U.S. patent application number 10/016434 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-25 for graphical-interactive-screen display apparatus and peripheral units.
Invention is credited to Nakano, Yoshio, Tanigawa, Hidekazu, Tsuji, Seiji.
Application Number | 20020047945 10/016434 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27312313 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020047945 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tanigawa, Hidekazu ; et
al. |
April 25, 2002 |
Graphical-interactive-screen display apparatus and peripheral
units
Abstract
A program receiver for displaying a graphical interactive
picture by receiving a program transmitted from a program
transmitter, the program receiver comprising: a storage unit for
storing a plurality of basic picture elements in advance, the
plurality of basic picture elements being figures composing the
graphical interactive picture manipulated by a user; a signal
receipt unit for receiving a signal transmitted from the program
transmitter, the signal being a multiplex signal including a
program and data specifying a structure of the graphical
interactive picture; a signal separation unit for separating the
signal received by the signal receipt unit into a program signal
and a graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
signal; a first graphical interactive picture generation unit for
generating the graphical interactive picture by combining the basic
picture elements stored in the storage unit based on the
graphical-interactive-picture-str- ucture specification data signal
from the signal separation unit; and a display unit for displaying
the graphical interactive picture generated by the first graphical
interactive picture generation unit.
Inventors: |
Tanigawa, Hidekazu; (Osaka,
JP) ; Nakano, Yoshio; (Osaka, JP) ; Tsuji,
Seiji; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PRICE AND GESS
2100 S.E. Main St., Ste. 250
Irvine
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
27312313 |
Appl. No.: |
10/016434 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10016434 |
Oct 30, 2001 |
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09497777 |
Feb 3, 2000 |
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09497777 |
Feb 3, 2000 |
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08829357 |
Apr 2, 1997 |
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08829357 |
Apr 2, 1997 |
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08326758 |
Oct 20, 1994 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/734 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/42207 20130101;
H04N 21/6547 20130101; H04N 21/42228 20130101; H04N 21/4314
20130101; H04N 21/8543 20130101; H04N 21/41265 20200801; H04N 7/163
20130101; H04N 21/42209 20130101; H04N 21/42226 20130101; H04N
21/4438 20130101; H04N 21/4312 20130101; H04N 21/8146 20130101;
H04N 21/42224 20130101; H04N 21/42204 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/734 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 20, 1993 |
JP |
5-262348 PAT. |
Nov 10, 1993 |
JP |
5-281016 PAT. |
May 26, 1994 |
JP |
6-112718 PAT. |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A remote controller comprising structure information supply
means for holding structure information for various types of
appliances in advance, and portable remote control means for
controlling said appliances, (1) said structure information supply
means including: a transmitter's structure information storage unit
for storing the structure information, the structure information
including control information for each appliance and object
information, said control information being used by said remote
control means in controlling said appliances, said object
information representing manipulation objects forming a
manipulation unit of said remote control means; and a structure
information transmission unit for retrieving the control
information and the object information from said transmitter's
structure information storage unit to send the retrieved
information to said remote control means, (2) said remote control
means including: a structure information receipt unit for receiving
the control information and the object information from said
structure information transmission unit; a receiver's structure
information storage unit for storing the control information and
the object information received by said structure information
receipt unit, a display unit for displaying a picture having a
manipulation area used for manipulating said appliances; and a
first display control unit for controlling said display unit to
place the manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on
the object information stored in said receiver's structure
information storage unit.
2. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein said remote control
means further includes: a manipulation detection unit for detecting
which manipulation object is manipulated on the manipulation area;
a first control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control
signal assigned for the manipulation object detected by said
manipulation detection unit to said appliances based on the control
information stored in said receiver's structure information storage
unit, whereby said appliances operate in accordance with the
control signal from said remote control means.
3. The remote controller of claim 2, wherein said structure
information supply means is installed in each appliance controlled
by the control signal from said remote control means.
4. The remote controller of claim 3, wherein said structure
information supply means further includes: a structure information
generation unit for generating state-based control information
depending on an action state of each appliance, said state-based
control information being transmitted to said remote control means
by said structure information transmission unit; an object
information generation unit for generating the object information
depending on the action state of each appliance, the object
information being transmitted to said remote control means by said
structure information transmission unit, and wherein said remote
control means further includes: a generated information receipt
unit for receiving the state-based control information from said
structure information transmission unit; a generated information
update unit for updating the control information and the object
information in said receiver's structure information storage unit
in accordance with the state-based control information received by
said generated information receipt unit; a second control signal
transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned to the
manipulated object detected by said manipulation detection unit to
said appliances based on updated control information stored in said
receiver's structure information storage unit; a generated object
information receipt unit for receiving updated object information
from said structure information transmission unit; and a second
display control unit for controlling said display unit to place
updated manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the
updated object information received by said generated object
information receipt unit.
5. The remote controller of claim 2, wherein said remote control
means further includes a structure information request unit for
sending a request to said structure information supply means to
transmit the structure information and the object information for
said appliances, and wherein said structure information supply
means further includes a structure information request direction
unit for directing said structure information transmission unit to
transmit the control information and the object information for
said appliances upon receipt of the request from said structure
information request unit, and wherein said transmitter's structure
information storage unit stores the control information in relation
with the object information for each appliance.
6. A remote controller comprising structure information supply
means for holding structure information for various types of
appliances in advance, first remote control means for controlling
said appliances, and second portable remote control means for
controlling said appliances, (1) said structure information supply
means including: a transmitter's structure information storage unit
for storing the structure information, the structure information
including control information for each appliance and object
information, said control information being used by said second
remote control means in controlling said appliances, said object
information representing manipulation objects forming a
manipulation unit of said second remote control means; and a
structure information transmission unit for retrieving the control
information and the object information from said transmitter's
structure information storage unit to send the retrieved
information to said second remote control means, (2) said first
remote control means including: a manipulation acceptance unit for
accepting a manipulation direction; and a signal transmission unit
for transmitting a control signal assigned to the manipulation
direction accepted by said manipulation acceptance unit, whereby
said appliances operate in accordance with the control signal from
said first remote control means, (3) said second remote control
means including: a structure information receipt unit for receiving
the control information and the object information from said
structure information transmission unit; a receiver s structure
information storage unit for storing the control information and
the object information received by said structure information
receipt unit, a display unit for displaying a picture having a
manipulation area used for manipulating said appliances; a first
display control unit for controlling said display unit to place the
manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the object
information stored in said receiver's structure information storage
unit; a manipulation detection unit for detecting which
manipulation object is manipulated on the manipulation area; a
first control signal transmission unit for transmitting a control
signal assigned for the manipulation object detected by said
manipulation detection unit to said appliances based on the control
information stored in said receiver's structure information storage
unit, whereby said appliances operate in accordance with the
control signal from said second remote control means.
7. A synthesis apparatus including a plurality of appliances for
synthesizing menu information withheld by each appliance, said menu
information being hierarchical information enabling a user to
control said appliances interactively, (1) one of said plurality of
appliances including: first menu storage means for storing first
menu information, said first menu information being hierarchical
information to be used to control said one appliance; menu
information receipt means for receiving the menu information from
the other appliances; menu information synthesis means for
synthesizing the menu information received by said menu information
receipt means and first menu information stored in said first menu
information storage unit, resulting synthesized menu information
being used as a menu-information selection menu at a highest
position in a hierarchy; and menu display means for displaying the
menu-information selection menu generated by said menu information
synthesis means, (2) each of the other appliances including: menu
storage means for storing the menu information unique to each
appliance, the menu information being hierarchical information to
be used to control each appliance; and menu transmission means for
transmitting the unique menu information in said menu storage means
to said one appliance.
8. The synthesis apparatus of claim 7, wherein said one appliance
further includes synthesis rule storage means for storing rules
regulating menu-information synthesis by said menu information
synthesis means, whereby said menu information synthesis means
synthesizes the menu information from the other appliances and the
first menu information in accordance with the synthesis rules.
9. The synthesis apparatus of claim 8, wherein said menu
transmission means includes: a menu information retrieval direction
unit for detecting a connection with said one appliance and for
giving a direction to retrieve the menu information; a menu
information retrieval unit for retrieving the menu information from
said menu storage means upon receipt of the direction from said
menu information retrieval direction unit; and a menu transmission
unit for transmitting the menu information retrieved by said menu
information retrieval unit to said menu information receipt
means.
10. The synthesis apparatus of claim 9, wherein said menu
information synthesis means includes: a menu selection acceptance
unit for accepting a selection of an appliance subject to control
manipulation using the menu-information selection menu displayed by
said menu display means; a menu information retrieval unit for
retrieving the menu information of the appliance accepted by said
menu selection acceptance unit from said menu information synthesis
means; and a menu switch control unit for changing a display on
said menu display means in accordance with the menu information
retrieved by said menu information retrieval unit.
11. The synthesis apparatus of claim 10, wherein said menu
information synthesis means further includes: a menu information
temporarily storage unit for temporarily storing the menu
information received by said menu information receipt means; a
first menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the first menu
information from said first menu storage means; a synthesis rule
retrieval unit for retrieving the synthesis rules from said
synthesis rule storage means, said synthesis rules including a
synthesis rule for a hierarchial structure, a selection rule for a
displayed shape, a synthesis rule for a panel object, and a
synthesis rule for control of said appliances; and a hierarchial
structure synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
stored in said menu information temporarily storage unit and the
first menu information retrieved by said first menu information
retrieval unit in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rule
retrieved by said synthesis rule retrieval unit.
12. The synthesis apparatus of claim 9, wherein said menu
information synthesis means further includes: a menu information
temporarily storage unit for temporarily storing the menu
information received by said menu information receipt means; a
first menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the first menu
information from said first menu storage means; a synthesis rule
retrieval unit for retrieving the synthesis rules from said
synthesis rule storage means, said synthesis rules including a
synthesis rule for a hierarchial structure, a selection rule for a
displayed shape, a synthesis rule for a panel object, and a
synthesis rule for control of said appliances; and a hierarchial
structure synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
stored in said menu information temporarily storage unit and the
first menu information retrieved by said first menu information
retrieval unit in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rule
retrieved by said synthesis rule retrieval unit.
13. In a remote control system comprising a plurality of appliances
and a remote controller for transmitting control signals to said
plurality of appliances, (1) said remote controller including: menu
information request transmission means for transmitting a menu
information request to each appliance, said menu information being
hierarchial information unique to each appliance for enabling a
user to control each appliance interactively; menu receipt means
for receiving the menu information transmitted from each appliance;
menu information synthesis means for synthesizing the menu
information received by said menu receipt means; menu display means
for visually displaying synthesized menu information generated by
said menu information synthesis means; input manipulation means for
accepting a user's input manipulation to control said appliances;
and control signal transmission means for transmitting the control
signals to said appliances based on the input manipulation accepted
by said input manipulation means, (2) each appliance including:
menu information request receipt means for receiving the menu
information request from said menu information request transmission
means; menu information transmission means for transmitting the
menu information to said menu receipt means when said menu
information request receipt means receives the menu information
request; control signal receipt means for receiving the control
signals from said control signal transmission means; and control
means for controlling said appliances as per control signals
received by said control signal receipt means.
14. The remote control system of claim 13, wherein said menu
information synthesis means includes: a menu information storage
unit for storing the menu information of each appliance received by
said menu receipt means, the menu information being hierarchical
information including a panel object name and shape information; a
synthesis rule storage unit for storing synthesis rules regulating
menu-information synthesis, said synthesis rules including a
synthesis rule for a hierarchial structure, a synthesis rule for a
panel object, a selection rule for a displayed shape, and a
synthesis rule for control of said appliances; a menu synthesis
unit for synthesizing the menu information of said appliances
stored in said menu information storage unit into one hierarchical
structure in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rules in
said synthesis rule storage unit; a panel object synthesis unit for
synthesizing the menu information of said appliances in said menu
information storage unit into one panel object in accordance with
the synthesis rule for the panel object stored in said synthesis
rule storage unit, the synthesis rule for the panel object being to
synthesize the menu information identified by an identical panel
object name; a shape synthesis unit for making the shape
information uniform for each appliance for the menu information in
said menu information storage unit in accordance with the selection
rule for the displayed shape in said synthesis rule storage unit,
said selection rule being to select the shape information of a
specified appliance and apply the same to the shape information for
each appliance for the menu information in said menu information
storage unit; and an action append unit for inserting data as to an
control action in accordance with the synthesis rule for the
control of said appliances, the synthesis rule for the control
being to insert the data as to the control action described by the
synthesis rule for the control at a position specified by the
synthesis rule for the control.
15. The remote control system of claim 14, wherein said menu
display means includes: a bit map data conversion unit for
converting the menu information synthesized by said menu synthesis
unit, panel synthesis unit, shape synthesis unit, and action append
unit into bit map data for a visual display; a display unit for
displaying the menu information converted into the bit map data by
said bit map data conversion unit; a first manipulation acceptance
unit for accepting a user's selection of menu displayed by said
display unit; and a selected menu notice unit for notifying a menu
selected and accepted by said first manipulation acceptance unit to
said menu information synthesis means.
16. The remote control system of claim 15, wherein said menu
information synthesis means further includes a menu information
retrieval unit for retrieving the menu information from said menu
storage unit for the appliance corresponding to the menu notified
by said selected menu notice unit, retrieved menu information
including information as to manipulation objects displayed by said
display unit, and wherein said menu display means further includes:
a menu information conversion unit for converting the menu
information retrieved by said menu information retrieval unit into
the bit map data, the menu information retrieved by said menu
information retrieval unit including information as to a display of
manipulation objects displayed by said display unit; a change-menu
display control unit for controlling said display unit to display
the menu information converted into the bit map data by said menu
information conversion unit; a second manipulation acceptance unit
for accepting a user's control manipulation related to a control
over the appliance using the manipulation objects displayed by said
display unit; and a manipulation notice unit for notifying the
control manipulation accepted by said second manipulation
acceptance unit to said control sinal transmission unit.
17. A program receiver for displaying a graphical interactive
picture by receiving a program transmitted from a program
transmitter, said program receiver comprising: storage means for
storing a plurality of basic picture elements in advance, said
plurality of basic picture elements being figures composing the
graphical interactive picture manipulated by a user; signal receipt
means for receiving a signal transmitted from said program
transmitter, said signal being a multiplex signal including a
program and data specifying a structure of the graphical
interactive picture; signal separation means for separating the
signal received by said signal receipt means into a program signal
and a graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
signal; first graphical interactive picture generation means for
generating the graphical interactive picture by combining the basic
picture elements stored in said storage means based on the
graphical-interactive-picture-s- tructure specification data signal
from said signal separation means; and display means for displaying
the graphical interactive picture generated by said first graphical
interactive picture generation means.
18. The program receiver of claim 17 further comprising:
interactive manipulation means for inputting manipulation to the
graphical interactive picture displayed by said display means;
basic action storage means for storing a content of an action for
updating the graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data; and second graphical interactive picture generation means for
retrieving the content of the action from said basic action storage
means based on action information directing an update of the
graphical interactive picture upon receipt of the input
manipulation from said interactive manipulation means to update the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data to
generate an updated graphical interactive picture.
19. The program receiver of claim 18, wherein said basic picture
elements in said storage means are composed of file names
identifying each basic picture element and the bit map data for
each basic picture element, and wherein said first graphical
interactive picture generation means includes: a
receipt.cndot.decode unit for receiving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal
from said signal separation means to decode the same; a storage
unit for storing decoded graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data from said receipt.andgate.decode unit, the
graphical-interactive-pic- ture-structure specification data being
composed of a class definition including a plurality pieces of
class attribute information, a panel object definition including a
plurality pieces of panel object information, an action definition
including a plurality pieces of action information, and a shape
definition including a plurality pieces of shape information; a
first process unit for retrieving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from
said storage unit, extracting the basic picture elements
corresponding to the file names by referring to the shape
information from said storage unit in accordance with the retrieved
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data, and for
placing the extracted basic picture elements by referring to the
panel object information; and a first display control unit for
controlling the display means to display the basic picture elements
placed by said first process unit as the graphical interactive
picture.
20. The program receiver of claim 19, wherein said interactive
manipulation means includes: an input manipulation acceptance unit
for accepting a user's input manipulation to the graphical
interactive picture; and an interactive signal transmission unit
for transmitting the input manipulation accepted by said
manipulation acceptance unit to said second graphical interactive
picture generation unit as an interactive signal, and wherein said
second graphical interactive picture generation means includes: an
interactive signal receipt unit for receiving the interactive
signal from said interactive signal transmission unit; an
interactive signal interpretation unit for interpreting the
interactive signal received by said interactive signal receipt
unit; a graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
update unit for retrieving a content of an action from said basic
action storage means in accordance with the interactive signal
interpreted by said interactive signal interpretation unit to
update the graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data in said storage unit; a second process unit for retrieving
updated graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
from said storage unit, and for extracting the basic picture
elements corresponding to the file names from said storage means to
place the extracted display elements; and a second display control
unit for controlling said display means to display the basic
picture elements placed by said second process unit as an updated
graphical interactive picture.
21. The program receiver of claim 20 further comprising information
transmission means for transmitting the data of the graphical
interactive picture updated by said interactive manipulation means
to said program transmitter.
22. The program receiver of claim 19 further comprising information
transmission means for transmitting the data of the graphical
interactive picture updated by said interactive manipulation means
to said program transmitter.
23. The program receiver of claim 18, wherein said basic picture
elements in said storage means are composed of file names
identifying each basic picture element and the bit map data for
each basic picture element, and wherein said first graphical
interactive picture generation means includes: a
receipt.cndot.decode unit for receiving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal
from said signal separation means to decode the same; a data
division unit for dividing the decoded
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from
said receipt.cndot.decode unit into a first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data and a
second graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data,
said first graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data excluding a synthesis instruction, said second
graphical-interactive-picture-structur- e specification data
including the synthesis instruction, the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data being
composed of a panel object definition including a plurality pieces
of panel object information, an action definition including a
plurality pieces of action information, a shape definition
including a plurality pieces of shape information, and synthesis
direction data including a synthesis command in case of the second
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data; a first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit for storing the first graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data; a second
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit for storing the second graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data; a graphical interactive picture synthesis unit
for synthesizing the first graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data in said first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit and the second graphical-interactive-pict- ure-structure
specification data in said second graphical-interactive-pict-
ure-structure specification data storage unit in accordance with
the synthesis command of the synthesis direction data stored in
said second graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data storage unit; a graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data update unit for updating the first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data in said
first graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
storage unit with the synthesized
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from
said graphical interactive picture synthesis unit; a first process
unit for retrieving updated graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data from said first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit, and for extracting the basic picture elements corresponding
to the file names by referring to the shape information in said
storage means to place the extracted basic picture elements by
referring to the panel object information; and a first display
control unit for controlling said display means to display the
basic picture elements placed by said first process unit as an
updated graphical interactive picture.
24. The program receiver of claim 23 further comprising information
record means for outputting data related to the graphical
interactive picture as per manipulation form said interactive
manipulation means to make a record thereof.
25. The program receiver of claim 18 further comprising information
transmission means for transmitting the data of the graphical
interactive picture updated by said interactive manipulation means
to said program transmitter.
26. The program receiver of claim 18 further comprising information
record means for outputting data related to the graphical
interactive picture as per manipulation form said interactive
manipulation means to make a record thereof.
27. A system including peripheral appliances holding graphical
interactive picture structure data and a display unit for
displaying a graphical interactive picture for said peripheral
appliances by receiving a unique manipulation direction signal from
each peripheral appliance, said display unit including: graphical
interactive picture structure data receipt means for receiving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from said peripheral
appliances to generate the graphical interactive picture; display's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means for
storing the graphical interactive picture structure data received
by said graphical interactive picture structure data receipt means;
graphical display element storage means for storing a plurality of
graphical display elements to generate the graphical interactive
picture; manipulation direction signal receipt means for receiving
the manipulation direction signal from said peripheral appliances;
graphical interactive picture generation means for receiving the
manipulation direction signal received by said manipulation
direction signal receipt means, and for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from said display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage means to generate the
graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical display
elements stored in said graphical display element storage means;
and display means for displaying the graphical interactive picture
generated by said graphical interactive picture generation
means.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein said graphical interactive
picture generation means includes: a temporarily storage unit for
temporarily storing the manipulation direction signal received by
said manipulation direction signal receipt means; a retrieval unit
for retrieving the manipulation direction signal from said
temporarily storage unit; a graphical interactive picture structure
data extract unit for extracting the graphical interactive
structure data from said display's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage means in accordance with the manipulation
direction signal retrieved by said retrieval unit to generate the
graphical interactive picture, the graphical interactive picture
structure data including object information defining objects that
form the graphical interactive picture, shape information defining
shapes of the objects, position information defining positions of
the objects, action information defining the objects' actions that
change the graphical interactive picture based on the manipulation
direction signal; a graphical display element extract unit for
extracting bit map data from said graphical display element storage
means based on the shape information extracted by said graphical
interactive picture structure data extract unit, said bit map data
being stored in said graphical display element storage means in
relation with the shape information; a synthesis generation unit
for generating a graphical display by synthesizing the bit map data
extracted by said graphical display element extract unit and an
attribute value of a character string attribute of each object,
said attribute value of the character string attribute displayed on
the bit map data being included in the object information; a
placement unit for placing the graphical display synthesized by
said synthesis generation unit based oh the position information in
the graphical interactive picture structure data.
29. The system in claim 28, wherein said graphical interactive
picture generation means further includes a graphical interactive
picture structure data update unit for updating a content of the
graphical interactive picture structure data in said display's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit based on
the action information extracted by said graphical interactive
picture structure data extract unit when the manipulation direction
signal retrieved by said retrieval unit is an update direction.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein said display unit further
includes: TV receiver means for converting a received program into
an image; TV manipulation means for accepting a manual manipulation
to said TV receiver means; TV's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage means for storing the graphical interactive
picture structure data related to said TV receiver means in
advance; and TV's interactive picture generation means for
retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from
said TV's graphical interactive picture structure data storage
means when said TV manipulation means receives the manual
manipulation to generate the graphical interactive picture by
combining the graphical display elements in said graphical display
element storage means to update the graphical interactive picture
each time a manual manipulation is received by said TV manipulation
means.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein each peripheral appliance
includes: manipulation means for accepting a user's action
direction addressed to a self's peripheral appliance; user s
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means for
storing the graphical interactive picture structure data to display
the graphical interactive picture as per action direction accepted
by said manipulation means; control means for controlling said
self's peripheral appliance to set a function by giving a direction
to transmit the graphical interactive picture structure data and
generating a manipulation direction signal to generate the
graphical interactive picture and a manipulation direction signal
to updated graphical interactive picture upon acceptance of the
action direction from said manipulation means; graphical
interactive picture structure data transmission means for
retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from
said user's graphical interactive picture structure data storage
means upon receipt of the transmission direction from said control
means, and for transmitting the retrieved graphical interactive
picture structure data to said display unit; and manipulation
direction signal transmission means for transmitting the
manipulation direction signal generated by said control means to
said display unit.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein said control means includes: a
first signal generation unit for generating the manipulation
direction signal as per action direction from said manipulation
means; and a second signal generation unit for generating a
predetermined subsidiary data signal depending on current action
state of said self's peripheral appliance, said subsidiary data
being a supplement of the graphical interactive picture structure
data and constituting an integral part thereof, said subsidiary
data signal being generated by said first signal generation unit
together with the manipulation direction signal.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein said manipulation means is
portable.
34. A system comprising a remote controller for controlling
peripheral appliances and a display unit for displaying a graphical
interactive picture as per manipulation direction signal from said
remote controller, (1) said remote controller including:
manipulation means for accepting an action direction addressed to
said remote controller; control means for controlling said remote
controller to set a function upon acceptance of the action
direction from said manipulation means, and for generating a
manipulation direction signal to generate the graphical interactive
picture and a manipulation direction signal to update the graphical
interactive picture; manipulation direction signal transmission
means for transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated
by said control means to said display unit, (2) said display unit
including: appliance's graphical interactive picture structure data
storage means for storing the graphical interactive picture
structure data in advance to generate the graphical interactive
picture for said peripheral appliances; graphical display element
storage means for storing a plurality of graphical display elements
to generate the graphical interactive picture; manipulation
direction signal receipt means for receiving the manipulation
direction signal from said remote controller; graphical interactive
picture generation means for retrieving the graphical interactive
picture structure data from said appliance's graphical interactive
picture structure data storage means upon receipt of the
manipulation direction signal received by said manipulation
direction signal receipt means to generate the graphical
interactive picture by combining the graphical-display elements
stored in said graphical display element storage means based on the
retrieved graphical interactive picture structure data; display
means for displaying the graphical interactive picture generated by
said graphical interactive picture generation means; TV receiver
means for converting a received TV program into an image; TV
manipulation means for accepting a manual manipulation to said TV
receiver means; TV's graphical interactive picture structure data
storage means for storing the graphical interactive picture
structure data as to said TV receiver means in advance; TV's
graphical interactive picture generation means for retrieving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from said TV's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means when
said TV manipulation means receives the manual manipulation to
generate the graphical interactive picture by combining the
graphical display elements stored in said graphical display element
storage means based on the retrieved graphical interactive picture
structure data to update the graphical interactive picture each
time said TV manipulation means receives a manual manipulation.
35. A system comprising a relay, a remote controller, and a display
unit, said relay being a peripheral appliance for transferring an
action direction signal from said remote controller to said display
unit, said relay's function being set by said remote controller,
said display unit displaying a graphical interactive picture upon
receipt of the signal from said relay, (1) said remote controller
including: first manipulation means for accepting an action of said
remote controller; first graphical interactive picture structure
data storage means for storing graphical interactive picture
structure data in advance to generate the graphical interactive
picture as per action direction; first control means for
controlling said remote controller to set a function upon receipt
of the action direction from said first manipulation means by
giving a direction to transmit the graphical interactive picture
structure data and generating a manipulation direction signal to
generate the graphical interactive picture and a manipulation
direction signal to update the graphical interactive picture; first
graphical interactive picture structure data transmission means for
retrieving the graphical interactive picture structure data from
said first graphical interactive picture structure data storage
means upon receipt of the transmission direction from said first
control means to transmit the same to said relay; and first
manipulation direction signal transmission means for transmitting
the manipulation direction signal generated by said first control
means to said relay, (2) said relay including: second manipulation
means for accepting an action direction addressed to said relay;
user's graphical interactive picture structure data storage means
for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data in
advance to generate the graphical interactive picture as per action
direction addressed to said relay; second control means for
controlling said relay to set a function upon receipt of the action
direction from said second manipulation means by giving a direction
to transmit the graphical interactive picture structure data and
generating a manipulation direction signal to generate the
graphical interactive picture and a manipulation direction signal
to update the graphical interactive picture; graphical interactive
picture structure data transmission means for retrieving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from said user s
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means upon
receipt of the transmission direction from said second control
means to transmit the same to said display unit; second
manipulation direction signal transmission means for transmitting
the manipulation direction signal generated by said second control
means to said display unit; data relay means for receiving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from said first
graphical interactive picture structure data transmission means to
transmit the same to said display unit; and signal relay means for
receiving the manipulation direction signal from said first
manipulation direction signal transmission means to transmit the
same to said display unit, (3) said display unit including:
graphical display element storage means for storing a plurality of
graphical display elements to generate the graphical interactive
picture; graphical interactive picture structure data receipt means
for receiving the graphical interactive picture structure data to
generate the graphical interactive picture from said relay;
display's graphical interactive picture structure data storage
means for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data
received by said graphical interactive picture structure data
receipt means; manipulation direction signal receipt means for
receiving the manipulation direction signal from said relay;
graphical interactive picture generation means for retrieving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from said display's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means upon
receipt of the manipulation direction signal received by said
manipulation direction signal receipt means to generate the
graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical display
elements stored in said graphical display element storage means
based on the retrieved graphical interactive picture structure
data, and for updating the graphical interactive picture each time
said manipulation direction signal receipt means receives a
manipulation direction signal; and display means for displaying the
graphical interactive picture generated by said graphical
interactive picture generation means.
