REMOTE CONTROL SIGNAL GENERATION DEVICE AND REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20080252509A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: YOKOZAWA, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 8,339,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote control signal generation device for converting a primary remote control signal compliant to one code system according to a predetermined remote controller into a secondary remote control signal compliant to another code system and outputting the secondary remote control signal, includes an exterior member having shape and size suitable for being held in a battery holder, which is configured to hold a rated plural number of batteries having a predetermined specification to be applied as a power source for the remote controller to obtain a rated electromotive force by the rated number of batteries connected in series, instead of one of the plural number of batteries, a converter section, responsive to the exterior member being held in the battery holder instead of one of the batteries together with the others of the batteries, for being supplied with a voltage corresponding to a total value of the electromotive force of the others of the batteries to convert the supplied voltage into an output voltage corresponding to the rated electromotive force, a primary remote control signal detection section for detecting the primary remote control signal, a signal code conversion processing section for generating the secondary remote control signal compliant to the another code system corresponding to the primary remote control signal detected by the primary remote control signal detection section, and a secondary remote control signal transmission section for transmitting the secondary remote control signal generated by the signal code conversion processing section, and the converter section and the signal code conversion processing section are disposed in the exterior member.

Claims

1. A remote control signal generation device for converting a primary remote control signal compliant to one code system according to a predetermined remote controller into a secondary remote control signal compliant to another code system and outputting the secondary remote control signal, comprising:

an exterior member having shape and size suitable for being held in a battery holder, which is configured to hold a rated plural number of batteries having a predetermined specification to be applied as a power source for the remote controller to obtain a rated electromotive force by the rated number of batteries connected in series, instead of one of the plural number of batteries;

a converter section, responsive to the exterior member being held in the battery holder instead of one of the batteries together with the others of the batteries, for being supplied with a voltage corresponding to a total value of the electromotive force of the others of the batteries to convert the supplied voltage into an output voltage corresponding to the rated electromotive force;

a primary remote control signal detection section for detecting the primary remote control signal;

a signal code conversion processing section for generating the secondary remote control signal compliant to the another code system corresponding to the primary remote control signal detected by the primary remote control signal detection section; and

a secondary remote control signal transmission section for transmitting the secondary remote control signal generated by the signal code conversion processing section,

wherein the converter section and the signal code conversion processing section are disposed in the exterior member.

2. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1,

wherein the primary remote control signal detection section includes

a light receiving section for receiving an optical signal as the primary remote control signal of the remote controller.

3. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1,

wherein the primary remote control signal detection section includes

a load current detection section for detecting a load current corresponding to the primary remote control signal of the remote controller, and

a primary remote control signal distinguishing section for distinguishing a content of the primary remote control signal based on a waveform of the load current detected by the load current detection section.

4. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1,

wherein the signal code conversion processing section includes

a data holding section holding a data table from which correspondence between the one code system and the another code system is referable.

5. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 4, further comprising

a wireless communication section for obtaining the data table to be held in the data holding section by communication with the outside.

6. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1,

wherein the signal code conversion processing section includes

a control signal analyzing section for analyzing a content of the primary remote control signal detected by the primary remote control signal detection section.

7. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1,

wherein the secondary remote control signal transmission section includes

a light emitting element for transmitting the secondary remote control signal generated by the signal code conversion processing section with an optical signal.

8. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

a motion sensor signal conversion section for generating the secondary remote control signal based on a predetermined output of motion sensor.

9. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position detection sensor;

a time information obtaining section; and

a movement history data generation processing section for generating movement data of the exterior member based on outputs of the position detection sensor and the time information obtaining section.

10. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 9, further comprising

an operation history data generation processing section for generating operation history data based on an operation condition of at least one of the primary remote control signal detection section and the signal code conversion section processing section and an output of at least one of the position detection sensor and the time information obtaining section.

11. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 1, further comprising

an ID storage section for storing a unique identification number.

12. The remote control signal generation device according to claim 11,

wherein the ID storage section includes

a storage medium storing the identification number, and

a reading device for retrieving the identification number stored in the storage medium, and

the storage medium is detachably attached to the reading device.

13. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control signal generation device for converting a primary remote control signal compliant to one code system according to a predetermined remote controller into a secondary remote control signal compliant to another code system and outputting the secondary remote control signal; and

a target apparatus controlled by the remote control signal generation device,

wherein the remote control signal generation device includes

an exterior member having shape and size suitable for being held in a battery holder, which is configured to hold a rated plural number of batteries having a predetermined specification to be applied as a power source for the remote controller to obtain a rated electromotive force by the rated number of batteries connected in series, instead of one of the plural number of batteries,

a converter section, responsive to the exterior member being held in the battery holder instead of one of the batteries together with the others of the batteries, for being supplied with a voltage corresponding to a total value of the electromotive force of the others of the batteries to convert the supplied voltage into an output voltage corresponding to the rated electromotive force,

a primary remote control signal detection section for detecting the primary remote control signal,

a signal code conversion processing section for generating the secondary remote control signal compliant to the another code system corresponding to the primary remote control signal detected by the primary remote control signal detection section,

a secondary remote control signal transmission section for transmitting the secondary remote control signal generated by the signal code conversion processing section, and

an ID storage section for storing a unique identification number,

the converter section and the signal code conversion processing section being disposed inside the exterior member, and

the target apparatus includes

an ID storage section for storing a unique identification number,

the remote control signal generation device and the target apparatus communicating the identification numbers stored respectively in the remote control signal generation device and the target apparatus.