JPH03155285A - Av controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically set up the addresses of plural apparatuses and to allow the AV controller to cope with the apparatus without generating any trouble even if the same kind of apparatuses are connected by instructing an address setting mode through a control bus and setting up addresses in the plural apparatuses through a signal line. CONSTITUTION:For instance, the 1st and 2nd television(TV) image receivers 2, 3 and a video tape recorder 4 are connected to the AV controller 1. The AV controller 1 is provided with a control microcomputer 5, a control bus interface(IF) 6, an AV selector 7, and address/audio changing switches 8 to 10. The address setting mode is instructed to the connected apparatuses through the control bus and address information is transmitted through the signal line. The connected apparatuses enter and store the address information. Thereby, addresses are automatically allocated to the connected apparatuses. Even if the same kind of apparatuses are connected, these apparatuses can be controlled without generating any trouble.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial application field The present invention is applicable to television receivers, video tape recorders,
The present invention relates to an AV controller that controls multiple AV devices such as audio tape recorders.

(b) Conventional technology For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-136978 (H04N5
/44) When purchasing a television receiver to which multiple AV devices are connected to control the connected AV devices, check what kind of devices are connected at startup. An example is shown. In this prior art, the display of the menu screen for control is changed based on the check result.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, in the case of the above-mentioned prior art, it works without problems when all the types of connected devices are different, but when there are multiple devices of the same type (for example, a VTR When two VTRs are connected, it is not possible to distinguish between the two VTRs. In order to distinguish between multiple devices of the same type, some form of address management is required.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems Therefore, in the present invention, addresses are automatically assigned to connected AV equipment so that settings can be made. For this purpose, the controller instructs the connected device to enter an address setting mode via the control bus, and transmits address information via the signal line.

The connected device then captures and stores this address information.

(E) Effect Therefore, since addresses are automatically assigned to connected devices, even if devices of the same type are connected, they can be controlled without any problem.

(F) EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the purchase of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation.

In this embodiment, first and second television (TV) receivers 2.3 and a video tape recorder 4 are connected to an AV controller l.

The AV controller 1 includes a control microcomputer 5, a control bus interface (IF) 6, an AV selector 7, and an address/
An audio changeover switch 8.9.10 is provided. The control microcomputer 5 controls the selection of devices in the AV selector 7, sends (or receives) control bus data to the control bus IF6, and switches the address/audio changeover switches 8, 9, .
It sends address data to 10 and also performs processing such as controlling the state. Although the figure only shows a control bus and three audio signal lines between the AV controller l and each device, in reality, a plurality of video signal lines are also provided. It is also conceivable to send the address signal via a video signal line.

Each AV device is equipped with a control microcomputer 15, a control bus 16, an address storage memory 17, an address/audio changeover switch 18, and other original processing circuits. Each AV
In the device, the control microcomputer 15 exchanges control bus data with the control bus IF 16, controls the state of the address 7/audio switching switch/V-chie 8, receives address data, and writes this address data to the memory 17. Do this.

Next, the operation will be explained. When setting an address for each AV device (for example, when the address setting mode is entered by operating an address setting button), an instruction for the address setting mode is output from the control microcomputer 5.

As a result, in the AV controller 1, the states of the address/audio changeover switches 8.9 and 10 are changed, and the address data from the control microcomputer 5 can be supplied to each audio signal line.

The address setting mode instruction is transmitted to each AV device via the control bus. Upon receiving the address setting mode instruction, the control microcomputer 15 in each AV device changes the state of the address/audio changeover switch 18 and instructs the audio signal line to be connected to the control microcomputer 15.

When the change of each changeover switch 8,9,10 and 18,18... is completed (or after a certain period of time has passed after the instruction),
The control microcomputer 5 has different address data (for example, "
01"02"03"...) are output to each audio signal line. This output is performed sequentially (or simultaneously).

The control microcomputer 15 of each device receives the corresponding address data and stores it in the address storage memory 17.

When each address data is stored, the control microcomputer 5 outputs an instruction to cancel the address setting mode.

In response to this instruction, the address/audio changeover switches 8, 9, 10, 18, . . . , 18 are switched to the audio side, and the AV selector 7 is connected to the processing circuit of each device. As a result, the address setting mode ends, and normal AV controller operation is executed (see FIG. 2 for the operation).

Communication via the control bus is performed with the oscillation source device address, destination device address, control data (for example, operation instructions), etc. in a fixed format. The address set in the address setting mode is used as this address.

That is, in each AV device, when the destination address of the signal on the control bus matches the address stored in its own memory 17, the control microcomputer 15 performs control so that the instructed operation is performed.

Conversely, when sending a signal from each AV device to the control bus, the address recorded in the memory 17 is used as the source address.

(g) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the address of connected devices can be automatically set, so there is no need for the user to make settings, and the connected devices are of the same type. I can handle it without any problem.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation. l...AV controller, 5,15...control microcomputer, 8.9.10...changeover switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an AV controller in which a plurality of devices are connected by a control bus and a signal line, instructing an address setting mode to the plurality of devices via the control bus,
An AV controller characterized in that addresses are set to the plurality of devices via the signal line.