Method for operating a remote control, and remote control

• US 6,633,227 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmitz, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shimizu, Matsuichiro
• Application Number:
  US09/485,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.2
• US Class Current: 340/10.31
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code

Abstract

A method of allocating a remote control to a base station. The base station delivers a search signal. The remote control receives the search signal, compares it with a reference signal, and delivers a contact signal if they match. On receiving certain contact signals in response, the base station then delivers an identification signal, and after receiving it, the remote control sends back to the base station a code signal identifying it unambiguously.

Claims

1. A method of allocating a remote control to a base station, comprising the steps of:

causing the base station to deliver a search signal;

causing the remote control to receive the search signal;

causing the remote control to compare the search signal with a reference signal;

if the search signal matches the reference signal, causing the remote control to deliver a contact signal after a period of time that is determined by a group number and that is characteristic of the remote control has elapsed;

causing the base station to deliver an identification signal after the contact signal is received;

causing the remote control to receive the identification signal; and

causing the remote control to send back a device code that unambiguously identifies the remote control, wherein the remote control is differentiated by the device code from another remote control associated with the same group number.

2. A base station, comprising:

a transceiver including;

an arrangement for delivering a search signal and an identification signal,

an arrangement for receiving a contact signal and a device code from a remote control, and

an arrangement for performing at least one of a triggering operation and an analyzing operation with respect to a signal to be at least one of sent and received by the transceiver;

wherein the transceiver delivers the identification signal on receipt of a contact signal associated with the remote control and the identification signal causes every remote control receiving the identification signal to send back a respective device code identifying unambiguously every remote control receiving the identification signal.

3. The base station according to claim 2, further comprising:

a microprocessor for testing a device code received from the remote control in order to achieve an unambiguous interpretability.

4. The base station according to claim 3, wherein:

the transceiver delivers a separation signal when the device code cannot be interpreted unambiguously.

5. The base station according to claim 4, wherein:

the transceiver delivers a blocking command for suppressing a transmission of subsequent contact signals by other remote controls on receipt of a first contact signal in response to the separation signal.

6. The base station according to claim 3, wherein:

the microprocessor analyzes received contact signals for a time of receipt with respect to a transmission of the search signal in order to identify an operating element.

7. A remote control, comprising:

a transceiver including;

an arrangement for receiving a search signal and an identification signal,

an arrangement for delivering a contact signal and a device code, wherein the contact signal is delivered after a period of time characteristic of the remote control and determined by a group number has elapsed after receipt of the search signal, and

an arrangement for performing at least one of an analyzing operation and a triggering operation with respect to a signal to be at least one of received and sent.

8. The remote control according to claim 7, wherein:

the transceiver delivers the device code on receipt of the identification signal.

9. The remote control according to claim 7, wherein:

the transceiver receives a separation signal, and

the transceiver prepares a delivery of the contact signal in a randomly selected time window on receipt of the separation signal.

10. A device, comprising:

a base station provided with a first transceiver including;

an arrangement for delivering a search signal and an identification signal,

an arrangement for receiving a contact signal and a device code from a remote control, and

an arrangement for performing at least one of a triggering operation and an analyzing operation with respect to a signal to be at least one of sent and received by the transceiver; and

a plurality of remote controls, each remote control provided with a respective second transceiver including;

an arrangement for receiving the search signal and the identification signal,

an arrangement for delivering the contact signal and the device code, wherein the contact signal is delivered after a period of time characteristic of the remote control and determined by a group number has elapsed after receipt of the search signal, and

an arrangement for performing at least one of an analyzing operation and a triggering operation with respect to the signal to be at least one of received and sent, wherein each one of the remote controls is identified by respective group numbers, and wherein at least one group number is assigned to multiple remote controls at the same time.