36. A system comprising a relay, a remote controller, and a display
unit, said relay being a peripheral appliance for transferring an
action direction signal from said remote controller to said display
unit, said relay's function being set by said remote controller,
said display unit displaying a graphical interactive picture upon
receipt of the signal from said relay, (1) said remote controller
including: first manipulation means for accepting an action
direction addressed to said remote controller; first control means
for controlling said remote controller to set a function by giving
a direction to transmit graphical interactive picture structure
data to said relay and generating a manipulation direction signal
to generate a graphical interactive picture and to update the
graphical interactive picture; and first manipulation direction
signal transmission means for transmitting the manipulation
direction signal generated by said first control means to said
relay, (2) said relay including: second manipulation means for
accepting an action direction addressed to said relay; user's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage means for
storing the graphical interactive picture structure data in advance
to display the graphical interactive picture as per action
direction addressed to said relay; first graphical interactive
picture structure data storage means for storing in advance the
graphical interactive picture structure data to display the
graphical interactive picture as per
graphical-interactive-picture-structure data transmission direction
from said remote controller; second control means for controlling
said relay to set a function upon receipt of the action direction
from said second manipulation means by giving a direction to
transmit the graphical interactive picture structure data and
generating a manipulation direction signal to generate the
graphical interactive picture and to update the graphical
interactive picture; graphical interactive picture structure data
transmission means for retrieving the graphical interactive picture
structure data from said user's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage means and said first graphical interactive
picture structure data storage means upon receipt of the
transmission direction from said second control means and said
remote controller respectively to transmit the same to said display
unit; second manipulation direction signal transmission means for
transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated by said
second control means to said display unit; and signal relay means
for receiving the manipulation direction signal received by said
remote control means to transmit the same to said display unit, (3)
said display unit including: graphical display element storage
means for storing a plurality of graphical display elements to
generate the graphical interactive picture; graphical interactive
picture structure data receipt means for receiving the graphical
interactive picture structure data to generate the graphical
interactive picture from said relay; display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage means for storing the
graphical interactive picture structure data received by said
graphical interactive picture structure data receipt means,
manipulation direction signal receipt means for receiving the
manipulation direction signal from said relay; graphical
interactive picture generation means for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from said display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage means upon receipt of
the manipulation direction signal received by said manipulation
direction signal receipt means to generate the graphical
interactive picture by combining the graphical display elements
stored in said graphical display elements based on the manipulation
direction, and for updating the graphical interactive picture each
time said manipulation direction signal receipt means receives a
manipulation direction signal; and display means for displaying the
graphical interactive picture generated by said graphical
interactive picture generation means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (1) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a display apparatus showing
graphical interactive screens for remote control, and to the
peripheral units.
[0003] (2) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The use of remote controllers has spread to facilitate the
manipulation of today's household appliances such as audiovisual
apparatuses, and one remote controller is furnished for one
appliance in general. However, it is quite cumbersome to manage a
plurality of remote controllers.
[0005] In addition, a remote controller in a broad sense, or a
display on the screen that enables the users to make a variety of
selections, was developed and has been in practical use for the
interactive TV (television) system and TV game players. However,
this type of remote controller also faces problems such as
facilitating manipulation and saving manufacturing cost.
[0006] To eliminate the above problems, a multi-remote controller,
or otherwise known as a system remote controller, was developed and
has been commercially available. The multi-remote controller
includes a transmitter that controls a plurality of appliances of
various types in one kind (for example, TVs made by a plurality of
makers), or various kinds of appliances (for example, TV and VTR
(video tape recorder)), so that the user can control a plurality of
appliances with one multi-remote controller by selecting the
appliance he wishes to control. Alternately, the multi-remote
controller may include the buttons necessary for the manipulation
of all the appliances. However, in either case, the user must
select a desired appliance first, meaning that the multi-remote
controller must include the selection button.
[0007] To compensate the drawback of the multi-remote controller,
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-180497 discloses a
remote controller comprising a remote control unit for transmitting
remote control signals for a plurality of appliances to be
controlled, and receiver units furnished with each appliance for
receiving the remote controller signals for their respective
appliances. Note that each receiver unit transmits a unique signal
to the remote controller unit, so that the receiver unit stores
data as to which control signal should be transmitted to which
appliance, eliminating the appliance selection process and hence
the selection button.
[0008] However, this remote controller is available only to the
predetermined appliances and functions, and it must include a ultra
red ray signal transmitter and buttons for each predetermined
function. Thus, although the selection button can be omitted, the
remote controller still includes a large number of buttons if it
controls more than one kind of appliance (for example, TV and VTR),
because the buttons for channel selection and volume adjustment for
the TV receiver, and those for playback and record functions for
the VTR must be furnished separately. Further, the design of the
remote controller can not be changed flexibly, and unnecessary
buttons under a particular situation are still furnished and the
control signals for such buttons are stored in the memory as well.
Thus, neither the design is adequate nor the memory is utilized
efficiently, complicating the manipulation of the remote controller
more than necessary.
[0009] Also, a TV-VTR compound apparatus, which is controlled by
menu information defined in advance, has been developed However, it
is impossible to control a plurality of appliances as an integral
system; for the menu information varies depending on the state of
each appliance, such as interconnection and power ON/OFF.
[0010] Further, a menu processing method, disclosed in Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Application No. 3-233660, was developed. This
method enables the retrieval of a desired application program by
switching the menu displays regardless of which terminal or host
computer stores the application program in a computer environment
where a plurality of terminals are interconnected via a
network.
[0011] However, the information as to which terminal or host
computer stores the secondary and subsequent order menus must be
written into each item in the menu in advance. Thus, it is
impossible to control a plurality of appliances as an integral
system; for the menu information varies depending on the state of
each appliance, such as interconnection and power ON/OFF.
[0012] In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.
3-172086 discloses a program receiver which can display texts and
graphics for the operation manual or guidance of the CATV (Cable
TV) system, either related or unrelated to the program being
broadcasted, on the screen. This will be explained more in detail
while referring to FIG. 1 depicting the structure of the program
receiver. A terminal 101 includes a character generator 103 for
generating texts and graphics displayed on a screen 102, a memory
104 storing all the patterns for the texts and graphics transmitted
from a head-end of the CATV station in advance, a switcher 107 for
inputting signals from the character generator 103 or memory 104
into a TV receiver 106 instead of or together with the outputs from
a tuner 105. The text and graphical information, or namely the
operation manual or guidance and the information either related or
unrelated to the program being broadcasted, is transmitted from the
head end in advance to upgrade the utility of the CATV system.
[0013] In this system, program distributors supply the interactive
screen generation information for each program to the CATV station
in advance, so that the information is transmitted from the
head-end to the memory 104 each time a program is switched,
supplying an adequate interactive screen for each program. However,
this complicates the retransmission of the program. As well, each
time the user switches a channel, the head-end detects the
switching and transmits the interactive screen generation
information for the switched program to the memory 104, making the
process at the head-end cumbersome.
[0014] In addition, a technique such that enables the user to set
the functions of the VTR and TV game players by using the display
on the TV receiver was developed. The household appliances of this
type include a circuit for generating a user interface screen, and
a terminal for outputting image signals generated by the circuit to
an external appliances. The external output terminal is connected
to an external image signal input terminal of the TV receiver via
an image signal cable to switch TV receiver's signal input to the
external image signal input terminal. Thus, the TV receiver
displays the input image signal from the external image signal
input terminal, supplying the user interface screen to the
user.
[0015] The graphical display apparatus used for CAD (Computer Aided
Design) also employs the user interface screen. Here, the host
computer transmits figure definition instructions: combination and
display position of basic elements (segments, arcs, characters,
etc.), and attribution specification such as display allowance or
disallowance. The graphical display apparatus interprets the figure
definition instructions and then displays figures as per
instructions on the screen. The definition of a figure composed of
the same basic elements can be given only by copying the definition
of the element and changing the display position attribute. Thus,
the figure definition instructions for one element is transmitted
from the host computer only once, saving the information
transmission time for the host computer. However, in case of a
multi-layer structure such as a menu manipulation screen to switch
a layer as per user's instruction, the screen is cleared (the
defined figure data are deleted) each time a layer is switched, and
all the figure definition instructions are transmitted again for
the switched layer. Alternately, the figure data for all the layers
may be defined in advance, and an instruction is sent each time a
layer is switched to disallow the display of the attribute of the
figure data in the currently displayed layer, and another
instruction is sent to allow the display of the figure data for the
switched layer.
[0016] However, using the user interface screen with the household
appliances such as the VTR causes the following problems:
[0017] (1) the user-interface-screen generation circuit must be
furnished for each appliance, causing the manufacturing cost to
increase. Thus, this technique is applied only to limited
appliances.
[0018] (2) the image input for the TV receiver must be switched to
the external image signal input. This is not a drawback for the VTR
or TV game players activated by switching the image input to the
external image signal input. However, it is quite inconvenient if
functions for an air conditioner or the like are set in this
manner. Although such inconvenience can be eliminated by furnishing
the user interface screen to the air conditioner, it costs more
than furnishing the user-interface-screen generation circuit.
[0019] (3) the appliances and TV receiver must be connected via the
image signal cable. Since the image signal cable is an essential
component for the VTR and TV game player, this is not crucial for
such appliances. However, this is quite inconvenient if the
appliances, which can be: used independently of the image signal
cable, are controlled in this manner. Although such inconvenience
can be eliminated by furnishing the user interface screen, it costs
more than furnishing the user-interface-screen generation circuit
as was with the secondly mentioned problem.
[0020] (4) the graphical display apparatus is connected to the host
computer in the level of the basic elements to realize a variety of
displays, thus many a figure definition instruction is received
from the host computer when switching the display. This causes to
increase the load in the host computer, and makes the real time
transmission impossible if a high-transmission rate communication
route is employed. More precisely, micro computers for the
household appliances are less efficient compared with the one for
host computer, and the transmission rate is set relatively low to
save the transmission cost. Thus, it is not easy to display the
graphical interactive screens on the graphical display apparatus
using the display information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Accordingly, the present invention has a first object to
provide a remote controller which is easy to manipulate and does
not hold the information of the appliances under the control
thereof in advance, and thus uses resources such as a memory
efficiently.
[0022] The present invention has a second object to provide a
remote controller whose design can be changed flexibly depending on
the state of the appliances under the control thereof.
[0023] The present invention has a third object to provide a remote
controller which can synthesize the control menus for a plurality
of appliances under the control thereof.
[0024] The present invention has a fourth object to provide a
program receiver which can supply an adequate interactive screen
for each program to the user.
[0025] The present invention has a fifth object to provide a
graphical-interactive-screen display apparatus and the peripheral
units which can display the user interface screens without using
expensive user-interface-screen generation circuit, so that the
user sets the functions for a desired appliance using such
inexpensive user interface screens.
[0026] The first object can be fulfilled by a remote controller
comprising a structure information supply unit for holding
structure information for various types of appliances in advance,
and a portable remote control unit for controlling the appliances,
(1) the structure information supply unit including: a
transmitter's structure information storage unit for storing the
structure information, the structure information including control
information for each appliance and object information, the control
information being used by the remote control unit in controlling
the appliances, the object information representing manipulation
objects forming a manipulation unit of the remote control unit; and
a structure information transmission unit for retrieving the
control information and the object information from the
transmitter's structure information storage unit to send the
retrieved information to the remote control unit, (2) the remote
control unit including: a structure information, receipt unit for
receiving the control information and the object information from
the structure information transmission unit; a receiver's structure
information storage unit for storing the control information and
the object information received by the structure information
receipt unit, a display unit for displaying a picture having a
manipulation area used for manipulating the appliances; and a first
display control unit for controlling the display unit to place the
manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the object
information stored in the receiver's structure information storage
unit.
[0027] The remote control unit may further include: a manipulation
detection unit for detecting which manipulation object is
manipulated on the manipulation area; a first control signal
transmission unit for transmitting a control signal assigned for
the manipulation object detected by the manipulation detection unit
to the appliances based on the control information stored in the
receiver's structure information storage unit, whereby the
appliances operate in accordance with the control signal from the
remote control unit.
[0028] The structure information supply unit may be installed in
each appliance controlled by the control signal from the remote
control unit.
[0029] To fulfill the second object, in the remote controller, the
structure information supply unit may further include: a structure
information generation unit for generating state-based control
information depending on an action state of each appliance, the
state-based control information being transmitted to the remote
control unit by the structure information transmission unit; an
object information generation unit for generating the object
information depending on the action state of each appliance, the
object information being transmitted to the remote control unit by
the structure information transmission unit, and the remote control
unit may further include: a generated information receipt unit for
receiving the state-based control information from the structure
information transmission unit; a generated information update unit
for updating the control information and the object information in
the receiver's structure information storage unit in accordance
with the state-based control information received by the generated
information receipt unit; a second control signal transmission unit
for transmitting a control signal assigned to the manipulated
object detected by the manipulation detection unit to the
appliances based on updated control information stored in the
receiver's structure information storage unit; a generated object
information receipt unit for receiving updated object information
from the structure information transmission unit; and a second
display control unit for controlling the display unit to place
updated manipulation objects on the manipulation area based on the
updated object information received by the generated object
information receipt unit.
[0030] The third object can be fulfilled by a synthesis apparatus
including a plurality of appliances for synthesizing menu
information withheld by each appliance, the menu information being
hierarchical information enabling a user to control the appliances
interactively, (1) one of the plurality of appliances including: a
first menu storage unit for storing first menu information, the
first menu information being hierarchical information to be used to
control the one appliance; a menu information receipt unit for
receiving the menu information from the other appliances; a menu
information synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
received by the menu information receipt unit and first menu
information stored in the first menu information storage unit,
resulting synthesized menu information being used as a menu
information selection menu at a highest position in a hierarchy;
and a menu display unit for displaying the menu-information
selection menu generated by the menu information synthesis unit,
(2) each of the other appliances including: a menu storage unit for
storing the menu information unique to each appliance, the menu
information being hierarchical information to be used to control
each appliance; and a menu transmission unit for transmitting the
unique menu information in the menu storage unit to the one
appliance.
[0031] The one appliance may further include a synthesis rule
storage unit for storing rules regulating menu-information
synthesis by the menu information synthesis unit, whereby the menu
information synthesis unit synthesizes the menu information from
the other appliances and the first menu information in accordance
with the synthesis rules.
[0032] The menu transmission unit may include: a menu information
retrieval direction unit for detecting a connection with the one
appliance and for giving a direction to retrieve the menu
information; a menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the
menu information from the menu storage unit upon receipt of the
direction from the menu information retrieval direction unit; and a
menu transmission unit for transmitting the menu information
retrieved by the menu information retrieval unit to the menu
information receipt unit.
[0033] The menu information synthesis unit may include: a menu
selection acceptance unit for accepting a selection of an appliance
subject to control manipulation using the menu-information
selection menu displayed by the menu display unit; a menu
information retrieval unit for retrieving the menu information of
the appliance accepted by the menu selection acceptance unit from
the menu information synthesis unit; and a menu switch control unit
for changing a display on the menu display unit in accordance with
the menu information retrieved by the menu information retrieval
unit.
[0034] The menu information synthesis unit may further include: a
menu information temporarily storage unit for temporarily storing
the menu information received by the menu information receipt unit;
a first menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the first
menu information from the first menu storage unit; a synthesis rule
retrieval unit for retrieving the synthesis rules from the
synthesis rule storage unit, the synthesis rules including a
synthesis rule for a hierarchial structure, a selection rule for a
displayed shape, a synthesis rule for a panel object, and a
synthesis rule for control of the appliances; and a hierarchial
structure synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
stored in the menu information temporarily storage unit and the
first menu information retrieved by the first menu information
retrieval unit in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rule
retrieved by the synthesis rule retrieval unit.
[0035] The menu information synthesis unit may further include: a
menu information temporarily storage unit for temporarily storing
the menu-information received by the menu information receipt unit;
a first menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the first
menu information from the first menu storage unit; a synthesis rule
retrieval unit for retrieving the synthesis rules from the
synthesis rule storage unit, the synthesis rules including a
synthesis rule for a hierarchial structure, a selection rule for a
displayed shape, a synthesis rule for a panel object, and a
synthesis rule for control of the appliances; and a hierarchial
structure synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
stored in the menu information temporarily storage unit and the
first menu information retrieved by the first menu information
retrieval unit in accordance with the hierarchical synthesis rule
retrieved by the synthesis rule retrieval unit.
[0036] The third object also can be fulfilled by in a remote
control system comprising a plurality of appliances and a remote
controller for transmitting control signals to the plurality of
appliances, (1) the remote controller including: a menu information
request transmission unit for transmitting a menu information
request to each appliance, the menu information being hierarchial
information unique to each appliance for enabling a user to control
each appliance interactively; a menu receipt unit for receiving the
menu information transmitted from each appliance; a menu
information synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
received by the menu receipt unit; a menu display unit for visually
displaying synthesized menu information generated by the menu
information synthesis unit; an input manipulation unit for
accepting a user s input manipulation: to control the appliances;
and a control signal transmission unit for transmitting the control
signals to the appliances based on the input manipulation accepted
by the input manipulation unit, (2) each appliance including: a
menu information request receipt unit for receiving the menu
information request from the menu information request transmission
unit; a menu information transmission unit for transmitting the
menu information to the menu receipt unit when the menu information
request receipt unit receives the menu information request; a
control signal receipt unit for receiving the control signals from
the control signal transmission unit; and a control unit for
controlling the appliances as per control signals received by the
control signal receipt unit.
[0037] The menu information synthesis unit may include: a menu
information storage unit for storing the menu information of each
appliance received by the menu receipt unit, the menu information
being hierarchical information including a panel object name and
shape information; a synthesis rule storage unit for storing
synthesis rules regulating menu-information synthesis, the
synthesis rules including a synthesis rule for a hierarchial
structure, a synthesis rule for a panel object, a selection rule
for a displayed shape, and a synthesis rule for control of the
appliances; a menu synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu
information of the appliances stored in the menu information
storage unit into one hierarchical structure in accordance with the
hierarchical synthesis rules in the synthesis rule storage unit; a
panel object synthesis unit for synthesizing the menu information
of the appliances in the menu information storage unit into one
panel object in accordance with the synthesis rule for the panel
object stored in the synthesis rule storage unit, the synthesis
rule for the panel object being to synthesize the menu information
identified by an identical panel object name; a shape synthesis
unit for making the shape information uniform for each appliance
for the menu information in the menu information storage unit in
accordance with the selection rule for the displayed shape in the
synthesis rule storage unit, the selection rule being to select the
shape information of a specified appliance and apply the same to
the shape information for each appliance for the menu information
in the menu information storage unit; and an action append unit for
inserting data as to an control action in accordance with the
synthesis rule for the control of the appliances, the synthesis
rule for the control being to insert the data as to the control
action described by the synthesis rule for the control at a
position specified by the synthesis rule for the control.
[0038] The menu display unit may include: a bit map data conversion
unit for converting the menu information synthesized by the menu
synthesis unit, panel synthesis unit, shape synthesis unit, and
action append unit into bit map data for a visual display; a
display unit for displaying the menu information converted into the
bit map data by the bit map data conversion unit; a first
manipulation acceptance unit for accepting a user's selection of
menu displayed by the display unit; and a selected menu notice unit
for notifying a menu selected and accepted by the first
manipulation acceptance unit to the menu information synthesis
unit.
[0039] The menu information synthesis unit may further include a
menu information retrieval unit for retrieving the menu information
from the menu storage unit for the appliance corresponding to the
menu notified by the selected menu notice unit, retrieved menu
information including information as to manipulation objects
displayed by the display unit, and the menu display unit may
further include: a menu information conversion unit for converting
the menu information retrieved by the menu information retrieval
unit into the bit map data, the menu information retrieved by the
menu information retrieval unit including information as to a
display of manipulation objects displayed by the display unit; a
change-menu display control unit for controlling to display unit to
display the menu information converted into the bit map data by the
menu information conversion unit; a second manipulation acceptance
unit for accepting a user's control manipulation related to a
control over the appliance using the manipulation objects displayed
by the display unit; and a manipulation notice unit for notifying
the control manipulation accepted by the second manipulation
acceptance unit to the control sinal transmission unit.
[0040] The fourth object can be fulfilled by a program receiver for
displaying a graphical interactive picture by receiving a program
transmitted from a program transmitter, the program receiver
comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of basic picture
elements in advance, the plurality of basic picture elements being
figures composing the graphical interactive picture manipulated by
a user, a signal receipt unit for receiving a signal transmitted
from the program transmitter, the signal being a multiplex 'signal
including a program and data specifying a structure of the
graphical interactive picture; a signal separation unit for
separating the signal received by the signal receipt unit into a
program signal and a graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data signal; a first graphical interactive picture
generation unit for generating the graphical interactive picture by
combining the basic picture elements stored in the storage unit
based on the graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data signal from the signal separation unit; and a display unit for
displaying the graphical interactive picture generated by the first
graphical interactive picture generation unit.
[0041] The program receiver may further comprise: an interactive
manipulation unit for inputting manipulation to the graphical
interactive picture displayed by the display unit; a basic action
storage unit for storing a content of an action for updating the
graphical-interactive-pic- ture-structure specification data; and a
second graphical interactive picture generation unit for retrieving
the content of the action from the basic action storage unit based
on action information directing an update of the graphical
interactive picture upon receipt of the input manipulation from the
interactive manipulation unit to update the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data to
generate an updated graphical interactive picture.
[0042] The basic picture elements in the storage unit may be
composed of file names identifying each basic picture element and
the bit map data for each basic picture element, and the first
graphical interactive picture generation unit may include: a
receipt.cndot.decode unit for receiving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal
from the signal separation unit to decode the same; a storage unit
for storing decoded graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data from the receipt.cndot.decode unit, the
graphical-interactive-pictur- e-structure specification data being
composed of a class definition including a plurality pieces of
class attribute information, a panel object definition including a
plurality pieces of panel object information, an action definition
including a plurality pieces of action information, and a shape
definition including a plurality pieces of shape information; a
first process unit for retrieving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from the
storage unit, extracting the basic picture elements corresponding
to the file names by referring to the shape information from the
storage unit in accordance with the retrieved
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data, and for
placing the extracted basic picture elements by referring to the
panel object information; and a first display control unit for
controlling the display unit to display the basic picture elements
placed by the first process unit as the graphical interactive
picture.
[0043] The interactive manipulation unit may include: an input
manipulation acceptance unit for accepting a user's input
manipulation to the graphical interactive picture; and an
interactive signal transmission unit for transmitting the input
manipulation accepted by the manipulation acceptance unit to the
second graphical interactive picture generation unit as an
interactive signal, and the second graphical interactive picture
generation unit may include: an interactive signal receipt unit for
receiving the interactive signal from the interactive signal
transmission unit; an interactive signal interpretation unit for
interpreting the interactive signal received by the interactive
signal receipt unit; a graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data update unit for retrieving a content of an
action from the basic action storage unit in accordance with the
interactive signal interpreted by the interactive signal
interpretation unit to update the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data in the
storage unit; a second process unit for retrieving updated
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from the
storage unit, and for extracting the basic picture elements
corresponding to the file names from the storage unit to place the
extracted display elements; and a second display control unit for
controlling the display unit to display the basic picture elements
placed by the second process unit as an updated graphical
interactive picture.
[0044] The program receiver may further comprise an information
transmission unit for transmitting the data of the graphical
interactive picture updated by the interactive manipulation unit to
the program transmitter.
[0045] The basic picture elements in the storage unit may be
composed of file names identifying each basic picture element and
the bit map data for each basic picture element, and the first
graphical interactive picture generation unit may include: a
receipt.cndot.decode unit for receiving the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal
from the signal separation unit to decode the same; a data division
unit for dividing the decoded graphical-interactive-picture-stru-
cture specification data from the receipt.cndot.decode unit into a
first graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
and a second graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification
data, the first graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data excluding a synthesis instruction, the second
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
including the synthesis instruction, the
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data being
composed of a panel object definition including a plurality pieces
of panel object information, an action definition including a
plurality pieces of action information, a shape definition
including a plurality pieces of shape information, and synthesis
direction data including a synthesis command in case of the second
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data; a first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit for storing the first graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data; a second
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit for storing the second graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data; a graphical interactive picture synthesis unit
for synthesizing the first graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data in the first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit and the second graphical-interactive-pict- ure-structure
specification data in the second graphical-interactive-pictu-
re-structure specification data storage unit in accordance with the
synthesis command of the synthesis direction data stored in the
second graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
storage unit; a graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data update unit for updating the first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data in the
first graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data
storage unit with the synthesized
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data from the
graphical interactive picture synthesis unit; a first process unit
for retrieving updated graphical-interactive-picture-structure
specification data from the first
graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data storage
unit, and for extracting the basic picture elements corresponding
to the file names by referring to the shape information in the
storage unit to place the extracted basic picture elements by
referring to the panel object information; and a first display
control unit for controlling the display unit to display the basic
picture elements placed by the first process unit as an updated
graphical interactive picture.
[0046] The program receiver may further comprise an information
record unit for outputting data related to the graphical
interactive picture as per manipulation form the interactive
manipulation unit to make a record thereof.
[0047] The fifth object can be fulfilled by a system including
peripheral appliances holding graphical interactive picture
structure data and a display unit for displaying a graphical
interactive picture for the peripheral appliances by receiving a
unique manipulation direction signal from each peripheral
appliance, the display unit including: a graphical interactive
picture structure data receipt unit for receiving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from the peripheral appliances
to generate the graphical interactive picture; a display's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit for
storing the graphical interactive picture structure data received
by the graphical interactive picture structure data receipt unit; a
graphical display element storage unit for storing a plurality of
graphical display elements to generate the graphical interactive
picture; a manipulation direction signal receipt unit for receiving
the manipulation direction signal from the peripheral appliances; a
graphical interactive picture generation unit for receiving the
manipulation direction signal received by the manipulation
direction signal receipt unit, and for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from the display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit to generate the
graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical display
elements stored in the graphical display element storage unit; and
a display unit for displaying the graphical interactive picture
generated by the graphical interactive picture generation unit.
[0048] The graphical interactive picture generation unit may
include: a temporarily storage unit for temporarily storing the
manipulation direction signal received by the manipulation
direction signal receipt unit; a retrieval unit for retrieving the
manipulation direction signal from the temporarily storage unit; a
graphical interactive picture structure data extract unit for
extracting the graphical interactive structure data from the
display's graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit
in accordance with the manipulation direction signal retrieved by
the retrieval unit to generate the graphical interactive picture,
the graphical interactive picture structure data including object
information defining objects that form the graphical interactive
picture, shape information defining shapes of the objects, position
information defining positions of the objects, action information
defining the objects actions that change the graphical interactive
picture based on the manipulation direction signal; a graphical
display element extract unit for extracting bit map data from the
graphical display element storage unit based on the shape
information extracted by the graphical interactive picture
structure data extract unit, the bit map data being stored in the
graphical display element storage unit in relation with the shape
information; a synthesis generation unit for generating a graphical
display by synthesizing the bit map data extracted by the graphical
display element extract unit and an attribute value of a character
string attribute of each object, the attribute value of the
character string attribute displayed on the bit map data being
included in the object information; a placement unit for placing
the graphical display synthesized by the synthesis generation unit
based on the position information in the graphical interactive
picture structure data.
[0049] The graphical interactive picture generation unit may
further include a graphical interactive picture structure data
update unit for updating a content of the graphical interactive
picture structure data in the display's graphical interactive
picture structure data storage unit based on the action information
extracted by the graphical interactive picture structure data
extract unit when the manipulation direction signal retrieved by
the retrieval unit is an update direction.
[0050] The display unit may further include: a TV receiver unit for
converting a received program into an image; a TV manipulation unit
for accepting a manual manipulation to the TV receiver unit; a TV's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit for
storing the graphical interactive picture structure data related to
the TV receiver unit in advance; and a TV's interactive picture
generation unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture
structure data from the TV's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage unit when the TV manipulation unit receives
the manual manipulation to generate the graphical interactive
picture by combining the graphical display elements in the
graphical display element storage unit to update the graphical
interactive picture each time a manual manipulation is received by
the TV manipulation unit.
[0051] Each peripheral appliance may include: a manipulation unit
for accepting a user's action direction addressed to a self's
peripheral appliance; a user's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage unit for storing the graphical interactive
picture structure data to display the graphical interactive picture
as per action direction accepted by the manipulation unit; a
control unit for controlling the self's peripheral appliance to set
a function by giving a direction to transmit the graphical
interactive picture structure data and generating a manipulation
direction signal to generate the graphical interactive picture and
a manipulation direction signal to updated graphical interactive
picture upon acceptance of the action direction from the
manipulation unit; a graphical interactive picture structure data
transmission unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture
structure data from the user's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage unit upon receipt of the transmission
direction from the control unit, and for transmitting the retrieved
graphical interactive picture structure data to the display unit;
and a manipulation direction signal transmission unit for
transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated by the
control unit to the display unit.
[0052] The control unit may include: a first signal generation unit
for generating the manipulation direction signal as per action
direction from the manipulation unit; and a second signal
generation unit for generating a predetermined subsidiary data
signal depending on current action state of the self's peripheral
appliance, the subsidiary data being a supplement of the graphical
interactive picture structure data and constituting an integral
part thereof, the subsidiary data signal being generated by the
first signal generation unit together with the manipulation
direction signal.
[0053] The manipulation unit may be portable.
[0054] The fifth object also can be fulfilled by a system
comprising a remote controller for controlling peripheral
appliances and a display unit for displaying a graphical
interactive picture as per manipulation direction signal from the
remote controller, (1) the remote controller including: a
manipulation unit for accepting an action direction addressed to
the remote controller; a control unit for controlling the remote
controller to set a function upon acceptance of the action
direction from the manipulation unity and for generating a
manipulation direction signal to generate the graphical interactive
picture and a manipulation direction signal to update the graphical
interactive picture; a manipulation direction signal transmission
unit for transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated
by the control unit to the display unit, (2) the display unit
including: an appliance's graphical interactive picture structure
data storage unit for storing the graphical interactive picture
structure data in advance to generate the graphical interactive
picture for the peripheral appliances; a graphical display element
storage unit for storing a plurality of graphical display elements
to generate the graphical interactive picture; a manipulation
direction signal receipt unit for receiving the manipulation
direction signal from the remote controller; a graphical
interactive picture generation unit for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from the appliance's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit upon receipt of the
manipulation direction signal received by the manipulation
direction signal receipt unit to generate the graphical interactive
picture by combining the graphical display elements stored in the
graphical display element storage unit based on the retrieved
graphical interactive picture structure data; a display unit for
displaying the graphical interactive picture generated by the
graphical interactive picture generation unit; a TV receiver unit
for converting a received TV program into an image; a TV
manipulation unit for accepting a manual manipulation to the TV
receiver unit; a TV's graphical interactive picture structure data
storage unit for storing the graphical interactive picture
structure data as to the TV receiver unit in advance; a TV's
graphical interactive picture generation unit for retrieving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from the TV's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit when the
TV manipulation unit receives the manual manipulation to generate
the graphical interactive picture by combining the graphical
display elements stored in the graphical display element storage
unit based on the retrieved graphical interactive picture structure
data to update the graphical interactive picture each time the TV
manipulation unit receives a manual manipulation.
