Remote control transmitter for emitting control commands

• US 4,977,404 A
• Filed: 11/28/1989
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia GmbH (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Unterhaltungselektronik GmbH (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Reime, Gerd, Durst, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US07/442,127
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 340/689, 340/669, 340/573-576, 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.04, 455/100, 200/61.52, 200/DIG. 29, 200/61.47, 33/366, 331/65
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/20 operated by tilting contact-liquid container
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/025 the switch being discriminative in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 200/29 Ball

Abstract

A remote control transmitter contains on a circuit board (3), which is rigidly connected to the transmitter housing (1) of the remote control transmitter, a positional-deviation switch configuration (17), which in the event of an angular deviation of the circuit board (3) and thus of the remote control transmitter beyond a particular trigger angle (a_o) from a particular given or instantaneously determined reference operating position generates an output signal designating the direction of the positional deviation. In a signal converter (5) of the remote control transmitter, this direction-dependent output signal is converted as a control command into a transmission signal, and emitted via a transmitter element (4) of the remote control transmitter to a remotely controlled electrical appliance. By means of swivel movements of the remote control transmitter from the wrist of the user operating the remote control transmitter, different control commands to the remotely controlled appliance are generated in this way in the remote control transmitter.

Claims

1. Remote control transmitter, whose transmitter housing contains transmitter elements for emitting control commands selected at an entry device of the transmitter, by means of transmission signals formed in a signal converter of the transmitter, the distinguishing feature being that the device is a positional-deviation sensing means (17) coupled to the transmitter housing (1), which in the event of an angular position deviation (a) of the transmitter housing from a certain instantaneous reference position of the transmitter housing to a predetermined angle (a_o), generates an output signal designating the direction of angular position deviation as a control command capable of being passed to the signal converter (5).

2. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 1, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains several switches (7, 8, 9) each adapted to sence a particular direction of the angular position deviation (a), and generate an output signal only when there is an angular position deviation in the particular direction sensed by the switch.

3. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 2, the distinguishing feature being that the switches are gravity switches (7, 8, 9), which are coupled to the transmitter housing (1), and whose reference position direction is the direction of the Earth'"'"'s gravitation (13), and which generate a particular output signal in the event of an angular position deviation (a) from the reference position direction.

4. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 3, the distinguishing feature being that the gravity switches are contact elements (22, 23) located on a plate (3), linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1);

in the event of an angular deviation (a) of the transmitter housing from a horizontal reference position of the transmitter housing, these contact elements are electrically connected directly or by a heavy body moved out of its rest position by the alteration in angular position of the transmitter housing.

5. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 4, the distinguishing feature being that the heavy body is a ball (24) having a highly conductive surface (25), mounted in a recess (20, 30) of the plate (3).

6. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 5, the distinguishing features being that the contact elements (22, 23, 31) of four gravity switches are arranged in a ring configuration around the recess (20, 30) for the ball (24) on the plate (3), and that around the recess guide elements (21, 33) are fitted, which guide the movement of the ball towards a contact element.

7. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 3, the distinguishing features being that the gravity switches comprising an electric oscillator (32), whose oscillator coils (31) are located on a plate (3) linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1), and that not less than one heavy body coupled to the transmitter housing is provided, which in the event of an angular deviation (a) of the transmitter housing from a horizontal reference position of the transmitter housing moves from a rest position towards the oscillator coil and interrupts the oscillator vibration by damping the oscillator coil.

8. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 3, the distinguishing feature being that the gravity switches are liquid-level switches located on a plate (3) linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1);

at a certain inclination (a) of the liquid-level switches, their liquid provides an electrically conductive link between the contacts.

9. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 8, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation switch configuration (17) contains a single liquid-level switch (34), which contains not less than four inclination contacts (37), which are arranged in a ring configuration around a central contact (36) so as to ensure that at a certain inclination angle (a_o) in a certain direction only one inclination contact is electrically linked to the central contact by the liquid.

10. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 2, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains acceleration switches, which in the event of a movement of the transmitter housing (1) in a particular direction in relation to a main axis (2) of the transmitter housing generate an output signal designating the direction of said movement.

11. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 2, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains sensors (38) which detect the direction of field lines (39) of a radiation or force field, and are adapted to sence different directions of angular deviation in relation to a main axis (2) of the transmitter housing (1), and whose output signals (Sa) at a particular movement designate the rest position of the transmitter housing at this moment as a reference position of the transmitter housing.

12. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 1, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means contains gravity switches (7, 8, 9), which are coupled to the transmitter housing (1), and whose reference position direction is the direction of the Earth'"'"'s gravitation (13), and which generate an output signal in the event of a particular angular position deviation (a) from the reference position direction.

13. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 12, the distinguishing feature being that the gravity switches are contact elements (22, 23) located in a plate (3) linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1);

in the event of an angular deviation (a) of the transmitter housing from a horizontal reference position of the transmitter housing, these contact elements are electrically connected directly or indirectly by a heavy body moved out of its rest position by the alteration in angular position of the transmitter housing.

14. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 13, the distinguishing feature being that the heavy body is a ball (24) having a highly conductive surface (25), mounted in a recess (20, 30) of the plate (3).

15. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 14, the distinguishing features being that the contact elements (22, 23, 31) of four gravity switches are arranged in a ring configuration around the recess (20, 30) for the ball (24) on the plate (3), and that around the recess guide elements (21, 33) are fitted, which guide the movement of the ball towards a contact element.

16. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 12, the distinguishing features being that the gravity switches comprise an electric oscillator (32), whose oscillator coils (31) are located on a plate (3) linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1),

and that not less than one heavy body coupled to the transmitter housing is provided, which in the event of an angular deviation (a) of the transmitter housing from a horizontal reference position of the transmitter housing moves from a rest position towards the oscillator coil and interrupts the oscillator vibration by damping the oscillator coil.

17. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 12, the distinguishing feature being that the gravity switches are liquid-level switches located on a plate (3) linked in a positionally stable configuration to the transmitter housing (1);

at a certain inclination (a) of the liquid-level switches, their liquid provides an electrically conductive link between the contacts.

18. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 17, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains a single liquid-level switch (34), which contains not less than four inclination contacts (37), which are arranged in a ring configuration around a central contact (36) so as to ensure that at a certain inclination angle (a_o) in a certain direction only the inclination contact is electrically linked to the central contact by the liquid.

19. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 1, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains acceleration switches, which in the event of a movement of the transmitter housing (1) in a particular direction in relation to a main axis (2) of the transmitter housing generate an output signal designating the direction of said movement.

20. Remote control transmitter in accordance with claim 1, the distinguishing feature being that the positional-deviation sensing means (17) contains sensors (38) which detect the direction of field lines (39) of a radiation or force field, and are adapted to sense different directions of angular deviation in relation to a main axis (2) of the transmitter housing (1), and whose output signals (Sa) at a particular moment designate the rest position of the transmitter housing at this moment as a reference position of the transmitter housing.