Associating a hand control unit

• US 6,570,491 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linak A/S (Linak Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: Linak A/S (Linak Holding A/S)
• Inventors: Bastholm, Jeppe Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/435,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.3, 340/10.31, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/825.69, 340/5.62, 340/825.22, 340/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0097 Remote control for furniture, e.g. tables or shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A remote control system includes at least one hand control (2) and one or more control units (4). Each control units transmits a signal with a unique frequency. The hand control receives this signal from the control unit, which appears the strongest to the hand control receiver, as well as transmits a signal with a frequency which is a whole multiple of the received signal. The advantage of the system is that an arbitrary hand control automatically adapts itself to the control unit from which the signal is strongest and subsequently communicates with the control unit. The system may be constructed such that one-way or two-way communication may take place. In one embodiment, the system is exclusively composed of standard components, the spreading on the components being used for forming the unique signal. The system lends itself for all forms of furniture equipped with motor driven adjustment facilities.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

at least one hand control and one or more control units,

said at least one hand control and said one or more control units each comprising transmit and receive antennae,

each of said one or more control units comprising a transmitter for transmitting a signal with a unique frequency,

said at least one hand control comprising;

a receiver for receiving a unique signal from only one of said one or more control units from which the signal is strongest relative to the at least one hand control,

a transmitter for transmitting a transmitted signal with a frequency which is a whole multiple of said strongest unique signal and, via a phase-locking circuit, is in phase with the said strongest unique signal, and

means for coding the transmitted signal with instructions,

each of said one or more control units comprising;

a receiver for receiving the transmitted signal from the at least one hand control,

means for determining whether the transmitted signal is in phase with the signal formed by the transmitter of the one or more control units, and

means for decoding and executing the instructions on the transmitted signal.

2. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the antennae of one of said one or more control units are formed of a wire loop.

3. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter of one of said one or more control units sweeps so that the unique signal therefrom oscillates within a narrow frequency range.

4. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein each of said one or more control units are arranged to emit a further signal with a frequency which is a whole multiple of the frequency of their respective unique signals, but different from the transmitted signal from the at least one hand control, and provided with means for coding the further signal with instructions, and that said at least one hand control comprises means for decoding and executing the instructions on the further signal.

5. A remote control signal according to claim 4, wherein the further signal is used for transmitting an identification signal and the at least one hand control includes means for registering said identification signal.

6. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the unique signal from one of said one or more control units is a signal divided by a whole multiple of a signal formed in the respective transmitter thereof.

7. A remote control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coding of the signal transmitted from one of said at least one hand control takes place by phase-shifting selected phases 180 degrees, so that a shifted phase e.g. represents a digital 0 and a non-shifted phase represents a digital 1, and each of said one or more control units can decode the coding of the signal by detecting whether the individual phases are phase-shifted relative to what is expected.

8. An adjustable article of furniture equipped with an electric motor for performing adjustments of the article of furniture, and including a remote control system according to claim 1.

9. An article of furniture according to claim 8, including antenna means in the form of a wire loop integrated thereto.

10. A power driven actuator equipped with a remote control system according to claim 1.

11. A power driven lifting column equipped with a remote control system according to claim 1.

12. A remote control system according to claim 5, wherein the identification signal is in the form of a ping.

13. A remote control system which comprises:

a plurality of operational units, each of said plurality of operational units including a transmitter with first antenna for transmitting a transmit signal having a unique frequency, a receiver with second antenna for receiving an activation signal from a hand control unit, means for determining whether a received activation signal is in phase with said unique frequency transmit signal, and means for decoding and executing instructions within said activation signal if in phase with said unique frequency transmit signal, and

a hand controller unit, said hand controller unit including a receiver with third antenna for receiving transmit signals from said plurality of operational units, means for sensing a strongest of said transmit signals, a transmitter and fourth antenna for transmitting an activation signal which is a whole multiple of said strongest transmit signal and which, by a phase locking circuit, is in phase with said strongest transmit signal, and means for coding said activation signal with instructions.