Self-testing and mutual testing of multifunctional remote control transmitters

• US 5,276,692 A
• Filed: 09/05/1991
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Sun-don
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, PHUNG M
• Application Number:
  US07/755,324
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 371/5.1, 371/29.1, 371/67.1, 371/20.1, 371/20.5, 371/25.1, 371/17, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 358/194.1, 358/10, 358/139, 359/143, 359/145, 455/151.4
• US Class Current: 714/704
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 25/00 Arrangements for preventing or correcting errors; Monitoring arrangements

Abstract

A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters includes the steps of self-testing multifunctional remote control transmitters by selecting a self-testing mode using a test pin switch, mutually testing multifunctional remote control transmitters by selecting a mutual testing mode, compressing and analyzing data by the multifunctional remote control transmitters, and displaying the error condition. The method facilitates checking faults occurring in multifunctional remote control transmitters, thereby reducing poor products and enhancing the reliability of the products.

Claims

1. A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not a current mode is a self-testing mode, then, if the current mode is not the self-testing mode, performing a general mode of a first multifunctional remote control transmitter, and if the current mode is the self-testing mode, examining a condition of components of the first multifunctional remote control transmitter and displaying indications of the respective conditions of the components;

determining whether or not the current mode is a mutual testing mode, and if the current mode is the mutual testing mode, determining selection of a waveform transmitting state of said first multifunctional remote control transmitter;

converting to a waveform receiving state if the waveform transmitting state is not selected;

transmitting compressed data stored in a microprocessor of said first multifunctional remote control transmitter in accordance with a key selection value, increasing the key selection value by a certain value in order to output compressed data corresponding to a next key selection value in response to selection of said waveform transmitting state;

converting said first multifunctional remote control transmitter to a waveform receiving state;

receiving and storing transmitted data received from a second multifunctional remote control transmitter in an expanded memory of said first multifunctional remote control transmitter if said waveform receiving state of said first multifunctional remote transmitter, then if the transmitted data is all stored, analyzing and compressing the transmitted data;

comparing the compressed said transmitted data to compressed data stored in the microprocessor of said first multifunctional remote transmitter, then, if the compressed transmitted data does not match the compressed data stored in the microprocessor, increasing an error count value; and

determining whether all said transmitted data has been transmitted, and displaying said error count value, if all the transmitted data has been transmitted.

2. A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters as claimed in claim 1, wherein said the current mode is selected to be the self-testing mode by pressing a test pin switch, and the conditions of the input port of the microprocessor, said expanded memory, a key selector, and battery check unit of said first multifunctional remote control transmitter are examined.

3. A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current mode is the mutual testing mode after conversion to the waveform receiving state.

4. A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

comparing data of an expanded memory of a microprocessor of said second multifunctional remote control transmitter to received said compressed data and displaying a receiving error count value indicative of the comparison of the data of the expanded memory and the received compressed data;

and

converting said second multifunctional remote control transmitter to the waveform transmitting state.

5. A self-testing and mutual testing mode of multifunctional remote control transmitters as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second multifunctional remote control transmitter measures a width of waveform pulse of the received compressed data.

6. A self-testing and mutual testing method of a multifunctional remote controller, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a current mode of said multifunctional remote controller is a self-testing mode;

if the current mode is not a self-testing mode, performing a general mode of said multifunctional remote controller;

if the current mode is the self-testing mode, determining a condition of components of said multifunctional remote controller, displaying the condition, and enabling a waveform receiving state of said multifunctional remote controller;

determining whether the current mode is a mutual testing mode;

if the current mode is not the mutual testing mode, performing the general mode of said multifunctional remote controller;

if the current mode is the mutual testing mode, determining whether the current state of said multifunctional remote controller is the waveform receiving state;

converting the current state to a waveform transmitting state if the current state is determined not to be the waveform receiving state, transmitting stored data stored in said multifunctional remote controller in accordance with a key selection value, increasing the key selection value in order to transmit more said stored data in response to a subsequent key selection value, and simultaneously converting the current state to the waveform receiving state; and

comparing received data to data stored in a microprocessing portion of said multifunctional remote controller if the current mode was converted to the waveform receiving state, increasing an error count value if said received data does not match the data stored in the microprocessing portion, then, displaying said error count value if the comparison is completed.

7. The self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote controller of claim 6, wherein the self-testing mode is enabled by pressing a test pin switch.

8. The self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote controller of claim 6, wherein the step for determining whether the current mode is the mutual testing mode is performed after the waveform receiving state of the multifunctional remote controller is enabled.

