Remote control device

Claim 1

A remote control device for operating in common any one of a plurality of remote-controllable equipments, each of which is provided with a respective private remote control transmitter capable of emitting remote control signals to control selected operations of the associated equipment, comprising: a common remote control transmitter having a remote operating section including a plurality of keys for selecting any one of the plurality of equipments and any one of the operations to be performed by each equipment; a common body unit having a control panel, a body operating section including a plurality of keys on the control panel for selecting any one of the plurality of equipments and any one of the operation to be performed by each equipment, first means for selecting a registering mode, receiving means for receiving a remote control signal emitted by a private remote control transmitter and converting it into corresponding digital data, and a memory for storing the digital data converted by said receiving means; said common body unit including a control unit having means responsive to selection of an equipment and an operation of the equipment on said body operating section of said body unit, to said first means selecting the registering mode, and to said receiving means receiving a remote control signal of a private remote control transmitter and converting it into digital data, for storing the digital data in said memory corresponding to the selected equipment and selected operation; said common body unit further including second means for selecting a regeneration mode, regeneration means for regenerating a remote control signal of a private remote control transmitter from corresponding digital data, and output means connecting said body unit to the plurality of equipments for providing an output remote control signal to any selected one of said plurality of equipments from said body unit; and said control unit further having means repsonsive to selection of an equipment and an operation of the equipment on said remote operating section of said common remote control transmitter, and to said second means selecting the regeneration mode, for retrieving the stored digital data in said memory corresponding to the selected equipment and selected operation, for controlling regeneration of the corresponding remote control signal from the digital data, and for controlling the output of the regenerated remote control signal by said output means to the selected equipment, whereby any selected one of the plurality of equipments can be operated by said common remote control transmitter in conjunction with said common body unit, instead of by the respective private remote control transmitters operated individually with each separate one of the plurality of equipments, wherein said body unit further comprises command counting means operable in conjunction with said remote operating section and said control unit for counting and displaying a number of registrable remote control signals available to a selected equipment.