[0055] The fifth object can be fulfilled by a system comprising a
relay, a remote controller, and a display unit, the relay being a
peripheral appliance for transferring an action direction signal
from the remote controller to the display unit, the relay's
function being set by the remote controller, the display unit
displaying a graphical interactive picture upon receipt of the
signal from the relay, (1) the remote controller including: a first
manipulation unit for accepting an action of the remote controller;
a first graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit
for storing graphical interactive picture structure data in advance
to generate the graphical interactive picture as per action
direction; a first control unit for controlling the remote
controller to set a function upon receipt of the action direction
from the first manipulation unit by giving a direction to transmit
the graphical interactive picture structure data and generating a
manipulation direction signal to generate the graphical interactive
picture and a manipulation direction signal to update the graphical
interactive picture; a first graphical interactive picture
structure data transmission unit for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from the first graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit upon receipt of the
transmission direction from the first control unit to transmit the
same to the relay; and a first manipulation direction signal
transmission unit for transmitting the manipulation direction
signal generated by, the first control unit to the relay, (2) the
relay including: a second manipulation unit for accepting an action
direction addressed to the relay; a user's graphical interactive
picture structure data storage unit for storing the graphical
interactive picture structure data in advance to generate the
graphical interactive picture as per action direction addressed to
the relay; a second control unit for controlling the relay to set a
function upon receipt of the action direction from the second
manipulation unit by giving a direction to transmit the graphical
interactive picture structure data and generating a manipulation
direction signal to generate the graphical interactive picture and
a manipulation direction signal to update the graphical interactive
picture; a graphical interactive picture structure data
transmission unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture
structure data from the user's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage unit upon receipt of the transmission
direction from the second control unit to transmit the same to the
display unit; a second manipulation direction signal transmission
unit for transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated
by the second control unit to the display unit; a data relay unit
for receiving the graphical interactive picture structure data from
the first graphical interactive picture structure data transmission
unit to transmit the same to the display unit; and a signal relay
unit for receiving the manipulation direction signal from the first
manipulation direction signal transmission unit to transmit the
same to the display unit, (3) the display unit including: a
graphical display element storage unit for storing a plurality of
graphical display elements to generate the graphical interactive
picture; a graphical interactive picture structure data receipt
unit for receiving the graphical interactive picture structure data
to generate the graphical interactive picture from the relay; a
display's graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit
for storing the graphical interactive picture structure data
received by the graphical interactive picture structure data
receipt unit; a manipulation direction signal receipt unit for
receiving the manipulation direction signal from the relay; a
graphical interactive picture generation unit for retrieving the
graphical interactive picture structure data from the display's
graphical interactive picture structure data storage unit upon
receipt of the manipulation direction signal received by the
manipulation direction signal receipt unit to generate he graphical
interactive picture by combining the graphical display elements
stored in the graphical display element storage unit based on the
retrieved graphical interactive picture structure data, and for
updating the graphical interactive picture each time the
manipulation direction signal receipt unit receives a manipulation
direction signal; and a display unit for displaying the graphical
interactive picture generated by the-graphical interactive picture
generation unit.
[0056] The fifth object also can be fulfilled by a system
comprising a relay, a remote controller, and a display unit, the
relay being a peripheral appliance for transferring an action
direction signal from the remote controller to the display unit,
the relay's function being set by the remote controller, the
display unit displaying a graphical interactive picture upon
receipt of the signal from the relay, (1) the remote controller
including: a first manipulation unit for accepting an action
direction addressed to the remote controller; a first control unit
for controlling the remote controller to set a function by giving a
direction to transmit graphical interactive picture structure data
to the relay and generating a manipulation direction signal to
generate a graphical interactive picture and to update the
graphical interactive picture; and a first manipulation direction
signal transmission unit for transmitting the manipulation
direction signal generated by the first control unit to the relay,
(2) the relay including: a second manipulation unit for accepting
an action direction addressed to the relay; a user's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit for storing the
graphical interactive picture structure data in advance to display
the graphical interactive picture as per action direction addressed
to the relay; a first graphical interactive picture structure data
storage unit for storing in advance the graphical interactive
picture structure data to display the graphical interactive picture
as per graphical-interactive-picture-structure data transmission
direction from the remote controller; a second control unit for
controlling the relay to set a function upon receipt of the action
direction from the second manipulation unit by giving a direction
to transmit the graphical interactive picture structure data and
generating a manipulation direction signal to generate the
graphical interactive picture and to update the graphical
interactive picture; a graphical interactive picture structure data
transmission unit for retrieving the graphical interactive picture
structure data from the user's graphical interactive picture
structure data storage unit and the first graphical interactive
picture structure data storage unit upon receipt of the
transmission direction from the second control unit and the remote
controller respectively to transmit the same to the display unit; a
second manipulation direction signal transmission unit for
transmitting the manipulation direction signal generated by the
second control unit to the display unit; and a signal relay unit
for receiving the manipulation direction signal received by the
remote control unit to transmit the same to the display unit, (3)
the display unit including: a graphical display element storage
unit for storing a plurality of graphical display elements to
generate the graphical interactive picture; a graphical interactive
picture structure data receipt unit for receiving the graphical
interactive picture structure data to generate the graphical
interactive picture from the relay; a display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit for storing the
graphical interactive picture structure data received by the
graphical interactive picture structure data receipt unit; a
manipulation direction signal receipt unit for receiving the
manipulation direction signal from the relay; a graphical
interactive picture generation unit for retrieving the graphical
interactive picture structure data from the display's graphical
interactive picture structure data storage unit upon receipt of the
manipulation direction signal received by the manipulation
direction signal receipt unit to generate the graphical interactive
picture by combining the graphical display elements stored in the
graphical display elements based on the manipulation direction, and
for updating the graphical interactive picture each time the
manipulation direction signal receipt unit receives a manipulation
direction signal; and a display unit for displaying the graphical
interactive picture generated by the graphical interactive picture
generation unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] These and other objects, advantages and features of the
invention will become apparent from the following description
thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which
illustrate specific embodiments of the invention. In the
drawings:
[0058] FIG. 1 is a view depicting a structure of a conventional
program receiver-apparatus;
[0059] FIG. 2 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0060] FIG. 3 is a front view of a remote controller unit in the
remote controller;
[0061] FIG. 4 is an outer perspective view of a remote controller
structure information supply unit furnished for the remote
controller;
[0062] FIG. 5 is an outer perspective view of the remote controller
unit and remote controller structure information supply unit
furnished for the remote controller;
[0063] FIG. 6 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the first embodiment;.
[0064] FIG. 7 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0065] FIG. 8 is a front view of a remote controller unit in the
remote controller in the second embodiment;
[0066] FIG. 9 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the second embodiment;
[0067] FIG. 10 is another flowchart detailing the operation of the
remote controller in the second embodiment;
[0068] FIG. 11 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with a third embodiment of the present
invention;
[0069] FIG. 12 is a front view of a remote controller unit in the
remote controller in the third embodiment;
[0070] FIG. 13 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the third embodiment;
[0071] FIG. 14 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the third embodiment;
[0072] FIG. 15 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the third embodiment;
[0073] FIG. 16 is another flowchart detailing the operation of the
remote controller in the third embodiment;
[0074] FIG. 17 is a front view of a modified remote controller unit
in the third embodiment;
[0075] FIG. 18 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with a fourth embodiment;
[0076] FIG. 19 is a front view of a first remote controller unit in
the remote controller in the fourth embodiment;
[0077] FIG. 20 is a front view of a second remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fourth embodiment;
[0078] FIG. 21 is an outer perspective view of the first and second
remote controller units in the remote controller in the fourth
embodiment;
[0079] FIG. 22 is another front view of the second remote
controller unit in the remote controller in the fourth
embodiment;
[0080] FIG. 23 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the fourth embodiment;
[0081] FIG. 24 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present
invention;
[0082] FIG. 25 is a front view of a remote controller unit in the
remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0083] FIG. 26 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0084] FIG. 27 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0085] FIG. 28 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0086] FIG. 28 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0087] FIG. 29 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0088] FIG. 30 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0089] FIG. 31 is another front view of the remote controller unit
in the remote controller in the fifth embodiment;
[0090] FIG. 32 is a view depicting a structure of a menu synthesis
apparatus in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present
invention;
[0091] FIGS. 33A and 33B are views showing examples of first menu
information stored in a first menu storage unit in the sixth
embodiment;
[0092] FIG. 34 is an example of a menu display on TV in the sixth
embodiment;
[0093] FIG. 35 is a view showing a part of synthesis rules stored
in a synthesis rule storage unit in the sixth embodiment;
[0094] FIG. 36 is a view showing an example of second menu
information stored in a second menu storage unit in the sixth
embodiment;
[0095] FIGS. 37A through 37C are views showing examples of menu
information synthesized by a menu synthesis unit in the sixth
embodiment;
[0096] FIG. 38 is a view showing an example of a synthesized menu
display in the sixth embodiment;
[0097] FIG. 39 is a view showing an example, of a video menu in the
sixth embodiment;
[0098] FIG. 40 is a view showing an example of menu information for
the table of contents of a video stored in the second menu storage
unit in the sixth embodiment;
[0099] FIGS. 41A through 41C are views showing other examples of
the menu information synthesized by the menu synthesis unit in the
sixth embodiment;
[0100] FIG. 42 is a view showing another example of a synthesized
menu display in the sixth embodiment;
[0101] FIGS. 43A and 43B are flowcharts detailing the operation of
the menu synthesis apparatus in the sixth embodiment;
[0102] FIG. 44 is a view showing a structure of a remote controller
in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present
invention;
[0103] FIG. 45 is a view showing an example of the menu information
for an air conditioner in the seventh embodiment;
[0104] FIGS. 46A through 46C are views showing examples of menu
information synthesized by a menu synthesis unit in the seventh
embodiment;
[0105] FIG. 47 is a view showing an example of a synthesized menu
display;
[0106] FIG. 48 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the remote
controller in the seventh embodiment;
[0107] FIG. 49 is a view showing an example of a display in the
seventh embodiment;
[0108] FIG. 50 is a view depicting a structure of a program
transmitter and a program receiver in accordance with an eighth
embodiment of the present invention;
[0109] FIG. 51 is a view explaining a panel shape 1 in the eighth
embodiment;
[0110] FIG. 52 is a view explaining box shapes 1, 2, and 3 in the
eighth embodiment;
[0111] FIG. 53 is a view explaining button shapes 1, 2, and 3 in
the eighth embodiment;
[0112] FIG. 54 is a view explaining class attribute information in
the eighth embodiment;
[0113] FIG. 55 is a view explaining panel information in the eighth
embodiment;
[0114] FIG. 56 is a view explaining box information in the eighth
embodiment;
[0115] FIG. 57 is a view explaining button information in the
eighth embodiment;
[0116] FIG. 58 is a view explaining action information in the
eighth embodiment;
[0117] FIG. 59 is a view explaining display candidate information
in the eighth embodiment;
[0118] FIG. 60 is a view explaining shape information in the eighth
embodiment;
[0119] FIGS. 61A through 61C are views explaining display examples
of an object (box) in the eighth embodiment;
[0120] FIGS. 62A and 62B are views explaining display examples of
an object (button) in the eighth embodiment;
[0121] FIG. 63 is a view explaining an example of an interactive
screen in the eighth embodiment;
[0122] FIG. 64 is a view explaining another example of the
interactive screen in the eighth embodiment;
[0123] FIG. 65 is a view explaining a remote controller in the
eighth embodiment;
[0124] FIG. 66 is a view explaining how the interactive screen is
switched in the eighth embodiment;
[0125] FIG. 67 is another view explaining how the interactive
screen is switched in the eighth embodiment;
[0126] FIG. 68 is another view explaining how the interactive
screen is switched in the eighth embodiment;
[0127] FIG. 69 is another view explaining how the interactive
screen is switched in the eighth embodiment;
[0128] FIG. 70 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the
program transmitter and program receiver in the eighth
embodiment;
[0129] FIG. 71 is a flowchart detailing how the interactive screen
is generated in the eighth embodiment;
[0130] FIG. 72 is another flowchart detailing how the interactive
screen is generated in the eight embodiment;
[0131] FIG. 73 is another flowchart detailing how the interactive
screen is generated in the eight embodiment;
[0132] FIG. 74 is another flowchart detailing how the interactive
screen is generated in the eight embodiment;
[0133] FIG. 75 is a flowchart detailing an interactive operation
using the interactive screen in the eighth embodiment;
[0134] FIG. 76 is a view showing a structure of a program
transmitter and a program receiver in accordance with a ninth
embodiment of the present invention;
[0135] FIG. 77 is a view explaining object information containing a
synthesis instruction in the ninth embodiment;
[0136] FIG. 78 is a view explaining actinon information containing
a synthesis instruction in the ninth embodiment;
[0137] FIG. 79 is a view explaining shape information containing a
synthesis instruction in the ninth embodiment;
[0138] FIG. 80 is a view explaining display candidate information
containing a synthesis instruction in the ninth embodiment;
[0139] FIG. 81 is a view explaining synthesized panel information
in the ninth embodiment;
[0140] FIG. 82 is a view explaining synthesized box information in
the ninth embodiment;
[0141] FIG. 83 is a view explaining the action information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0142] FIG. 84 is a view explaining the synthesized action
information in the ninth embodiment;
[0143] FIG. 85 is a view explaining the synthesized shape
information in the ninth embodiment;
[0144] FIG. 86 is a view explaining the synthesized display
candidate information in the ninth embodiment;
[0145] FIG. 87 is a view explaining the class attribute information
in the ninth embodiment;
[0146] FIG. 88 is a view explaining the panel information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0147] FIG. 89 is a view explaining the text information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0148] FIG. 90 is a view explaining the button information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0149] FIG. 91 is a view explaining the action information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0150] FIG. 92 is a view explaining the shape information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0151] FIG. 93 is a view explaining an example of the interactive
screen in the ninth embodiment;
[0152] FIG. 94 is a view exhaling synthesis instruction information
in the ninth embodiment;
[0153] FIG. 95 is a view explaining the panel information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0154] FIG. 96 is a view explaining the text information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0155] FIG. 97 is a view explaining the button information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0156] FIG. 98 is a view explaining the action information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0157] FIG. 99 is a view explaining the shape information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0158] FIG. 100 is a view explaining the action information in the
ninth embodiment;
[0159] FIG. 101 is view explaining a synthesized interactive screen
in the ninth embodiment;
[0160] FIG. 102 is a view explaining an interactive screen switched
by remote control in the ninth embodiment;
[0161] FIG. 103 is a flowchart detailing the program transmitter
and program receiver in the ninth embodiment;
[0162] FIG. 104 is a flowchart detailing a synthesis operation for
interactive screen structure specification data in the ninth
embodiment;
[0163] FIG. 105 is a flowchart detailing an interactive operation
with the interactive screen in the ninth embodiment;
[0164] FIG. 106 is a view depicting a graphical interactive
instruction display unit in accordance with a tenth embodiment of
the present invention;
[0165] FIG. 107 is a view showing a hierarchical correlation within
classes in the tenth embodiment;
[0166] FIG. 108 shows a definition of the class in the tenth
embodiment;
[0167] FIG. 109 shows a first definition of an action of an object
in the tenth embodiment;
[0168] FIG. 110 shows a second definition of the action of the
object in the tenth embodiment;
[0169] FIG. 111 shows a third definition of the action of the
object in the tenth embodiment;
[0170] FIG. 112 shows a fourth definition of the action of the
object in the tenth embodiment;
[0171] FIG. 113 shows a definition of a shape in the tenth
embodiment;
[0172] FIG. 114 shows a definition of a set value for a button in
the tenth embodiment;
[0173] FIG. 115 shows a definition of a candidate value in a set
box in the tenth embodiment;
[0174] FIG. 116 shows a definition of a set value in the set box in
the tenth embodiment;
[0175] FIG. 117 shows a definition of an object belonging to a
panel class in the tenth embodiment;
[0176] FIG. 118 is a view showing a structure of a graphical
display element stored in a graphical display element storage unit
in the tenth embodiment;
[0177] FIG. 119 is a view showing an example of a tuner setting
panel displayed on a graphical display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0178] FIG. 120 is another view showing an example of the tuner
setting panel displayed on the graphical display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0179] FIG. 121 is another view showing an example of the tuner
setting panel displayed on the graphical display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0180] FIG. 122 is another view showing an example of the tuner
setting panel displayed on the graphical display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0181] FIG. 123 is a first flowchart detailing the operation of the
graphical interactive instruction display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0182] FIG. 124 is a second flowchart detailing the operation of
the graphical interactive instruction display unit in the tenth
embodiment;
[0183] FIG. 125 is a view depicting a structure of a graphical
interactive instruction display unit in accordance with an eleventh
embodiment of the present invention;
[0184] FIG. 126 shows a first definition of graphical interactive
screen structure data in the eleventh embodiment;
[0185] FIG. 127 shows a second definition of graphical interactive
screen structure data in the eleventh embodiment;
[0186] FIG. 128 is a third definition of graphical interactive
screen structure data in the eleventh embodiment;
[0187] FIG. 129 is a fourth definition of graphical interactive
screen structure data in the eleventh embodiment;
[0188] FIG. 130 is a view showing an example of subsidiary data in
the eleventh embodiment;
[0189] FIG. 131 is a view showing an example of an adjustment panel
display on a graphical display unit in the eleventh embodiment;
[0190] FIG. 132 is a view depicting a structure of a graphical
interactive screen display unit in accordance with a twelfth
embodiment of the present invention;
[0191] FIG. 133 is a view depicting a structure of a graphical
interactive screen display unit in a graphical interactive screen
display direction unit in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment
of the present invention;
[0192] FIG. 134 is a view showing an example of a
remote-controller-set-pa- nel display on a graphical display unit
in the thirteenth embodiment;
[0193] FIG. 135 is a view depicting a structure of a modified
graphical interactive screen instruction display unit in the
thirteenth embodiment;
[0194] FIG. 136 is a view showing a structure of a graphical
interactive screen display unit in a graphical interactive screen
display direction unit in accordance with a fourteenth embodiment
of the present invention;
[0195] FIG. 137 is a view depicting a structure of a modified
graphical interactive screen display unit in the fourteenth
embodiment; and
[0196] FIG. 138 is a view depicting the structure of a menu
information synthesis apparatus in accordance with the fifteenth
embodiment of the present invention;
[0197] FIG. 139 is another view depicting the structure of a menu
information synthesis apparatus in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0198] FIG. 140 is a class definition explaining the content of
menu structure data in a TV menu structure data storage element and
VTR menu structure data storage element in the fifteenth
embodiment;
[0199] FIG. 141 is a panel structure definition explaining the
content of the menu structure data in the TV menu structure data
storage element in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0200] FIG. 142 is a button structure definition explaining the
content of the menu structure data in the TV menu structure data
storage element in the fifteenth the embodiment;
[0201] FIG. 143 is a shape definition explaining the content the
menu structure data in the TV menu structure data storage element
in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0202] FIG. 144 is an action definition explaining the content of
the menu structure data in the TV menu structure data storage
element in the fifteenth the embodiment;
[0203] FIG. 145 is a view showing the content of the element
display data stored in a TV display element storage element in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0204] FIG. 146 is a view showing the content of synthesis
direction data stored in a TV synthesis direction data storage
element in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0205] FIG. 147 is a view showing a hierarchical correlation
between the objects' classes in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0206] FIG. 148 is a panel structure definition explaining the
content of the menu structure data in the VTR menu structure data
storage element in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0207] FIG. 149 is a button structure definition explaining the
content of the menu structure data in the VTR menu structure data
storage element in the fifteenth the embodiment;
[0208] FIG. 150 is a shape definition explaining the content of the
menu structure data in the VTR menu structure data storage element
in the fifteenth the embodiment;
[0209] FIG. 151 is an action definition explaining the content of
the menu structure data in the VTR menu structure data storage
element in the fifteenth the embodiment;
[0210] FIG. 152 is a view showing the content of the element
display data stored in a VTR display element storage element in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0211] FIG. 153 is a view showing the content of synthesis
direction data stored in a VTR synthesis direction data storage
element in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0212] FIG. 154 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data when top panels shown in FIGS. 141 and 151 are simply combined
in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0213] FIG. 155 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data when the top panels are synthesized by SIMPLE COMBINE in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0214] FIG. 156 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data during a top-panel synthesis process by UNIQ COMBINE in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0215] FIG. 157 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data when the top panels are synthesized by UNIQ COMBINE in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0216] FIG. 158 is a view showing the menu structure data when set
panels are simply combined in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0217] FIG. 159 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data when the set panels are synthesized by SIMPLE COMBINE in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0218] FIG. 160 is a view showing the content of the menu structure
data when the set panels are synthesized by UNIQ combine in the
fifteenth embodiment;
[0219] FIG. 161 is a view showing the content of post-synthesis
shape data in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0220] FIG. 162 is a view showing an example of a display of the TV
menu structure data in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0221] FIG. 163 is a view showing an example of a display of the
VTR menu structure data in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0222] FIG. 164 is a view showing an example of a display of a top
panel after synthesizing the TV menu information and VTR menu
information in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0223] FIG. 165 is a view showing an example of a display of a set
panel after synthesizing the TV menu information and VTR menu
information in the fifteenth embodiment;
[0224] FIG. 166 is a flowchart detailing the operation related to
the fifteenth embodiment;
[0225] FIG. 167 is another flowchart detailing the operation
related to the fifteenth embodiment; and
[0226] FIG. 168 is another flowchart detailing the operation
related to the fifteenth embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0227] Fifteen embodiments of the present invention will be
explained while referring to the drawing.
First Embodiment
[0228] FIG. 2 is a view depicting a structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the first embodiment. The remote
controller includes a remote-control-structure (RM-structure)
information supply unit 201 and a remote control (RM) unit 202.
Note that appliances placed under the control of the remote
controller (hereinafter referred to simply as the appliances) are
not shown in the draping, and for the explanation's convenience,
let the appliances be various types of TVs made by a plurality of
makers. The RM-structure information supply unit 201 includes a
RM-structure information storage unit 203, a RM-structure
information transmission unit 204, a
structure-information-transmission direction unit 205. The RM unit
202 includes a structure information receipt unit 206, a structure
information storage unit 207, a manipulation unit 208, and a RM
signal transmission unit 209. Note that the remote controller
referred in the first through fifth embodiments includes a signal
(ultra-red-ray) transmitter manipulated by the user and a
controller for controlling the appliances as per transmitted
signals, and that the RM unit referred herein includes only the
signal transmitter.
[0229] More precisely, the RM-structure information supply unit 201
holds the information necessary for the RM unit 202 to control the
appliances, and transmits the information to the RM unit 202 via a
transmission path, or namely the ultra red rays.
[0230] The RM unit 202 is manipulated by the user.
[0231] The RM-structure information storage unit 203 is a ROM (Read
Only Memory) and stores RM-structure information, which is in
effect control signals transmitted from the RM unit 202 to the
appliances. In this embodiment, the control signals corresponding
to a button group 301 (FIG. 3) on the RM unit 202 for each type of
TVs are stored, so that the RM signal transmission unit 209
transmits an adequate control signal when a button is pushed. The
RM-structure information transmission unit 204 selectively
retrieves the RM-structure information from the RM-structure
information storage unit 203 as per direction from the
structure-information-transmission direction unit 205 to transmit
the same to the RM unit 202.
[0232] The structure-information-transmission direction unit 205
directs the RM-structure information transmission unit 204 to
transmit the RM-structure information from the RM-structure
information storage unit 203.
[0233] The structure information receipt unit 206 receives the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information
transmission unit 204 to have the structure information storage
unit 207 store the same.
[0234] The structure information storage unit 207 stores the
RM-structure information received by the structure information
receipt unit 206.
[0235] The manipulation unit 208 is manipulated by the user to
control the appliances.
[0236] The RM signal transmission unit 209 retrieves the control
signals, or the RM-structure information, from the structure
information storage unit 207 in accordance with manipulation
signals from the manipulation unit 208.
[0237] FIG. 3 is a front view of the RM unit 202, which is enclosed
in a case, so that the user can easily hold it in hand when
manipulating the same. Placed on'the front surface of the RM unit
202 is the button group 301, including a power ON/OFF button,
channel buttons, and volume buttons; the button group 301 forms the
manipulation unit 208.
[0238] FIG. 4 is an outer perspective view of the RM-structure
information supply unit 201, which is enclosed in a box. Placed on
the front surface of the RM-structure information supply unit 201
are a toggle 401 and an emitter 402. The toggle 401 is rotated to
select the type of the appliances, to which the RM-structure
information transmission unit 204 transmits the control signal from
the RM-structure information storage unit 203, and it forms a part
of the structure-information-transmission direction unit 205. The
emitter 402 emits the ultra red rays as the control signals from
the RM-structure information storage unit 203, and it forms a part
of the RM-structure information transmission unit 204.
[0239] The RM-structure information is transmitted from the
RM-structure information storage unit 203 to the RM unit 202 by
rotating the toggle 401 while placing the RM unit 202 in an
opposing position to the emitter 402 as shown in FIG. 5.
[0240] The operation related to this embodiment will be explained
while referring to the flowchart in FIG. 6.
[0241] The user places the RM unit 202 in an opposing position to
the emitter 402 of the RM-structure information supply unit 201,
and rotates the toggle 401 of the RM-structure information supply
unit 201. Then, the structure-information-transmission direction
unit 205 directs the RM-structure information transmission unit 204
to transmit the control signal for the TV specified by the toggle
401 from the RM-structure information storage unit 202 (S602).
Subsequently, the RM-structure information transmission unit 204
transmits the adequate control signal for the specified type of TV
to the RM unit 202 (S604), and the structure information receipt
unit 206 receives the control signal from the RM-structure
information transmission unit 204 (S606). Accordingly, the
structure information storage unit 207 stores the control signal
received by the structure information receipt unit 206 (S608).
Having stored the control signal for the specified type of TV into
the structure information storage unit 207, the RM unit 202 becomes
able to control the specified type of TV.
[0242] According to the above structure, the structure information
storage unit 207 does not have to store the control signals for all
kinds of appliances in advance; it can obtain the adequate control
signal for a specified type of appliance when necessary. Moreover,
a new type of appliance can be placed under the control relatively
easy.
[0243] In addition, a plurality of RM units 202 can be made for one
RM-structure information supply unit 201, and each can receive the
control signals for any desired appliances from an automatic
information providing unit installed in the RM-structure
information supply unit 201.
[0244] In this embodiment, the RM-structure information in the
RM-structure information storage unit 203 are the control signals;
however, it may be, for example, the information as to the
appearance (color, design, etc.) or the button arrangement.
[0245] Although the appliances are the different types of TVs in
this embodiment, they may be the VTRs or air conditioners. In this
case, the RM-structure information storage unit 203 stores the
control signals for these appliances, and the appearance of the RM
unit 202 is modified accordingly.
[0246] Further, the RM-structure information storage unit 203 may
store the control signals for a plurality of types of appliances in
various kinds (TVs, VTRs, and air conditioners made by a plurality
of makers).
[0247] The ultra red rays are used as the transmission path between
the RM-structure information transmission unit 204 and structure
information receipt unit 206; however, other transmission media
such as radios or cables may be used as well.
[0248] The RM unit 202 may additionally include a lamp to indicate
that it has stored the RM-structure information correctly. Further,
the RM unit 202 may include a means to notify the user when the
RM-structure information does not match with the button group 301
of the RM unit 202.
Second Embodiment
[0249] FIG. 7 is a view depicting the structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the second embodiment of the present
invention. The remote controller comprises a RM-structure
information supply unit 701 and a RM unit 702. Note that the
RM-structure information supply unit 701 is installed in an
appliance 703.
[0250] The RM-structure information supply unit 701 includes a
RM-structure information storage unit 704, a RM-structure
information transmission unit 705, and a structure-information
request receipt unit 706. The RM unit 702 includes a structure
information receipt unit 707, a structure information storage unit
708, a manipulation unit 709, a RM signal transmission unit 710,
and a structure-information request transmission unit 711.
[0251] The appliance 703 includes a RM signal receipt unit 712 and
an appliance control unit 713.
[0252] More precisely, the RM-structure information supply unit 701
holds the information necessary for the RM unit 702 to control the
appliance 703, and transmits the information to the RM unit 702 via
a transmission path, or namely the ultra red rays. The RM unit 702
is manipulated by the user of the appliance 703. The appliance 703
is under the control of the RM unit 702.
