Radio control transmitter and method for communication in the same

• US 8,432,950 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Futaba Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masahiro, Nishizawa, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, PHUONG M
• Application Number:
  US12/883,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 375132-137, 375/260, 370/330, 370/329, 370/436, 370/437
• US Class Current: 375/133
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A maneuvering signal for controlling a radio-controlled object is transmitted using 2.4 GHz band frequency hopping techniques. In a trainer mode, an instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter is configured to transmit the maneuvering signal and receive a trainer signal in each of frame periods by which a frequency is switched in accordance with the frequency hopping scheme. A trainee'"'"'s radio control transmitter is configured to transmit the trainer signal for each of the frame periods by which a frequency is switched in accordance with the frequency hopping scheme.

Claims

1. A radio control transmitter comprising:

(a) a transmission unit configured to transmit a signal via radio communication;

(b) a reception unit configured to receive a signal via the radio communication; and

(c) a transmission and reception control unit configured to set a transmission mode period and a reception mode period in each of frame periods, wherein a frequency is switched by frequency hopping on a per-frame-period basis;

control the transmission unit to transmit a first signal to an other radio control transmitter of a communication partner in the transmission mode period; and

control the reception unit to receive a second signal transmitted by the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner in the reception mode period,

wherein, when a function of an instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, the transmission and reception control unit is further configured to control the reception unit to receive a trainer signal as the second signal from the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner, the trainer signal containing maneuvering information corresponding to maneuvering operation directed to the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner; and

is configured to control the transmission unit to transmit a direct maneuvering signal as the first signal to a receiver of a radio-controlled object for controlling the radio-controlled object, the direct maneuvering signal containing the maneuvering information contained in the trainer signal received by the reception unit.

2. The radio control transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when a passive mode is enabled for the function of the instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter, the transmission and reception control unit is further configured to transmit the direct maneuvering signal as the first signal to the receiver of the radio-controlled object, the direct maneuvering signal containing the maneuvering information of the trainer signal received by the reception unit, and, when an active mode is enabled for the function of the instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter, the transmission and reception control unit is further configured to transmit a direct maneuvering signal as the first signal to the receiver of the radio-controlled object, the direct maneuvering signal containing maneuvering information corresponding to maneuvering operation directed to the radio control transmitter.

3. A radio transmitter comprising:

(a) a transmission unit configured to transmit a signal via radio communication;

(b) a reception unit configured to receive a signal via the radio communication; and

(c) a transmission and reception control unit configured to set a transmission mode period and a reception mode period in each of frame periods, wherein a frequency is switched by frequency hopping on a per-frame-period basis;

control the transmission unit to transmit a first signal to an other radio control transmitter of a communication partner in the transmission mode period; and

control the reception unit to receive a second signal transmitted by the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner in the reception mode period,

wherein, when a function of a trainee'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, the transmission and reception control unit is further configured to set the transmission mode period within each of the frame periods at a timing corresponding to the reception mode period set by the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner in which the function of the trainee'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, and is further configured to transmit a trainer signal as the first signal to the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner, the trainer signal containing the maneuvering information corresponding to the maneuvering operation directed to the radio control transmitter.

4. The radio control transmitter as set forth in claim 3, wherein the transmission and reception control unit is further configured to set the reception mode period within each of the frame periods at a timing corresponding to a transmission mode period set by the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner in which the function of the instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, and is further configured to receive as the second signal a direct maneuvering signal transmitted from the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner, the direct maneuvering signal being further received by the receiver of the radio-controlled object for controlling the radio-controlled object.

5. The radio control transmitter as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a synchronization and adjustment unit configured to perform synchronization of the timing of the frame periods of the radio control transmitter with frame periods of the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner, the synchronization being made based on a timing at which the direct maneuvering signal has been received.

6. A method for communication in a radio control transmitter, comprising the steps of:

(a) setting a transmission mode period and a reception mode period within each of frame periods by which a frequency is switched by frequency hopping;

(b) in the transmission mode period, transmitting a first signal to an other radio control transmitter of a communication partner, wherein the first signal is transmitted by a transmission unit adapted to perform signal transmission via radio communication; and

(c) in the reception mode period, receiving a second signal transmitted from the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner via the radio communication, wherein the second signal is received by a reception unit adapted to perform signal reception via the radio communication,

(d) when a function of an instructor'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, controlling the reception unit to receive a trainer signal as the second signal from the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner by the transmission and reception control unit, the trainer signal containing maneuvering information corresponding to maneuvering operation directed to the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner; and

is configured to control the transmission unit to transmit a direct maneuvering signal as the first signal to a receiver of a radio-controlled object for controlling the radio-controlled object, the direct maneuvering signal containing the maneuvering information contained in the trainer signal received by the reception unit.

7. A method for communication in a radio control transmitter, comprising the steps of:

(a) setting a transmission mode period and a reception mode period within each of frame periods by which a frequency is switched by frequency hopping;

(b) in the transmission mode period, transmitting a first signal to an other radio control transmitter of a communication partner, wherein the first signal is transmitted by a transmission unit adapted to perform signal transmission via radio communication; and

(c) in the reception mode period, receiving a second signal transmitted from the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner via the radio communication, wherein the second signal is received by a reception unit adapted to perform signal reception via the radio communication,

(d) when a function of a trainee'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, setting the transmission mode period within each of the frame periods at a timing corresponding to the reception mode period set by the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner in which the function of the trainee'"'"'s radio control transmitter is enabled, and transmitting a trainer signal as the first signal to the other radio control transmitter of the communication partner, the trainer signal containing the maneuvering information corresponding to the maneuvering operation directed to the radio control transmitter.