Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-08
2001-07-03
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
C340S870030, C340S870030, C341S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255961
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to communications of a remote control unit in an audio/visual environment, and more particularly to two-way communications between a remote control unit and one or more devices in an audio/visual environment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Remote control units are commonly used in audio/visual (A/V) environments to control various audio/visual equipment and devices. Audio/visual equipment includes, but is not limited to, the following: compact disc (CD) players, VCRs, televisions (TVs), digital visual discs (DVDs), and stereo components such as stereo receivers. Communications between a remote control unit and the audio/visual equipment which it controls have typically been one-way from the remote control unit to the A/V equipment, with the audio/visual equipment receiving commands from the remote control unit and the audio/visual equipment acting in accordance with these commands.
The current state of the art with regard to communications between a remote control unit and audio/visual equipment is illustrated in the block diagram
10
of FIG.
1
. In
FIG. 1
, any number N of audio/visual equipment, such as A/V Device
1
of Block
12
, A/V Device
2
of Block
14
, . . . A/V DeviceN of Block
16
, may be controlled by a remote control unit, shown as Remote Control of Block
20
. The Remote Control controls one or more of the audio/visual equipment by sending out commands to which the targeted audio/visual equipment responds. Remote Control
20
and a targeted A/V device communicate via a one-way communications link
18
, which is typically infra-red. Communications between one or more A/V Devices are typically accomplished by a two-way serial link
22
, such as the S-Link known in the industry.
One-way communications between the remote control unit and audio/visual equipment, while providing for the transmission of information in the form of control messages from the remote control unit to the audio/visual equipment, do not provide for the flow of information in the opposite direction from the audio/visual equipment to the remote control unit. As such it is not currently possible to pass information in a two-way, bi-directional manner between a remote control unit and A/V equipment.
The limitation of not being able to achieve bi-directional information exchange necessarily limits the usefulness of the remote control unit. Because information from the A/V equipment being controlled is not made available to the remote control, the commands generated by the remote control must be generic in nature, with no opportunity for customization of remote control commands based upon the characteristics of the particular A/V equipment being controlled. For instance, with existing remote control technology, it is not possible to transmit the table of contents (TOC) of a music CD in a CD player from the CD player to the remote control unit in order to create customized playlists based upon the TOC for that particular music CD in the CD player at the time.
In light of the above discussion, it is clear that there exists a need in the art to be able to have two-way communications between a remote control unit and various A/V equipment being controlled by the remote control unit. Such a communications capability would greatly add to the usefulness and flexibility of remote control units. Many new remote control features, not previously contemplated, could then be developed and implemented.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to have two-way communications between a remote control unit and various A/V equipment being controlled by the remote control unit.
It is further an object of the invention that such two-communications between the remote control unit and A/V equipment will facilitate the development and implementation of various new remote control features that may be customized according to the characteristics of the particular A/V equipment to be controlled.
Therefore, according to the present invention, a remote control unit has a two-way communications link with one or more audio/visual devices in an audio/visual system, thereby providing for the bi-directional exchange of information between the remote control unit and the one or more audio/visual devices. The remote control unit may also have a two-way communications link with an information-providing device, such as a personal computer, in order that the remote control unit have access to information external to the audio/visual system, such as information on the Internet. The two-way communications link may be an infra-red communications link or a serial communications link.
The bi-directional flow of information to and from the remote control unit allows for the creation of customized remote control commands based upon characteristics of a particular A/V device being controlled by the remote control unit and external information provided to the remote control unit through the information-providing device. Using the present invention, the creation of many new remote control features is possible.
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patent: 4999622 (1991-03-01), Amano et al.
patent: 5363355 (1994-11-01), Takagi
patent: 5410326 (1995-04-01), Goldstein
patent: 5420573 (1995-05-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5488357 (1996-01-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5532684 (1996-07-01), Katsu
patent: 5594709 (1997-01-01), Nagano et al.
patent: 5625608 (1997-04-01), Grewe et al.
patent: 5646608 (1997-07-01), Shintani
patent: 5822098 (1998-10-01), Morgaine
patent: 5990803 (1998-10-01), Park
Douma Peter
Van Ryzin John M.
Dalencourt Yves
Horabik Michael
Larson Reneé Michelle
Sony Corporation
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