[0253] The RM-structure information storage unit 704 stores
RM-structure information, which is in effect the control signals
transmitted from the RM unit 702 when controlling the appliance
703. In this embodiment, the control signals for all types of TVs
are stored, so that the RM signal transmission unit 710 transmits
an adequate control signal when a buttons of a button group 801 is
pushed.
[0254] The RM-structure information transmission unit 705 transmits
the RM--structure information to the RM unit 702 from the
RM-structure information storage unit 704.
[0255] The structure-information request receipt unit 706 receives
a RM-structure information request from the structure-information
request transmission unit 711, and in response gives a direction to
the RM-structure information transmission unit 705 to transmit the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information storage
unit 704. The structure information receipt unit 707 receives the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information
transmission unit 705. The structure information storage unit 708
stores the RM-structure information received by the structure
information receipt unit 707. The manipulation unit 709 is
manipulated by the user to control the appliance 703. The RM signal
transmission unit 710 retrieves the control signal from the
structure information storage unit 708 in accordance with a
manipulation signal from the manipulation unit 709, and transmits
the same to the appliance 703. The structure-information request
transmission unit 711 transmits a signal requesting the
transmission of the RM-structure information necessary for the RM
unit 702 to control the appliance 703. The RM signal receipt unit
712 receives the control signal from the RM signal transmission
unit 710. The appliance control unit 713 activates the appliance
703 as per control signal received by the RM signal receipt unit
712.
[0256] FIG. 8 is a front view of the RM unit 702, which is enclosed
in a case, so that the user can hold it easily in hand when
manipulating the same to control the appliance 703. Placed on the
front surface of the RM unit 702 is the button group 801 and a set
button 802. The former includes a plurality of the buttons to
control the appliance 703 such as a power ON/OFF button, channel
buttons, and volume buttons, and it forms a part of the
manipulation unit 709. The latter is used to transmit a request to
the RM-structure information supply unit 701 to transmit the
control signal for the appliance 703 to the RM unit 702, and it
forms a part of the structure-information request transmission unit
711.
[0257] The operation related to this embodiment will be explained
while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 9 and 10. The
transmission paths in the form of the ultra red ray signals are
secured between the structure-information request receipt unit 706
and structure-information request transmission unit 711, the
RM-structure information transmission unit 705 and structure
information receipt unit 707, and the RM signal transmission unit
710 and RM signal receipt unit 712, respectively. More precisely, a
ultra red ray signal transmitter is furnished in the RM unit 702
while a ultra red ray signal receiver is furnished in the appliance
703, and the transmission path is formed when these two units are
placed in an opposing position.
[0258] To begin with, the user pushes the set button 802, then the
structure-information request transmission unit 711 transmits a
request to the RM-structure information supply unit 701 to transmit
the control signal to the RM unit 702 (S902). Accordingly, the
structure-information request receipt unit 706 receives the request
from the structure-information request transmission unit 711, and
gives a direction to the RM-structure information transmission unit
705 to transmit the control signal to the RM unit 702 from the
RM-structure information storage unit 704 (S904). Subsequently, the
RM-structure information transmission unit 705 transmits the
control signal to the RM unit 702 from the RM-structure information
storage unit 704 (S906), and the structure information receipt unit
707 receives the control signal from the RM-structure information
transmission unit 705 (S908). Accordingly, the structure
information storage unit 703 stores the control signal received by
the structure information receipt unit 707 (S910). Having stored
the control signal in the structure information storage unit 708 in
this way, the RM unit 702 becomes able to control the appliance
703.
[0259] Further, the appliance 703 is controlled as follows. To
begin with, the user pushes one of the buttons of the button group
801, then the manipulation unit 709 gives a direction to the RM
signal transmission unit 710 to transmit the corresponding control
signal (S1002). Accordingly, the RM signal transmission unit 710
transmits the control signal from the structure information storage
unit 708 as per direction from the manipulation unit 709 to the
appliance 703 (S1004), and the RM signal transmission unit 712
receives the control signal from the RM unit 702 (S1006). Then, the
appliance control unit 713 activates and controls the appliance 703
as per control signal received by the RM signal reception unit 712
(S1008).
[0260] According to the above structure, the structure information
storage unit 708 does not have to store the control signals for all
the appliances in advance, and instead, receives the adequate
control signal for the appliance 703 when necessary.
[0261] Unlike the first embodiment, the RM-structure information
supply unit 701 is installed in the appliance 703, and thus the
user neither has to specify the appliance nor direct the
transmission of the RM-structure information, further facilitating
the manipulation.
[0262] Although the appliances are various types of TVs made by a
plurality makers in this embodiment, they may be the VTRs or air
conditioners. In this case, the RM-structure information storage
unit 704 stores the control signals for these appliances, and the
appearance of the RM unit 702 is modified accordingly.
[0263] Further, the RM unit 702 may include a button group for
controlling the TV and VTR, and the structure information storage
unit 708 in the RM unit 702 may accordingly store the control
signals for both the appliances.
[0264] The RM-structure information request is transmitted to the
RM-structure information supply unit 701 by the pushing of the set
button in the RM unit 702 by the user. However, signals may be
transmitted at regular intervals from either the appliance 703 or
RM unit 702, and the RM-structure information may be automatically
transmitted upon detection of the signal.
[0265] Although ultra red ray signals are used as the transmission
paths in this embodiment, other transmission media such as radios
or cables are used as well. In particular, the RM-structure
information may be transferred by means of a flexible disk between
the RM-structure transmission unit 705 and structure information
receipt unit 707 by installing flexible disk drives to the
RM-structure information supply unit 701 and RM unit 702. Also, the
RM unit 702 may additionally include a lamp to indicate that it has
stored the RM-structure information correctly. Further, the RM unit
702 may include a means to notify the user when the RM-structure
information does not match with the button group 801 of the RM unit
702.
Third Embodiment
[0266] FIG. 11 is a view depicting the structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the third embodiment of the present
invention. The remote controller comprises a RM-structure
information supply unit 1101 and a RM unit 1102; the RM-structure
information supply unit 1101 is installed in an appliance 1103.
[0267] The RM-structure information supply unit 1101 includes a
RM-structure information storage unit 1104, a RM-structure
information transmission unit 1105, and a structure-information
request receipt unit 1106. The RM 1102 includes a structure
information receipt unit 1107, a structure information storage unit
1108, a manipulation unit 1109, a RM signal transmission unit 1110,
a structure-information request transmission unit 1111, and a
manipulation display unit 1112. The structure information storage
unit 1108 includes a RM signal storage unit 1113 and a display
information storage unit 1114. The appliance 1103 includes an
appliance control unit 1115 and a RM signal receipt unit 1116.
[0268] The RM-structure information supply unit 1101 holds the
information necessary for the RM unit 1102 to control the appliance
1103 and transmits the information to the RM unit 1102 via a
transmission path. The RM unit 1102 is manipulated by the user of
the appliance 1103. The appliance 1103 is under the control of the
RM unit 1102. The RM-structure information storage unit 1104 stores
RM-structure information, which is in effect a control signal
transmitted from the RM unit 1102 in controlling the appliance
1103. The RM-structure information transmission unit 1105 transmits
the RM-structure information to the RM unit 1102 from the
RM-structure information storage unit 1104. The
structure-information request receipt unit 1106 receives a
RM-structure-information request from the structure-information
request transmission unit 1111, and in response directs the
RM-structure information transmission unit 1105 to transmit the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information storage
unit 1104. The structure information receipt unit 1107 receives the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information
transmission unit 1105. The structure information storage unit 1108
stores the RM-structure information received by the structure
information receipt unit 1107. The manipulation unit 1109 is used
to manipulate the user to control the appliance 1103. The RM signal
transmission unit 1110 retrieves the control signal from the RM
signal storage unit 1113 as per manipulation signal from the
manipulation unit 1109, and transmits the same to the appliance
1103. The structure-information request transmission unit 1111
transmits a signal requesting the RM-structure information
necessary for the RM unit 1102 to control the appliance 1103. The
manipulation display unit 1112 displays figures such as soft
buttons, or objects in a user interface screen. The soft buttons
referred herein are not the physical buttons, but the buttons
actively displayed on an LC (Liquid Crystal) display at the bottom
of an LC touch panel 1201 by an application program, and serve as
the physical buttons. The RM signal storage unit 1113 stores the
control signal the RM unit 1102 transmits when controlling the
appliance 1103. The display information storage unit 1114 stores
the data the manipulation display unit 1112 displays. The appliance
control unit 1115 activates and controls the appliance 1103 as per
control signal received by the-RM signal receipt unit 1116. The RM
signal receipt unit 1116 receives the control signal transmitted
from the RM signal transmission unit 1110.
[0269] FIG. 12 is a front view of the RM unit 1102. The RM unit
1102 is inclosed in a case, and is manipulated by the user to
control the appliance 1103. Placed on the front surface of the RM
1102 are the LC touch panel 1201 and a set button 1203 as shown in
FIG. 13. The LC touch panel 1201 serves as both the LC display and
the touch panel and displays a soft button group 1202 for
controlling the appliance 1103 such as the TV or VTR. FIG. 12 shows
the LC touch panel displaying the soft button group 1202 for
controlling the VTR, while FIG. 14 shows the LC touch panel 1201
displaying a soft button group 1401 for controlling the TV. The
touch panel of the LC touch panel 1201 forms a part of the
manipulation unit 1109, and the display of the LC touch panel 1201
forms a part of the manipulation display 1112. The set button 1203
is used to transmit a request to the RM-structure information
supply unit 1101 in the appliance 1103 to transmit the control
signal for the appliance 1103 and the information related to the
soft button group 1202 to be displayed on the LC touch panel 1201.
The set button 1203 forms a part of the structure-information
request transmission unit 1111. Note that the RM-structure
information storage unit 1104 stores the information related to the
soft button group 1202 in relation with the control signals the RM
signal transmission unit 1110 transmits when a soft button of the
soft button group 1202 is pushed.
[0270] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 15 and 16.
[0271] Assume that the LC touch panel 1201 displays nothing as
shown in FIG. 13. Then, when the user pushes the set button 1203,
the structure-information request transmission unit 1111 transmits
a request to the structure-information request receipt unit 1106 to
transmit the RM-structure information to the RM unit 1102 (S1502).
Upon receipt of the transmission request from the
structure-information request transmission unit 1111, the
structure-information request receipt unit 1106 directs the
RM-structure information transmission unit 1105 to transmit the
information related to the soft button group 1202 and control
signal from the RM-structure information storage unit 1104 (S1504).
Subsequently, the RM-structure information transmission unit 1105
transmits the information related to the soft button group 1202 and
the control signal to the RM unit 1102 (S1506), and the structure
information receipt unit 1107 receives the same (S1508).
Accordingly, the RM signal storage unit 1113 stores the control
signal while the display information storage unit 1114 stores the
information related to the soft button group 1202 (S1510). Then,
the manipulation display unit 1112 displays the soft button group
1202 as shown in FIG. 12 on the LC touch panel 1201 using the
information stored in the display information storage unit 114
(S1512). In this way, the RM unit 1102 stores the control signal
for the appliance 1103 into the RM signal storage unit 1113, and
stores the information related to the soft button group 1202 in the
display information storage unit 1114, and becomes able to control
the appliance 1103. Note that each soft button of the soft button
group 1202 on the LC touch panel 1201 corresponds to the individual
control signals stored in the RM signal storage unit 1113.
[0272] Next, when the user selectively pushes a soft button of the
soft button group 1202, the manipulation unit 1109 directs the RM
signal transmission unit 1110 to transmit the control signal
(S1602). Thus, the RM signal transmission unit 1110 transmits the
control signal to the appliance 1103 from the RM signal storage
unit 1113 as per direction from the manipulation unit 1109 (S1604),
and the RM signal receipt unit 1116 receives the control signal
from the RM unit 1102 (S1606). Accordingly, the appliance control
unit 1115 controls and activates the appliance as per control
signal received by the RM signal receipt unit 1116 (S1608).
[0273] If the appliance 1103 is the TV, the remote controller
operates in the same manner as above; however, the LC touch panel
1201 displays the soft button group 1401 as shown in FIG. 14 for
controlling the TV, and the control signals assigned to each soft
button in the soft button group 1401 are stored in the RM unit
1102.
[0274] According to the above construction, the RM unit 1102 has to
store neither the control signal for the appliance 1103 nor the
user interface such as the control buttons in advance, and instead,
it stores the adequate control signal and user interface screen for
a desired appliance when necessary. When the conventional remote
controller controls a plurality kinds of appliances including the
TV, VTR, CD player, and tuner, it must include a plurality of
buttons: channel buttons and volume buttons for the TV, playback
button, stop button, and record button for the VTR, the play
button, track selection button for the CD player, and the tuning
button for the tuner, as well as the control signals for each
button. The number of the buttons further increases when one kind
of appliance includes a plurality of types. However, the remote
controller in this embodiment neither has to include these buttons
nor store the control signals in advance. Moreover, the remote
control can place a new household appliance under the control
easily.
[0275] In this embodiment, the soft button group 1202 is displayed
on the LC touch panel 1201. However, as shown in FIG. 17, a
physical button group and the LC display unit may be combined to
display the functions of each button on an LC display 1702.
[0276] The RM-structure information supply unit 1101 or RM unit
1102 may include a means for specifying attribute of the
RM-structure such as "normal", "child", "elder". Thus, if "elder"
is specified, larger soft buttons will appear on the LC touch panel
1201 compared with those appearing upon specifying "normal", and if
"child" is specified, the soft buttons will appear in a simpler way
on the LC touch panel 1201.
[0277] Also, the size or position of the objects to be manipulated
may be customized by the user with the RM remote controller
1102.
Fourth Embodiment
[0278] FIG. 18 is a view depicting the structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present
invention. The remote controller comprises a RM-structure
information supply unit 1803 and a second RM unit 1802. The
RM-structure information supply unit 1803 is enclosed in a first RM
unit 1801, and the appliances are not shown in the drawing.
[0279] The RM-structure information supply unit 1803 includes a
first structure information storage unit. 1804, a structure
information transmission unit 1805, and a structure-information
request receipt unit 1806. The second RM unit 1802 includes a
structure information receipt unit 1807, a second structure
information storage unit 1808, and a structure-information request
transmission unit 1809.
[0280] The first RM unit 1801 controls predetermined appliances,
and the second RM unit 1802 is manipulated by the user to control
the appliances. The RM-structure information supply unit 1803 holds
the information necessary for the second RM unit 1802 to control
the appliances and transmits the same to the second RM unit 1802
via a transmission path, or namely ultra red rays. The first
structure information storage unit 1804 stores RM-structure
information. The RM-structure information referred herein includes
the information related to each object to be manipulated such as
buttons furnished with the first RM unit 1801, and the control
signals assigned for each object that the second RM unit 1802
transmits when the object is manipulated. The structure information
transmission unit 1805 transmits the RM-structure information to
the second RM unit 1802 from the first structure information
storage unit 1804. The structure-information request receipt unit
1806 receives a structure information request from the
structure-information request transmission unit 1809, and in
response gives a direction to the structure information
transmission unit 1805 to transmit the content of the first
structure information storage unit 1804 to the second: RM unit
1802. The structure information receipt unit 1807 receives the
RM-structure information from the structure information
transmission unit 1805. The second structure information storage
unit 1808 stores the RM-structure information received by the
structure information receipt unit 1807. Note that a manipulation
means, a RM signal transmission means, and manipulation display
means in the second RM unit 1802 are not shown in the drawing.
[0281] FIG. 19 is a front view of the first RM unit 1801. Placed on
the front surface of the first RM unit 1801 is a button group 1901.
The button group 1901 is used to control the TV as an example of
the appliance, and it includes a power button, channel buttons, and
volume buttons.
[0282] FIG. 20 is a front view of the second RM unit 1802. Place on
the front surface of the second RM unit 1802 are an LC touch panel
2001 and a set button 2002. The LC touch panel 2001 serves as an
output unit (LC display) and also as an input unit (touch panel).
The set button 2002 is used to transmit a request to the first RM
unit 1801 to transmit the control signal and the information
related to the soft button group 1901 to be displayed on the LC
touch panel 2001 to the second RM unit 1802. The set button 2002
forms a part of the structure-information request transmission unit
1809.
[0283] A soft button group 2201 as shown in FIG. 22 will be
displayed on the LC touch panel 2001 by placing the first RM unit
1801 in an opposing position to the second RM unit 1802 and pushing
the set button 2002 as shown in FIG. 21.
[0284] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowchart in FIG. 23.
[0285] When the user pushes the set button 2002 while placing the
first RM unit 1801 in an opposing position to the second RM unit
1802, the RM-structure request transmission unit 1809 transmits a
request to the first RM unit 1801 to transmit the control signal
and the information related to the soft button group 2201 to be
displayed on the LC touch panel 2001 to the second RM unit 1802
(S2302). Upon receipt of the transmission request, the
structure-information request receipt unit 1806 gives a direction
to the structure information transmission unit 1805 to transmit the
control signal and the information related to the soft button group
2201 from the structure information storage unit 1804 (S2304).
Accordingly, the structure information transmission unit 1805
retrieves the control signal and the information related to the
soft button group 2201 from the first structure information storage
unit 1804 and transmits the same to the second RM unit 1802
(S2306). Then, the structure information receipt unit 1807 receives
the control signal and the information related to the soft button
group 2201 from the structure information transmission unit 1805
(S2308). Accordingly, the second structure information storage unit
1808 stores the control signal and information related to the soft
button group 2201 received by the structure information receipt
unit 1807 (S2310). In this way, the second RM unit 1802 obtains all
the functions the first RM unit 1801 has, and the soft button group
2201 as shown in FIG. 22 is displayed on the LC touch panel
2001.
[0286] According to the above structure, the second RM unit 1802
can actively retain the same functions as the first RM unit 1801.
For this reason, the second RM unit 1802 does not have to include a
plurality of buttons for all the available functions like a
conventional self-learning remote controller, which can be
customized in a desired manner. Further, the second RM unit 1802
does not have to store the control signals assigned for each
button.
[0287] In this embodiment, the RM-structure information is
transmitted from the first structure information storage unit 1804
when the structure-information request receipt unit 1806 in the
first RM unit 1801 receives the transmission request from the
structure-information request transmission unit 1809 in the second
RM unit 1802. However, a structure-information-transmission
direction unit may be installed instead of the
structure-information request transmission unit 1809 and
structure-information request receipt unit 1806, and a
structure-information-receipt direction unit may be installed in
the second RM unit 1802, so that the structure information
transmission unit 1805 and structure information receipt unit 1807
may be activated as per direction from these units. The directions
are transmitted by the pushing of a corresponding button on the
first RM unit 1801 and the second RM unit 1802.
Fifth Embodiment
[0288] FIG. 24 is a view depicting the structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present
invention. The remote controller comprises a RM-structure
information supply unit 2401 and a RM unit 2402; the RM-structure
information supply unit 2401 is installed in an appliance 2403.
[0289] The RM-structure information supply unit 2401 includes a
RM-structure information generation unit 2404, a RM-structure
information transmission unit 2405. The RM unit 2402 includes a
structure information receipt unit 2406, a structure information
storage unit 2407, a manipulation unit 2408, a RM signal
transmission unit 2409, and a manipulation display unit 2410. The
structure information storage unit 2407 includes a RM signal
storage unit 2411 and a display information storage unit 2412. The
appliance 2403 includes an appliance control unit 2417 and a RM
signal receipt unit 2418.
[0290] The RM-structure information supply unit 2401 holds the
information necessary for the RM unit 2402 to control the appliance
2403, and transmits the same to the RM unit 2402 via a transmission
path, or namely ultra red rays. The RM unit 2402 is manipulated by
the user, and the appliance 2403 is controlled by the RM unit
2402.
[0291] The RM-structure information generation unit 2404 generates
the RM-structure information depending on the state of the
appliance 2403; the RM-structure information referred herein is
objects to be manipulated such as buttons on the RM unit 2402 and
the control signals assigned to each button. The RM-structure
information generation unit 2404 receives the information of the
action state of the appliance 2403 (herein VTR) from the appliance
control unit 2417. Assume that a recordable video tape is loaded in
the VTR, then the RM-structure information generation unit 2404
generates the RM-structure information to display a soft button
group 2502 as shown in FIG. 25 on the LC touch panel 2501 of the RM
unit 2402. If the loaded video tape is not recordable with the
record protect tab being set, a notice of impossible recording is
transmitted from the appliance control unit 2417. In this case the
record button and a standard/extended play button are eliminated
and the RM-structure information is generated to display a soft
button group 2602 as shown in FIG. 26.
[0292] The RM-structure information transmission unit 2405
transmits the RM-structure information generated by the
RM-structure information generation unit 2404, and the structure
information receipt unit 2406 receives the RM-structure information
from the RM-structure information transmission unit 2405. The
structure information storage unit 2407 stores the RM-structure
information received by the RM-structure information receipt unit
2406. The manipulation unit 2408 is manipulated by the user to
control the appliance 2403. The RM signal transmission unit 2409
retrieves the control signals from the RM signal storage unit 2411
as per manipulation signal from the manipulation unit 2408, and
transmits the same to the appliance 2403. The manipulation display
unit 2410 displays objects (figures) for the user interface such as
soft buttons. The RM signal storage unit 2411 stores the control
signal the RM unit 2402 transmits when controlling the appliance
2403. The display information storage unit 2412 stores the
information which will be displayed by the manipulation display
unit 2410 in controlling the appliance 2403. The appliance control
unit 2417 activates and controls the appliance 2403 as per control
signal received by the RM signal receipt unit 2418. The RM signal
receipt unit 2418 receives the control signal from the RM signal
transmission unit 2409.
[0293] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowchart in FIG. 27.
[0294] Assume that the RM 2402 appears as shown in FIG. 25 based on
the control signal and information related to the soft button group
2502 from the RM structure information generation unit 2404, which
is identical with the RM unit 1102 shown in FIG. 12. If the
recordable video tape is removed from the appliance 2403 (VTR), and
a non-recordable video tape is loaded, the RM-structure information
generation unit 2404 generates the RM-structure information that
enables manipulations other than the record function. The RM
structure information transmission unit 2405 transmits the
RM-structure information thus generated by the RM-structure
information generation unit 2404 to the RM unit 2402 (S2702). When
the structure information receipt unit 2406 receives the
RM-structure information from the RM-structure information
transmission unit 2405 (S2704), the RM signal storage unit 2411 and
the display information storage unit 2412 in the structure
information storage unit 2407 store the RM structure information
(S2706). Accordingly, the manipulation display unit 2410 displays
the soft button group 2502 in accordance with the information in
the display information storage unit 2412 (S2708). Up to this
point, the RM unit 2402 appears as shown in FIG. 26, deleting the
record button and standard/extended play button.
[0295] If a video tape written with program titles is loaded, the
RM-structure information generation unit 2404 generates the soft
buttons for the title of each program and a control signal group
and transmits the same to the RM unit 2402. The control signal
group includes the control signals for fast-forwarding or rewinding
the video tape to play a desired program. As a result, the RM unit
2402 appears as shown in FIG. 28, and the user only pushes a soft
button exhibiting the title to play the desired program.
[0296] If the appliance 2403 is the TV, and all the channels 1
through 12 are available, the RM unit 2402 displays the twelve
channels as shown in FIG. 29. When some channels are not available
around the midnight, only the available channels are displayed as
shown in FIG. 30. If the title of the program are also broadcasted,
it is possible to display the title instead of the channel number
as shown in FIG. 31.
[0297] In this way, the user can manipulate the remote controller
which suits most adequately to the current states of the appliance.
In addition, not only the LC touch panel 2501 in the RM unit 2402
can be downsized, but also the control signals and the information
related to the soft button groups 2502, 2602, 2902, 3002, and 3102
are stored in a more compact memory.
[0298] In this embodiment, the RM-structure information generation
unit 2404 generates the RM-structure information for individual
states of the appliance 2403, and the RM-structure information
transmission unit 2405 transmits the same to the RM unit 2402.
However, the RM-structure information generation unit 2404 may
generate the information related to the RM-structure information to
be deleted or added according to the changes in the states, and
transmit the same to the RM unit 2402. This reduces the amount of
information transmission between the RM-structure information
supply unit 2401 and RM unit 2402.
Sixth Embodiment
[0299] FIG. 32 is a view depicting the structure of a menu
synthesis apparatus in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the
present invention. The menu synthesis apparatus comprises a TV 3201
and a VTR 3202 connected to each other by a cable 3203, and both
the TV 3201 and VTR 3202 are controlled by a remote controller
3218.
[0300] The TV 3201 includes a first menu storage unit 3204, a
synthesis rule storage unit 3205, a menu synthesis unit 3206, a
menu receipt unit 3207, a menu display unit 3208, an appliance
control signal transmission unit 3209, a TV's signal-receipt unit
3210, a TV action unit 3211, and a RM signal receipt unit 3212. The
TV 3201 is connected to a menu display unit 3213.
[0301] The VTR 3202 includes a second menu storage unit 3214, a
menu transmission unit 3215, a VTR's signal-receipt unit 3216, and
a VTR-action unit 3217.
[0302] The first menu storage unit 3204 stores menu information as
shown in FIGS. 33A and 33B. The menu information referred herein is
composed of control information for the TV 3201 and information
changing the screen of the control information.
[0303] In FIG. 33A, TV is defined as the menu value of the tag
(parenthesized with < >) in the highest position, and the
menu "TV" includes three sub-menus: "basic manipulation",
"subscreen", and "adjustment". The elements composing each submenu
are defined as <PANEL>. For example, "basic manipulation
panel" consists of six buttons such as channel-up and channel-down
buttons, and appears on the display 3213 as shown in FIG. 34.
[0304] Defined in FIG. 33B are the kinds of buttons displayed for
each panel and event signals transmitted when the buttons are
pushed. The event signals referred herein are the signals that
activate a program managing the changes of the control over the
appliance and the menu display.
[0305] The synthesis rule storage unit 3205 stores rules to
synthesize a plurality of menu information, an example of which is
shown in FIG. 35.
[0306] The synthesis rules include the rules for the menu structure
and the rules for shape selection and action. The rules for the
shape selection are referred to when selecting one shape for the
various shaped buttons in a plurality of menus, The rules related
to the action are referred to when the control is switched from one
appliance to another. For example, when the record action is
directed, the control is shifted to the VTR 3202 from the TV 3201
before effecting the record action. The menu synthesis unit 3206
receives a second menu information from the menu receipt unit 3207
and stores the same into an unillustrated self-installed buffer,
and retrieves the first menu information and synthesis rule from
the first menu-storage unit 3204 and the synthesis rule storage
unit 3205 respectively to synthesize the first and second menu
information in accordance with the synthesis rule, and converts the
resulting information menu into display elements, or bit map data,
transmitting the same to the menu display unit 3208.
[0307] For example, when the synthesis rule as shown in FIG. 35 is
retrieved, whether 3501 is "true" or "false" is checked, and in
case of "true", whether if 3502 is "true" or "false" is further
checked. In case of "true", the process (1) is carried out;
otherwise, 3503 is carried out. When 3501 is "false", whether 3505
in 3504 is "true" or "false" is further checked. In case of "true",
the process (2) is carried out; otherwise, 3506 is carried out.
[0308] Upon receipt of the second menu information shown in FIG. 36
(the second menu information will be described more in detail
below), the menu synthesis unit 3206 retrieves the first menu
information shown in FIGS. 33A and 33B, and carries out the process
(1), and generates the synthesized menu information shown in FIGS.
37A, 37B, and 37C. Note that the synthesis rule shown in FIG. 35 is
a part of the synthesis rules and only regulates the synthesis of
the highest-position information sandwiched by <MENU> and
</MENU>.
[0309] The menu receipt unit 3207 receives the second menu
information from the menu transmission unit 3215 and transmits the
same to the menu synthesis unit 3206.
[0310] The menu display unit 3208 receives the display elements in
the form of the bit map data from the menu synthesis unit 3206 and
displays the same on the display 3213.
[0311] For example, the synthesized menu information in FIGS. 37A,
37B, and 37C appears on the display 3213 as shown in FIG. 38. Thus,
when the user selects the TV unit 3201 using the remote controller
3218, a basic manipulation panel 3801 appears on the display 3213,
and a video playback panel 3802 appears on the display 3213 when
the user selects the VTR 3202.
[0312] The appliance control signal transmission unit 3209 receives
the RM signal from the RM signal receipt unit 3212, and then
converts the same into appliance control signal. In case of the
appliance control signal for the TV 3201, the appliance control
signal is transmitted to the TV action unit 3211 by means of the
TV's signal receipt unit 3210. In case of the appliance control
signal for changing the menu screen, the appliance control signal
is transmitted to the menu synthesis unit 3206. In case of the
appliance control signal for the VTR 3202, the appliance control
signal is transmitted to the VTR's signal receipt unit 3210.
[0313] The TV's signal receipt unit 3210 transmits the appliance
control signal from the appliance control signal transmission unit
3209 to the TV action unit 3211.
[0314] The TV action unit 3211 controls the TV 3201 as per
appliance control signal from the TV's signal receipt unit
3210.
[0315] The RM signal receipt unit 3212 receives the RM signal from
the remote control unit 3218 to transmit the same to the appliance
control signal transmission unit 3209.
[0316] The second menu storage unit 3214 stores the control
information for the VTR 3202 and the second menu information. The
second menu information referred herein is the information used to
change the screen based on the control information, and example of
which is shown in FIG. 36. In the drawing, VTR is defined as the
highest-position menu value. The "playback panel" indicated by the
sub-menu of the second menu in FIG. 36 appears on the display 3213
as shown in FIG. 39.
