Wireless remote controller, wireless remote control method, and air conditioner using the same

• US 20020154026A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Air Conditioning Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Niizato, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 6,909,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

In a wireless remote controller for transmitting a control signal to each of plural control target units to control the operation of each of the control target unit, the power of the control signal to be transmitted to a desired one of the control target units is varied (lowered) in accordance with an operation which is expected to be executed by the desired control target unit. The wireless remote controller and the control target unit are associated with each other in address-connecting relationship, and only when a control signal for making the control target unit carry out a specific operation other than normal operations is transmitted to the control target unit, the address-connecting relationship is set to an address-free state, and the power of the control signal is varied (lowered) so that the control signal reaches only the control target unit.

Claims

1. A wireless remote controller for transmitting a control signal to control target equipment to control the operation of the control target equipment, characterized in that the power of the control signal to be transmitted to the control target equipment is varied in accordance with an operation which is expected to be executed by the control target equipment.

2. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power of the control signal to be transmitted to the control target equipment is lowered only when the control signal to be transmitted to the control target equipment is a specific control signal for making the control target equipment carry out a specific operation other than normal operations.

3. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wireless remote controller and the control target equipment are associated with each other in address-connecting relationship, and only when a control signal for making the control target equipment carry out a specific operation other than normal operations is transmitted to the control target equipment, the address-connecting relationship is set to an address-free state, and the power of the control signal is varied.

4. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the power of the control signal is lowered.

5. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control target equipment comprises at least two control target units, and the power of the control signal is lowered to the extent that the control signal reach one of the control target units which is expected to carry out the specific operation, but does not reach the other control target unit which is unexpected to carry out the specific operation.

6. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wireless remote controller comprises:

a control signal generator for generating the control signal in accordance with an operation to be executed by the control target equipment and transmitting the control signal thus generated to the control target equipment; and

a controller for varying the power of the control signal to be generated by said control signal generator in accordance with an operation which is expected to be carried out by the control target equipment.

7. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control signal generator generates the control signal by making current flow therethrough, and the output power of the control signal is varied by varying the intensity of the current flowing said control signal generator.

8. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein said control signal generator includes a power source, a transmission LED, a first resistor, a first transistor and a second transistor which are connected in this order in series, and further includes a second resistor which is connected to said second transistor in parallel, and the power of the control signal is varied by turning on/off said second transistor.

9. The wireless remote controller as claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller outputs a turn-on/off signal to the base of each of said first and second transistors to thereby turn on/off said first and second transistors.

10. An air conditioner having at least two indoor units and at least one wireless remote controller, each of said indoor units being controlled on the basis of a control signal from said wireless remote controller, characterized in that the power of the control signal to be transmitted to one of said indoor units is varied in accordance with an operation which is expected to be executed by said indoor unit.

11. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 10, wherein the power of the control signal to be transmitted to each of said indoor units is lowered only when the control signal to be transmitted to said indoor unit is a specific control signal for making said indoor unit carry out a specific operation other than normal operations.

12. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 10, wherein said wireless remote controller and each of said indoor unit are associated with each other in address-connecting relationship, and only when a control signal for making one of said indoor units carry out a specific operation other than normal operations is transmitted to said one indoor unit, the address-connecting relationship is set to an address-free state, and the power of the control signal is varied.

13. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the specific operation is an operation of upwardly and downwardly moving a grille of each indoor unit.

14. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the power of the control signal is lowered.

15. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the power of the control signal is lowered to the extent that the control signal reach one of said indoor units which is expected to carry out the specific operation, but does not reach the other indoor unit which is unexpected to carry out the specific operation.

16. The air conditioner as claimed in claim 10, wherein said wireless remote controller comprises:

a control signal generator for generating the control signal in accordance with an operation to be executed by each indoor unit and transmitting the control signal thus generated to each indoor unit; and

a controller for varying the power of the control signal to be generated by said control signal generator in accordance with an operation which is expected to be carried out by one of said indoor units.

17. A remote control method of transmitting a control signal from at least one wireless remote controller to each of plural control target units and controlling the operation of one or more of said control target units on the basis of the control signal thus transmitted, characterized by comprising the steps of:

associating the wireless remote controller and each of the control target units in address-connecting relationship, and

varying the power of the control signal to be transmitted to a desired one of the control target units only when the control signal to be transmitted to the control target unit concerned is a specific control signal for making the control target unit concerned carry out a specific operation other than normal operations so that the control signal reaches only the desired one of the control target units.