Data processing: presentation processing of document – operator i – Operator interface – For plural users or sites
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2004-12-21
Huynh, Ba (Department: 2179)
Data processing: presentation processing of document, operator i
Operator interface
For plural users or sites
C715S734000, C715S735000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834374
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to audio-video control systems (hereinafter referred to as “AV control systems”) which comprise a controller connected to a plurality of devices including audio-video devices (hereinafter referred to as “AV devices”) and having an input unit, which is manipulated to control the operation of the plurality of devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Already proposed is an AV control system as shown in FIG.
30
and comprising a host computer
40
connected via a device control unit
20
to a group
30
of devices such as a DVD player
31
, VCR
32
, LD player
33
, CD player
34
, TV receiver
35
and AV amplifier
37
. The host computer
40
has an input-output unit, i.e., a keyboard
42
, and a display
43
, which are used for collectively operating the group
30
of AV devices.
The desired AV device can be caused to operate using the AV control system by manipulating the keyboard
42
to select the desired AV device on a device selection frame projected on the display
43
, and further selectively manipulating required keys on a frame showing a plurality of operating keys for the selected device.
The device control unit
20
has output ports having connected thereto the signal output devices, such as VCR, among the AV devices, input ports having connected thereto signal input devices such as AV amplifier, and control ports for delivering control signals to the devices. Each specified device is connected to such ports as predetermined.
The AV control system is so adapted that when the user manipulates one contents select button among a plurality of contents select buttons which are shown on the display
43
for realizing the predetermined operations (contents) of one or more of the AV devices, the operation corresponding to the manipulated button can be performed.
For example, when “VCR-1” button is manipulated, the control unit
20
controls the devices concerned using control ports and switches the connection relation between output ports and input ports for the execution of the following operations in sequence.
(S
1
) Turning on the power supply of VCR-1.
(S
2
) Setting VCR-1 for use as the sound input source.
(S
3
) Setting light
1
(illumination of the room) at a brightness of 20%.
(S
4
) Setting VCR-1 as the video input source.
(S
5
) Setting the liquid-crystal projector in video mute state.
(S
6
) Setting VCR-1 in condition for PLAY.
(S
7
) Bringing the liquid-crystal projector out of the video mute state.
(S
8
) Switching the input signal of the liquid-crystal projector to “video
1
.”
With the conventional AV control system, however, the connection relations between the ports prepared for the device control unit
20
and the devices are prescribed, and it is necessary to connect the control terminals of specified devices to the control ports, and the input terminals and output terminals of the specified devices to the respective output ports and input ports according to the prescription. The system has the problem that this connection work is very complex.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an AV control system which is connectable to devices with greater ease than conventionally.
The present invention provides an AV control system which comprises a controller for controlling a plurality of devices including AV devices, the controller comprising:
a plurality of control ports for outputting control signals to the plurality of devices,
connection table storing means having stored therein a connection table prescribing connection relations between the control ports and the devices,
means for prescribing the control port for feeding the control signal to each device with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for displaying the connection relations between the control ports and the devices on an image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for modifying the connection relation displayed on the screen in accordance with manipulation of an input unit; and
means for rewriting the connection table based on the result of the modification.
With the AV control system of the present invention, each device can be freely connected to the desired one of the control ports of the controller.
The connection relations between the control ports and the devices are thereafter displayed on the image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the connection table storing means. The table storing means has stored therein the initial values or previous values of the table indicating the connection relations between the control ports and the devices, and these relations are to be displayed by the relation displaying means with reference to the table. In the case where the connection of one of the devices to the control port is subsequently changed, the connection relation concerned and displayed differs from the actual one.
Accordingly, the input unit is manipulated to modify the displayed connection relation to the actual connection relation. This modification can be performed easily on the screen while visually recognizing the actual connection relation.
Based on the modified connection relation, the connection table is thereafter automatically rewritten to represent the actual state of connections.
Consequently, the port prescribing means defines the control port for feeding a control signal to each device so as to feed the control signal to the control port having the intended device connected thereto and to control the device.
Specifically stated, the connection relation modifying means comprises:
device name storing means having stored therein the names of a plurality of devices connectable to the controller,
means for displaying the device names stored in the name storing means on the screen in accordance with manipulation of the input unit, and
device name changing means for selecting one of the connection relations displayed on the screen and changing the name of the device involved in the selected connection relation for the device name as selected from the device names displayed on the screen upon the selection of the device name.
With this specific construction, one of the connection relations displayed is selected and one of the device names displayed is selected by manipulating the input device. The name of the device involved in the selected connection relation can be changed for the selected device name merely by this procedure, whereby the connection table can be rewritten easily.
The present invention further provides an AV control system which comprises a controller for controlling a plurality of devices including AV devices, the controller comprising:
input ports to be connected to signal output devices included in the plurality of devices,
output ports to be connected to signal input devices included in the plurality of devices for receiving signals from the signal output devices,
connection table storing means having stored therein a connection table prescribing connection relations between the ports and the devices,
port prescribing means prescribing the input port for receiving the signal from each signal output device and prescribing the output port for feeding a signal to each signal input device, with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for displaying the connection relations between the ports and the devices on an image display screen with reference to the connection table stored in the table storing means,
means for modifying the connection relation displayed on the screen in accordance with manipulation of an input unit; and
means for rewriting the connection table based on the result of the modification.
With the AV control system of the present invention, each signal output device can be freely connected to the desired one of the input ports of the controller, and each signal input device to the desired one of the output ports of the controller.
The connection relations between the ports and the devices are thereafter displa
Huynh Ba
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
Tran Mylinh
Westerman Hattori Daniels & Adrian LLP
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