Optical retroreflective remote control

• US 6,344,846 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen P. Hines
• Original Assignee: Stephen P. Hines
• Inventors: Hines, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,950
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/166, 359/152, 359/168, 359/127-131, 359/142
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical retroreflective remote control used in combination with electronic apparatus, such as a VCR or television set is disclosed. The controlled apparatus includes a light or radiation source and a retroreflected light detector as well as means for detecting any modulation of the light emitted as a control signal for the electronic apparatus. The remote control includes a portable housing with a window for receiving light from the electronic apparatus and for retroreflecting modulated light return by the remote controller. Manual controls or push buttons on the housing operate to block or modulate certain portions, i.e., wavelengths of the incident light enter in the window before the light reaches a retroreflector. Returned light or radiation from the controller as modified constitutes a control signal for the electronic apparatus. The remote control requires no power supplies or light or radiation sources.

Claims

1. A retroreflective optical remote control system comprising;

remotely controlled electronic apparatus including a source of optical energy in a predetermined wavelength spectrum;

means for radiating the optical energy into a field;

means for detecting modulated optical energy in the predetermined wavelength spectrum in said field wherein the modulated optical energy constitutes a control signal for said electronic apparatus;

a remote controller including a housing including an optical window therein for receiving optical energy from said electronic apparatus;

means within said housing for separating the received optical energy into a plurality of separate wavelength ranges;

control means for modulating the input optical energy from said electronic apparatus; and

retroreflective means for retroreflecting the modulated optical energy from said remote controller to said detecting means as a control signal for said electronic apparatus.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said source of optical energy comprises a plurality of LEDs having different wavelength spectra.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electronic apparatus includes a housing having an optical window therein and said source of optical energy is optically coupled to said optical window for radiation of the optical energy into a reselected field.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the detecting means of said electronic apparatus is optically coupled to said optical window for receiving retroreflected modulated optical energy at said optical window.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 including fiber optics for coupling optics energy from said source to said optical window.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1 including fiber optics for coupling optical energy from said optical window to said detecting means.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said spreading means comprising a diffraction grating.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes a plurality of individual manually controlled opto-mechanical shutters.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said shutters are push buttons coupled mechanically to means for interrupting selected wavelength ranges of the optical energy received by said control means.

10. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said retroreflecting means is positioned in said control means for intercepting and retroreflecting selected wavelength ranges responding to operation of selective switch means whereby the retroreflected optical energy returned by said control means is modulated as a function of a switch operated.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said shutter means interrupts an optical path of a selected wavelength range received by said control means;

whereby retroreflective optical energy with the interrupted selected wavelength range constitutes a control signal for said electronic apparatus.

12. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said shutter means allows a selected wavelength range of optical energy to be retroreflected as a control signal for said electronic apparatus.

13. A optical retroreflective remote controller for use with a source of optical energy from apparatus to be controlled comprising:

a case including an optical window therein;

a retroref lector within said case located in the path of incident optical energy entering the optical window of said case; and

means within said case for selectively interrupting a portion of the optical energy entering said window as a control signal whereby the balance of the optical energy entering said window is retroreflected outward from said case as a control signal for said apparatus to be controlled.

14. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 including means for separating optical energy entering said window of said case into different optical paths therein;

means for interrupting selected ones of said optical paths whereby the optical energy in said uninterrupted paths are retroreflected out of said window as a control signal for said apparatus to be controlled.

15. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 wherein said selectively optical path interrupting means comprising at least one flexible elongated spring and a push button for deflecting said spring to a position in the optical path to be interrupted.

16. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 including at least one beam divider and a plurality of beam interrupters and controls, one for each beam interrupter for producing a plurality of different control signals for said apparatus to be controlled.

17. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 wherein a single retroreflector is positioned to retroreflect multiple selected portions of the optical energy entering said widow.

18. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 including a plurality of retroreflectors one for each portion of the optical energy to be controlled and including one control button for each of said plurality of retroreflectors.

19. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 including a plurality of dichroic beamsplitters for separating different portions of the optical energy entering said window.

20. A remote controller in accordance with claim 13 including a concave mirror facing said window for receiving optical energy entering said window and for reflecting such optical energy to a path within said case;

means for spreading the optical energy is said path into a plurality of different portions to said retroreflector.

21. A remote controller in accordance with claim 20 wherein said optical energy spreading means is a diffraction grating.