Remote-controlled receiver arrangement using a modulated carrier

• US 4,833,727 A
• Filed: 12/17/1985
• Issued: 05/23/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mauge, Jacques, Calvet, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUNTZ, CURTIS A
• Application Number:
  US06/810,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 358/193.1, 358/195.1, 455/151, 455/186, 455/352, 455/353, 455/161, 455/155, 455/154, 455/255-260, 455/179, 455/182, 455/192, 455/196, 455/199, 455/208, 455/603, 340/696
• US Class Current: 455/151.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0008 using a central processing unit, e.g. a microprocessor digital tuning in general H03J5/0245

Abstract

A remote controlled radio frequency receiver. A modulated carrier having a frequency F1 containing remote control data is received in a radio frequency receiver having a local oscillator and demodulator. The data contained in the received carrier is produced as digital data. A microprocessor executes commands represented by the digital data. The radio receiver frequency receiver is tuned by a frequency synthesizer which is incremented by a microprocessor to tune a frequency band containing the modulated carrier. A non-volatile memory is provided for storing the value of a carrier frequency, and the value of an access signal in the event a carrier transmitter fails to produce the modulated carrier containing the needed remote control data.

Claims

1. A remote controlled radio frequency receiver for receiving and demodulating control data contained on a carrier signal having a frequency of F₁ comprising:

a local oscillator tunable over a frequency spectrum which contains the frequency F₁ for producing a signal F₂ modulated on said carrier F₁ ;

a demodulator circuit for demodulating remote control commands from said signal F₂ ;

a microprocessor for supplying remote control commands to remotely controlled equipment from digital data supplied by said demodulator;

means for tuning and locking the frequency of the local oscillator with respect to the carrier frequency F₁ comprising a frequency synthesizer having a frequency incrementing means coupled to said microprocessor for tuning the receiver through a frequency band containing carrier frequency F₁ in response to tuning commands provided by said microprocessor;

a portable box control coupled to said microprocessor for manually incrementing said tuning frequency of said oscillator to a preset frequency; and

a non-volatile memory for preserving initial values of control values, and for storing more recent control commands which have been received, and for storing the carrier frequency F₁ of said carrier identifying a tuning frequency for said oscillator which produces said signal F₂ ;

whereby when said carrier signal level decreases below a level which permits said locking of the local oscillator frequency, said local oscillator is tuned to a correct tuning frequency, and said most recent commands are available to control remote equipment operation when said carrier signal is unavailable, and said initial values are available for controlling said remotely controlled equipment in the event of a failure of said receiver.

2. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control box comprises a display indicating the value of the tuning frequency.

3. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box includes a field level indicator for checking the strength of the carrier.

4. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box comprises test means managed by the microprocessor ensuring a satisfactory functioning of the receiver arrangement.

5. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box is a plug-in type.

6. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box is of the cableconnection type.

7. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box is of the infrared coupling type.

8. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box is of the ultrasonic coupling type.

9. A receiver arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control box has a push-button keyboard rendering for composing identification code numbers and commands to be received and evaluated.