[0317] Assume that the menu information for generating the table of
contents is additionally stored in the second menu storage unit
3214 as the second menu information, and that the menu synthesis
unit 3206 holds the menu information shown in FIGS. 37A, 37B, and
37C. Then, the menu synthesis unit 3206 synthesizes the additional
menu information and the already-synthesized menu information, and
the resulting menu information appears as FIGS. 41A, 41D, and 41C.
Note that the menu synthesis unit 3206 carries out the process (2)
of the synthesis rule in FIG. 35. As a result, the display 3213
shows updated menu information as shown in FIG. 42. Thus, by
selecting VTR, and further selecting "make table of contents"
(sub-menu) using the remote controller 3218, a table-of-content
creation menu 4201 appears on the display 3213.
[0318] The menu transmission unit 3215 detects the connection
between the TV 3201 and menu receipt unit 3207 via the cable 3203,
and in response retrieves the second menu information from the
second menu storage unit 3214 to transmit the same to the menu
receipt unit 3207.
[0319] The VTR's signal receipt unit 3216 receives the appliance
control signal from the appliance control signal transmission unit
3209, and transmits the same to the VTR action unit 3217.
[0320] The VTR action unit 3217 controls the VTR 3202 as per
appliance control signal from the VTR's signal receipt unit
3216.
[0321] The remote controller 3218 transmits the RM signal to the TV
3201.
[0322] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 43A and
43B.
[0323] When the menu transmission unit 3215 in the VTR 3202 detects
the connection between the VTR 3202 and TV 3201 (S4302), it
retrieves the second menu information from the second menu
information storage unit 3214 (S4304), and transmits the same to
the TV's menu receipt unit 3207 in the TV 3201 (S4306). Upon
receipt of the second menu information from the menu transmission
unit 3215, the TV's menu receipt unit 3207 transmits the same to
the menu synthesis unit 3206 (S4308).
[0324] Accordingly, the menu synthesis unit 3206 retrieves the
first menu information from the first menu storage unit 3204
(S4310), and further retrieves the synthesis rule from the menu
synthesis rule 3206 to synthesize the first and second menu
information under the synthesis rule (S4312). The menu display
information 3208 displays the resulting synthesized menu
information on the display 3213 (S4314).
[0325] As the remote controller 3218 transmits the RM signal to the
TV 3201 (S4316), the RM signal receipt unit 3212 receives the RM
signal (S4318). Then, the appliance control signal transmission
unit 3209 converts the received RM signal into the appliance
control signal (S4320).
[0326] Further, the appliance control signal transmission unit 3209
judges whether the appliance control signal is the control signal
to active the VTR 3202 (S4322). If so, the appliance control signal
transmission unit 3209 transmits the same to the VTR's signal
receipt unit 3216, and the VTR's signal receipt unit 3216 receives
the same (S4324). Accordingly, the VTR action unit 3217 controls
the VTR 3202 as per appliance control signal (S4326).
[0327] If the appliance control signal is not the control signal to
activate the VTR 3202 in S4322, then the appliance control signal
transmission unit 3209 judges whether the appliance control signal
is the control signal to activate the TV 3201 (S4328). If so, the
appliance control signal transmission unit 3209 transmits the same
to the TV action unit 3211, which controls the TV 3201 as per
appliance control signal (S4330). If the appliance control signal
is not the control signal for the TV 3201 either, the appliance
control signal transmission unit 3209 transmits the control signal
for directing the change of the menu display to the menu synthesis
unit 3206, which accordingly controls the menu display unit 3208
(S4332).
[0328] As has been stated, when the TV and VTR are connected to
each other, it has become possible to manipulate both appliances
using a single user interface that has synthesized the user
interfaces for the TV and VTR.
[0329] The TV and VTR are used as the appliances in this
embodiment. However, the appliances may be the audio apparatus, air
conditioner, electric fan, washers, or microwave oven, and these
appliances may be controlled by a single user interface as
well.
Seventh Embodiment
[0330] FIG. 44 is a view depicting the structure of a remote
controller in accordance with the seventh embodiment of the present
invention. The remote controller employs the menu synthesis
apparatus of the sixth embodiment, and comprises a menu information
demand unit 4401, a menu receipt unit 402, a menu synthesis unit
4403, a menu display unit 4404, and an appliance control signal
transmission unit 4405.
[0331] The menu information demand unit 4401 transmits a signal, or
namely ultra red rays, that demands the transmission of the menu
information when the remote controller is placed in an opposing
position to the external appliances (not shown), such as the TV,
VTR, and air conditioner.
[0332] When the external appliances receives the demand signal,
they transmit the menu information to the remote controller. For
example, the TV transmits the menu information shown in FIGS. 33A
and 33B and the VTR a n d air conditioner transmit the menu
information shown in FIGS. 36 and 45 respectively.
[0333] The menu receipt unit 4402 receives the menu information
from the external appliances and transmits the same to the menu
synthesis unit 4403.
[0334] The menu synthesis unit 4403 includes the synthesis rule
storage unit 3205 of the six embodiment, and stores the synthesis
rule shown in FIG. 35. Upon receipt of the menu information from a
plurality of the external appliances by way of the menu receipt
unit 4402, the menu synthesis unit 4403 synthesizes the plurality
of the menu information as per synthesis rule. When the menu
information is for the TV, VTR, and air conditioner, then the
resulting synthesized menu information are shown in FIGS. 46A, 46B,
and 46C, respectively. The synthesized menu information is
converted into the bit map data and transmitted to the menu display
unit 4404.
[0335] The menu display unit 4404 comprises an LC panel and a touch
panel; the latter is layered on the former. The menu display unit
4404 displays the menu information from the menu synthesis unit
4403 as the highest-position menu 4701 shown in FIG. 47. If the
user selects "TV" in the-highest-position, then the menu display
unit 4404 displays a basic manipulation panel 4702 for the TV; if
the user selects "VTR", then it displays a playback panel 4703, and
if the user selects "air conditioner", then it displays a set panel
4704. When the user pushes a power button 4705 while the set panel
4704 is being displayed, the manipulation signal for the air
conditioner's power is transmitted to the appliance control signal
transmission unit 4405.
[0336] The appliance control signal transmission unit 4405 receives
the manipulation signal from the menu display unit 4404, and
transmits the same to the external appliances. When the
manipulation signal is the one to manipulate the air conditioner's
power, then the appliance control signal transmission unit 4405
transmits the control signal of the power to the air conditioner,
so that the power button is switched from ON to OFF or vise
versa.
[0337] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowchart in FIG. 48.
[0338] The menu information demand unit 4401 demands the
transmission of the menu information from the external appliances
(S4802), and more than one external appliance receives the demand
signal (S4804). Accordingly, the external appliances transmit the
menu information in response to the demand signal (S4806), which is
received by the menu receipt unit 4402 (S4808). Then, the menu
synthesis unit 4403 synthesizes the menu information from more than
one external appliance (S4810), and the menu display unit 4404
displays the resulting synthesized menu information (S4812).
[0339] In this embodiment, the demand signal is transmitted from
the menu information demand unit 4401 when the remote controller is
placed in an opposing position to the external appliances. However,
the demand signal may be transmitted only to the available external
appliances with their respective switches being turned on, or only
to the external appliances installed within the same room where the
remote controller is placed, in other words, within the reach of
the RM signal.
[0340] As has been explained, the manipulation menus for a
plurality of appliances can be actively synthesized into a signal
user interface, thus serving as the remote controller.
[0341] Although the types of the controllable appliances are
displayed on the menu display unit 4404 as the highest-position
menu, the remote controller may detect the location of the
individual appliances and displays the layout thereof within a room
as shown in FIG. 49 as the highest-position menu. In this case, a
sensor for detecting the location of each appliance is additionally
furnished, and each appliance transmits a signal indicating their
respective locations. The sensor receives the signals from the
external appliances and detects the location of each external
appliance. Then, the menu synthesis unit 4403 retrieves the data
related to the location of each appliance and displays the same by
the menu display unit 4404.
Eighth Embodiment
[0342] FIG. 50 is a view depicting the structure of a program
receiver and a program transmitter in accordance with the eighth
embodiment of the present invention.
[0343] A program transmitter 5001 includes a program transmission
unit 5010 and a information receipt unit 5019.
[0344] The program transmission unit 5010 multiplexes an
information supply program and the data specifying the structure of
interactive screen (hereinafter referred as to the IS structure
specification data) and transmits the resulting multiplex data. The
data are multiplexed by, for example, a method multiplexing image
and text information in the text broadcast system, or a method for
transmitting the signal and video separately via a sound B mode in
the satellite broadcast. The journal published by Image Electronic
Meeting, Volume 12, No. 4 (1983), pp. 318-326 describes the former
method in detail.
[0345] The program receiver 5002 includes a signal receipt unit
5011, a signal separation unit 5012, a display object storage unit
5013, an interactive screen (IS) generation unit 5014, a display
unit 5015, a RM signal receipt unit 5016, an information
transmission unit 5017, and a basic action object storage unit
5018.
[0346] The signal receipt unit 5011 receives either the multiplex
signal of the information supply program and IS structure
specification data or the information supply program 'signal from
the program transmission unit 5010 of the program transmitter 5001,
and transmits the same to the signal separation unit 5012.
[0347] The signal separation unit 5012 judges whether the signal
from the signal receipt unit 5011 is a multiplex signal or not. In
case of the multiplex signal, the signal separation unit 5012
separates the received signal into two signals; the information
supply program signal and IS structure specification data signal.
The former is transmitted to the display unit 5015 and the latter
to the IS generation unit 5014. In case of non-multiplex signal,
the signal separation unit 5012 passes the received signal to the
display unit 5015. if the multiplex signal does not include the IS
structure specification data signal as is with the text broadcast,
the signal separation unit 5012 passes the received signal to the
display unit 5015.
[0348] The display object storage unit 5013 stores file names in
relation with the bit map data; the file names are used to
discriminate the objects, or the basic elements composing the
interactive screen, and the bit map data represent the shape of
each object.
[0349] The file name "panel shape 1" represents the frame of a
rectangle 5101 shown in FIG. 51. The rectangle 5101 appears as the
window on the display unit 5015.
[0350] The file names "box shape 1", "box shape 2", and "box shape
3" represent the FIGS. 5201, 5202, 5203 shown in FIG. 52,
respectively.
[0351] Two of the FIGS. 5201 through 5203 fit in the rectangle 5101
horizontally, and three of them fit therein vertically. The FIG.
5202 representing "box shape 2" is shadowed in the drawing;
however, the FIG. 5201 representing "box shape 1" may be
high-lighted on the display unit 5015. The FIG. 5203 representing
"box shape 3" is shadowed at the three sides, but the FIG. 5201
representing "box shape 1" is displayed in 3D (three-dimension) on
the display unit 5015.
[0352] The file names "button shape 1", "button shape 2", and
"button shape 3" correspond to the FIGS. 5301, 5302, and 5303 shown
in FIG. 53, respectively. The FIGS. 5301, 5302, and 5303 fit in the
rectangle 5101 vertically. The FIG. 5301 representing "button shape
1" is shadowed. However, the FIG. 5301 representing "button shape
2" may be high-lighted on the display unit 5015. Likewise, the FIG.
5303 representing "button shape 3" is shadowed at the three sides,
but the FIG. 5301 is displayed in 3D on the display unit 5015.
[0353] The IS generation unit 5014 includes a first receipt unit
and a second receipt unit: the first receipt unit receives the IS
structure specification data signal from the signal separation unit
5012; the second receipt unit receives the signal from the RM
signal receipt unit 5016. Further, the IS generation unit 5014
includes a process unit for interpreting the signals received by
the first and second receipt units for further processing, and a
storage unit, as well as a display control unit for having the
display unit 5015 display the interactive screen image.
[0354] The IS structure specification data received by the first
receipt unit comprise following definitions:
[0355] 1) a class definition including class attribute
information
[0356] 2) a panel definition including panel information
[0357] 3) a box definition including box information
[0358] 4) a button definition including button information
[0359] 5) action definition including action information
[0360] 6) a display candidate definition including display
candidate information
[0361] 7) a shape definition including shape information.
[0362] The class attribute information shown in FIG. 54, are the
information that defines attribute for each class (group) of the
objects forming the interactive screen. For example, the attribute
of the object belonging to a specific class is defined by
"<!ELEMENT . . . >".
[0363] For example, "<!ELEMENT BOX (CHARACTER STRING & SHAPE
. . . & STATE_CANDIDATE>" defines that the object belonging
to the "box" class has the attribute, "character string", "shape",
"state candidate". Similarly, the object belonging to the "button"
class has the attribute, "character string", "shape", "action",
"selection state", and "focus state"; the object belonging to the
"panel" class has the attribute, "shape".
[0364] The panel information is the information that defines the
objects belonging to the panel class as shown in FIG. 55. The panel
information includes panel attribute information defining the
attribute of the panel, the name of the box specifying the objects
belonging to the box class within the panel, the name of the button
specifying the objects belonging to the button class within the
panel, and position information specifying the abstract position of
the objects specified by the box or the button name.
[0365] "<PANEL SHAPE=PANEL_SHAPE>QUIZ 1" defines an object
<QUIZ>belonging to the panel class. "SHAPE=PANEL_SHAPE" means
that the object has "panel shape" as its shape attribute. Objects
between "<PANEL . . .>" and "</PANEL> are the objects
belonging to the "quiz 1 panel". That is to say, there exist the
objects, or "America box", "France box", "England box", "Germany
box", and "transmission box", in the "quiz 1 panel". In addition,
"<v>", "</v>", "<h>", "</h>" define the
position of the objects. If the objects are sandwiched by
"<v>" and "</v>", they are placed vertically, and if
sandwiched by "<h>" and "</h>", then horizontally.
Thus, the two, objects, "America box" and "France box", are placed
horizontally.
[0366] The box information are the information that defines the
objects belonging to the box class as shown in FIG. 56.
[0367] In "<BOX . . . >XXX", " . . . " defines the attribute
of the object XXX in the box. For example, followings are the
attribute of the object in "America box":
[0368] the character string to be displayed is "America"
[0369] the shape is "box shape"
[0370] the action is "America box action"
[0371] the selected state at the initialization is "OFF"
[0372] the focus is "ON" at the initialization
[0373] the state candidate is "ON_OFF candidate".
[0374] "The selection state is `ON`" means that the object is
selected, and "the focus is `ON`" means that the object is subject
to manipulation, and thus displayed by being highlighted or
shadowed.
[0375] The button information is the information that defines the
objects belonging to the button class as shown in FIG. 57.
[0376] Like the box objects, " . . . " in "<BUTTON . . . XXX"
defines the attribute of the object XXX in the button. For example,
followings are the attribute of the object in the "transmission
button":
[0377] the character string to be displayed is "transmission"
[0378] the shape is "button shape"
[0379] the action is "transmission button action"
[0380] the focus is "OFF" at the initialization.
[0381] The action information is the information that defines the
action of the objects belonging to the box class and button class
as shown in FIG. 58.
[0382] In "<ACTION>YYY", YYY represents the action name. In
"<EVENT>AAA", AAA represents the event name, and in
"<COMMAND>BBB, BBB represents the command name executed when
the event specified by the preceding event name occurs. In
"<ARGUMENT>CCC, CCC represents the argument delivered to the
command specified by the preceding command name. For example, in
the "America box action", when an event "right" is transmitted, a
command "shift focus" is executed. Also, in executing the "shift
focus", an argument, "France box" is delivered. In short, when the
event "right" is transmitted to the "America box", the focus is
shifted to the "France box", and the "France box" has become the
subject of manipulation.
[0383] The display candidate information is the information that
defines a plurality of value candidates as shown in FIG. 59.
[0384] In "<CANDIDATE DATA>AAA", AAA represents the candidate
data name, and indicating that it has the value sandwiched between
"<CANDIDATE_DATA>AAA" and "</CANDIDATE_DATA>" as the
candidate value. For example,
"<CANDIDATE_DATA>ON_OFF_CANDIDATE" defines the candidate
value of "ON_OFF candidate": the "ON_OFF candidate" includes the
candidate values of "ON" and "OFF".
[0385] The shape information is the information that defines the
shape data as shown in FIG. 60.
[0386] The data defined between "<SHAPE>" and
</SHAPE>are the definition of the shape data, and the shape
data vary according to the conditions given by the definition of
"<CONDITION>". For example, the "box shape" appears as the
"box shape 1" when "FOCUS_STATE=OFF & SELECTION_STATE=OFF" is
given, while appearing as the "box shape 2" when "FOCUS_STATE=ON
& SELECTION_STATE=OFF" is given, and as the "box shape 3" when
"FOCUS=ON" is given.
[0387] The first receipt unit in the IS generation unit 5014
receives the IS structure specification data signal and transmits
the same to the process unit.
[0388] The process unit decodes the IS structure specification data
signal and has the storage unit store the same. Further it
retrieves the panel information (FIG. 55) from the stored IS
structure specification data, and judges whether it is the panel
attribute information, box name, button name, or start position
information, or end position information per unit (per line in FIG.
55).
[0389] In case of the panel attribute information, the process unit
obtains the attribute value of the panel "panel shape", and
retrieves the shape information (FIG. 60) from the storage unit
using the "panel shape". Then, it turns out that the "panel shape"
is "panel shape 1", and the process unit obtains the bit map data
for the "panel shape 1" (FIG. 51) from the display object storage
unit 5013, transmitting the same to the display control unit.
[0390] In case of the box name, the process unit stores the box
name in a panel information buffer in the storage unit, and
retrieves the corresponding box information (FIG. 56) from the
storage unit. Further, the process unit obtains the attribute
values for the "focus state" and "shape" from the box information,
and retrieves the shape information (FIG. 60) from the storage unit
to obtain the attribute value of the shape "box shape". The process
unit obtains one of the "box shape 1", "box shape 2", and "box
shape 3", which is in compliance with the condition of the "box
shape", as the file name, and the obtains adequate bit map data for
the file name from the display object storage unit 5013. Also, the
process unit extracts the attribute value of the "character string"
from the box information to synthesize the same with the bit map
data to generate the box figure, transmitting the same to the
display control unit.
[0391] For example, if the attribute value of the "character
string" is "America", then the object in the "America box" appears
as shown in FIGS. 61A, 61B, and 61C under the conditions
"FOCUS_STATE=OFF & SELECTION_STATE=OFF", "FOCUS_STATE=ON &
SELECTION_STATE=OFF", and "SELECTION_STATE=ON", respectively.
[0392] In case of the button name, the process unit stores the
button name in the panel information buffer in the storage unit,
and retrieves the corresponding button information (FIG. 57) from
the storage unit. The process unit further obtains the attribute
value of the "focus state" in the button information to retrieve
the shape information (FIG. 60) from the storage unit, obtaining
the attribute value of the "shape" and "button shape". Further, the
process unit obtains one of the "button shape 1", "button shape 2",
and "button shape 3", which is compliance with the condition of the
"button shape", as the file name, and retrieves the bit map data
corresponding to the file name from the display object storage unit
5013. The process unit extracts the attribute value "transmission"
of the "character string" in the button information to synthesize
the same with the bit map data to generate the button figure,
transmitting the same to the display control unit.
[0393] For example, if the attribute value of the "character
string" is the "transmission", then the object in the "transmission
button" appears as shown in FIGS. 62A and 62B when the condition is
"FOCUS_STATE=OFF" and "FOCUS_STATE=ON", respectively.
[0394] In case of the start position information, the process unit
stores the start position information "<v>" or "<h>" in
the panel information buffer.
[0395] In case of the end position information, the process unit
checks whether the end position information "</v>" or
"</h>" is consistent with the start position information
previously stored in the panel information buffer. When the start
position and end position information are inconsistent, or the IS
structure specification data are not the end position information,
the process unit transmits an error message to the display control
unit.
[0396] When the end position information is in consistent with the
start position information, the process unit retrieves the object
names sandwiched between the position information in the panel
information buffer in the first-in-first-out order, and places the
same virtually as per position information, transmitting the same
to the display control unit. While at the same time, the process
unit generates a name for a set of the objects, and deletes the
names of the virtually placed objects and the position data from
the panel buffer and stores the set name instead.
[0397] The process unit checks whether the processing for one panel
information is completed or not, and transmits a notice of display
to the display control unit when the processing is completed.
[0398] The process unit in the IS generation unit 5014 receives an
event signal from the second receipt unit, and in response changes
the interactive screen as per user's instruction. Upon receipt of
the event signal, the process unit retrieves the box information
(FIG. 56) or button information (FIG. 57) from the storage unit,
and extracts the object subject to manipulation (the object
exhibiting "FOCUS_STATE=ON") and its action name. Then, the process
unit retrieves the action information (FIG. 58) from the storage
unit based on the retrieved action name to retrieve the command
name and argument for the received event name. Further, the process
unit retrieves the content of the basic action corresponding to the
command name from the basic action object storage unit 5018, and
accordingly rewrites the box information (FIG. 56) or button
information (FIG. 57) in the storage unit, and changes the
interactive screen, transmitting the notice of display to the
display control unit. If the command name is "attribute value
transmission", the process unit retrieves the attribute value of
the selection state candidates of each box specified by the
"argument", and transmits the same to the information transmission
unit 5017.
[0399] The display control unit receives the bit map data of the
panel shape, box figure, button figure, and virtually placed
objects as well as display notice from the process unit, and has
the display unit 5015 display the interactive screen on the window.
FIG. 63 is an example of the interactive screen.
[0400] Also, the display control unit receives the display Notice
for the interactive screen changed as per user's instruction, and
has the display unit 5015 display the changed interactive
screen.
[0401] The storage unit includes the panel information buffer and
stores the IS structure specification data from the process unit;
the panel information includes data related to the objects therein
and the data related to the placement thereof.
[0402] The display unit 5015 includes a screen (CRT), and a control
unit for having the screen display the information supply program
as per information supply program signal from the signal separation
unit 5012. As shown in FIG. 64, the display unit 5015 displays the
interactive screen under the control of the IS generation unit 5014
by establishing a window 6402 in a screen 6401.
[0403] The interactive screen in FIG. 63 is changed as shown in
FIGS. 66 through 69 as the user pushes the ".fwdarw." (right),
".dwnarw." (down)", "selection", ".dwnarw." (down) buttons
successively on a remote controller 6501 shown in FIG. 65.
[0404] The RM signal receipt unit 5016 receives the signal from the
user by means of the remote controller 6501, and transmits the same
to the IS generation unit 5014.
[0405] The remote controller 6501 includes a power button 6502, an
up button 6503 ".Arrow-up bold.", a right button 6504 ".fwdarw.", a
down button ".dwnarw.", a left button 6506 ".rarw.", a "selection"
button 6507, and a "determination" button 6508. When the user
pushes the power button 6502 once, the RM signal receipt unit 5016
becomes ready, and when he pushes the power button 6502 again, the
switch is turned off. When the user pushes the "up" button 6503, an
"up" event signal is transmitted to the RM signal receipt unit
5016. Likewise, when the user pushes the "right" button 6504, a
"right" event signal is transmitted to the RM signal receipt unit
5016; when the user pushes the "down" button 6505, "left" button
6506, "selection" button 6507, and "determination" button 6508, a
"down" event signal, a "left" event signal, a "selection" event
signal, and a "determination" event signal are transmitted to the
RM signal receipt unit 5016, respectively.
[0406] The information transmission unit 5017 transmits interactive
screen (IS) data (each attribute value for the selection state
candidate) transmitted from the IS generation unit 5014 to the
information receipt unit 5019 of the program transmitter 5001.
[0407] The basic action object storage unit 5018 stores the
following basic actions specified the "command": "shift focus",
"switch state", and "transmit attribute value". The "shift focus"
basic action means to switch the focus of the object subject to
manipulation from "ON" to "OFF", and to switch the focus of the
object specified by the "argument" from "OFF" to "ON". The "switch
state" basic action means to switch the selection state of the
object subject to manipulation from "OFF" to "ON". The "transmit
attribute value" basic operation means to retrieve all the
attribute values "ON" or "OFF" of the selection state candidates of
the object specified by the argument.
[0408] The operation related to this embodiment will be explained
while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 70 through 75.
[0409] The program receiver 5002 receives the information supply
program signal from the program transmitter 5001 (S7002). The
signal separation unit 5012 checks whether the received signal is a
multiplex signal or not (S7004), and in case of a multiplex signal,
it separates the received signal into the information supply
program signal and IS structure specification data signal (S7006).
The process unit checks whether the received signal is the
information supply program signal or not (S7008). If it is not the
information supply program signal, the process unit checks whether
there is the IS structure specification data signal or not (S7010).
If the IS structure specification data signal exists, the signal
separation unit 5012 transmits the same to the IS generation unit
5014 (S7012).
[0410] The IS generation unit 5014 generates the interactive screen
using the objects stored in the display object storage unit 5013
based on the IS structure specification data signal (S7014).
[0411] If the signal is not the multiplex signal in S7004 and
judged as to be the information supply program signal in S7008,
then the signal separation unit 5012 transmits the information
supply program signal to the display unit 5015 when there exists
the IS structure specification data signal in S7010 (S7016). The
display unit 5015 thus generates the screen for the information
supply program (S7018).
[0412] The interactive screen generated in S7014 appears together
with the information supply program on the window 6402 of the
display unit 5015 (S7020).
[0413] If the program receiver 5002 stops the signal reception
(S7022), the display unit 5015 terminates the display operation;
otherwise it return to S7002.
[0414] Next, S7014, where the interactive screen is generated by
the IS generation unit 5014, will be described more in detail.
[0415] The process unit in the IS generation unit 5014 retrieves
the panel information in the IS structure specification data from
the storage unit (S7102), and retrieves one unit of information
from the panel information (panel attribute information, box name,
button name, start position information, and end position
information). Then, the process unit judges whether all the data
related to the panel information are processed or not, and if not
(S7106), the process unit further checks whether the retrieved
panel information per unit is the panel attribute information or
not (S7108). In case of the panel attribute information, the
process unit retrieves the "shape" attribute value from the panel
attribute information (S7110); otherwise it proceeds to S7116.
Subsequently, the process unit retrieves the shape information
(file name) that matches with the "shape" attribute value retrieved
in S7110 , obtaining the shape data specified by the shape
information (S7112). The shape data are the bit map data herein
(S7114). Then, the process unit returns to S7104 and proceeds to
S7108 and checks whether the retrieved information per unit is the
box name or not (S7116). In case of the box name, the process unit
proceeds to S7202; otherwise it further checks whether the
retrieved information per unit is the button name or not (S7118).
In case of the button name, the process unit proceeds to S7302;
otherwise, it further checks whether the retrieved information per
unit is the start position information or not (S7120). In case of
the start position information, it stores the same in the panel
information buffer of the storage unit (S7122); otherwise, it
further checks whether the retrieved information per unit is the
end position information or not (S7124). In case of the end
position information, the process unit checks whether the end
position information is in consistent with the most recently stored
start position information in the panel information buffer (S7126).
If there is consistency, the process unit proceeds to S7402. If the
retrieved data is not the end position information in S7124, or
there is no consistency in S7126, then the process unit transmits
the error message representing "incorrect definition for panel
information" to the display control unit (S7128), and ends the
generation of the interactive screen.
[0416] The process unit additionally stores the box name in the
panel information buffer, and retrieves the box information
corresponding to the box name (S7204), further obtaining the "focus
state" attribute value and the "selection state" attribute value of
the box information. Then, the process unit retrieves the "shape"
attribute value form the box information (S7208), and retrieves the
shape information (file name) that matches with the "shape"
attribute value (S7210), obtaining the bit map data corresponding
to the file name from the display object storage unit 5013 (S7212).
Subsequently, the process unit retrieves the "character string"
attribute value from the box information (S7214), and synthesizes
the same with the bit map data obtained in S7212 to generate the
display information for the box figure (S7216), returning to
S7104.
[0417] The process unit additionally stores the button name in the
panel information buffer in S7302, and retrieves the button
information matching with the button name (S7304). The process unit
retrieves the "focus state" attribute value from the button
information (S7306) to further retrieve the attribute value of the
"shape" from the button information (S7308). Accordingly, the
process unit obtains the shape information (file name) matching
with the attribute value of the "shape" (S7310), obtaining the bit
map data corresponding to the file name from the display object
storage unit 5013 (S7312). Then, the process unit retrieves the
attribute value of the "character string" in the button information
(S7314), and synthesizes the same with the bit map data retrieved
in S7312 to generate the display information for the button figure
(S7316), returning to S7104.
[0418] Subsequently, the process unit successively retrieves the
object names stored following to the most recently stored start
position information in the panel information buffer (S7402), and
virtually places one or more object either horizontally or
vertically as per position information (coordinate values) in the
position data retrieved in S7126 (S7404). Further, the process unit
attaches a name for a set of the objects retrieved in S7402
(S7406), and deletes the start position information retrieved in
S7126 and the objects names in S7402 (S7408), and stores the set
name in the panel information buffer instead (S7410), returning to
S7104.
[0419] In this embodiment, the operation related to the generation
of one interactive screen was explained, and it is assumed that the
operation detailed by the flowcharts S71 through S74 are repeated
as many times as necessary to process all the IS structure
specification data transmitted to the IS generation unit 5014.