9. The self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote controllers of claim 6, wherein the step for determining whether the current mode is the self-testing mode further comprises checking conditions of an input port, the expanded memory, a key selector and displaying the conditions on a display device.

10. A testing process of a multifunctional remote controller, said process comprising:

checking for user selection of testing mode;

in response to selection of said testing mode, enabling a transmission receiving state of said controller enabling a transmitting state of said controller;

making determinations of whether established criteria were met by comparing modulated radiation received during said transmission receiving state to said established criteria stored in said controller;

providing an indication of an error count in dependence upon said determination; and

in response selection of said testing mode, automatically generating transmitted modulated radiation indicative of selectable functions of said controller, said transmitted modulated radiation for being received by a receiving device for comparison to established criteria.

11. A testing process as claimed in claim 10, further comprising performing a self test of components of said controller and displaying a condition of said components determined in said self test.

12. A mutual testing process for a first remote controller in conjunction with a second remote controller, said process comprising:

enabling selection of a mutual testing mode of said first remote controller;

said first remote controller successively generating modulated radiation indicative of selectable functions of said first remote controller, said modulated radiation to be received by said second remote controller; and

said second remote controller comparing received said modulated radiation to established criteria stored in said second remote controller by determining widths of waveform pulses of said received modulated radiation and comparing the determined widths to said established criteria for said widths and providing a first error count representing a number times said established criteria were not met.

13. A mutual testing process as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

said second remote controller successively generating modulated radiation indicative of selectable functions of said second remote controller, said modulated radiation to be received by said first remote controller; and

said first remote controller comparing received said modulated radiation to established criteria stored in said first remote controller and providing a second error count representing a number times said established criteria were not met.

14. A testing process as claimed in claim 12, further comprising performing a self-test by said first remote controller and displaying a condition of components of said first remote controller determined in said self test.

15. A mutual testing process for a first remote controller and a second remote controller, said process comprising:

enabling user selection of a mutual testing mode of said first remote controller and said second remote controller;

in response to selection of said mutual testing mode, enabling user selection of a transmitting state of said first remote controller;

in response to selection of said transmitting state of said first remote controller, said first remote controller successively generating first modulated radiation indicative of selectable functions of said first remote controller, said first modulated radiation to be received by said second remote controller;

said second remote controller comparing received said first modulated radiation to established criteria stored in said second remote controller and providing first indications when said established criteria were not met by said received first modulated radiation;

in response to said first remote controller finishing generating said first modulated radiation, said second remote controller automatically converting to said transmitting state;

in response to said second remote controller automatically converting to said transmitting state, said second remote controller successively generating second modulated radiation indicative of selectable functions of said second remote controller, said second modulated radiation to be received by said first remote controller; and

said first remote controller comparing received said second modulated radiation to established criteria stored in said first remote controller and providing second indications when said established criteria were not met by said received second modulated radiation.

16. A mutual testing process as claimed in claim 15, further comprising said first remote controller performing a self-test and displaying a condition of components of said first remote controller determined in said self test.

17. A mutual testing process as claimed in claim 15, wherein comparing said received first modulated radiation to established criteria comprises, said second remote controller determining widths of waveform pulses of said received first modulated radiation and comparing the determined widths to said established criteria for said widths.

18. A mutual testing process of a multifunctional remote controller, said process comprising:

checking for user selection of testing mode;

in response to selection of said testing mode, enabling a transmission receiving state of said controller enabling a transmitting state of said controller;

making determinations of whether established criteria were met by comparing modulated radiation received during said transmission receiving state to said established criteria stored in said controller including determining widths of waveform pulses of said received modulated radiation and comparing the determined widths to said established criteria for said widths; and

providing an indication of an error count in dependence upon said determination.

19. A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not a current mode is a self-testing mode, then, if the current mode is not the self-testing mode, performing a general mode of a multifunctional remote control transmitter, and if the current mode is the self-testing mode, examining a condition of components of the multifunctional remote control transmitter and displaying indications of the respective conditions of the components;

determining whether or not the current mode is a mutual testing mode, and if the current mode is the mutual testing mode, determining selection of a waveform transmitting state;

converting to a waveform receiving state if the waveform transmitting state is not selected;

outputting compressed data stored in a microprocessor of said multifunctional remote control transmitter in accordance with a key selection value, increasing the key selection value by a certain value in order to output compressed data corresponding to a next key selection value in response to selection waveform transmitting state; and

converting said multifunctional remote control transmitter to a waveform receiving state.