Remote control system

• US 6,590,505 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Noriaki, Hatano, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIMIZU, MATSUICHIRO
• Application Number:
  US09/570,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.57, 340/825.69, 455/41, 455/603, 348/194.1
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• 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

A remote control system enables simplified programming of new remote control transmission data of an electronic apparatus which a user wants to remotely control. A plurality of electronic apparatuses are remote controlled by using a single common use remote control transmitter and by converting an infrared signal from an exclusive use remote control transmitter belonging to an electronic apparatus into another remote control transmitter data at a remote control signal analysis/output unit. The data is output as a magnetic signal, the magnetic signal is received, the signal is converted into new remote control transmitter data and the converted data is stored in a nonvolatile memory device.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

remote control signal analysis and output means comprising;

light receiving means for receiving and converting an infrared signal for remote controlling an electronic apparatus into a first electric signal;

analysis means for processing and converting the first electric signal into first remote control transmission data;

first microcomputer means for converting the first remote control transmission data into a second electric signal; and

first electromagnetic induction means for converting the second electric signal into a magnetic signal; and

remote control transmitter means comprising;

second electromagnetic induction means for converting the magnetic signal output from the first electromagnetic induction means into a third electric signal;

second microcomputer means for processing and converting the third electric signal into second remote control transmission data;

first nonvolatile memory means for storing the second remote control transmission data;

a plurality of operation keys for remote-controlling of said electronic apparatus; and

infrared signal output means for generating an infrared signal according to an output of said second microcomputer means, said second microcomputer means transmitting said output upon (a) one of said operation keys being operated, and (b) transmission data corresponding to said operated key being retrieved from said first nonvolatile memory means and received by said second microcomputer means.

2. A remote control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said analysis means is built in said first microcomputer means.

3. A remote control system as recited in claim 1, wherein

second nonvolatile memory means in which plural suites of remote control transmission data for remote controlling a plurality of electronic apparatuses are previously stored is connected to said first microcomputer means;

said first microcomputer means compares remote control transmission data converted from the infrared signal received at said light receiving means with remote control transmission data stored in said second nonvolatile memory means; and

coincident remote control transmission data and all the remote control transmission data having a designated relation with said coincident remote control transmission data are selected from said second nonvolatile memory means and are altogether supplied to said first electromagnetic induction means.

4. A remote control system as recited in claim 2, wherein second nonvolatile memory means in which plural suites of remote control transmission data for remote controlling a plurality of electronic apparatuses are previously stored is connected to said first microcomputer means;

said first microcomputer means compares remote control transmission data converted from the infrared signal received at said light receiving means with remote control transmission data stored in said second nonvolatile memory means; and

coincident remote control transmission data and all the remote control transmission data having a designated relation with said coincident remote control transmission data are selected from said second nonvolatile memory means and are altogether supplied to said first electromagnetic induction means.

5. A remote control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said first nonvolatile memory means is built in said second microcomputer means.

6. A remote control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said first nonvolatile memory means is built in said second microcomputer means.

7. A remote control system as recited in claim 3, wherein said first nonvolatile memory means is built in said second microcomputer means.

8. A remote control system as recited in claim 4, wherein said first nonvolatile memory means is built in said second microcomputer means.