Remote control with passive RFID tag and Zigbee arrangement

• US 20100182160A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ming-Wei Lu
• Original Assignee: Ming-Wei Lu
• Inventors: Lu, Ming-Wei
• Application Number:
  US12/356,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182160A1
• 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 2201/114 Solar power
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote control for consumer electronic device in one embodiment includes a passive RFID tag so as to be powered by its own rechargeable battery in operation, and a Zigbee arrangement so as to be aligned with future trend with respect to wireless transmission. In another embodiment, the remote control can be alternatively powered by a solar cell,

Claims

1. A remote control comprising:

a main processor (2) comprising a microcontroller (211), a touch screen unit (221), a light-emitting diode (LED) unit (231), a voice unit (232), a display (233), an IR transmission assembly (241), a Zigbee transmission assembly (242) including a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) and a communication range detection unit (2422), a CD (current sensor) (2512), a radio-frequency identification (RFID) assembly (253) including an RFID signal transmission unit (2531) and a transformer (2532), and a rechargeable battery (2511) for supplying DC power to each of the microcontroller (211), the touch screen unit (221), the LED unit (231), the voice unit (232), the display (233), the IR transmission assembly (241), the Zigbee transmission assembly (242), the CS (2512), and the RFID assembly (253); and

a releasable base (3) comprising a microcontroller (311), an RFID assembly (321) including an RFID signal transmission unit (3211), and a power supply (331), wherein

the RFID signal transmission unit (2531) and the RFID signal transmission unit (3211) are adapted to communicate in radio-frequency (RF) signals wirelessly with AC (alternating current) power being generated during the communication, the transformer (2532) is adapted to convert the AC power into DC (direct current) power, and the DC power is supplied to the battery (2511) for storage;

the IR transmission assembly (241) and the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) are adapted to communicate in infrared (IR) signals, the touch screen unit (221) has a data output port connected to a data input port of the microcontroller (211), the LED unit (231) is connected to a data output port of the microcontroller (211), and the LED unit (231) is adapted to light, dim, or flash to indicate the status of the main processor (2);

a data input port of the voice unit (232) is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211) and the voice unit (232) is adapted to alert a user audibly;

a data output port of the IR transmission assembly (241) is connected to a data input port of the microcontroller (211) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to send data or control signals from the IR transmission assembly (241) to a remote device having an IR transmission assembly (241);

the data input port of the IR transmission assembly (241) is connected to a data output port of the microcontroller (211) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to receive data or control signals from the remote device having an IR transmission assembly (241);

a data output port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) is connected to the data input port of the microcontroller (211) and a data input port thereof is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211);

a power input of the battery (2511) is connected to a power output of the RFID assembly (253) and a power output thereof is connected to a power input of the CS (2512), and a signal output of the CS (2512) is connected to a signal input of the microcontroller (211);

the power output of the battery (2511) is connected to each of the microcontroller (211), the touch screen unit (221), the LED unit (231), the voice unit (232), the IR transmission assembly (241), the Zigbee transmission assembly (242), the CS (2512), and a power input of the RFID assembly (253) for supplying DC power thereto;

a power input of the power supply (331) is connected to an external power source (4) for obtaining AC power therefrom and a power output thereof is connected to both a power input of the microcontroller (311) and a power input of the RFID assembly (321) for supplying AC power thereto;

a data output port of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is connected to the data output port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to receive data or control signals sent from the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) via the Zigbee transmission unit (2421);

a data input port of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is connected to a data input port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to transmit data or control signals to the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) via the Zigbee transmission unit (2421);

a signal output of the communication range detection unit (2422) is connected to a signal output of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) which is connected to the signal input of the microcontroller (211) such that the communication range detection unit (2422) is adapted to determine whether the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is within an effective communication range of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421), and the communication range detection unit (2422) is adapted to send control signals to the microcontroller (211) for activating either the LED unit (231) or the voice unit (232);

an output port of the RFID signal transmission unit (2531) is connected to an output port of the transformer (2532) which is connected to the power output of the RFID assembly (253); and

a data input port of the display (233) is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211) such that the display (233) is adapted to display input data from the microcontroller (211).

2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the main processor (2) further comprises a finger print recognition unit (222) including a data output port connected to the data input port of the microcontroller (211).

