Remote control system using a wake up signal

• US 5,115,236 A
• Filed: 10/28/1988
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kohler, Hans E. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US07/264,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.44, 340/825.45-825.48, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/543, 340/636, 455/603, 379/88, 358/194.1
• US Class Current: 340/12.16
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/06 the synchronisation signals differing from the information signals in amplitude, polarity or frequency or length
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A two-way remote control system suitable for use with a plurality of apparatus, the system including a hand held unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver, each transmitted message in the system comprising a series of pulses and the beginning of each message having a wake-up pulse which switches a receiver from a rest-state to an operative-state, the receiver switching back to the rest-state if no wake-up pulse has been received for a certain period.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising a transmitter and a receiver for the transmission and reception of messages, in which system said transmitter comprises means for generating messages, each message comprising a series of pulses and the beginning of each message including a wake-up pulse;

a modulation circuit for modulating the generated messages;

in said system said receiver comprises means for generating power supply energy;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating received modulated messages and for generating a rough version of each received modulated message;

a signal processing circuit fed by said power supply means and being coupled to the demodulation circuit for receiving the rough versions of messages and generating a stylized version of each message;

said receiver also comprising a wake-up pulse detection circuit generating an auxiliary wake-up pulse in response to each received wake-up pulse; and

switching means coupled to the signal processing circuit for selectively applying power supply energy thereto;

said switching means applying the power supply energy to the signal processing circuit only after an auxiliary wake-up pulse has been generated and discontinuing said supply if no auxiliary wake-up pulse has been generated for a predetermined period, said receiver maintaining said wake-up pulse detection circuit in condition to sense the next transmitted wake-up pulse after each said predetermined period.

2. A transmitter suitable for use in generating messages in a remote control system as claimed in claim 1, the wake-up pulse in each message being distinguished from the other pulses in the series by its energy content.

3. A transmitter suitable for use in a remote control system as claimed in claim 1, the wake-up pulse in each message being distinguished from the other pulses in the series by its amplitude.

4. A remote control system comprising a transmitter and a receiver for the transmission and reception of messages, each message comprising a series of pulses and the beginning of each message including a wake-up pulse;

in said system said receiver comprises means for generating power supply energy;

a signal processing circuit fed by said power supply and receiving said messages and generating a stylized version of each message;

said receiver also comprising a wake-up pulse detection circuit generating an auxiliary wake-up pulse in response to each received wake-up pulse; and

switching means coupled to the signal processing circuit for selectively applying power supply energy thereto;

said switching means applying the power supply energy to the signal processing circuit only after an auxiliary wake-up pulse has been generated and discontinuing said supply if no auxiliary wake-up pulse has been generated for a predetermined period, said receiver maintaining said wake-up pulse detection circuit in condition to sense the next transmitted wake-up pulse after each such predetermined period.