an increase in cost burden on the user side.
[0040]
In the above example, the infrared receiving function of the infrared receiving unit 15 of the mobile phone 10 corresponds to the receiving unit, and the data storing function of the remote control code data storage 17 corresponds to the storing unit and the preset data storing unit. Further, the remote control signal transmission function of the infrared transmission unit 14 corresponds to a transmission unit. The remote control code reading function of the control unit 13 corresponds to the reading means, the remote control code transmission control function corresponds to the remote control data transmission control means, the preset registration function corresponds to the preset data setting means, and the incoming control function corresponds to the incoming remote control data reading means. I do.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present embodiment, by adding a remote control function to a mobile phone, control of a plurality of home appliance remote controls is collectively used by one mobile phone. Thus, the user can be freed from the complicated work of searching for and operating a desired remote controller from among a plurality of remote controllers of home appliances each time the user uses the conventional remote controller.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mobile phone system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the mobile phone shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing procedure in a control unit when registering remote control data of a home appliance A of a company A;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored and managed in a remote control code data storage unit.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of controlling a home appliance in the mobile phone according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the concept of remotely controlling home electric appliances by making a call to a mobile phone according to the present invention from an outside place.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining Embodiment 3 of the present invention in which program data is obtained via the Internet.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 mobile phone 11 antenna 12 wireless communication unit 13 control unit 14 infrared transmission unit 15 infrared reception unit 16 display operation unit 17 remote control code data storage unit 20 to 22 home appliance remote control 30 to 32 home appliance 40 air conditioner 41 TV
42 VTR
50 Fixed telephone 100 Home 200 Internet network 300 EPG server

Claims (10)

A mobile phone system including a mobile phone having an infrared communication function and a remote control that transmits remote control data for controlling a controlled device by infrared communication,
In a predetermined memory of the remote control, remote control data used for controlling the controlled device is registered in advance,
The mobile phone, receiving means for receiving the remote control data transmitted from the remote control by infrared rays,
Storage means for storing remote control data received by the receiving means,
Transmitting means for converting remote control data stored in the storage means into a remote control signal for driving and controlling the controlled device, and transmitting the signal by infrared rays. The mobile phone system according to claim 1,
A mobile phone system, wherein remote control data used for controlling one or more controlled devices is registered in a predetermined memory of the remote control in advance. The mobile phone system according to claim 1 or 2,
Reading means for reading, from the storage means, remote control data instructed by operating the operation unit of the mobile phone;
A mobile phone system comprising: a remote control data transmission control unit that transmits the remote control data read from the reading unit using the transmission unit. The mobile phone system according to claim 2 or 3,
Preset data storage means for storing remote control data set in advance corresponding to one or more controlled devices as preset data,
A mobile phone system, comprising: preset data setting means for reading preset data corresponding to the remote control data from the preset data storage means and registering the same when remote control data is received by the receiving means. The mobile phone system according to claim 3, wherein
The mobile phone receives an incoming signal and, when detecting a signal related to an operation instruction of the operation unit, reads out the remote control data instructed by the detected operation instruction from the storage unit. A mobile phone system comprising: A mobile phone having an infrared communication function,
Remote control data used to control the controlled device is registered in advance in a predetermined memory of the remote control that transmits the remote control data for controlling the controlled device by the infrared communication method,
Receiving means for receiving the remote control data transmitted from the remote control by infrared rays,
Storage means for storing remote control data received by the receiving means,
A mobile phone comprising: a transmitting unit that converts remote control data stored in the storage unit into a remote control signal for driving and controlling the controlled device, and transmits the signal by infrared rays. The mobile phone according to claim 6,
A mobile phone, wherein remote control data used for controlling one or more controlled devices is registered in a predetermined memory of the remote control in advance. The mobile phone according to claim 6 or 7,
Reading means for reading remote control data instructed by operation of the operation unit from the storage means;
A mobile phone, comprising: remote control data transmission control means for transmitting the remote control data read from the reading means using the transmission means. The mobile phone according to claim 7 or 8,
Preset data storage means for storing remote control data set in advance corresponding to one or more controlled devices as preset data,
A mobile phone, comprising: preset data setting means for reading preset data corresponding to the remote control data from the preset data storage means and registering the same when remote control data is received by the receiving means. The mobile phone according to claim 8,
Receiving an incoming signal, when detecting a signal related to an operation instruction of the operation unit, comprises an incoming remote control data reading means for reading out remote control data instructed by the detected operation instruction from the storage means. Mobile phone.

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