Remote Controller Capable of Selectively Controlling a Plurality of Electric Appliances, Remote Control System and Method thereof

• US 20060103545A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Watonga Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Watonga Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Tsou, Hsien-Chun
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission

Abstract

A remote controller for controlling a selected electric appliance includes a code input interface for inputting an control identification code of the selected electric appliance, a instruction input interface for inputting a function instruction for controlling the operation of the electric appliance, a wireless transmission module for outputting wireless signals, and a control module for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding control identification code signal after the code input interface receives the control identification code of the electric appliance, and the control module also for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding function instruction signal after the instruction input interface receives the function instruction.

Claims

1. A remote controller for controlling a selected electric appliance, the remote controller comprising:

a code input interface for inputting a control identification code of the selected electric appliance;

an instruction input interface for inputting a function instruction for controlling the operation of the electric appliance;

a wireless transmission module for outputting wireless signals; and

a control module for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding control identification code signal after the code input interface receives the control identification code of the electric appliance, and the control module also for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding function instruction signal after the instruction input interface receives the function instruction.

2. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the control module is capable of controlling the wireless transmission module to output the corresponding control identification code signal to the electrical appliance to set the electric appliance corresponding to the control identification code as a lock status, and the control module is also capable of controlling the wireless transmission module to output the corresponding function instruction signal to the electric appliance to control the locked electric appliance to execute the function instruction.

3. The remote controller of claim 2, wherein the control module is capable of controlling the wireless transmission module to output the corresponding control identification code signal to the electric appliance to release the lock status of the electric appliance corresponding to the control identification code.

4. The remote controller of claim 2, wherein the instruction input interface is also for inputting a release command, and the control module is capable of controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding release command signal to the electric appliance to release the lock status of the electric appliance.

5. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the code input interface comprises at least one of a number keypad and a symbol keypad for inputting the control identical code of the selected electric appliance.

6. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission module utilizes one of an infrared transmission technology and a Bluetooth technology to output the wireless signal.

7. A remote control system comprising:

a remote controller comprising;

a code input interface for inputting a control identification code;

an instruction input interface for inputting a function instruction;

a wireless transmission module for outputting a wireless signal; and

a control module for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding control identification code signal after the code input interface receives the control identification code, and the control module also for controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding function instruction signal after the instruction input interface receives the function instruction; and

an electric appliance comprising;

a memory module for storing an appliance identification code of the electric appliance;

a wireless receiving module for receiving the control identification code signal or the function instruction signal transmitted from the wireless transmission module of the remote controller; and

a logic unit for setting the electric appliance as a lock status when the control identification code signal received by the wireless receiving module matches the appliance identification code stored in the memory module, and the logic unit also for controlling the electric appliance to execute the function instruction when the wireless receiving module receives the function instruction signal and the electric appliance is in the lock status.

8. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein when the control identification code signal received by the wireless receiving module matches the appliance identification code stored in the memory module, and when the electric appliance is in the lock status, the logic unit is utilized to release the lock status of the electric appliance.

9. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the instruction input interface is also utilized for inputting a release command, and the control module is capable of controlling the wireless transmission module to output a corresponding release command signal to the wireless receiving module of the electric appliance to release the lock status of the electric appliance.

10. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the code input interface comprises at least one of a number keypad and a symbol keypad for inputting the control identification code.

11. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the wireless transmission module of the remote controller utilizes one of an infrared transmission technology and a Bluetooth technology of a wireless network protocol to output the wireless signal to the wireless receiving module of the electric appliance.

12. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the electric appliance comprises an identification code setting interface for setting the appliance identification code of the electric appliance.

13. The remote control system of claim 12, wherein the identification code setting interface comprises at least one of a number keypad and a symbol keypad for setting the appliance identification code of the electric appliance.

14. The remote control system of claim 12, wherein the identification code setting interface further comprises an on screen display (OSD).

15. The remote control system of claim 7, wherein the electric appliance is a projector.

16. A remote control method for controlling a selected electric appliance, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) utilizing wireless transmission technology to transmit a control identification code signal corresponding to a control identification code to the electric appliance;

(b) comparing the control identification code with an appliance identification code stored in the electric appliance, and setting the electric appliance as a lock status if the appliance identification code stored in the electric appliance matches the control identification code; and

(c) utilizing wireless transmission technology to transmit a function instruction signal corresponding to a function instruction to the electric appliance to control the electric appliance in the lock status to execute the function instruction.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the following step:

after executing step (b), utilizing wireless transmission technology to transmit the control identification code signal corresponding to the control identification code to the electric appliance to release the lock status of the electrical appliance corresponding to the control identification code.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the following step:

after executing step (b), utilizing wireless transmission technology to transmit a release command signal to the electric appliance to release the lock status of the electrical appliance.