[0420] The initial interactive screen as shown in FIG. 63 is
generated by the IS generation unit 5014 in the above manner.
[0421] Next, in the following, the explanation will be given using
the flowchart in FIG. 75 for a case where the user transmits a RM
signal to the remote controller 6501 (FIG. 65) to the
program-receiver 5002 while referring to the screen 6401 (FIG. 64).
Note that the operation ends when the user pushes the "power"
button 6502 of the remote controller 6501.
[0422] To begin with, the user pushes the "power" button 6502 of
the remote controller 6501, then the RM signal receipt unit 5016
waits for the transmission of the RM signal (S7502). Given these
circumstances, a quiz, "This is the scenery in Berlin, the capital
of a country in Europe. Now, name the country?" is transmitted from
the program transmitter 5001 to the program receiver 5002. Then,
the user pushes the "right" button 6504 on the remote controller
6501, so that the "right" event signal is transmitted from the
remote controller 6501 to the program receiver 5002. Upon
transmission of the RM signal (S7502), the RM signal receipt unit
5016 receives the "right" event signal, and transmits the same to
the IS generation unit 5014 (S7504).
[0423] The second receipt unit of the IS generation unit 5014
receives the "right" event signal, and transmits the same to the
process unit. Accordingly, the process unit retrieves the box
information (FIG. 56) from the storage unit, and further retrieves
the "America box" whose initial focus state is "ON" (S7506) to
obtain the action information (FIG. 58) for the "America box" from
the storage unit (S7508). The process unit retrieves the attribute
"shift focus" of the "command" corresponding to the "right" event
signal from the action information of the "America box" and the
attribute of the "argument", and "France box" (S7510). The process
unit retrieves the procedure for the "shift focus" from the basic
action object storage unit 5018. The basic action object storage
unit 5018 stores the data to switch the focus state of the
subjected object from "ON" to "OFF" in the "shift focus", and
switches the focus state of the object specified by the "argument"
from "OFF" to "ON". Thus, the process unit rewrites the box
information (FIG. 56) in the storage unit to switch the focus state
of the "America box" from "ON" to "OFF", while switching the focus
state of the "France box" from "OFF" to "ON", and retrieves the
content in the display object storage unit 5013 as per shape
information (FIG. 60), changing the interactive screen as shown in
FIG. 66 (S7512).
[0424] Subsequently the process unit returns to S7502, and waits
for the RM signal from the user. When the user pushes the "down"
button 6505 on the remote controller 6501, the "down" event signal
is transmitted from the remote controller 6501 to the RM signal
receipt unit 5016 (S7504). The process unit receives the "down"
event signal and recognizes that the subjected object is the
"France box" from the content in the storage unit (S7506), and
obtains the action information (FIG. 58) of the "France box"
(S7508). Then, the process unit retrieves the attribute "shift
focus" of the "command" corresponding to the "down" event signal
and the attribute "German box" of the "argument" from the action
information of the "France box" (S7510). Then, the process unit
rewrites the box information (FIG. 56) in the storage unit, so that
it retrieves the procedure for the "shift focus" from the basic
action object storage unit 5018, and switches the focus state of
the "France box" from "ON" to "OFF", while switching the focus sate
of the "German box" from "OFF" to "ON". The process unit retrieves
the content in the display object storage unit 5013 as per shape
information (FIG. 60), and changes the interactive screen as shown
in FIG. 67 (S7512).
[0425] The user pushes the "selection" button 6507 on the remote
controller 6501 to select "Germany" as the answer of the quiz,
then, the RM signal receipt unit 5016 receives the "selection"
event signal (S7504). The process unit recognizes that the
subjected object is the "Germany box" from the focus state (S7506),
and obtains the action information of the "Germany box" (FIG. 58)
(S7508). The process unit retrieves the attribute "switch state" of
the "command." corresponding to the "selection" event signal from
the action information of the "Germany box" (S7510). Then, the
process unit retrieves the procedure related to the "switch state"
from the basic action object storage unit 5018 to rewrite the box
information (FIG. 56), so that the "selection state" of the
"Germany box" is switched to "ON". While at the same time, the
process unit switches the value of the state candidate to "ON",
changing the interactive screen as shown in FIG. 68 (S7512).
[0426] Then, the user pushes the "down" button 6505 on the remote
controller 6501 to shift the focus to the "transmission button",
and transmits the "down" event signal to the program receiver 5002.
Subsequently, S7502 through S7512 are repeated, and the interactive
screen as shown in FIG. 69 is generated.
[0427] Next, the user pushes' the "determination" button 6508 on
the remote controller 6501 to transmit the answer of the quiz
"Germany" to the program transmitter 5001. Then, the RM signal
receipt unit 5016 receives the "determination" event signal
(S7504), and the process unit of the IS generation unit 5014
retrieves the same and recognizes that the subjected object is the
"transmission button" (S7506).
[0428] The process unit retrieves the "transmission button action"
from the action information (FIG. 58) (S7508), and further
retrieves the procedure of the attribute of the command
corresponding to the "determination" event signal, or the "transmit
attribute value" from the basic action object storage unit 5018
(S7510). The process unit retrieves the attribute values ("ON" or
"OFF" specified by the state candidates) of the attribute of the
"argument" specified by the event "determination" of the
"transmission button action": "America Box", "France box", "England
box", and "Germany box", and transmits the same to the information
transmission unit 5017 (S7512).
[0429] The information transmission unit 5017 retrieves the values
of the state candidates and the box names retrieved by the process
unit in S7512, and transmits the same to the information receipt
unit 5019 of the program transmitter 5001. In this embodiment,
following information is transmitted: "America box.cndot.OFF",
"France box.cndot.OFF", "England box.cndot.OFF", and "Germany
box.cndot.ON". Thus, the data exhibiting "the answer is Germany" is
transmitted, and the program transmitter 5001 specifies the users
with the correct answer, or counts the number of such users.
[0430] As has been stated, the process unit interprets the IS
structure specification data from the program transmitter 5001, and
generates the interactive screen by synthesizing the same with the
basic display elements stored in the display object storage unit
5013. Thus, the interactive screen can be changed by synthesizing
the interactive screen data with the actions stored in the basic
action storage unit 5018, and the resulting interactive screen data
can be transmitted to the program transmitter 5001.
Ninth Embodiment
[0431] FIG. 76 is view depicting the structure of a program
receiver and a program transmitter in accordance with the ninth
embodiment.
[0432] A program transmitter 7601 includes a program transmission
unit 7610 for transmitting the IS structure specification data by
multiplexing the same.
[0433] A program receiver 7602 includes a signal receipt unit 5011,
a signal separation unit 5012, a display object storage unit 5013,
a display unit 5015, a RM signal receipt unit 5016, a basic action
object storage unit 5018, an IS structure specification data
storage unit 7611, a screen synthesis unit 7612, a print unit 7613,
and an IS generation unit 7614. Like components are labeled with
like reference numerals with respect to the eighth embodiment, and
the description of these components is not repeated.
[0434] The IS structure specification data storage unit 7611 stores
first IS structure specification data excluding a synthesis
direction generated by the signal separation unit 5012.
[0435] The screen synthesis unit 7612 includes a counter that
attaches a n'th number to a synthesis process unit, synthesis
storage unit, and a synthesis command. The synthesis process unit
receives second IS structure specification data including the
synthesis direction from the IS generation unit 7614, and stores
the same in the synthesis storage unit. Also, the screen synthesis
unit 7612 retrieves the first IS structure specification data from
the IS structure specification data storage unit 7611; the first IS
structure specification data correspond to the data subject to
synthesis included in the second IS structure specification data.
The screen synthesis unit 7612 synthesizes the first and second IS
structure specification data, and transmits the resulting
synthesized IS structure specification data to the IS generation
unit 7614. When there exist no first IS structure specification
data, the second IS structure specification data are transmitted to
the IS generation unit 7614 as the synthesized IS structure
specification data.
[0436] Assume that the IS structure specification data unit 7611
stores the first IS structure specification data as was explained
in the eighth embodiment using FIGS. 54 through 60 and the screen
synthesis unit 7612 receives the first IS structure specification
data shown in FIGS. 77 through 88. Then, the synthesis process unit
has the synthesis storage unit store the second IS structure
specification data: the synthesis process unit retrieves the
synthesis command per unit sandwiched between
"<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>" and "</SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>",
while resetting the counter to zero. When there exists no synthesis
command, the generation of the IS structure specification data is
terminated. The synthesis process unit further checks whether the
retrieved synthesis command is "add command" or "display
command".
[0437] In case of the "add command", the synthesis process unit
checks whether the subjected information is the object information,
action information, shape information or display candidate
information using the information sandwiched by
"<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>ADD" and
"</SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>".
[0438] The synthesis process unit retrieves the object information
shown in FIG. 77 from the synthesis storage unit. The object data
includes an object identifier "quiz1", and its attribute value
"timeout=60 sec". The synthesis process unit retrieves the object
information (panel information in FIG. 55) corresponding to the
object identifier in the IS structure specification data storage
unit 7611, and synthesizes the same with the attribute value
"timeout=60 sec" in the "add command" in the second IS structure
specification data, generating new panel information as shown in
FIG. 81. Accordingly, the synthesis process unit transmits the new
panel information to the IS generation unit 7614, and increments
the counter by one.
[0439] Then, the synthesis process unit retrieves the synthesis
command. The retrieved action information comprises, as shown in
FIG. 78, the action identifier "America box action", event "help",
execution command "open panel" for the event, and the argument of
the execution command "help panel". The synthesis process unit
retrieves the action information ("America box action" in FIG. 58)
corresponding to the "American box action" specified by the action
identifier from the IS structure specification data storage unit
7611. Since there exists no event "help" for the attribute value of
the "America box action", the synthesis process unit synthesizes
the event, execution command and argument, generating the new
action information "America box action" as shown in FIG. 82.
Accordingly, the synthesis process unit transmits the same to the
IS generation unit 7614 and increments the counter by one.
[0440] Assume that the IS structure specification data storage unit
7611 stores the "America box action", and there exists the
definition of the event "help". Then, the synthesis process unit
generates the synthesized information by adding "<COMMAND>"
"open panel" and "<ARGUMENT"> "help panel" to
"<COMMAND> "display guidance" of the first IS structure
specification data, and the resulting IS specification structure
data are shown in FIG. 84.
[0441] The synthesis process unit retrieves the synthesis command
from the shape information shown in FIG. 79. The shape information
includes a shape identifier "button shape", a selection of the
shape information identified by the shape identifier "selection
state=ON", and a figure in compliance with the condition "button
shape 3". The synthesis process unit retrieves the shape
information ("button shape" in FIG. 60) corresponding to the
"button shape" specified by the shape identifier from the IS
structure specification data storage unit 7611, and checks whether
there exists the condition "selection state=ON" in the condition of
the button shape. Since there is no condition "selection state",
the synthesis process unit adds the condition to the "button
shape", generating the synthesized data as shown in FIG. 85.
Accordingly, the synthesis process unit transmits the synthesized
data to the IS generation unit 7614, and increments the counter by
one.
[0442] The synthesis process unit retrieves the display candidate
information shown in FIG. 80 from the synthesis storage unit. The
display candidate information includes a display identifier "ON_OFF
candidate", and more than one display candidate value "null". The
synthesis process unit retrieves the display candidate information
(FIG. 59) from the IS structure specification data storage unit
7611, and since there exists "ON_OFF candidate" corresponding to
the display identifier, it adds the display candidate value "null",
generating the synthesized data as shown in FIG. 86. Accordingly,
the synthesis process unit transmits the synthesized display
candidate information to the IS generation unit 7614, and
increments the counter by one.
[0443] The synthesis process unit transmits the panel identifier
and position information to the IS generation unit 7614 in case of
the display command.
[0444] If the add command retrieved by the synthesize process unit
is neither allowed to be processed nor the display command, then,
the synthesis process unit transmits an error message to the IS
generation unit 7614.
[0445] The synthesis process unit retrieves the display candidate
information shown in FIG. 80 from the synthesis storage unit. The
display candidate information comprise a display identifier "ON_OFF
candidate" and more than one display candidate value "null". The
synthesis process unit retrieves the display candidate information
(FIG. 59) from the IS structure specification data storage unit
7611, and since there exists "ON_OFF candidate" corresponding to
the display identifier, the synthesis process unit adds the display
candidate value "null" to the retrieved display candidate
information, generating new display candidate information as shown
in FIG. 86. Accordingly, the synthesis process unit transmits the
same to the IS generation unit, and increments the counter by
one.
[0446] The synthesis process unit, in case of the display command,
transmits the panel identifier and position information to the IS
generation unit 7614. When the add command retrieved by the
synthesis process unit is neither allowed to be processed nor the
display command, then the synthesis process unit transmits an error
message to the IS generation unit 7614.
[0447] The print unit 7613 receives a print direction from the IS
generation unit 7614, and prints out the interactive screen
currently displayed on the display unit 5015.
[0448] The IS generation unit 7614 includes a third receipt unit
for receiving the data from the screen synthesis unit 7612 in
addition to the structure of the IS generation unit 5014 of the
eighth embodiment.
[0449] The process unit is designed to function as follows in
addition to the function of the process unit of the eighth
embodiment. The first receipt unit checks whether the IS structure
specification data from the signal separation unit 5012 includes
the synthesis information or not. When the synthesize information
is excluded, the process unit has both the IS structure
specification data storage unit 7611 and storage unit store the IS
structure specification data as the first IS structure
specification data; otherwise, it transmits the same to the screen
synthesis unit 7612 as the second IS structure specification data.
Upon receipt of the error message from the third receipt unit, the
process unit directs the display control unit to display "error
message" indicating inadequate synthesis command.
[0450] Also, the process unit receives the event signal from the RM
signal receipt unit 5016 by way of the second receipt unit, then it
transmits a print direction to the print unit 7613 when the basic
action object storage unit 5018 does not store the basic action
corresponding to the command name.
[0451] The third receipt unit receives the synthesized IS structure
specification data from the screen synthesis unit 7612, and
rewrites the IS structure specification data in the storage unit.
The third receipt unit also notifies the error to the process unit
upon receipt of the error message from the screen synthesis unit
7612.
[0452] Next, an example of the first IS structure specification
data from the signal separation unit 5012 will be explained using
FIGS. 87 through 92.
[0453] FIG. 87 defines the attribute of the class shown in FIG. 54
in the eighth embodiment. Here, "<!ELEMENT TEXT
(CHARACTER_STRING)>" defines that the object belonging to the
"text" class has the attribute "character string".
[0454] FIG. 88 defines the attribute of the objects belonging to
the panel class composing the interactive screen, and the objects
of the panel. Here, "user panel 1" includes "address 1", "telephone
no. 1", "hot spring 1", and "print button", and the "shape
attribute" is "panel shape".
[0455] FIG. 89 defines the objects belonging to the text class. For
example, the object of "address 1" displays the character string
"Shirahama-cho, Wakayama Pref.", and the object of the "telephone
no. 1" displays the character string "059352-1-201"; the object of
the "hot spring 1" displays the character string "Shirahama Hot
Spring".
[0456] FIG. 90 defines the objects belonging to the button class.
The "print button" object displays the character string "print",
its shape is defined as the "button shape", the action is defined
as the "print button action", and the focus state at the
initialization is "ON".
[0457] FIG. 91 shows the information that defines the action of the
objects belonging to the button class. "Print button action"
defines that the "print" command is executed when the
"determination" event is transmitted. In executing the "print", the
arguments "address 1", "telephone no. 1", and "hot spring 1" are
supplied. If the subjected object is the "print button", then the
"address 1", "telephone no. 1", "hot spring 1" are printed out when
the "determination" event is transmitted.
[0458] FIG. 92 defines the shape information: the information
sandwiched by "<SHAPE>" and "</SHAPE>" are the
definition of the shape information, and the shape information
varies depending on the definition of "<CONDITION>". More
precisely, the "panel shape" always appears as the "panel shape 1",
and the "button shape" appears as the "button shape 1" given the
condition "focus state=OFF", while appearing as the "button shape
2" given the condition "focus state=ON".
[0459] As has been stated, by receiving the first IS structure
specification data, the display unit 5015 displays the interactive
screen as shown in FIG. 93 on the window 6402.
[0460] Further, the signal receipt unit 5011 receives the multiplex
signal of the first IS structure specification data (FIGS. 95
through 99) including the second IS structure specification data
(FIG. 94).
[0461] FIG. 94 shows the synthesis direction information. The
synthesis direction includes a plurality of synthesis commands, and
the synthesis command includes an add command and a display
command.
[0462] The information sandwiched by "<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>"
and "</SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>" are the synthesis direction.
"<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>DISPLAY" means to synthesize the objects
sandwiched by "<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>DISPLAY" and
"</SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>", and places the synthesized objects.
Since two objects are sandwiched between "<v>" and
"</v>", the two panel objects "user panel 1" and "user panel
2" are placed vertically.
[0463] "<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>ADD" includes the information to
be synthesized and the parameter indicating the synthesizing
information, and it is the command to add the information
sandwiched between the "<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>ADD" AND
"<SYNTHESIS COMMAND>" to the first IS structure specification
data. This means to add the parameters
"<EVENT>DOWN<COMMAND>SHIFT_FOCUS>ARGUMENT>PRINT_BUTTON
2 " to the "print button action" specified by
"<ACTION>PRINT_BUTTON- _ACTION" in the action information
(FIG. 91) of the first IS structure specification data. By
"<SYNTHESIS_COMMAND>", the action information shown in FIG.
100 is generated.
[0464] FIG. 95 defines the objects belonging to the panel
class.
[0465] FIG. 96 defines the objects belonging to the text class.
[0466] FIG. 97 defines the objects belonging to the button
class.
[0467] FIG. 98 is the data defining the action of the objects
belonging to the button class.
[0468] FIG. 99 defines the shape information.
[0469] The synthesized IS structure specification data are
generated by the screen synthesis unit 7612 and the display unit
5015 displays the interactive screen as shown in FIG. 101 on the
window 6402.
[0470] When the user pushes the "down" button 6505 on the remote
controller 6501, the interactive screen as shown in FIG. 102
appears on the window 6402.
[0471] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 103 through
105.
[0472] FIG. 103 is the main flow of the program receiver 7602.
[0473] The signal receipt unit 5011 receives the signal (S10302),
and the signal separation unit 5012 checks whether the received
signal is a multiplex signal or not (S10304). In case of the
multiplex signal, the signal separation unit 5012 separates the
signal into the information supply program signal and the IS
structure specification data signal (S10306); otherwise, it
transmits the signal to the display unit 5015 (S10308). Further,
the signal separation unit 5012 checks whether the signal is the
information supply program signal or not (S10310), and in case of
the information supply program signal, it transmits the same to the
display 5015 (S10308).
[0474] When the received signal is not the information supply
program in S10310, the signal separation unit 5012 checks whether
there exist the IS structure specification data (S10312). If there
is no IS structure specification data, it proceeds to S10308 to
generate the screen for the information supply program at the
display unit 5015 (S10309); otherwise, it transmits the signal to
the IS generation unit 7614, which checks whether the IS structure
specification data include the synthesis direction or not (S10314).
If the synthesis direction is included, the IS generation unit 7614
transmits the IS structure specification data including the
synthesis direction to the screen synthesis unit 7612 as the second
IS structure specification data (S103016). Otherwise, it has the IS
structure specification data storage unit 7611 and the storage unit
in the IS generation unit 7614 store the IS structure specification
data excluding the synthesis direction as' the first IS structure
specification data (S10318). The screen synthesis unit 7612
synthesizes the second IS structure specification data and the
first IS structure specification data in the IS structure
specification data storage unit 7611 as per synthesis direction,
generating new IS structure specification data (S10320).
[0475] The screen synthesis unit 7612 transmits the synthesized IS
structure specification data to the IS generation unit 7614
(S10322).
[0476] The IS generation unit 7614 interprets the IS structure
specification data, and synthesizes the same with the basic display
elements in the display objects storage unit 5013 to generate the
interactive screen (S10324).
[0477] The display unit 5015 displays the information supply
program generated in S10309, and displays the interactive screen
generated by the IS generation unit 7614 while the interactive
screen is being generated in S10324 (S10326).
[0478] Further, the process unit checks whether the signal receipt
should be stopped or not (S10328). If it should be stopped, the
process unit ends the operation; otherwise, it returns to
S10302.
[0479] Next, S10320 will be explained more in detail while
referring to the flowchart in FIG. 104.
[0480] The screen synthesis unit 7612 retrieves the synthesis
direction in the second IS structure specification data from the
interactive screen generation unit 7614, and resets the counter to
zero (n=0) (S10402), and checks whether there exists the n'th
command or not (S10404). If there exists the n'th command, the
screen synthesis unit 7612 retrieves the n'th synthesis command in
the synthesis direction (S10406); otherwise, it ends the
operation.
[0481] Having retrieved the synthesis command, the screen synthesis
unit 7612 checks whether the synthesis command is the addition
command or not (S10408). In case of the addition command, the
screen synthesis, unit 7612 further checks whether the object
information is subject to synthesis or not (S10410). If the
synthesis command is not the addition command, the screen synthesis
unit 7612 proceeds to S10412; otherwise, it synthesizes the object
information while adding one to n (S10414), and returns to S10404.
If the object information is not subject to synthesis, the screen
synthesis unit 7612 checks whether the action information is
subject to synthesis or not (S10416). If so, the screen synthesis
unit 7612 synthesizes the action information while adding one to n
(S10418) and returns to S10404. If the action information is not
subject to synthesis, the screen synthesis unit 7612 checks whether
125 the shape information is subject to synthesis or not (S10420).
If so, the screen synthesis unit 7612 synthesizes the shape
information while adding one to n (S10422), and returns to S10404;
otherwise, it further checks whether the display candidate
information is subject to synthesis or not (S10424). If so, the
screen synthesis unit 7612 synthesizes the display candidate
information while adding one to n (S10426), and returns to S10424;
otherwise, it checks whether the synthesis command is the display
command or not (S10412). In case of the display command, the screen
synthesis unit 7612 notifies the panel identifier and position
information in the synthesis command to the IS generation, unit
7614 while adding one to n (S10428), and returns to S10404.
Otherwise, it displays "error message" indicating an inadequate
synthesis command on the display unit 5015 and ends the
operation.
[0482] Next, how the user manipulates the interactive screen in
S10326 will be explained while referring to the flowchart in FIG.
105.
[0483] Two hot springs "Shirahama Hot Spring" and "Arima Hot
Spring" are introduced in the program as shown in FIG. 101. Now,
the object (focused "ON" object) accepting the signal from the
remote controller 6501 is the "print button" object placed on the
panel introducing "Shirahama Hot Spring", and the user pushes the
down button 6505 on the remote controller 6501 if he wants the
information be printed. Then, the "down" event signal is
transmitted to the program receiver 7602 from the remote controller
6501.
[0484] The RM signal receipt unit 5016 waits for the RM signal from
the remote controller 6501 (S10502), and receives the "down" event
signal, transmitting the same to the IS generation unit 7614
(S10504).
[0485] The IS generation unit 7614 receives the "down" event
signal, and accordingly retrieves the object with the "focus
state=ON" from the storage unit, and recognizes that the "print
button" is the object subject to manipulation, and thus retrieving
the button information "<BUTTON CHARACTER_STRING=PRINT . . .
ACTION=PRINT_BUTTON_ACTION . . . >PRINT_BUTTON" defined as FIG.
90 (S10506). Then, the IS generation unit 7614 obtains the action
name of the retrieved button (action information), "print button
action (FIG. 91)(S10508). The IS generation unit 7614 retrieves
"<EVENT>DOWN <COMMAND>SHIFT_FOCUS
<ARGUMENT>PRINT_BUTTON2" from the "down" event signal and the
information defined by "print button action" (FIG. 100)
(S10510).
[0486] The IS generation unit 7614 interprets the action composed
of the commands and arguments, and retrieves the basic action from
the basic action object storage unit 5018 (S10512, S10514),
effecting the basic action. Thus, the focus is shifted to the
"print button 2", and the interactive screen as shown in FIG. 102
appears (S10516), and the IS generation unit 7614 returns to
S10502.
[0487] The user pushes the "determination" button 6508 on the
remote controller 6501 to print out the information as to "Arima
Hot Spring". Accordingly, the "determination" event signal is
transmitted to the program receiver 7602 from the remote controller
6501 (S10502). The RM signal receipt unit 5016 receives the
"determination" event signal, and transmits the same to the IS
generation unit 7614 (S10504). Upon receipt of the "determination"
event signal, the IS generation unit 7614 extracts the object with
the "focus state ON" from the storage unit, and recognizes that the
"print button 2" is the object subject to manipulation, and thus
retrieving the button information "<BUTTON
CHARACTER_STRING=PRINT . . . ACTION=PRINT_BUTTON2 . . .
>PRINT_BUTTON 2" defined as FIG. 97 (S10506).
[0488] The IS generation unit 7614 retrieves the action information
"print button action 2" from the storage unit using the action name
"print button action 2" in the retrieved button information
(S10508).
[0489] The IS generation unit 7614 retrieves
"<EVENT>DETERMINATION&l-
t;COMMAND>PRINT<ARGUMENT>ADDRESS
2<ARGUMENT>TELEPHONE NO. 2<ARGUMENT>HOT_SPRING 2" (FIG.
98) from the "determination" event signal (S10510).
[0490] The IS generation unit 7614 retrieves the basic action
corresponding to the command name "print" from the basic action
object storage unit 5018 (S10512). If there exists no such basic
action (S10514), the IS generation unit 7614 checks whether the
action is the "print" or not (S10518). If the action is not the
"print", the IS generation unit 7614 returns to S10502; however,
since the action is the "print" herein, it proceeds to S10520.
[0491] The IS generation unit 7614 delivers "Arima-cho, Hyogo
Pref.", "07234-1-101", and "Arima Hot Spring", which are specified
by the "argument" of "address 2", "telephone no. 2", and "hot
spring 2", respectively, to the print unit 7613 (S10520).
[0492] The print unit 7613 prints out the received information
(S10522), and returns to S10502. This action is repeated until the
power 6502 of the remote controller 6501 is turned off.
[0493] As has been explained, a plurality of IS structure
specification data are synthesized as per synthesis command from
the program transmitter 7601, and by including the action
specification information in the IS structure specification data,
the user can manipulate the program receiver 7602 with the
interactive screen.
[0494] In this embodiment, the display object storage unit 5013
stores three kinds of basic figures: panel, box and button.
However, the display object storage unit may be a floppy disk or
CD-ROM, so that the display may be changed for individual
users.
[0495] Although the print unit 7613 is furnished, it may be
replaced with a magnetic memory.
[0496] The generation of the interactive screen for the TV was
explained in this embodiment. However, the interactive screen may
be generated on the LC display with a radio using the text
broadcast system by FM broadcast.
Tenth Embodiment
[0497] FIG. 106 is a view depicting the structure of a graphical
interactive screen (GIS) display unit and an appliance that
specifies the display of the graphical interactive screen unit in
accordance with the tenth embodiment of the present invention.
[0498] An appliance, or a VTR 10620, comprises a GIS structure data
transmission unit 10621, a user's GIS structure data storage unit
10622, a manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624, a
control unit 10625, and a manipulation unit 10627.
[0499] A GIS display unit 10610 comprises a GIS structure data
receipt unit 10611, a display's GIS structure data storage unit
10612, a graphical display element storage unit 10613, a
manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614, a GIS generation
unit 10615, and a graphical display unit 10616.
[0500] The GIS structure data transmission unit 10621 of the VTR
10620 and the GIS structure data receipt unit 10611 of the GIS
display unit 10610 are connected via a transmission path 10623.
Likewise, the manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624
and the manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614 are
connected via a transmission path 10628. The transmission paths
10623 and 10628 are, for example, cables, ultra red rays, and
connecter sockets.
[0501] The user's GIS structure data storage unit 10622 stores in
advance the GIS structure data related to the setting of tuner in
the VTR 10620, an example of which is shown in FIGS. 108 through
117. Note that one drawing is developed in FIGS. 109 through 112.
The GIS structure data are written using the grammar of SGML
(Standard Generalized Markup Language) arranged by the object
oriented technology. The SGML is an international standard language
for electronic books or documents stipulated by the ISO
(International Standardization Organization). More detailed
explanation of the SGML is given in "Introduction to SGML", Aski
Shuppan.
[0502] Each display element is displayed as an object, and they are
divided into a set of hierarchy groups. Entity class is the
high-order class, and the first hierarchy includes the panel",
"button", and "box" classes while the second hierarchy includes the
"set box" class.
[0503] FIG. 108 defines each class. In the "panel" class 10801, a
parent class, the action, shape and focus state are defined. The
attribute value of the parent class is the entity class; for there
exists the entity class in the high-order hierarchy as shown in
FIG. 107. The attribute value of the action is the "panel action".
Thus, when the panel is the subject to manipulation, the "panel
action" is executed when the "event" signal is transmitted. The
action attribute is defined in FIGS. 109 through 112. The attribute
value of the shape is "panel shape". The shape attribute is defined
in FIG. 113. The attribute value of the focus state is "ON", which
means it is the object subject to manipulation when the "event"
signal is transmitted.
[0504] In the "button" class 10802, the attribute of the parent
class; action, shape, character string, focus state and set box is
defined. The initial attribute value of the "character string"
shown in FIG. 114 defines each "button". The attribute value of the
"set box" defines the box forming a pair with the "button", and the
value in the "button" class 10802 is empty.
