Cordless remote control apparatus

• US 4,517,564 A
• Filed: 09/15/1982
• Issued: 05/14/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kenichi, Morishita, Tatsuo, Takamori, Kazuo, Funakoshi, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSKO, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US06/418,542
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/696, 340/825.17, 367/197-199, 455/68, 455/88, 455/4, 455/5, 455/151, 358/194.1
• US Class Current: 340/12.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 25/02 by signalling back receiving station to transmitting station

Abstract

A cordless remote control apparatus has a controlled portion adapted to a main body and a control unit cordlessly or wirelessly coupled to the controlled portion. The control unit contains an instruction transmitter for generating an instruction wave. The main body contains a device which is actuated according to the instruction wave wirelessly transmitted from the control unit to the controlled portion. The controlled portion includes an instruction receiver for generating a receiving indication signal when the instruction receiver is coupled to the instruction transmitter via the instruction wave, and providing the device with a control command corresponding to the contents of the instruction wave. The control command determines the actuation of the device. The controlled portion further includes a confirmation transmitter coupled to the instruction receiver for generating a confirmation wave for a given period of time after the receiving indication signal disappears and control command is generated. The control unit includes a confirmation receiver cordlessly or wirelessly coupled to the confirmation transmitter via the confirmation wave for indicating in accordance with the confirmation wave the establishment of actuation of the device.

Claims

1. A cordless remote control arrangement for controlling a device, comprising:

a portable control unit including;

instruction means for generating an instruction wave and wirelessly transmitting it, said instruction wave including information for controlling said device, and

means for receiving a confirmation wave and indicating in response thereto that said device has been controlled in accordance with said instruction wave; and

a main body containing said device and having a controlled portion, said controlled portion including;

means for receiving said instruction wave and generating a first signal when said device has been controlled in accordance with said instruction wave, said instruction wave receiving means including means responsive to said instruction wave for generating a second signal only when said controlled portion is coupled to said control unit via said instruction wave and providing said device with a control command corresponding to the contents of said instruction wave, said control command directing the actuation of said device, and means for generating said first signal when said second signal disappears and said control command is provided, thereby avoiding overlapping between the instruction wave and the confirmation wave, and

means, coupled to said instruction wave receiving means, for generating, in response to said first signal, a confirmation wave for a given period of time after the generation of said first signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said confirmation wave has a given duration sufficient to indicate the establishment of control of said device, and said confirmation wave generating means generates said confirmation wave each time said first signal is generated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means coupled to said instruction means for, when said instruction means generates said instruction wave, inhibiting the indication of confirmation that the given actuation of said device is established.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means, coupled to said instruction means, for prohibiting the transmission of said instruction wave upon receipt of said confirmation wave.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein there are two different waves for wirelessly coupling said control unit with said controlled portion, one of said waves being utilized for transmitting said instruction wave, and the other of said waves being utilized for transmitting said confirmation wave.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said confirmation wave generating means includes:

means, triggerable by said first signal, for generating a third signal for said given period of time after being triggered by said first signal; and

means coupled to said third signal generating means for generating said confirmation wave upon receipt of said third signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means coupled to said instruction means for, when said instruction means generates said instruction wave, inhibiting the indication of confirmation that the given actuation of said device is established.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means, coupled to said instruction means, for prohibiting the transmission of said instruction wave upon receipt of said confirmation wave.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein there are two different waves for wirelessly coupling said control unit with said controlled portion, one of said waves being utilized for transmitting said instruction wave, and the other of said waves being utilized for transmitting said confirmation wave.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means, coupled to said instruction means for, when said instruction means generates said instruction wave, inhibiting the indication of confirmation that the given actuation of said device is established.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein there are two different waves for wirelessly coupling said control unit with said controlled portion, one of said waves being utilized for transmitting said instruction wave, and the other of said wave being utilized for transmitting said confirmation wave.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein there are two different waves for wirelessly coupling said control unit with said controlled portion, one of said waves being utilized for transmitting said instruction wave, and the other of said waves being utilized for transmitting said confirmation wave.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said confirmation wave receiving and indicating means includes:

means, coupled to said instruction means, for prohibiting the transmission of said instruction wave upon receipt of said confirmation wave.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are two different waves for wirelessly coupling said control unit with said controlled portion, one of said waves being utilized for transmitting said instruction wave, and the other of said waves being utilized for transmitting said confirmation wave.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of said waves is a first electromagnetic wave and the other of said waves is a second electromagnetic wave of which wave length is different from that of said first electromagnetic wave.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of said waves is a first sonic wave and the other of said waves is a second sonic wave of which vibration frequency has no harmonic relation with that of said first sonic wave.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of said waves is an electromagnetic wave and the other of said waves is a sonic wave.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of said waves is a sonic wave and the other of said waves is an electromagnetic wave.

19. A cordless remote control arrangement for controlling a device, comprising:

a portable unit including;

instruction transmitter means for generating and cordless transmitting an instruction wave carrying device control information, and

confirmation receiver means for receiving a confirmation wave and indicating in response thereto that said device has been controlled in response to said instruction wave; and

a main body containing said device and having a controlled portion, said controlled portion including;

instruction receiver means for receiving said instruction wave and generating in response thereto a receiving indication signal when said instruction receiver means is receiving said instruction wave, and providing to said device a control command corresponding to the information of said instruction wave, said control command determining the control of said device; and

confirmation transmitter means for generating in response to said receiving indication signal a confirmation wave for a given period of time after said receiving indication signal disappears and said control command is generated, thereby avoiding overlapping of said instruction wave and confirmation wave, said confirmation transmitter including;

trigger means, responsive to said receiving indication signal and said control command, for generating a trigger signal when said receiving indication signal disappears and said control command is generated;

timer means, coupled to said trigger means and being triggerable by said trigger signal, for generating a timer signal when said trigger signal triggers said timer means, the duration of said timer signal corresponding to said given period of time;

signal generator means, coupled to said timer means, for generating a confirmation signal only when said timer signal is generated; and

output means coupled to said signal generator means for providing said confirmation wave upon receipt of said confirmation signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said control unit further includes:

means coupled to said instruction transmitter means and to said confirmation receiver means for, when said instruction transmitter means generates said instruction wave, inhibiting the indication of confirmation that the actuation of said device is established.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said control unit further includes:

means coupled to said confirmation receiver means and to said instruction transmitter means for prohibiting the transmission of said instruction wave when said confirmation receiver means receives said confirmation wave.