Remote control transmitting device

• US 8,138,942 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Original Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Inventors: Otsuka, Kenji, Noguchi, Ryuhei, Miyata, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/405,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.78, 341/176, 341/20, 341/22, 341/23, 345/168, 345/173, D13/168, D13/174, D13/184, D13/137, D14/218, D14/400, D14/401, D14/398, D14/247
• US Class Current: 340/815.78
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/005 Electromechanical pulse generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus

Abstract

An annular operation unit is formed as an outer shape to cover entire outline of a surface of a case, and inputting switches and displaying unit are attached inside of an opening at the center side of the annular operation unit, allowing the annular operation unit to have a size to perform fine rotational operations in case the entire size of the remote control transmitting device is miniaturized.

Claims

1. A remote control transmitting device comprising:

a case;

an annular operating unit rotatably attached to the case;

a rotation detecting device detecting an angle of rotation and a direction of rotation of the annular operating unit around a rotation center axis;

a displaying unit for displaying a plurality of control content that controls a controlled device;

an inputting switch, connected to the case, for selecting, by an inputting operation, specific control content from the plurality of control content that is displayed on the displaying unit;

an operating signal generating device generating control data for controlling the controlled device using selected control content, from the angle of rotation and the direction of rotation detected by the rotation detecting device, in a control mode, wherein the specific control content has been selected by an inputting operation of the inputting switch, wherein, in the control mode, the specific content operates the controlled device rotationally; and

a transmission device transmitting control data to the controlled device;

a guide displaying device installed next to the annular operation unit, wherein the guide displaying device displays a direction of rotation of the controlled device in the control mode,

wherein, in the control mode, when the annular operation unit is operated rotationally in the direction of rotation displayed by the guide displaying device, the control data controls the controlled device rotationally according to a rotational operation direction displayed by the guide displaying device using the angle of rotation and the direction of rotation detected by the rotation detecting device;

wherein the annular operating unit attached to the case so as to cover the entire outline of a surface of the case; and

wherein the inputting switch and displaying unit attached to a surface of a case that is exposed to an opening at the rotational center side of the annular operation unit.

2. The remote control transmitting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the case has a large diameter disc portion and a small diameter disc portion disposed on the same center line of the large-diameter disc unit at the upper side of the surface of the large diameter disc portion; and

the annular operation unit is rotatably attached around a rotation center axis of the annular operating unit, between a first ring guide unit formed downward along the outer peripheral edge of the small diameter disc portion and a second ring guide unit that is formed upward along the outer peripheral edge of the large diameter disc portion.

3. The remote control transmitting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the case has two or more annular operation units each of which is attached separately and rotatably in rotation around the same rotation center axis, and, has a plurality of rotation angle detecting devices, per each annular operation unit, detecting the rotation angle of the annular operating unit around a rotation center axis; and

the entire outline of the surface of the case is covered by an annular operation unit having the largest diameter among the plurality of the annular operating units; and

the inputting switch and displaying unit are attached to a surface exposed to an opening at the center side of the annular operation unit having the smallest diameter.

4. The remote control transmitting device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a luminescent displaying device installed to the annular operating units; and

wherein the luminescent displaying device produces luminescence in variant colors by control content selected by inputting operation.

5. The remote control transmitting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the transmission device is a RF transmitting module which transmits control data to the controlled device using RF signals.