WIRELESS REMOTE

• US 20110229144A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frontrow Calypso LLC (Boxlight Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Calypso Control Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Larsen, Jan PT, Eul, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/128
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

Various embodiments include apparatus, systems, and methods including an apparatus comprising a remote operable to receive a non-radio frequency beacon signal, the non-radio frequency beacon signal transmitted within and contained substantially within an approximate line-of-sight transmission space, the non-radio frequency beacon signal including at least one channel information portion, wherein the channel information portion includes information indicating a radio frequency, the remote operable to establish bi-directional communications using the radio frequency designated by the at least one channel information portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a remote operable to receive a non-radio frequency beacon signal, the non-radio frequency beacon signal transmitted within and contained substantially within an approximate line-of-sight transmission space, the non-radio frequency beacon signal including at least one channel information portion, wherein the channel information portion includes information indicating a radio frequency, the remote operable to establish bi-directional communications using the radio frequency designated by the at least one channel information portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote is operable to establish the bi-directional communications when the remote detects the non-radio frequency beacon signal, and is operable to terminate the bi-directional communications when the remote no longer detects the non-radio frequency beacon signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-radio frequency beacon signal is an infrared frequency beacon signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the remote includes a watchdog timer, the watchdog timer to terminate any established bi-directional communications between the remote and a base station when the remote does not detect the non-radio frequency beacon signal within a predefined time interval.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless remote includes at least one receiving device operable to receive the non-radio frequency beacon signal, and at least one device to receive and to transmit the radio frequencies, wherein both the at least one receiving device and the at least one device to receive and transmit radio frequencies are enclosed in a case comprising a solid material that is substantially transmissive of the non-radio frequency beacon signal and the radio frequency portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the case is a composite including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote includes a microphone coupled to the remote, the remote operable to transmit using the radio frequency signal a signal representative of sounds received at the microphone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote is a battery powered wireless remote.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a base station operable to transmit a non-radio frequency beacon signal including at least one channel information portion, wherein the channel information portion includes information indicative of a radio frequency, the base station operable to transmit and receive bi-directional communications on the radio frequency indicated by the channel information portion of the non-radio frequency beacon signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the non-radio frequency beacon signal is an infrared frequency beacon signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the information indicative of a radio frequency is a time interval between a same portion of any two subsequent pulses included in the non-radio frequency beacon signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the base station includes two separate antennas, each of the two separate antenna having a longitudinal axis arranged perpendicular to each other, the two separate antennas operable to transmit and receive signals at the radio frequency.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the base station includes at least one of light emitting diodes operable to transmit the non-radio frequency beacon signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the base station includes at least one output operable to output a signal representative of a signal received during bi-directional communications.

15. A method comprising:

transmitting a beacon signal using a line-of-sight transmission signal, wherein the line-of-sight transmission signal includes channel information indicating a channel;

receiving the beacon signal;

determining a channel for establishing a bi-directional communications based on the channel information; and

establishing bi-directional communications using the channel, the channel operating as a transmission capable of transmission beyond a range and beyond one or more barriers to the line-of-sight transmission signal of the beacon signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the beacon signal using the line-of-sight transmission signal includes:

scanning passively a plurality of channels designated for bi-directional communications;

determining which of the plurality of channels do not have transmissions that are received during the passive scanning;

selecting one of the plurality of channels that did not have transmissions received during the passive scanning; and

including in the channel information an indication including the selected one of the plurality of channels.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the line-of-sight transmission signal further includes providing pulses at a time internal wherein the time internal indicates the channel.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the beacon signal includes transmitting the beacon signal at an infrared frequency.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining a channel for establishing a bi-directional communications includes measuring a time interval between pulses on the beacon, wherein the time interval is associated with the channel used for the bi-directional transmission.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein establishing the bi-directional communications using the channel includes using a radio frequency signal for the bi-directional communications.

21. A system comprising:

one or more remotes; and

a plurality of base stations, wherein each of the plurality of base stations is located in an enclosure, wherein each the plurality of base stations transmits a beacon signal that is detected by a remote located within its enclosure and wherein each the plurality of base stations selects a radio frequency channel for establishing bi-directional communications with a remote located within its enclosure;

wherein the plurality of base stations include a first base station and a second base station, wherein the first and second base stations are located in a first and a second enclosure, respectively;

wherein the remotes are operable to automatically establish bi-directional communications over a radio frequency channel with the first base station when the remote is within an approximate line-of-site transmission space defined by the first enclosure and by the beacon signal transmitted by the first base station;

wherein the remotes are operable to automatically establish bi-directional communications over a radio frequency channel with the second base station when the remote is within an approximate line-of-site transmission space defined by the second enclosure and by the beacon signal transmitted by the second base station; and

wherein each remote is operable to terminate the bi-directional communications with its respective base station when the remote is no longer receiving the beacon signal transmitted by its respective base station.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each remote includes a microphone, the remote operable to transmit signals representative of sounds received at the microphone, to a base station for output at one or more speakers during bi-directional communications.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein each remote includes at least one actuatable device for adjusting the volume of an audio output provided at the speakers.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein each remote includes a plurality of actuatable input devices for controlling a projector coupled to the base station.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the enclosures are adjacent rooms in a school.