Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Shigekazu Morikawa

Ayumu Okutani

A method for controlling a plurality of devices including a video cassette recorder having a function for transmitting state data representing a state of the video cassette recorder to a TV receiver in response to a request for state made by the TV receiver, and a function for multiplexing the display of state representing the state of the video cassette recorder onto the reproduced image and transmitting the multiplexed result to the TV receiver. When a change occurs in the state of the video cassette recorder, and a request for state is made by the receiver, the video reproducing device ceases its OSD function. On the other hand, when a change occurs in the state of the video cassette recorder, and no request for state is made by the receiver, the OSD function is brought into an operation.

Method for mutually controlling a plurality of video display and reproducing devices

A remote control apparatus includes various operation keys and is connected to a plurality of electronic appliances through buses. If a timepiece reset mode is set on a side of the remote control apparatus and then a desired electronic appliance is selected, a protocol is established between the remote control apparatus and the desired electronic appliance. A command key for reset command input is activated after establishing a protocol. If a command key is operated, a reset command for the timepiece is transmitted to the desired electronic appliance to thereby reset a timepiece circuit provided in the desired electronic appliance. Because the protocol has been established at a time that the command key is operated, the timepiece circuit is reset immediately after operating the command key.

Remote control apparatus and electronic appliance controllable by same

When an operation is performed to set a subcontroller in remote-control enable mode, the subcontroller first checks the operation mode of a main controller, then setting itself in the remote-control enable mode if the main controller is in the remote-control enable mode, or maintaining itself in remote-control disable mode if the main controller is in the remote-control disable mode.

Security lock control method for remote control system

A digital video recorder which intermittently records digital video signals, including a memory capable of storing digital video signals a tape running mechanism and a control circuit for controlling the operations of the memory and the mechanism. The digital video signals are thinned with a constant cycle of intermittent recording, the thinned signals are written to the memory. When the memory has been filled to a predetermined capacity, a magnetic tape is caused to start to run, and the digital video signals are read from the memory and recorded on the tape. When the memory is emptied by signal reading to afford the predetermined capacity, the tape is brought to a stop.

Growing community of inventors

Hirakata, Japan

Shigekazu Morikawa