Noise resistant remote control system

• US 20050190073A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dana Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dana Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Curtis, Jerry, Berges, Jon
• Application Number:
  US11/059,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.23
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A method for providing control commands to electronic equipment from a remote location comprises receiving a control command signal transmitted from a remote location The control command signal has a first carrier wave that includes a noise component. The method further comprises removing the first carrier wave from the control command signal, such that the noise component is also removed, thereby producing a TTL signal. The method further comprises generating a second carrier wave having a frequency substantially equal to the first carrier wave. The method further comprises applying the second carrier wave to the TTL signal to produce an output command signal.

Claims

1. A method for providing control commands to electronic equipment from a remote control device, the method comprising:

receiving a control command signal transmitted from a remote control transmitter at a remote location, the control command signal has a first carrier wave, wherein the first carrier wave includes a noise component from a first source;

removing the first carrier wave from the control command signal so as to also remove the noise component;

generating a second carrier wave having a frequency substantially equal to the first carrier wave; and

modulating the second carrier wave with the control command signal after the first carrier wave has been removed to produce an output command signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control command signal is an infrared signal, and wherein the control command signal is received using a photodetector.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier wave has a frequency between about 36 kHz and about 44 kHz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier wave has a frequency between about 36 kHz and about 56 kHz.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first carrier wave has a frequency between about 36 kHz and about 100 kHz.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise component of the first carrier wave is produced by electromagnetic radiation generated by a plasma television set.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise component of the first carrier wave is produced by electromagnetic radiation generated by a fluorescent lighting.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second carrier wave is generated by a processor circuit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second carrier wave is generated by a clock circuit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second carrier wave is generated by a circuit comprising a processor, an oscillator and a frequency divider.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a visible talkback signal corresponding to the output command signal.

12. A method of filtering a remote control device signal, comprising:

receiving at a detector an infrared command signal from a remote control transmitter, the command signal including a noisy carrier at a first frequency and remote control command data that modulates the carrier;

selectively filtering out the carrier at the first frequency;

using a second carrier to carry the remote control command data to a receiving device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective filtering is configured to remove noise generated by a plasma television set.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first frequency is between about 36 kHz and about 44 kHz.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the carrier noise is caused by a plasma television set producing electromagnetic radiation received by the detector.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the receiving device, wherein the receiving device includes at least one component selected from the group of a television set, a satellite receiver, a video cassette recorder, a DVD player, a digital video recorder, a cable box, a radio, a computer, and a multichannel audio components.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the carrier noise is caused by fluorescent lighting producing electromagnetic radiation received by the detector.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the detector is a photodetector.

19. A remote control apparatus comprising:

a photodetector configured to receive an infrared signal generated by a remote control, wherein the photodetector is exposed to a source of electromagnetic noise in the non-visible light spectrum;

an input circuit for generating a command signal from the infrared signal detected by the photodetector, the command signal including a logic portion, a carrier portion and a noise portion;

a filter circuit for removing the carrier portion and the noise portion of the command signal, thereby providing a logic signal corresponding to the command logic portion that is substantially free from effects of the electromagnetic noise;

a circuit that generates a replacement carrier signal and that modulates the replacement carrier signal with the logic signal; and

an output terminal configured to output the modulated replacement carrier signal.

20. The remote control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the command signal carrier portion has a frequency between about 36 kHz and about 44 kHz.

21. The remote control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the command signal carrier portion and the command signal noise portion include substantially similar frequencies.

22. The remote control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the source of electromagnetic noise is a plasma television set.

23. The remote control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the source of electromagnetic noise is fluorescent lighting.

24. The remote control apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a talkback LED configured to visually display the signal provided on the output terminal.

25. A system comprising:

a remote control for generating a command signal; and

a relay system, including a receiver which can be exposed to a source of light noise, the relay system configured to receive the command signal in the form of an infrared signal from the remote control, remove from the command signal a noise component caused by the light noise, and output a filtered infrared command signal, wherein the relay system is positioned remotely from the remote control.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising an electronic component configured to receive the infrared filtered command signal from the relay system.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the command signal includes a carrier signal having a frequency between about 36 kHz and about 44 kHz.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the command signal is an infrared signal having a frequency component that overlaps a frequency component of the light noise.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the source of light noise is a plasma television set.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the source of light noise is fluorescent lighting.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the relay system further includes a talkback LED configured to visually display the filtered signal.