REMOTE CONTROL TRANSMITTER

• US 20090267897A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Original Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Inventors: Ootsuka, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US12/362,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus

Abstract

A remote control transmitter detects motion in a specific direction or in a rotational direction around a specific axis: The transmitter includes a battery placed on a bottom surface side within a case containing circuitry of the transmitter. The bottom surface side has a convex surface, with a center of curvature C coincident in the upward direction of the force of gravity above a center of gravity G of the transmitter. When placed on a flat surface, the transmitter assumes a stable orientation such that when the transmitter is grasped in order to perform a motion-based operation, it can be can be assumed that the vertical direction is the direction of the line joining the center of curvature C of the stable portion to the center of mass G, as an absolute direction for reference in detecting the motion operation.

Claims

1. A remote control transmitter comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting acceleration along a predetermined axis or the angular velocity around a predetermined axis and for outputting a detection signal;

a control circuit element for detecting, from the detection signal that is outputted from the motion sensor, a motion operation on a case thereof, and for generating a specific control data in accordance with the detected motion operation;

an RF module for transmitting the control data to the device to be controlled using a radio signal;

one or more batteries for supplying the driving power supply to the motion sensor, the control circuit element, and the RF module; and

a case for enclosing the motion circuit, control circuit, RF module and battery, wherein;

an object to be controlled is controlled remotely through control data through a motion operation on the case, wherein;

at least an outer peripheral surface on a bottom surface side of the case includes a first convex surface, and the one or more batteries are disposed at the bottom surface side within the case, thereby causing a center of gravity G of the remote control transmitter to be positioned between a center of curvature C of the first convex surface of the outer peripheral surface and the first convex surface, the remote control transmitter thereby being configured to assume a predetermined stable orientation when a stable portion of the of the first convex surface is placed on another flat surface,

the center of curvature C of the first convex surface becomes coincident with an axial line extending in the upward direction of gravity from the center of gravity G in the stable orientation,

the axial line defines a vertical direction, and the motion sensor is positioned in the case so as to detect an acceleration in a predetermined axial direction or an angular velocity around a predetermined axis of rotation, using the vertical direction as a reference; and

the control circuit element detects the motion operation of the case from the detection signal that is outputted from the motion sensor.

2. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is a Z acceleration sensor positioned in the case so as to detect an acceleration in the vertical axial direction, with the vertical direction as a reference, or a gyroscope positioned in the case so as to detect an angular velocity around the vertical axis, with the vertical direction as a reference.

3. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a push switch having an operating button configured to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the case is also contained within the case; and

the motion sensor is positioned in the case so as to detect an acceleration in a specific axial direction in the horizontal direction, or an angular velocity around a specific axis, with the vertical direction and the direction of the operating button around the axis line as references.

4. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 3, wherein the motion sensor comprises a gyroscope for detecting an angular velocity around a specific axis in the horizontal direction.

5. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the motion sensor comprises a pair of X and Y acceleration sensors positioned in the case so as to detect, respectively, acceleration in the X and Y directions, which are mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, with the vertical direction as a reference.

6. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein

the control circuit element detects, from the detection signal that is outputted from the pair of X and Y acceleration sensors, a wobbling operation wherein the case rocks within a contact area between the other flat surface and an are of the outer peripheral surface that is centered on the stable portion;

and

emitting means are provided for providing at least one of an audible indication or a visual indication when two or more wobbling operations have been detected within a predetermined time period.

7. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 2, wherein the control circuit element detects a click operation on the case from the repetitive outputting, within a specific time period, of a detection signal with a frequency of at least 100 Hz from the motion sensor or from any of the acceleration sensors, and generates a specific control data in accordance with the click operation.

8. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a speaker for outputting a sound in accordance with a motion operation or a click operation that is detected by the control circuit element is contained within the case.

9. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the outer peripheral surface of the case is shaped as an egg shape wherein one side in the lengthwise direction is a bottom surface side;

the stable portion is located on the bottom surface side; and

in the stable orientation, the lengthwise direction of the egg shape is in the vertical direction.

10. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein the control circuit element detects a click operation on the case from the repetitive outputting, within a specific time period, of a detection signal with a frequency of at least 100 Hz from the motion sensor or from any of the acceleration sensors, and generates a specific control data in accordance with the click operation.

11. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 6, wherein the control circuit element detects a click operation on the case from the repetitive outputting, within a specific time period, of a detection signal with a frequency of at least 100 Hz from the motion sensor or from any of the acceleration sensors, and generates a specific control data in accordance with the click operation.

12. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a speaker for outputting a sound in accordance with a motion operation or a click operation that is detected by the control circuit element is contained within the case.

13. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a speaker for outputting a sound in accordance with a motion operation or a click operation that is detected by the control circuit element is contained within the case.

14. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a speaker for outputting a sound in accordance with a motion operation or a click operation that is detected by the control circuit element is contained within the case.

15. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a speaker for outputting a sound in accordance with a motion operation or a click operation that is detected by the control circuit element is contained within the case.

16. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the outer peripheral surface of the case is shaped as an egg shape wherein one side in the lengthwise direction is a bottom surface side;

the stable portion is located on the bottom surface side; and

in the stable orientation, the lengthwise direction of the egg shape is in the vertical direction.

17. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the outer peripheral surface of the case is shaped as an egg shape wherein one side in the lengthwise direction is a bottom surface side;

the stable portion is located on the bottom surface side; and

in the stable orientation, the lengthwise direction of the egg shape is in the vertical direction.

18. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the outer peripheral surface of the case is shaped as an egg shape wherein one side in the lengthwise direction is a bottom surface side;

the stable portion is located on the bottom surface side; and

in the stable orientation, the lengthwise direction of the egg shape is in the vertical direction.

19. The remote control transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

the outer peripheral surface of the case is shaped as an egg shape wherein one side in the lengthwise direction is a bottom surface side;

the stable portion is located on the bottom surface side; and

in the stable orientation, the lengthwise direction of the egg shape is in the vertical direction.

20. A remote control transmitter comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting acceleration along a predetermined axis or the angular velocity around a predetermined axis and for outputting a detection signal;

a control circuit element for detecting, from the detection signal that is outputted from the motion sensor, a motion operation on a case thereof, and for generating a specific control data in accordance with the detected motion operation;

an RF module for transmitting the control data to the device to be controlled using a radio signal; and

a case for enclosing the motion circuit, control circuit, RF module and battery, wherein;

an object to be controlled is controlled remotely through control data through a motion operation on the case, wherein;

at least an outer peripheral surface on a bottom surface side of the case includes a first convex surface,

the remote control transmitter is configured to have a center of gravity G that is positioned between a center of curvature C of the first convex surface of the outer peripheral surface and the first convex surface, the remote control transmitter thereby being configured to assume a predetermined stable orientation when a stable portion of the of the first convex surface is placed on another flat surface,

the center of curvature C of the first convex surface becomes coincident with an axial line extending in the upward direction of gravity from the center of gravity G in the stable orientation,

the axial line defines a vertical direction, and the motion sensor is positioned in the case so as to detect an acceleration in a predetermined axial direction or an angular velocity around a predetermined axis of rotation, using the vertical direction as a reference; and

the control circuit element detects the motion operation of the case from the detection signal that is outputted from the motion sensor.