3. A remote control comprising:

a main processor (2) comprising a microcontroller (211), a touch screen unit (221), a light-emitting diode (LED) unit (231), a voice unit (232), a display (233), an IR transmission assembly (241), a Zigbee transmission assembly (242) including a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) and a communication range detection unit (2422), a CD (current sensor) (2512), a radio-frequency identification (RFID) assembly (253) including an RFID signal transmission unit (2531) and a transformer (2532), a solar power assembly (254) including a solar panel (2541) and a solar cell (2542), a switch (252), and a rechargeable battery (2511) for supplying DC power to each of the microcontroller (211), the touch screen unit (221), the LED unit (231), the voice unit (232), the display (233), the IR transmission assembly (241), the Zigbee transmission assembly (242), the CS (2512), the switch (252), and the RFID assembly (253); and

a releasable base (3) comprising a microcontroller (311), an RFID assembly (321) including an RFID signal transmission unit (3211), and a power supply (331), wherein

the RFID signal transmission unit (2531) and the RFID signal transmission unit (3211) are adapted to communicate in radio-frequency (RF) signals wirelessly with AC (alternating current) power being generated during the communication, the transformer (2532) is adapted to convert the AC power into DC (direct current) power, and the DC power is supplied to the battery (2511) for storage;

the IR transmission assembly (241) and the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) are adapted to communicate in infrared (IR) signals, the touch screen unit (221) has a data output port connected to a data input port of the microcontroller (211), the LED unit (231) is connected to a data output port of the microcontroller (211), and the LED unit (231) is adapted to light, dim, or flash to indicate the status of the main processor (2);

a data input port of the voice unit (232) is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211) and the voice unit (232) is adapted to alert a user audibly;

a data output port of the IR transmission assembly (241) is connected to a data input port of the microcontroller (211) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to send data or control signals from the IR transmission assembly (241) to a remote device having an IR transmission assembly (241);

the data input port of the IR transmission assembly (241) is connected to a data output port of the microcontroller (211) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to receive data or control signals from the remote device having an IR transmission assembly (241);

a data output port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) is connected to the data input port of the microcontroller (211) and a data input port thereof is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211);

a power input of the battery (2511) is connected to a power output of the RFID assembly (253) and a power output thereof is connected to a power input of the CS (2512), and a signal output of the CS (2512) is connected to a signal input of the microcontroller (211);

the power output of the battery (2511) is connected to each of the microcontroller (211), the touch screen unit (221), the LED unit (231), the voice unit (232), the IR transmission assembly (241), the Zigbee transmission assembly (242), the CS (2512), and a power input of the RFID assembly (253) for supplying DC power thereto;

a power input of the power supply (331) is connected to an external power source (4) for obtaining AC power therefrom and a power output thereof is connected to both a power input of the microcontroller (311) and a power input of the RFID assembly (321) for supplying AC power thereto;

a data output port of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is connected to the data output port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to receive data or control signals sent from the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) via the Zigbee transmission unit (2421);

a data input port of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is connected to a data input port of the Zigbee transmission assembly (242) such that the microcontroller (211) is adapted to transmit data or control signals to the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) via the Zigbee transmission unit (2421);

a signal output of the communication range detection unit (2422) is connected to a signal output of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421) which is connected to the signal input of the microcontroller (211) such that the communication range detection unit (2422) is adapted to determine whether the remote device having a Zigbee transmission unit (2421) is within an effective communication range of the Zigbee transmission unit (2421), and the communication range detection unit (2422) is adapted to send control signals to the microcontroller (211) for activating either the LED unit (231) or the voice unit (232);

an output port of the RFID signal transmission unit (2531) is connected to an output port of the transformer (2532) which is connected to the power output of the RFID assembly (253);

a data input port of the display (233) is connected to the data output port of the microcontroller (211) such that the display (233) is adapted to display input data from the microcontroller (211);

the solar panel (2541) is adapted to convert solar energy from the sun or a light source into DC power which is stored in the solar cell (2542);

each of the RFID assembly (253) and the solar power assembly (254) is connected to the switch (252); and

the switch (252) is adapted to dispose either in a first position to interconnect the RFID assembly (253) and the battery (2511) or in a second position to interconnect the solar power assembly (254) and the battery (2511).

4. The remote control of claim 3, wherein the main processor (2) further comprises a finger print recognition unit (222) including a data output port connected to the data input port of the microcontroller (211).