Remote control system

• US 20020163905A1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tord Brabrand
• Original Assignee: Tord Brabrand
• Inventors: Brabrand, Tord
• Granted Patent: US 6,907,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

The invention relates to a remote control system wherein a plurality of remote control devices and remote control receivers may be operating simultaneously. A remote control device comprises input elements for providing electrical control signals, a transmitter, and a processing device arranged for receiving the control signals from the input elements, providing a coded signal to the transmitter, said signal being coded with a repeating frame format, wherein each frame comprises a number of data packets each contained in subsequent time slots, and wherein each data packet comprises a time slot identifier identifying the time slot in which the data packet is contained. A remote control receiver is arranged for decoding a signal having a corresponding repeating frame format. The invention provides simple and reliable operation, synchronizing, addressing and connection functions, high bandwidth utilization and high tolerance towards disturbances, interference and communication obstructions. The invention may advantageously be used for remotely controlling objects for playing or amusement, such as controllable toys and model vehicles.

Claims

1. Remote control device (100) for use in a communication coverage area (300) wherein a plurality of remote control devices (100) and remote control receivers (200) may be operating simultaneously, for remotely controlling a remote control receiver (200) operating in said area (300), the device (100) comprising

input elements (101, 102, 103, 121, 122, 123, 124) for providing electrical control signals,

a transmitter (104),

a processing device (110) arranged for

receiving the control signals from the input elements,

providing a coded signal to the transmitter (104), said signal being coded with a repeating frame format, wherein each frame (400) comprises a number of data packets (404) each contained in subsequent time slots (402), and wherein each data packet (404) comprises a time slot identifier (410) identifying the time slot in which the data packet (404) is contained.

2. Remote control device (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a memory (125), including an address register, containing the address currently assigned to the device (100),

3. Remote control device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the memory (125) further comprises a time slot number register, containing the time slot number currently assigned to the device (100).

4. Remote control device (100) according to claim 3, further comprising a receiver (105) connected to the processing device (110).

5. Remote, control device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the processing device is arranged to obtain a time slot identifier from the data packets received by the receiver (105).

6. Remote control device (100) according to claim 5, further comprising a timing device (113) connected to the processing device (110), whereby the processing device (110) is arranged to control the timing of the coded signal provided to the transmitter.

7. Remote control device (100) according to claim 6, wherein the processing device (100) is arranged to adjust the timing device according to the arrival time of a data packet received by the receiver (105) or the arrival time of a time slot identifier contained in such a packet.

8. Remote control device (100) according to one of the claims 5-7, wherein the processing device (110) is arranged for receiving time slot identifiers (410) from other remote control devices in the area (300), and for updating a billboard register, indicating the presence of activity within a recently passed period of time, of remote control devices associated with each time slot number.

9. Remote control device (100) according to claim 8, wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to provide billboard packets to the transmitter at predetermined intervals, said billboard packets comprising data from the billboard register.

10. Remote control device (100) according to claim 8, wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to perform an initializing procedure (131), in which, a free time slot number is derived from the billboard register—

or from received billboard packets, or both,

and to assign this time slot number for the further operation of the remote control device (100).

11. Remote control device (100) according to one of the claims 5-10, wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to provide data packets to the transmitter (104), said data packets comprising the time slot identifier (410), a packet type identifier (411) and a data field (412) containing control data.

12. Remote control device (100) according to one of the claims 5-11, further comprising at least one first activating element (121, 123), wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to, upon the activating (144) of the first element,

to generate a pseudo random address,

to store said address in an address register associated with the first activating element (121), and

to transmit one or more data packets containing either the complete said address in each data packet, or an identifiable part of said address in each data packet.

13. Remote control device (100) according to claim 12, further comprising at least one second activating element (122, 124), each associated with a corresponding first activating element (121, 123), wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to, upon the activating of the second element, to transfer the content of the address register associated with the first activating element to the address register containing the address currently assigned to the device (100).

14. Remote control device (100) according to one of the claims 5-13, wherein the processing device (110) is arranged to periodically transmit one or more data packets containing the address currently assigned to the device (100), either the complete said address in each data packet, or an identifiable part of said address in each data packet.

16. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 15, further comprising a memory (225), including an address register, containing the address currently assigned to the receiver (200).

17. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises a time slot number register, containing the time slot number currently assigned to the receiver (200).

18. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 17, wherein the processing device is arranged to obtain a time slot identifier from the received data packets.

19. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 18, wherein the processing device is arranged to detect if a data packet containing a particular time slot identifier also contains address information, either in the form of a complete address, or in the form of an identifiable part of an address, and upon such detection, to obtain the address information from said packet, and in the case where said packet contains only an identifiable part of an address, to combine the address parts obtained from a number of such packets, in order to form the complete address belonging to the particular time slot.

20. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 19, wherein the processing device is arranged to compare the address obtained from said packet(s) with, the contents of the address register, and in the event of match, to store the time slot identifier contained in said packet(s) in the time slot register.

21. Remote control receiver (200) according to one of the claims 17-20, wherein the processing device (210) is arranged to compare the address obtained from one or more data packet received in the time slot given by the time slot register with the address stored in the address register, and in the event of mismatch between said addresses, to keep the receiver in a passive state wherein the processing device is arranged to ignore any control data received in data packets.

22. Remote control receiver (200) according to claim 21, wherein the processing device (210) is arranged in the event of match between the addresses to keep the receiver in an active state wherein the processing device is arranged to generate control signals based on control data received in data packets.

24. Remote control system (100, 200), comprising at least one remote control device (100) according to one of the claims 1-14 and at least one remote control receiver (200) according to one of the claims 15-23.

15. Remote control receiver (200) for receiving and decoding signals from a remote control device (100), for use in an area (300) wherein a plurality of remote control devices (100) and remote control receivers (200) may be operating simultaneously, comprising

a receiver (205),

a processing device (210) arranged for

inputting and decoding a received signal (215) provided by the receiver (205), said signal being decoded from a repeating frame format, wherein each frame (400) comprises a number of data packets (404) contained in subsequent time slots (402), and wherein each data packet (404) comprises a time slot identifier (410) identifying the time slot in:

which the data packet (404) is contained.

23. Remote control receiver (200) according to one of the claims 15-22, further comprising a connect activating element (217), wherein the processing device (210) is arranged for

upon the activating of the element (217), deriving an address from one or more received data packet, and storing this address as the assigned address for the receiver (200).