SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING WIRELESS CONTROL ON AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110285514A1
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Feng, Lei, Yang, Daiqin, Chen, Zhigang
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices

Abstract

The invention provides a system 100 for providing wireless control on an electronic device 30. The system 100 comprises a control station 10 and a wireless device 20. The control station 10 is configured to send a wireless exciting signal and a wireless control command. The wireless device 20 comprises an exciter module 201 and a processor module 210, wherein the exciter module 201 is configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and subsequently change a state of the processor module 210 from an inactive state to an active state, and the processor module 210 is configured to receive the control command and adjust functions of the electronic device 30 in accordance with the control command. The invention also provides a method and a wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of providing wireless control on an electronic device comprising an exciter module and a processor module, said method comprising the steps of:

supplying a wireless exciting signal to the exciter module;

collecting power from the wireless exciting signal at the excited module;

upon the exciter module collecting power to a pre-set level, changing a state of a processor module from an inactive state to an active state;

supplying a wireless control command to the processor module when the processor module is in its active state; and

- adjusting functions of the electronic device in accordance with the wireless control command.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exciter module comprises an antenna and the step of collecting power comprises the exciter module receiving power from electric currents induced in the antenna by the wireless exciting signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of changing the state of the processor module comprises turning on the processor module via the exciter module.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of changing the state of the processor module comprises supplying an interrupt signal so as to activate the processor module from a sleep mode, via the exciter module.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a lighting device and the step of adjusting comprises adjusting brightness and/or color of light emitted from the lighting device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

the processor module returning to its inactive state after the processor module has fulfilled the adjustment on the electronic device in accordance with the wireless control command.

7. A wireless device comprising an exciter module and a processor module, wherein the exciter module is configured to collect power from a wireless exciting signal and subsequently change a state of the processor module from an inactive state to an active state, and the processor module is configured to receive a control command and adjust functions of an electronic device in accordance with the received control command.

8. The wireless device according to claim 7, wherein the exciter module comprises an energy-harvesting unit and an electronic switch unit, said energy-harvesting unit being configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and supply the power to the electronic switch unit, said electronic switch unit being configured to turn on/off the processor module.

9. The wireless device according to claim 7, wherein the exciter module comprises an energy-harvesting unit and an interrupt generation unit, said energy-harvesting unit being configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and supply the power to the interrupt generation unit, said interrupt generation unit being configured to generate an interrupt signal so as to wake up the processor module from a sleep mode.

10. A system for providing wireless control on an electronic device, said system comprising:

a control station configured to send a wireless exciting signal and a wireless control command; and

a wireless device comprising an exciter module and a processor module, wherein the exciter module is configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and subsequently change a state of the processor module from an inactive to an active state, and the processor module is configured to receive the control command and adjust functions of the electronic device in accordance with the control command.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device includes a lighting device and the processor module is configured to adjust brightness and/or color of light emitted from the lighting device.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the exciter module comprises an energy-harvesting unit and an electronic switch unit, said energy-harvesting unit being configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and supply the power to the electronic switch unit, said electronic switch unit being configured to turn on/off the processor module.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the exciter module comprises an energy-harvesting unit and an interrupt generation unit, said energy-harvesting unit being configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and supply the power to the interrupt generation unit, said interrupt generation unit being configured to generate an interrupt signal so as to wake up the processor module from a sleep mode.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the exciting signal is a radio-frequency signal.