Remote control apparatus and method for omnidirectional signal transmission

• US 5,243,430 A
• Filed: 07/24/1991
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electronics America Inc (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Emmons, Lawrence D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Application Number:
  US07/735,380
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 359/142, 359/146, 359/147, 359/148, 359/159, 359/172, 455/151, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.57
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

An omnidirectional remote control for use with electrically controllable devices. The remote control comprises a keypad input and a program selector for determining control signals to be transmitted by circuitry within the remote control. The remote control further comprises control circuitry which may be used to drive a plurality of transmitting diodes that are spaced around the perimeter of the remote control. The transmitting diodes are spaced so as to provide essentially omnidirectional transmission of control signals.

Claims

1. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a television set or the like in which the control function is not determined by the angular orientation of the device with respect to the television set, said device comprising:

a case having a generally partial oblate spheroid outer configuration;

a plurality of infrared signal emitters fixedly mounted within said case;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said case, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said infrared signal emitters;

a plurality of control keys located in the upper surface of said case;

means within said case responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals for said television set or the like; and

means for coupling said control signals to all of said infrared signal emitters so that each of said emitters simultaneously transmits identical infrared signals to the outside of said case, each of said signal emitters having an angular band of radiation β

such that the sum of all β

'"'"'s is approximately 360°

or greater so that said control signals are broadcast from said device by omnidirectional infrared signals.

2. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a television set or the like in which the control function is not determined by the angular orientation of the device with respect to the television set, said device comprising:

a case having a generally partial oblate spheroid outer configuration;

a plurality of infrared signal emitters fixedly mounted within said case along two substantially orthogonal axes;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said case, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said infrared signal emitters;

a plurality of control keys located in the upper surface of said case;

means within said case responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals for said television set or the like; and

means for coupling said control signals to all of said infrared signal emitters so that each of said emitters simultaneously transmits identical infrared signals to the outside of said case, each of said signal emitters having an angular band of radiation β

such that the sum of all β

'"'"'s is approximately 360°

or greater so that said control signals are broadcast from said device by omnidirectional infrared signals of approximately 90°

.

3. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a television set or the like in which the control function is not determined by the angular orientation of the device with respect to the television set, said device comprising:

a case having a generally disc-like outer configuration;

a plurality of infrared signal emitters fixedly mounted within said case;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said case, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said infrared signal emitters;

a plurality of control keys located in the upper surface of said case;

means within said case responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals for said television set or the like; and

means for coupling said control signals to all of said infrared signal emitters so that each of said emitters simultaneously transmits identical infrared signals to the outside of said case, each of said signal emitters having an angular band of radiation β

such that the sum of all β

'"'"'s is approximately 360°

or greater so that said control signals are broadcast from said device by omnidirectional infrared signals.

4. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a television set or the like in which the control function is not determined by the angular orientation of the device with respect to the television set, said device comprising:

a plurality of infrared signal emitters fixedly mounted within said device;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said device, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said infrared signal emitters;

a plurality of control keys located on said device;

means responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals for said television set or the like; and

means for coupling said control signals to said plurality of infrared signal emitters so that said control signals are broadcast substantially omnidirectionally from said device.

5. The method of remotely controlling a television set or the like from a remote location substantially independently of both (i) the angular orientation with respect to the set;

and (ii) there being a line-of-sight path between said set and said remote location, said method comprising the steps of;

selectively generating a control corresponding to a particular function for said television set or the like at said remote location;

transmitting from said remote location a plurality of identical coded infrared signals corresponding to said control signal along two substantially orthogonal axes;

reflecting a portion of said coded infrared signals off of a surface located between said remote location and said television set or the like; and

receiving at said television set or the like a reflected infrared signal from said surface.

6. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a consumer electronic device, said device comprising:

a plurality of infrared signal emitters fixedly mounted within said device;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said device, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said infrared signal emitters;

a plurality of control keys located in said device;

means responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals corresponding to particular functions of said consumer electronic device; and

means for coupling said control signals to said plurality of infrared signal emitters so that said control signals are broadcast substantially omnidirectionally from said device.

7. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a consumer electronic device, said device comprising:

a plurality of signal radiation emitters fixedly mounted within said device;

a plurality of control keys located in said device;

means responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals corresponding to functions of said consumer electronic device; and

means for coupling said control signals to said plurality of signal radiation emitters so that said control signals are broadcast substantially omnidirectionally from said device.

8. A small, hand-held remote control device to remotely control a television set or the like in which the control function is not determined by the angular orientation of the device with respect to the television set, said device comprising:

a case having a generally partial oblate spheroid outer configuration;

a plurality of signal radiation emitters fixedly mounted within said case;

a plurality of ports in the walls of said case, each port in juxtaposition with a respective emitter of said signal radiation emitters;

a plurality of control keys located in the upper surface of said case;

means within said case responsively coupled to said keys for generating control signals for said television set or the like; and

means for coupling said control signals to all of said signal radiation emitters so that each of said emitters simultaneously transmits identical radiation signals to the outside of said case, each of said signal emitters having an angular band of radiation β

such that the sum of all β

'"'"'s is approximately 360°

or greater so that the radiation signals are broadcast omnidirectionally from said device.