Remote control device using a telephone line

• US 4,885,766 A
• Filed: 01/11/1989
• Issued: 12/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takehiro, Hikida, Nobuharu, Yasuoka, Norio, Itogawa, Jiro, Hatakeyama, Yasuyuki, Aoto, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US07/296,281
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/110, 379/95, 455/600, 455/603, 455/607
• US Class Current: 379/102.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022

Abstract

A remote control device stores commands which are received through a telephone line and transmits command signals to operate designated apparatus according to the stored commands. These command signals may be transmitted by infrared light or supersonic waves through one or more transmitters.

Claims

1. A remote control device comprising

memory means for storing data transmitted through a telephone line for the operation of selected apparatus,

control means for controlling said selected apparatus according to said data stored in said memory means, said control means including an infrared light transmitter and controlling said selected apparatus according to said data by transmitting control signals to said apparatus through said infrared light transmitter, and

testing means for testing whether said infrared signal light transmitter is properly functioning for the purpose of remote control, said testing means including means for selecting one of a plurality of ports through which current passes to said infrared light transmitter.

6. The remote control device of claim 1 further comprising a microcomputer and a signal converter for converting incoming signals received through said telephone line and converting said incoming signals into a form acceptable to said microcomputer.

12. The remote control device of claim 1 wherein

said memory means also stores a preselected access code, and

said control means is programmed to output a detection signal when the number of call signals sequentially received through said telephone line has reached a predetermined number of times, to thereafter accept an access code inputted in response to said detection signal, to output an agreement signal if said accepted access code matches said preselected access code stored in said memory means, to cause control data for selected apparatus to be received by said remote control device in response to said agreement signal, to store said received control data in said memory means, and to output a control signal for controlling operations of said selected apparatus according to said control data.

13. The remote control device of claim 12 further comprising a voice synthesizer connected to said telephone line for transmitting a request message through said telephone line.

2. A remote control device comprising

memory means for storing data transmitted through a telephone line for the operation of selected apparatus,

control means for controlling said selected apparatus according to said data stored in said memory means, said control means controlling said selected apparatus according to said data by transmitting control signals to said apparatus through cordless transmitting means, said control means including a signal transmitter assembly having a plurality of wave emitters affixed at different vertical angles with respect to a rotatably supported horizontal board.

3. The remote control device of claim 2 wherein said control signals have the same frequency as signals adapted to be transmitted from a cordless remote controller for controlling the operation of said selected apparatus.

4. The remote control device of claim 2 wherein said control means include a main transmitter assembly and a connecting means for connecting an auxiliary transmitter assembly which is equivalent to said main transmitter assembly.

5. The remote control device of claim 2 wherein said transmitter assembly also has knob means for controllably rotating said horizontal board.

7. A remote control device for controlling operating conditions of apparatus on the basis of data transmitted through a telephone line, said device comprising

memory means for storing a preselected access code and control data,

clock means for counting time,

controlling means programmed to output a detection signal when the number of call signals sequentially received through a telephone line has reached a predetermined number of times, to thereafter accept an access code inputted in response to said detection signal, to output an agreement signal if said accepted access code matches a preselected access code stored in said memory means, to cause control data for selected apparatus to be received by said remote control device in response to said agreement signal, to store said received control data in said memory means, and to output a control signal for controlling operations of said selected apparatus according to said control data by comparing time data received from said clock means and said control data, and

an infrared transmitter assembly connected to said controlling means to receive said control signal and to transmit infrared control signals for controlling operations of said selected apparatus, said infrared transmitter assembly including a plurality of wave emitters affixed at different vertical angles with respect to a rotatably supported horizontal board.

8. The remote control device of claim 7 further comprising a voice synthesizer connected to said telephone line for transmitting a request message through said telephone line.

9. The remote control device of claim 7 wherein said infrared control signal has the same frequency as signals selected to be transmitted from a cordless remote controller for controlling said selected apparatus.

10. The remote control device of claim 7 further comprising testing means for testing whether said infrared transmitter assembly is properly functioning for the purpose of remote control.

11. The remote control device of claim 10 wherein said testing means include means for selecting one of a plurality of ports through which current passes to said infrared transmitter assembly.