[0505] The "box" 10803 defines the attribute of the parent class
and shape.
[0506] The "set box" class 10804 defines the attribute of the
parent class, display candidate, action and the set value. The
attribute value of the "display candidate" is the "channel
candidate". The candidate value to be set as the "channel
candidate" is shown in FIG. 115, and the attribute value of the
"set value" is shown in FIG. 116.
[0507] The value "1" is defined as the "set value" for the "set 1
box", while the value "2" is defined as the "set value" for the
"set 2 box". Similarly, the value "BS11" is defined for the "set 15
box".
[0508] FIG. 117 shows the definitions of the object belonging to
the panel class forming the graphical interactive screen.
[0509] "<PANEL ACTION=PANEL_ACTION
SHAPE=PANEL_SHAPE>TUNER_SET_PANEL- " defines the "tuner set
panel" object shown in FIG. 113 as follows: it belongs to the panel
class, and the attribute value of the "action" is the panel action
shown in FIG. 109, and the attribute value of the "shape" is the
panel shape shown in FIG. 113. Note that the action and shape have
been defined as the attribute of the panel class as shown in FIG.
108, it may be "<PANEL>TUNER_SET_PANEL" instead. Here, the
objects in the panel sandwiched by "<PANEL . . . >" and
"</PANEL>" are defined.
[0510] Also, "<v>", "</v>", "<h>", "</h>"
define the position of the objects. The objects sandwiched by
"<v>" and "</v>" are placed vertically, while the
objects sandwiched by "<h>" and "</h>" are placed
horizontally. That is to say, the "set 1 button" defined in FIG.
114 and the "set 1 box" defined in FIG. 116 are placed horizontally
as a pair. Similarly, a pair of the "set 15 button" and "set 15
box", . . . and a pair of the "set 2 button" and the "set 2 box"
are placed horizontally. These pairs are placed vertically and in
the end, the "end button" is placed.
[0511] The manipulation unit 10627 of the VTR 10620 includes a
"tuner set" button, a "down" button, a "right" button, and a
"determination" button, etc.
[0512] When the user pushes the "tuner set" button, the
manipulation unit 10627 transmits a "tuner set" signal to the
control unit 10625. Similarly, when the user pushes the "down"
button and "determination" button, the manipulation unit 10627
transmits a "down" signal and a "determination signal",
respectively.
[0513] The control unit 10625 receives the "tuner set" signal from
the manipulation unit 10627, and initiates the control of the tuner
setting, while sending a direction to the GIS structure data
transmission unit 10621 to transmit the GIS structure data to the
GIS display unit 10610, transmitting a "tuner set" event signal to
the manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624. Upon
receipt of the "down" signal from the manipulation unit 10627, the
control unit 10625 initiates the tuner set action related to the
pushing of the down button (changes "set n button" to "set (n+1)
button", where n=1 through 14), while transmitting the "down" event
signal to the manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624.
Upon receipt of the "right" signal from the manipulation unit
10627, the control unit 10625 changes to the tuner set action
related to the pushing of the right button (changes "channel n" to
"channel (n+1)", where n=1 through 11, and channel 12 is changed to
channel BS5, BS5 is changed to BS7, and BS7 is to BS11), while
setting the "right" event signal to the manipulation direction data
transmission unit 10624.
[0514] Upon receipt of the "determination" signal form the
manipulation unit 10627, the control unit 10625 ends the tuner set
action, and transmits the "determination" event signal to the
manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624.
[0515] The GIS structure data transmission unit 10621 receives the
transmission direction from the control unit 10625, and retrieves
the GIS structure data (FIGS. 108 through 117) from the user's GIS
structure data storage unit 10622 to transmit the same to the GIS
structure data receipt unit 10611 of the GIS display unit 10610 via
the transmission path 10623.
[0516] The manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624
receives the "tuner set" event signal from the control unit 10625,
and in response transmits the same to the manipulation direction
data receipt unit 10614 of the GIS display unit 101610 via the
transmission path 10628. Upon receipt of the "down" event signal
from the control unit 10625, the manipulation direction data
transmission unit 10624 transmits the same to the manipulation
direction data receipt unit 10614 via the transmission path 10268.
Likewise, upon receipt of the "right" event signal and the
"determination" signal from the control unit 10625, the
manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624 transmits the
same to the manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614 via the
transmission path 10628.
[0517] The GIS structure data receipt unit 10611 of the GIS display
unit 10610 receives the GIS structure data from the GIS structure
data transmission unit 10621, and in response has the display's GIS
structure data storage unit 10612 store the same.
[0518] The display's GIS structure data storage unit 10612
comprises such as RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores the GIS
structure data (FIGS. 108 through 117).
[0519] The manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614 receives
the manipulation direction data--"tuner set" event, "down" event,
"right" event, "determination", event signals from the manipulation
direction data transmission unit 10624, and in response transmits
the same to the GIS generation unit 10615.
[0520] The graphical display element storage unit 10613 stores the
file name of each shape of the graphical display elements (panel,
button, and box) and their respective bit map data.
[0521] The GIS generation unit 10615 includes a buffer to
temporarily store the event signal from the manipulation direction
data receipt unit 10614. The GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves
the "tuner set" event signal from the buffer and finds out the
"focus-on" object in the display's GIS structure data storage unit
10612 using the definition in FIG. 108. Here, the "panel" class is
the "focus-on" object, and thus the GIS generation unit 10615
extracts the attribute of the "panel", finds out the action of the
panel, or the "panel action", using the definitions shown in FIGS.
109 through 112, and further finding the "panel display" (FIG.
109), the "command" for the "tuner set" event. To execute the
"command", the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the: "tuner set
panel" whose action's (FIG. 117) attribute value is the "panel
action". The GIS generation unit 10615 finds the attribute value of
the "shape" of the "tuner set panel", or the "panel shape A", using
the definition of the "shape" attribute in FIG. 113, and retrieves
the bit map data (11801 in FIG. 118) corresponding to the file name
"panel shape A" from the graphical display element storage unit
10613.
[0522] Next, the GIS generation unit 10165 extracts the "set 1,
button" "set 1 box", "set 2 button", "set 2 box", . . . , "end
button" to be placed on the panel: it retrieves the definitions of
the "set 1 button" through "set 15 button" and "end button" in FIG.
114 and the definitions for the "set 1 box" through "set 15 box" in
FIG. 116 from the display's GIS structure data storage unit 10162.
Thus, the shape of the "set 1 button" is the "button shape B" given
"focus state=ON", and the shape of the "set button 2" through the
"end button" are the "button shape A" (FIG. 113); for they are not
defined by the attribute value of the "focus state", and its
default is "focus state=OFF (the definition of the "button" in FIG.
108 is inherited). Likewise, the shape of the "set 1 box" through
the "set 15 box" is the "box shape 1" (FIG. 113).
[0523] The "set 1 button" object is generated by synthesizing the
bit map data (11803 in FIG. 118) for the file name "button shape B"
in the graphical display element storage unit 10613, and the set
value "1" of the attribute value of the character string shown in
FIG. 114. The "set 1 box" is generated by synthesizing the bit map
data (11804 in FIG. 118) for the "button shape A" and the set value
"2". The "set 2 box" through "end button" are generated in the same
manner, and in the end, the objects thus generated are placed as
specified in FIG. 117, and displayed on the graphical display unit
10616 as shown in FIG. 119.
[0524] The GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the "down" event
signal form the buffer, and finds out the object with the "focus
state=ON" in the display's GIS structure data storage unit 10612.
Assume that the graphical interactive screen as shown in FIG. 119
is being displayed on the graphical display unit 10616, then the
subjected object is the "set 1 button" (FIG. 114). As per the
definition of the "set 1 button action" in FIG. 119, it is found
that the command for the "down" event is "focus OFF", and the
message is "focus ON", and the transmission destination is the "set
2 button". Accordingly, the GIS generation unit 10615 rewrites the
set value of the "set 2 button" to "focus state OFF", generating
the internal event of the "focus state=ON" for the "set 2 button".
Then, the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the internal event
queue to additionally store the set value of the "set 2 button"
(FIG. 114) to the "focus state=ON". Note that since there is no
action definition for the "focus-on" object, which is the action
attribute defined by the "set 2 button", the "set 2 button" is set
as the "focus state=ON" using the definition of the "button" class
to which the "set 2 button" belongs. Accordingly, the graphical
display unit 10616 displays the graphical interactive screen shown
as FIG. 120.
[0525] When the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the "right"
event signal from the buffer, it finds out the object with the
"focus state ON" in the display's GIS structure data.
[0526] When the graphical display unit 10616 displays the graphical
interactive screen as shown in FIG. 120, the "set 2 button" is
"focus state=ON", hence becoming the subject of the manipulation.
However, the "right" event is not defined by the definition of the
"set 2 button action" (FIG. 109), thus the definition of the button
action of the "button" class (FIG. 109) to which the "set 2 button"
belongs is applied. The message for the "right" event is the
"switch candidate in plus direction" and the transmission
destination is "$set box". Here, the "$" mark in the transmission
destination means the description following the mark, "set box", is
the attribute name, and the subjected object is replaced with the
"set box" represented by this attribute name. It is found that the
attribute value of the "set box" is the "set 2 box" from the
definition of the "set 2 button" in FIG. 114, and thus the internal
event "switch candidate in plus direction" represented by the
"message" occurs for the "set 2 box". Having retrieved the
definition of the set box in FIG. 116, it is found that the command
for the "switch candidate in plus direction" event is the "switch
candidate", and the "argument" is "+". Because the definition of
the "set box" (10804 in FIG. 10804) is defined as the "display
candidate=channel candidate", the candidate value for the channel
candidate in FIG. 115 is applied. Having switched the candidate
with the "argument +", the candidate value of the current "set 2
box" exhibits "2" is switched to the next candidate value at the
plus side exhibiting "3". Accordingly, the set value (FIG. 114) of
the "set 2 box" in the display's GIS storage unit 10612 is
rewritten from "2" to "3", and the graphical display unit 10616
displays the graphical interactive screen as shown in FIG. 121.
[0527] When the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the
"determination" event from the buffer, it retrieves the "end button
action" (FIG. 112) from the display's GIS structure data storage
unit 10612 when the "end" button of the graphical interactive
screen on the graphical display unit 10616 exhibits the "focus
state ON" as shown in FIG. 122. Since the "message" for the
"determination" event is delete, the transmission destination is
the "tuner set panel", and the GIS generation unit 10615 generates
the internal event "delete", and retrieves the panel action as
shown in FIG. 109. Further, the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves
the "delete" event from the internal event queue, and executes the
corresponding command, "delete panel". Accordingly, the display of
the graphical interactive screen on the graphical display unit
10616 ends.
[0528] The graphical display unit 10616 is, for example, an LC
panel or CRT, and displays the graphical interactive screen under
the control of the GIS generation unit 10615, and examples of the
interactive screens are shown in FIG. 119 through 122.
[0529] The operation related to this embodiment will be explained
while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 123 and 124.
[0530] The GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the event queue from
the buffer sent from the manipulation unit 10625 (S12302), and in
case of the event signal (S12304), it finds the "focuspn" object by
retrieving the GIS structure data from the display's GIS structure
data storage unit 10612 (S12306). In finding the "focus-on" object
(S12308), the GIS generation unit 10615 finds the action definition
from the object's action attribute (S12310); otherwise (Sl2308), it
returns to S12302. Further, the GIS generation unit 10615 finds out
the definition for the corresponding event process in the action
definition (S12312). In finding the definition (S12314), it carries
out the event process (S12318) and returns to S12402; otherwise
(S12314), it retrieves the attribute value of the class to which
the object belongs (S12316), and returns to S12310. If there is no
definition for the class's attribute value, the GIS generation unit
10615 finds out the parent class reflectively, and returns to
S12310. Note that the class attribute in the general object
oriented technology is inherited during this process.
[0531] The GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves the internal event
queue (S10402), and if there exists the internal event (S12404), it
retrieves the object of the transmission destination of the event
(S12406). When: there exists no internal event, it returns to
S12302 (S12404). When the object of the transmission destination is
specified (S12408), it finds the action definition of the object
(S12410), and further finds the process definition to the event in
the action definition (S12412). If there exists no process
definition, it returns to S12402; otherwise, it carries out the
event (S12416), and returns to S12402 (S12414).
[0532] When the object of the transmission destination is not
specified in S12408, then the GIS generation unit 10615 finds out
the "focus-on" object (S12418). If there exists no "focus-on"
object, it returns to S12402 (S12420); otherwise, it finds the
action definition from the action attribute in the object (S12422),
further finding the process definition for the event in the action
definition (S12424). When finding the process definition (S12426),
the CIS generation unit 10615 carries out the event process
(Sl2430), and returns to S12402; otherwise, it retrieves the
attribute value of the class to which the object belongs (Sl2428),
and returns to S12422. If there exists no definition for the
class's attribute vale, then it finds the parent class reflectively
to return to S12422.
[0533] Although the manipulation unit 10627 is incorporated in the
VTR 10502, a RM manipulation receipt unit may be additionally
furnished with the VTR 10620, and the manipulation unit 10627 may
be a remote controller. In this case, the transmission form the
remote controller is received by the RM manipulation receipt unit,
which transmits the same to the control unit 10625.
Eleventh Embodiment
[0534] FIG. 125 is a view depicting a graphical interactive screen
(GIS) display unit and an appliance that directs the interactive
screen display in accordance with the eleventh embodiment.
Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like reference
numerals with respect to the tenth embodiment, and the description
of these components is not repeated.
[0535] The selection manipulation for speech, video menu, and
speech menu with a VTR 12501 will be explained as an example.
[0536] A user's GIS structure data storage unit 12502 stores in
advance the class definition shown in FIG. 108 and shape definition
in FIG. 109, which are explained in the tenth embodiment, and the
IS structure data shown in FIG. 126 through 129. Note that one
drawing is developed in FIGS. 126 through 129.
[0537] FIG. 126 defines that the attribute value of the action of
the "adjustment panel", which is the object belonging to the panel
class forming the graphical interactive screen, is the adjustment
panel action (FIG. 128). Above the adjust panel, there exist
"speech switch button" and "speech switch box" horizontally
followed by "video menu button" and "video menu box", and the
"sound menu button" and "sound menu box", and the "end button" at
the end.
[0538] FIG. 127 defines the objects belonging to the button and box
classes.
[0539] FIG. 128 shows the action definition of the adjustment panel
or the like.
[0540] FIG. 129 defines the candidate values of the "speech switch
box" in the "set box class", "video menu box", "switch display"
attribute in the "speech menu box".
[0541] The control unit 12503 receives the "video speech selection"
signal from the control unit 10627, and in response initiates the
control of the video speech selection action, while sending a
direction to the GIS structure data transmission unit 10621 to
transmit the GIS structure data to the GIS display unit 12504.
[0542] The control unit 12503 examines the current content of the
appliance action control, and transmits the GIS structure data
shown in FIG. 130 as subsidiary data to the manipulation direction
data transmission unit 10624 together with a "parameter adjustment
event" signal.
[0543] The subsidiary data in FIG. 130 exhibits that the program is
a bilingual broadcast. Thus, the subsidiary data become "display
candidate=stereo" when the program is transmitted in stereo
broadcast, while "display candidate=monaural" when the program is
transmitted in monaural broadcast.
[0544] This corresponds to the "display candidate=` `" in the
definition of the "speech switch box" in the GIS structure data in
FIG. 127, and since the attribute value is empty here, the
attribute value of the display candidate is specified by the
subsidiary data.
[0545] The manipulation direction data transmission unit 10624
receives the "parameter adjustment event" signal and subsidiary
data from the control unit 12503, and in response transmits the
same to the manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614 of the
GIS display unit 12504 via the transmission path 10628.
[0546] The GIS generation unit 12505 receives the "parameter
adjustment event" signal and subsidiary data from the manipulation
direction data receipt unit 10614, and in response has the buffer
store the same. When it retrieves the "parameter adjustment event"
signal from the buffer, it examines the GIS structure data (FIGS.
108, 109, 126 through 129) in the GIS structure data storage unit
10612, and finds the "focus state ON" object from the class
definition (FIG. 108), carrying out the "display panel" command
corresponding to the "parameter adjustment event" defined in FIG.
128. In executing the command, it retrieves the "bilingual" from
the buffer, which is displayed as the "switch box" as the display
candidate, and synthesizes the same with the bit map data of the
box shape in the graphical display element storage unit 10613,
generating the speech switch box. Accordingly, the graphical
display unit 10616 displays the interactive screen as shown in FIG.
131 as the "adjustment panel".
[0547] The operation related to this embodiment is identical with
that of the tenth embodiment except that the attribute value of the
display candidate is transmitted as the subsidiary data without
being stored in the display's GIS structure data storage unit
10612, and stored in the buffer in the GIS generation unit 12505.
Thus, the further explanation is omitted.
Twelfth Embodiment
[0548] FIG. 132 is a view depicting a graphical interactive screen
(GIS) display unit in accordance with the twelfth embodiment of the
present invention. Hereinafter, like components are labeled with
like reference numerals with respect to the tenth embodiment, and
the description of these components is not repeated.
[0549] A GIS display unit 13201 includes a TV manipulation unit
13202, a TV control unit 13203, and a TV GIS structure data storage
unit 13204 in addition to the structure of the GIS display unit
10610 in the tenth embodiment.
[0550] The TV manipulation unit 13202 accepts the channel
manipulation of the user, and transmits the same to the TV control
unit 13203.
[0551] The TV control unit 13203 receives the manipulation signal
from the TV manipulation unit 13203; and in response carries out
the action as a TV receiver while sending a direction to the GIS
generation unit 106 to generate the graphical interactive
screen.
[0552] The TV GIS structure data storage unit 13204 stores in
advance the GIS structure data as the TV receiver's functions. The
GIS structure data are almost identical with the objects shown in
FIG. 108 through 117 in the tenth embodiment, and the explanation
thereof is omitted.
[0553] The GIS generation unit 10615 receives the generation
direction from the TV control unit 13203, and in response retrieves
the data from the TV GIS structure data storage unit 13204, and
generates the interactive screen by synthesizing the graphical
display elements stored in the graphical display elements storage
unit 10613 as per the retrieved data. Accordingly the graphical
display unit 10616 displays the graphical interactive screen thus
generated.
[0554] When the GIS generation unit 10615 receives the manipulation
direction from the manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614,
it generates the graphical interactive screen by synthesizing the
graphical display elements in the graphical display element storage
unit 10613 as per the GIS structure data in the display's GIS
structure data storage unit 10612. Accordingly, the graphical
display unit 10616 displays the graphical interactive screen thus
generated.
[0555] In this embodiment, the graphical interactive screen display
function is explained as one of the TV receiver functions, and
since the operation related to this embodiment is almost identical
with that of the tenth embodiment, the further explanation is
omitted.
Thirteenth Embodiment
[0556] FIG. 133 is a view depicting the structure of a graphical
interactive screen (GIS) display direction unit in accordance with
the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. The GIS display
direction unit comprises a RM unit 13301 and a GIS display unit
l3201. The GIS display unit 13201 is identical with the GIS display
unit 13201 of the twelfth embodiment, and thus the explanation is
omitted. The RM unit 13301 corresponds to the appliance to direct
the display of the graphical interactive screen in the tenth
embodiment. The RM unit 13301 comprises a user's GIS structure data
storage unit 13302, a GIS structure data transmission unit 13303, a
manipulation unit 13304, a control unit 13305, and a manipulation
direction data transmission unit (RM transmission) unit 13306.
[0557] The user's GIS structure data storage unit 13302 stores in
advance the GIS structure data for specifying the type and kind of
the VTR to be controlled. The GIS structure data are identical with
the data shown in FIGS. 108 through 117 except that the candidate
values of the display candidate attribute, and the explanation
thereof is omitted.
[0558] The IS structure data transmission unit 13303 receives the
transmission direction from the control unit 13305, and in response
retrieves the GIS structure data from the user's GIS structure data
storage unit 281 to transmit the same to the GIS structure data
receipt unit 10611 via the transmission, path 10623.
[0559] The manipulation unit 13304 includes the control buttons for
the VTR besides the control buttons for TV receiver. When user
pushes one of the buttons, a signal assigned to that button is
transmitted to the control unit 13305.
[0560] The control unit 13305 initiates the RM set control action
for the VTR when one of the VTR control buttons is pushed, while
sending a transmission direction to the GIS structure data
transmission unit 13303, generating the event signal according to
the pushing of the button. The event signal thus generated is
transmitted to the RM signal transmission unit 13306 for further
transmission.
[0561] The RM transmission unit 13306 transmits the event signal
generated by the control unit 13305 to the manipulation direction
data receipt unit (RM receipt unit) 10614 via the transmission path
10628.
[0562] Since the operation related to this embodiment is almost
identical with that of the tenth embodiment, and a brief
explanation will be given. When the user pushes the button of the
manipulation unit 13304 on the RM unit 13301, then the RM unit
13301 originally furnished for controlling the TV receiver can also
control the VTR. FIG. 134 is an example of the graphical
interactive screen shown in the graphical display unit 10616 of the
GIS display unit 13201, which shows the VTR is made by the
Matsushita Electric Industrial Company in 1989. Thus, the user
pushes the down button of the manipulation unit 13304 twice, then
the "end button" exhibits "focus on". Further, the user pushes the
"determination button", then, "Matsushita" and "1989" are saved,
enabling the RM unit 13301 to control this VTR.
[0563] In this embodiment, The user's GIS structure data storage
unit 13302 of the RM unit 13301 stores the GIS structure data for
controlling the VTR. However, since it is always used with the TV
receiver (GIS display unit 13201) as shown in FIG. 135, the GIS
structure data storage unit 13501 may be additionally furnished in
the graphical screen display unit 13201 to store the GIS structure
data for controlling the VTR, and the user's GIS structure data
storage unit 13302, GIS structure data transmission unit 13303, GIS
structure data receipt unit 10611, and transmission path 10623 may
be deleted. In this case, the GIS generation unit 10615 retrieves
the GIS structure data for the VTR control from the GIS structure
data storage unit 13501 upon receipt of the event signal by the
manipulation direction data receipt unit 10614.
Fourteenth Embodiment
[0564] FIG. 136 is a view depicting a GIS display direction unit in
accordance with the fourteenth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0565] The GIS display direction unit comprises a GIS display unit
10610, a VTR 13601, and a RM unit 13602 for the VTR 13601.
[0566] The GIS display unit 10610 is identical with the one in the
tenth embodiment, and the explanation is omitted.
[0567] The VTR 13601 includes a RM receipt unit 13603, and a user's
GIS structure data receipt unit 13604 in addition to the structure
of the VTR 10620 of the tenth embodiment.
[0568] The RM unit 13602 is a remote controller of the VTR 13061,
and comprises a RM's GIS structure data storage unit 13605, a RM's
GIS structure data transmission unit 13606, a manipulation unit
13617, a control unit 13608, and a RM transmission unit 13609.
[0569] The RM's GIS structure data transmission unit 13616 and the
user's GIS structure data receipt unit 13604 are connected by a
transmission path 13610, while the RM transmission unit 13619 and
RM receipt unit 13603 are connected to a transmission path
13611.
[0570] The RM unit 13602 is almost identical with its counterpart
in the thirteenth embodiment, except that it does not include the
TV receiver's function control. Since the RM unit 13602 is used
exclusively for the VTR 13601, it can not transmit any signal to
the GIS display unit 10610.
[0571] The control unit 13608 receives the signal by pushing the
button of the manipulation unit 13607 by the user, and in response
initiates the RM set control action, while sending a transmission
direction to the RM's GIS structure data transmission unit 13606 to
transmit the GIS structure data in the RM's GIS structure data
storage unit 13605 to the user's GIS structure data receipt unit
13604 of the VTR 13601, generating the event signal to transmit the
same to the RM transmission unit 13609.
[0572] The user's GIS structure data transmission unit 13604 of the
VTR 13601 receives the GIS structure data in the RM's GIS structure
data storage unit 13605 of the RM unit 13602 from the RM's GIS
structure data transmission unit 13616, and in response, transmits
the same to the GIS display unit 10610 by means of the GIS
structure data transmission unit 10621.
[0573] The RM receipt unit 13603 receives the event signal from the
RM transmission unit 13609, and transmits the same to the GIS
display unit 10610 by means of the user's direction data
transmission unit 10624.
[0574] The operation related to this embodiment is identical with
that to the tenth embodiment except that the GIS structure data and
manipulation signal from the RM unit 13602 are transmitted to the
GIS display unit 10610 by means of the VTR 13601, and the further
explanation is omitted.
[0575] In this embodiment, the RM's GIS structure data storage unit
13605 of the RM unit 13602 stores the GIS structure data in
advance. However, as shown in FIG. 137, a GIS structure data
storage unit 13701 storing the RM's GIS structure data may be
furnished in the VTR 13601, so that the control unit 13608 of the
RM unit 13602 sends a transmission direction of the RM's GIS
structure data to the VTR 13601 instead by sending the transmission
direction to the RM's GIS structure data transmission unit 13606.
Upon receipt of the transmission direction, the GIS generation unit
10615 retrieves the RM's GIS structure data from the RM's GIS
structure data storage unit 13701, and transmits the same to the
GIS display unit 10610. According to this construction, the RM's
GIS structure data storage unit 13605, RM's GIS structure data
transmission unit 13666 in the RM unit 13602, the user's GIS
structure data receipt unit 13604 in the VTR 13601, and the
transmission path 13610 can be omitted.
[0576] In the tenth through fourteenth embodiments, the VTR was
used as an example of the appliance that directs the display of the
graphical interactive screen. However, the appliance may be a movie
player, air conditioner, audio apparatus, LD player, CD player,
karaoke player, microwave oven, washing machine, facsimile,
etc.
Fifteenth Embodiment
[0577] FIGS. 138 and 139 are views depicting the structure of a
menu information synthesis apparatus in accordance with the
fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. The menu information
synthesis apparatus comprises a remote controller 13801, a TV 13802
and a VTR 13803 which are controlled by RM signals transmitted from
the remote controller 13801.
[0578] The TV 13802 includes a TV menu information storage unit
13821, a TV RM-signal receipt unit 13822, a TV control unit 13823,
and a TV menu information transmission unit 13824.
[0579] The TV menu information storage unit 13821 stores TV menu
information and is composed of a TV menu structure data storage
element 13911, a TV display element data storage element 13912, and
a TV synthesis direction data storage element 13913. The menu
information referred herein includes menu structure data, display
element data and synthesis direction data.
[0580] The TV menu structure data storage element 13912 stores the
menu structure data as shown in FIGS. 140 and 141; the menu
structure data are the data specifying the structure of a menu
screen.
[0581] The TV display element data storage element 13912 stores the
display element data. The display element data are shape data for
objects such as buttons and panels that form the menu screen
(hereinafter referred to as the menu objects). As shown in FIG.
145, the display element data include various shape data depending
on the selection of the menu objects. For example, a button shape
A14501 shows that a button is selected, and a button shape B14502
shows that a button is not selected. The shape data include bit map
data and/or graph data, and the TV display element data storage
element 13912 stores the image data in relation with their
respective identifiers.
[0582] The TV synthesis direction data storage element 13913 stores
synthesis direction data. The synthesis direction data are rules
that regulate the synthesis of the menu structure data and display
element data by combining a plurality pieces of menu structure data
and display element data. As shown in FIG. 146, the synthesis
direction data include a rule "TOP synthesis" for synthesizing the
menu structure data, and a rule "PRIORITY" for synthesizing the
display element data.
[0583] Note that the menu structure data and synthesis direction
data are written using the grammar of SGML arranged by the object
oriented technology. Each menu object is described as an object and
belongs to a class.
[0584] The class consists of an entity class, a panel class, a
button class, and a page button class, and these classes have
hierarchical correlation with each other as shown in FIG. 147.
[0585] Next, the menu structure data in the TV menu structure data
storage element 13912 will be explained.
[0586] FIG. 140 provides a class definition. For example, the
button class has shape, action, parent class attributes, and the
default values of the shape and action are a button shape and a
button action respectively and the parent class of the button class
is the entity class. The class attribute values for the shape and
action are inherited to the object by the "class inheritance" based
on the object oriented technology. That is to say, if the attribute
value of an object is defined by the object, the defined attribute
value is valid, and if it is not defined by the object, the
attribute value of a class to which the object belongs becomes
valid. If the attribute value is not defined in the object's class
either, the attribute value of another class higher than the
object's class becomes valid. If the attribute value is not defined
in the higher class, then the attribute value of another class
higher than the last mentioned class becomes valid. In this way,
the attribute value is checked in the classes in a lower-to-higher
sequence, and a firstly-found attribute value becomes valid for the
subject object. The button shape is defined as shown in FIG. 143.
When the selection state is ON, the button shape is the shape data
named as a button shape A, while it is the shape data named as a
button B when the selection state is OFF. The shape data of the
button shape A14501 and button shape B14502 are stored in the TV
display element data storage element 13912 as shown in FIG. 145.
Note that "the selection state is ON" means that the button is
pushed (selected), and "the selection state is OFF" means that the
button is not pushed. Thus, a button appears as the button shape
B14502 in general, and it appears as the button shape A14501 only
when it is pushed.
[0587] The definition of the panel class is given in FIG. 140, and
its default shape is the panel shape, and the default character
string is a menu screen. The attribute value of the character
string attribute is an index of a panel placed at the highest
position.
[0588] FIG. 141 defines the panel object. The information
sandwiched by <PANEL> and </PANEL> is the definition of
the panel. For example, the set panel includes an image adjustment
button, a speech adjustment button, a BS input level set button, a
receiver channel set button, a previous page button, and a next
page button. Also, <v>, </v>, <h>, and </h>
are the information related to the position of the objects. If the
objects are sandwiched by <v> and </v>, they are placed
vertically, and if the objects are sandwiched by <h> and
</h>, they are placed horizontally. Thus, on the set panel,
the previous page button and next page button are placed
horizontally, and the image adjustment button, speech adjustment
button, BS input level set button, receiver channel set button, and
the horizontally placed previous page button and next page button
are placed vertically.
[0589] Next, the definition of the action will be explained while
referring to FIG. 142.
[0590] For example, there is "ACTION=SET_BUTTON_ACTION" in the set
button definition, and the set button action is defined in FIG.
143. The action definition controls the action (transmission
message and the destination of the transmission) executed when a
corresponding button is pushed. Thus, the set button action defines
the action when the set button is pushed: a message "open panel" is
transmitted to the "set panel". Thus, the "set panel" appears on
the screen when the set button action is executed.
[0591] The TV synthesis direction data shown in FIG. 146,
"SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION COMPUTATION=TOP_SYNTHESIS
COMBINE_METHOD=UNIQ_COMBIN- E> will be explained in the
following.
[0592] The computation "COMPUTATION=TOP_SYNTHESIS" means to
synthesize the menu structure data in the panels identified by an
identifier "top panel" in the definition of the panel object shown
in FIG. 141. The top panel is the panel placed at the highest
position in the hierarchical structure, in other words, the panel
appears first when the menu is displayed.
[0593] "COMBINE_METHOD=UNIQ_COMBINE" means to make the same objects
such as buttons in the menu structure data of the top panels into
one object when synthesizing the menu structure data.
[0594] "</SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION> represents the end of one
synthesis direction.
[0595] As has been stated, a menu screen of one hierarchical
structure can be made when synthesizing a plurality of hierarchical
menu screens by the TOP synthesis.
[0596] Next, "<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION COMPUTATION=PANEL_SYNTHESIS
COMBINE_METHOD=UNIQ_COMBINE>will be explained.
[0597] "COMPUTATION=PANEL_SYNTHESIS" means to synthesize a
plurality of panels having the same identifier.
[0598] "COMBINE_METHOD =UNIQ_COMBINE" defines a method to combine a
plurality of panels. "UNIQ_COMBINE" means to allow only one object
(button or the like) for one identifier within a plurality of
panels to be synthesized. This eliminates overlapping objects which
are assumed to have the same function.
[0599] Next, the synthesis data "<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION
COMPUTATION=PRIORITY> will be explained.
[0600] "COMPUTATION=PRIORITY" means to give a priority to the menu
structure data of TTT identified by "APPLIANCE=TTT" sandwiched by
<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION> and </SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION> over
the menu structure data transmitted from the other appliances. In
case of FIG. 146, the shape that the menu structure data for the TV
13802 includes is given priority to be used for the button shape
and page button shape, making a straightforward synthesized menu
screen.
[0601] The TV RM-signal receipt unit 13822 receives a transmission
signal from the remote controller 13801, and transmits the same to
the TV control unit 13823.
[0602] The TV control unit 13823 receives the signal from the TV RM
signal receipt unit 13822, and checks whether the received signal
is a menu-information transmission request signal or action control
signal. In case of the former, the TV control unit 13822 gives a
direction to the TV menu information transmission unit 13824 to
transmit the menu information, and in case of the latter, it
controls the action of the TV 13802 as per received signal.
[0603] The TV menu transmission unit 13824 receives the
menu-information transmission direction from the TV control unit
13823, and in response retrieves the TV menu information from the
TV menu information storage unit 13821 to send the same to the
remote controller 13801.
[0604] The VTR 13803 includes a VTR menu information storage unit
13831, a VTR RM-signal receipt unit 18832, a VTR control unit
13833, and a VTR menu information transmission unit 13834.
[0605] The VTR menu information storage unit 13831 stores the menu
information related to the VTR 13803 and it includes a VTR menu
structure data storage element 13921, a VTR display element data
storage element 13922, and a VTR synthesis direction data storage
element 13923.
[0606] The VTR 13803 and TV 13802 are of the same structure except
that the VTR menu information storage unit 13831 stores the menu
information related to the VTR 13803, and only the menu information
related to the VTR 13803 will be explained.
[0607] The VTR menu structure data storage element 13921 stores the
menu structure data related to the VTR 13803 as shown in FIGS. 140,
148 through 151.
[0608] The VTR display element data storage element 13922 stores
the display element data related to the VTR 13803 as shown in FIG.
152.
[0609] The VTR synthesis direction data storage element 13923
stores the synthesis direction data related to the VTR 13803 as
shown in FIG. 153.
[0610] The synthesis direction data "COMPUTATION=PRIORITY" means to
give a priority to the menu structure data sandwiched by
<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION- > and </SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>as
previously explained: the shape in the menu structure data related
to the VTR 13803 is given priority for the panel shape.
[0611] "COMPUTATION=ADD" means to add additional information when
synthesizing the menu structure data, and "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION",
or the value represented by "<SUBJECT>" is a unit of the
additional information. The "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" information is
composed of a transmission message and information as to the
correspondence of the message.
[0612] "CORRESPONDENCE=VTR_CONTROL" specifies a subject to be
added, or namely the "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" information. In other
words, when there exists "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" information that
matches with the "CORRESPONDENCE<VTR_CONTROL>", the specified
information is added at a specified position.
"<ADD_DESTINATION>BEFORE" specifies the position of the
additional information. In this embodiment, "CORRESPONDENCE=VTR
CONTROL" means to add the "additional information" as a pre-process
for the "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" information that matches with the
"<CORRESPONDENCE<VTR_CONTROL>". Note that there is
"<ADD_DESTINATION>AFTER" as a definition of a post-process
besides "<ADD_DESTINATION>BEFORE".
[0613] "<ADD_INFORMATION MESSAGE=VTR_SWITCH
CORRESPONDENCE=TV_CONTROL&g- t;MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" specifies
the unit of the additional information and the content thereof. In
this embodiment, it means to add the additional information related
to "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION", and the content is
"<MESSAGE>VTR_SWITCH" and "<CORRESPONDENCE>TV_CONTROL".
Thus, "<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION COMPUTATION=ADD> and the
following mean to add the information of the message transmission
of "<MESSAGE>VTR_SWITCH" and
"<CORRESPONDENCE>TV_CONTROL" as the pre-process information
when there exists the "MESSAGE_TRANSMISSION" information that
matches with "<CORRESPONDENCE>VTR_CONTROL".
[0614] The remote controller 13801 includes an input acceptance
unit 13811, a RM signal transmission unit 13812, a menu information
receipt unit 13813, a menu information storage unit 13814, a
display element data storage unit 13815, a menu information
synthesis unit 13816, a menu information display control unit
13817, and a menu display unit 13818.
[0615] The input acceptance unit 13811 comprises a transparent or
semi-transparent touch panel placed on the menu display unit 13818,
and an input button furnished fixedly, and accepts a user's input
manipulation. By the push of the input button, the input acceptance
unit 13811 accepts: the transmission request of the menu
information related to the TV 13802 or VTR 13803, and notifies the
same to the RM signal transmission unit 13812. Similarly, the input
acceptance unit 13811 accepts the synthesis direction of the menu
information by the push of the input button, and notifies the same
to the menu information synthesis unit 13816. Also, the input
acceptance unit 13811 accepts the manipulation to the touch panel
(the push on the displayed menu objects on the menu display unit
13818); in case of a menu display change, it sends a change
direction for the menu objects to the menu information display
control unit 13817, and in case of an action direction to the TV
13802 or VTR 13803, it transmits a control signal assigned to the
manipulated menu object to the RM signal transmission unit
13812.
[0616] The RM signal transmission unit 13812 receives the
menu-information transmission request from the input acceptance
unit 13811, and in response transmits a RM signal requesting the
menu-information transmission to the TV 13802 or VTR 13803. Also,
when the RM signal transmission unit 13812 receives the control
signal from the input acceptance unit 13811, it converts the
control signal into the RM signal to transmit the same to the TV
13802 or VTR 13803.
[0617] The menu information receipt unit 13813 receives the menu
information related to the TV 13802 and VTR 13803 from the TV menu
information transmission unit 13824 and VTR menu information
transmission unit 13834 respectively, and in response stores the
same separately into the menu information storage unit 13814.
[0618] The menu information storage unit 13814 stores the menu
information received by the menu information receipt unit
13813.
[0619] The display element data storage unit 13815 stores in
advance the display element data that the remote controller 13801
has. The display element data referred herein are the default data
used when the received menu information does not include the
display element data to synthesize a menu screen upon receipt of
the menu information.
[0620] The menu information synthesis unit 13816 includes a
retrieval check unit, a synthesis direction count unit, a TOP
synthesis unit, a panel synthesis unit, a PRIORITY unit, an ADD
unit, and a temporarily storage unit.
[0621] The retrieval.cndot.check unit receives the synthesis
direction from the input acceptance unit 13811, and in response
retrieves the menu information from the menu information storage
unit 13814 to store the same in the temporarily storage unit,
checking whether there exists the menu information for a plurality
of appliances. If so, the retrieval.cndot.check unit gives a
direction to set an initial value to the synthesis direction count
unit; otherwise, it sends a notice of completion of synthesis to
the menu information display control unit 13817. Further, the
retrieval.cndot.check unit checks whether the menu information
includes the synthesis direction data or not. If the menu
information includes the synthesis direction data, the
retrieval.cndot.check unit retrieves the N'th synthesis direction
data specified by a counter in the synthesis direction count unit
to check whether "XXX" in "COMPUTATION=XXX" in the retrieved
synthesis direction data is the "TOP synthesis" computation, "panel
synthesis" computation, "PRIORITY" computation, or "ADD"
computation, or none of the aforementioned. In case of the "TOP
synthesis" computation, the retrieval.cndot.check unit activates
the TOP synthesis unit. Similarly, in case of the "panel synthesis"
computation, "PRIORITY" computation, and "ADD" computation", it
activates the panel synthesis unit, PRIORITY unit, and ADD unit,
respectively. If "XXX" is not any of the aforementioned, it gives a
direction to the counter of the synthesis direction count unit to
increment by one.
[0622] The synthesis direction count unit counts the number of the
synthesis direction data. When it receives the direction to set the
initial value from the retrieval.cndot.check unit, it sets N=1 to
the counter, and increments the counter by one each time it
receives an increment direction from the retrieval.cndot.check
unit, TOP synthesis unit, panel synthesis unit, PRIORITY synthesis
unit or ADD unit.
[0623] The TOP synthesis unit is activated by the
retrieval.cndot.check unit, and checks whether "YYY" in "COMBINE
METHOD=YYY" is either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE", or
neither. In case of either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE", it
sets a value "1" to an appliance counter M installed therein (M=1),
and successively retrieves the menu structure data from the
temporarily storage unit, while incrementing the appliance counter
by one for each retrieval. The TOP synthesis unit retrieves the
definition data of the panel identified by the "top panel" in the
M'th appliance's menu structure data, and adds the attribute
definition in the definition data of the retrieved top panel to the
menu structure data in the temporarily storage unit as a definition
item of the attribute of a synthesized panel. The attribute
definition referred herein is
".alpha..alpha..alpha.=.beta..beta..beta. . . . " in "<PANEL
.alpha..alpha..alpha.=.beta..beta..beta. . . . TOP_PANEL". It adds
the objects sandwiched by "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" in
the definition data of the panel identified by the "top panel" in
the menu structure data of the M'th appliance as the objects
sandwiched by "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" of the
synthesized panel. If "YYY" is neither "UNIQ_COMBINE" nor
"SIMPLE_COMBINE", it gives a increment direction to the counter of
the synthesis direction count unit.
[0624] For example, the menu information storage unit 13814 stores
the menu structure data of the TV 13802 as shown in FIG. 141, and
the menu structure data of the VTR 13803 as shown in FIG. 148, then
they are synthesized into the menu information (top panel) as shown
in FIG. 154: the attribute definition of the VTR 13803 is simply
added to the attribute definition of the TV 13802, and all the
objects for the VTR 13803 are placed following to the
lowest-position objects of the TV 13802.
[0625] When there are overlapping attribute definition items in the
synthesized panel, the TOP synthesis unit gives a priority to the
first-written definition item, and deletes the rest from the
temporarily storage unit, completing "SIMPLE COMBINE"
[0626] Further, the TOP synthesis unit checks whether "YYY" is
"UNIQ_COMBINE" or not. In case of "UNIQ_COMBINE", when there are
overlapping objects between "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL> in
the synthesized panel, the TOP synthesis unit deletes the
overlapping objects from the temporarily storage unit, and also
arranges the position information "<v>" and "</v"> in
accordance with its nature. If "YYY" is not "UNIQ_COMBINE", the TOP
synthesis unit gives an increment direction to the counter of the
synthesis count unit.
[0627] For example, the simply synthesized top panel as shown in
FIG. 154, is changed to the one as shown in FIG. 155 by deleting
the overlapping attribute definition
"CHARACTER_STRING=VTR_MANIPULATION MENU". Further, in FIG. 155, the
overlapping objects "<BUTTON>SET_BUTTON" are deleted as shown
in FIG. 156, and the position information, "<v> and
</v>, is arranged as shown in FIG. 157. In this way, the top
panels are synthesized into one panel.
[0628] The panel synthesis unit is activated by the
retrieval.cndot.check unit, and checks whether "YYY" in
"COMBINE_METHOD=YYY" is either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE",
or neither. In case of either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE",
the panel synthesis unit retrieves the menu structure data from the
temporarily unit to compute the number of sets of the panels, each
set having the same identifier in the menu structure data. In other
words, there are three sets when the menu information related to
the TV 13802 includes the panels identified by the identifiers
"panel 11", "panel 12", and "panel 13", and the menu information
related to the VTR 13802 includes the same, and there are no other
overlapping panels identified by the same identifier. If "YYY" is
neither "UNIQ_COMBINE" nor "SIMPLE_COMBINE", the panel synthesis
unit gives an increment direction to the counter of the synthesis
direction count unit. Assume that K represents the number of the
sets, and a set-number counter K' is furnished in the panel
synthesis unit, then the panel synthesis unit checks whether the
value in the set-number counter K' is greater than zero, (K' >0,
where initial K'=K ). If so, it retrieves all the menu structure
data related to a plurality of panels including the overlapping
panel identifiers in the K'th set to compute the number (L) of the
panels within the set, setting the same in a panel number counter.
Otherwise, it gives an increment direction to the counter of the
synthesis direction count unit. Further, the panel synthesis unit
checks whether L>0. If so, it adds all the attribute definitions
of the L'th panel information to the temporarily storage unit as
the attribution definition items of the synthesized panel. The
panel synthesis unit adds the objects defined between
"<PANEL>" and "</PANEL> in the L'th panel information
to the temporarily storage unit as the objects between
"<PANEL>" and "</PANEL> in the synthesized panel,
decrementing the panel number counter by one. Otherwise, when there
are overlapping attribute definition items in the synthesized
panel, the panel synthesis unit gives a priority to the
first-written attribute definition and deletes the rest from the
temporarily storage unit. Further, the panel synthesis unit checks'
whether "YYY" is "UNIQ_COMBINE" or not. In case of "UNIQ_COMBINE",
the panel synthesis unit deletes the overlapping objects between
the "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" in the synthesized panel
and decrements K in the set number counter. For example, if the
menu information storage unit 13814 stores the menu structure data
(set panel) for the TV 13802 as shown in FIG. 141, and the menu
structure data (set panel) for the VTR 13803 as shown in FIG. 148,
they are simply synthesized as shown in FIG. 158. The objects
defined in the same lower position are deleted as shown in FIG.
159, and further the position information, "<v>",
"</v>", "<h>", and "</h>", is arranged as shown
in FIG. 150.
[0629] The PRIORITY unit is activated by the retrieval.cndot.check
unit, and retrieves an appliance attribute value "appliance=MMM"
from the synthesis direction data. The PRIORITY unit retrieves the
shape information sandwiched by "<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>" and
"</SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>", and updates the content of the
temporarily storage unit by rewriting the shape attribute of the
appliances other than the appliance "MMM" to the shape attribute of
the appliance "MMM".
[0630] For example, in "PRIORITY" computation shown in FIG. 146,
the attribute value defined for the TV 13802 is given priority to
the button shape and page button shape over the other menu
structure data (menu structure data of the VTR 13803). Similarly,
in "PRIORITY" computation in FIG. 153, the attribute value defined
for the VTR 13803 is given priority and used for the panel shape.
In this way, as shown in FIG. 161, the post-synthesis shape data
uses the button shape and page button of the menu structure data of
the TV 13802 and the panel shape of the menu structure data of the
VTR 13803.
[0631] The ADD unit is activated by the retrieval.cndot.check unit,
and retrieves "SUBJECT BBB=CCC . . . >DDD" from the synthesis
direction data in the temporarily storage unit, and searches for
the information identified by "BBB=CCC . . . " in "DDD". If
"BBB=CCC . . . " contains a plurality of conditions, it searches
for the information that satisfies all the conditions and numbers
them sequentially if there are plurality of them. The ADD unit sets
a value "1" to an add number counter p (p=1). Also, the ADD unit
checks whether there are the p'th retrieved data, and if so, it
adds "FFF=GGG . . . " in "<ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FFF=GGG . . .
>HHH" at a position identified by "EEE" in
"<ADD_DESTINATION>- ;EEE" in the synthesis direction data
to the p'th retrieval data as the menu structure data. The ADD unit
increments the add number counter p by one. If there are no p'th
retrieval data, the ADD unit gives an increment direction to the
counter of the synthesis direction count unit.
[0632] For example, in "ADD" synthesis shown in FIG. 153, the
action to switch the control to the VTR 13803 as a pre-process for
the control action over the VTR 13803 is added. That is to say, the
control is switched to the VTR 13803 first, and then the action of
the VTR 13803 is controlled.
[0633] The temporarily storage unit stores the menu information
under the control of the retrieval control unit, and adds, deletes
and amends the content thereof under the control of the TOP
synthesis unit, panel synthesis unit, PRIORITY unit and ADD
unit.
[0634] The menu information display control unit 13817 controls the
menu display unit 13818 to display a menu screen. The menu
information display control unit 13817 receives a notice of
completion of synthesis from the menu information synthesis unit
13816, and in response displays the synthesized top panel in the
temporarily storage unit by means of the menu display unit 13818.
The menu information display control unit 13817 receives a
direction to change the display screen from the input acceptance
unit 13811, and in response displays the synthesized menu
information in the temporarily storage unit in the menu information
synthesis storage unit 13816 as per change direction.
[0635] Assume that the menu information storage unit 13814 stores
only the menu information for the TV 13802 as shown in FIGS. 140
through 145, then the menu information display control unit 13817
controls the menu display unit 13818 to display the menu screen, or
a TV manipulation menu 16201 as shown in FIG. 162. When the set
button 16202 is pushed as the menu object in the input acceptance
unit 13811, it appears as the shadowed button shape A. The menu
information display control unit 13817 receives the change
direction from the input acceptance unit 13811, and in response
retrieves the menu structure data from the menu information
synthesis unit, controlling the menu display unit 13818 to display
a set panel 16203. The menu information display control unit 13817
adjusts the set panel 16203 into an adequate size to display the
menu objects such as a button 16204 and a page button 16205.
[0636] When the menu information storage unit 13814 stores only the
menu information for the VTR 13803 as shown in FIGS. 140, 148
through 151, then the menu information display control unit 13817
controls the menu display unit 13818 to display a VTR manipulation
menu 16301 as shown in FIG. 163. Under these circumstances, the set
panel 16303 is displayed when the set button 16302 on the VTR
manipulation menu 16301 is pushed.
[0637] The menu display unit 13818 is composed of an LC display or
the like, and displays the menu screen under the control of the
menu information display control unit 13817.
[0638] The menu display 13818 displays the menu structure data (top
panel) shown in FIG. 157 as a menu screen shown in FIG. 164 when
the menu information for the TV 13801 and VTR 13802 is synthesized
by the menu information synthesis unit 13816. Also, it displays the
menu structure data (set panel) shown in FIG. 160 as the menu
screen shown in FIG. 165.
[0639] Next, the operation related to this embodiment will be
explained while referring to the flowcharts in FIGS. 166 through
168.
[0640] The remote controller 13801 transmits a signal to the TV
13802 (S16602), and the TV RM-signal receipt unit 13822 receives
the signal from the remote controller 13801 (S16604), and transmits
the same to the TV control unit 13823 (S16606). The TV control unit
13823 checks whether the signal from the RM signal receipt unit
13822 is a signal requesting the menu-information transmission or
not (S16608). In case of the menu-information transmission request
signal, the TV control unit 13823 gives a direction to transmit the
TV menu information in the" TV menu information storage unit 13821
to the TV menu transmission unit 13824 (S166610). Otherwise, it
proceeds to S16618.
[0641] The TV menu information transmission unit 13824 retrieves
the menu information to transmit the same to the remote controller
13801 (S16612), and the menu information receipt unit 13813 in the
remote controller 13801 receives the TV menu information (S16614).
The menu information receipt unit 13813 has the menu information
storage unit 13814 store the TV menu information (S16616), and the
TV control unit 13823 controls the action of the TV 13802 as per
signal from the TV control unit 13823.
[0642] The remote controller 13801 and VTR 13803 operate in the
same manner as above, and the explanation is omitted.
[0643] The retrieval.cndot.check unit in the menu synthesis unit
13816 checks whether the menu information storage unit 13814 stores
the menu information for a plurality of appliances (S16702). If the
menu information storage unit 13814 stores the menu information for
a plurality of appliances, the retrieval.cndot.check unit gives a
direction to set an initial value to the synthesis direction count
unit, which accordingly sets N=1 (S16704). Otherwise, it ends the
synthesis process.
[0644] The retrieval.cndot.check unit further checks whether there
exist the N'th synthesis direction data in the synthesis direction
data in the menu information storage unit 13814, and if there are
the N'th synthesis direction data, it retrieves the same; otherwise
it ends the synthesis process (S16706).
[0645] The retrieval.cndot.check unit interprets "XXX" in
"COMPUTATION=XXX" in the retrieved synthesis direction data to
check whether "XXX" is the "TOP synthesis" computation or not
(S16708). In case of the "TOP synthesis" computation, the
retrieval.cndot.check unit activates the TOP synthesis unit, which
in turn checks whether "YYY" in "COMBINE_METHOD=YYY" is either
"UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE" or neither (S16710). When "XXX"
is not the "TOP synthesis" computation, the retrieval.cndot.check
unit proceeds to S16728. If "YYY" is either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or
"SIMPLE_COMBINE", the retrieval.cndot.check unit sets a value "1"
to the appliance number counter (M=1). If "YYY" is neither
"UNIQ_COMBINE" nor "SIMPLE_COMBINE", the retrieval.cndot.check unit
proceeds to S16762. Subsequently, the retrieval.cndot.check unit
checks whether there is the M'th appliance's menu (S16714), and
retrieves the definition data of the panel identified by the "top
panel" in the menu structure data of the M'th appliance, adding the
attribute definition in the definition data of the retrieved top
panel as the definition item of the attribute of the synthesized
panel (S16716). When the menu information of the M'th appliance
does not exist, the retrieval.cndot.check unit proceeds to
S16722.
[0646] The retrieval.cndot.check unit adds the objects defined
between "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" in the definition data
of the panel identified by the "top panel" in the menu structure
data of the M'th appliance as the objects sandwiched by
"<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" in the synthesized panel
(S16718). Then, the retrieval.cndot.check unit increments the
appliance number counter and returns to S16714 (S16720). If there
are any overlapping attribute definition items in the synthesized
panel, the retrieval.cndot.check unit gives a priority to the
first-appearing definition item and deletes the rest (S16722).
[0647] The retrieval.cndot.check unit checks whether "YYY" is
"UNIQ_COMBINE" or not (S16724), and in case of "UNIQ_COMBINE", it
deletes the overlapping objects between the "<PANEL>" and
"</PANEL>" in the synthesized panel. In other words, it
interprets the objects as one object if they have the same
identifier (S16726), and proceeds to S16762; otherwise it proceeds
to S16762.
[0648] The retrieval.cndot.check unit checks whether the retrieved
synthesis direction data are the "panel synthesis" computation or
not, and in case of the "panel synthesis" computation, it activates
the panel synthesis unit, which checks "YYY" in
"COMBINE_METHOD=YYY" is either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE"
or neither (S16730). If "XXX" is not the "panel synthesis"
computation, the retrieval.cndot.check unit proceeds to S16742. If
"YYY" is either "UNIQ_COMBINE" or "SIMPLE_COMBINE", the
retrieval.cndot.check unit computes the number K of the sets of the
panels having the same identifiers in the menu information
retrieved in S16702 (Sl6732), and checks if K>0 (S16734). If
K>0, the retrieval.cndot.check unit retrieves all the menu
structure data for a plurality of panels within the K'th panel
having the same identifier (S16736) and synthesizes the same
(S16736); otherwise, it proceeds to S16762. The menu-structure-data
synthesis action will be explained below in S16802 and onwards. The
retrieval.cndot.check unit decrements K (K=K-1) (S16740) and
returns to S16734.
[0649] The retrieval.cndot.check unit checks whether the retrieved
synthesis data are the "PRIORITY" computation or not (S16742), and
in case of the "PRIORITY" computation, it activates the PRIORITY
unit, which accordingly retrieves the appliance attribute value
"appliance=MMM" from the synthesis direction data (S16744). The
PRIORITY unit retrieves the shape information sandwiched by
"<SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION> and "</SYNTHESIS_DIRECTION>"
(S16746), and rewrites the shape data of the appliances other than
the appliance "MMM" into the shape data of the appliance "MMM"
(S16748) and proceeds to S16762.
[0650] The retrieval.cndot.check unit judges whether the retrieved
synthesis direction data are the "ADD" computation or not (S16750),
and in case of the "ADD" computation, it activates the ADD unit,
which accordingly retrieves "SUBJECT BBB=CCC . . . >DDD" from
the synthesis direction data to search for the information
identified by "BBB=CCC . . . " in the menu structure data "DDD". If
"BBB=CCC . . . " includes a plurality of conditions, the
information that satisfies all the condition is retrieved (S16752).
Subsequently, the retrieval.cndot.check unit sets a value "1" to
the additional number counter (p=1) (S16754). The
retrieval.cndot.check unit checks whether there are the p'th
retrieved data in the "DDD" data received in S16752 (S16756). If
there are the p'th retrieved data, the retrieval.cndot.check unit
adds the data "FFF=GGG---" in "<ADD INFORMATION FFF=GGG . . .
>HHH" at a position specified by "EEE" in
"ADD_DESTINATION>EEE" (S16758). Subsequently, the
retrieval.cndot.check unit increments the additional number counter
p by one (S16760), and returns to S16756. If there are no p'th
retrieved data, the retrieval.cndot.check unit gives an increment
direction to the counter of the synthesis direction count unit
(S16762), and returns to S16706.
[0651] The panel synthesis unit computes the number L of the panel
having the same identifier (S16802), and checks whether L>0
(S16804). In case of L>0, the retrieval.cndot.check unit adds
the attribute definition of the L'th panel as the attribute
definition item of the panel to be synthesized (S16806). The
retrieval.cndot.check unit adds the objects sandwiched by
"<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>" in the L'th panel information
as the objects sandwiched by "<PANEL>" and "</PANEL>"
in the synthesized panel (S16808), and decrements L by one (L=L-1)
(S16810), returning to S16804. If L is not greater than zero, and
there are overlapping attribute definition items in the synthesized
panel, the panel synthesis unit gives a priority to the
first-appearing attribute definition item, and deletes the rest
(S16812). The panel synthesis unit checks whether "YYY" is
"UNIQ_COMBINE" or not (S16814), and in case of "UNIQ COMBINE", it
deletes the overlapping objects sandwiched between "<PANEL>
and </PANEL>" if any (S16816), returning to S16740.
Otherwise, it returns to S16740.
[0652] Although the TOP synthesis unit writes the overlapping
attribute definition from the second in the temporarily storage
unit in S16722, the priority may be given to each appliance, so
that the attribute definition of the appliance will be adopted in
an order of priority.
[0653] Also, the top synthesis unit deletes the same object
appearing at the second and subsequent S16726. However, the
priority may be given to each appliance, so that the attribute
definition of the appliance will be adopted in an order of
priority.
[0654] Further, in S16746, the PRIORITY unit retrieves the shape
information to match the menu structure data with the shape data of
a specific appliance. However, other attribute definitions such as
character color, action, position, panel's timeout (the attribute
value of the time from the start to end of the panel display) to
match these attribute definitions.
[0655] In this embodiment, the menu information for the TV 13801
and VTR 13802 are synthesized. However, the appliances are not
limited to these two appliances: it may include an air conditioner
or audio equipment, etc.
[0656] Although the present invention has been fully described by
way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is
to be noted that various changes and modification will be apparent
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise such
changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present
invention, they should be construed as being included therein.
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