Electromagnetic remote control and control method thereof

• US 9,761,127 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen TCL New Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen TCL New Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Xin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US14/894,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1222, 341173, 341176, 310 36, 310 37, 345157, 335205, 335206
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/04 using magnetically coupled devices

Abstract

An electromagnetic remote control and control method thereof; when rotating a second rotary disc (20), the repulsive force between a first magnetic piece (30) on the second rotary disc (20) and a second magnetic piece (40) on a first rotary disc (10) is increased; when detecting increase in force on the second magnetic piece (40), transmitting a corresponding control instruction to a controlled device. The controlled terminal can be controlled by rotating the second rotary disc (20) without providing additional function keys, thus the electromagnetic remote control is small and easy to carry.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic remote control, wherein the electromagnetic remote control comprises a first rotary disc and a second rotary disc that is rotatably connected to the first rotary disc, wherein at least one first magnetic piece is disposed on the second rotary disc, at least one second magnetic piece is disposed on the first rotary disc, and polarity of a surface, facing the first rotary disc, of the first magnetic piece is the same as polarity of a surface, facing the second rotary disc, of the second magnetic piece;

and the electromagnetic remote control further comprises a control circuit that correspondingly generates a remote control signal according to relative locations of the first magnetic piece and the second magnetic piece, the control circuit comprises a controller, a pressure sensor electrically connected to the controller and disposed on the first magnetic piece or the second magnetic piece, and a signal transceiver electrically connected to the controller, wherein when the pressure sensor detects that pressure increases, the controller controls the signal transceiver to generate and send a corresponding remote control signal.

2. The remote control according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control key signally connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

when a signal indicating that the control key is pressed is received, switch a mode of the remote control, enable a pressure sensor corresponding to a current mode of the remote control, and disable other pressure sensors corresponding to other modes of the remote control.

3. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein two second magnetic pieces are disposed on the first rotary disc relative to the first magnetic piece, and the first magnetic piece is disposed between the two second magnetic pieces.

4. The remote control according to claim 1, further comprising:

a menu key signally connected to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to;

when a signal indicating that the menu key is pressed is received, control the signal transceiver to send a menu invoking instruction; and

after the menu invoking instruction is sent and the pressure sensor detects that pressure increases, control the signal transceiver to send a selection instruction.

5. The remote control according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

when the signal indicating that the menu key is pressed is a continuous signal, control the signal transceiver to send the menu invoking instruction; and

when the signal indicating that the menu key is pressed is a transient signal, control the signal transceiver to send a confirmation instruction.

6. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein multiple scales that correspond to adjustment grades are provided on the first rotary disc.

7. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein the first rotary disc is ring-shaped.

8. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein the first rotary disc and the second rotary disc are coaxially disposed.

9. A control method of the electromagnetic remote control according to claim 2, comprising:

detecting a pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor; and

sending a corresponding control instruction according to a mapping relationship between a pressure value in the pressure increasing signal and the instruction.

10. The method according to claim 9, before the detecting a pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor, further comprising:

detecting a trigger signal of the control key;

switching the mode of the remote control when the trigger signal of the control key is detected; and

enabling the pressure sensor corresponding to the current mode of the remote control, and disabling the other pressure sensors corresponding to the other modes of the remote control.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sending a corresponding control instruction according to a mapping relationship between a pressure value and the instruction when the pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor is detected comprises:

acquiring an instruction type corresponding to the pressure increasing signal when the pressure increasing signal is detected; and

sending the corresponding control instruction according to the instruction type and the mapping relationship between the pressure value in the pressure increasing signal and the instruction.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein before the sending a corresponding control instruction according to a mapping relationship between a pressure value and the instruction when the pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor is detected, the method further comprises:

determining, when the pressure increasing signal is detected, whether a pressure decreasing signal is detected within a preset time period;

if the pressure decreasing signal is detected within the preset time period, continuing to detect the pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor; and

if no pressure decreasing signal is detected within the preset time period, sending the corresponding control instruction according to the mapping relationship between the pressure value in the pressure increasing signal and the instruction.

13. A control method of the electromagnetic remote control according to claim 4, comprising:

detecting a trigger signal of the menu key;

sending the menu invoking instruction when the trigger signal of the menu key is detected;

detecting a pressure increasing signal generated by the pressure sensor; and

sending the menu selection instruction when the pressure increasing signal is detected.

14. The method according to claim 13, after the detecting a trigger signal of the menu key, further comprising:

determining, when the trigger signal of the menu key is detected, whether the detected trigger signal of the menu key is a continuous signal;

when the detected trigger signal of the menu key is a continuous signal, sending the menu invoking instruction; and

when the detected trigger signal of the menu key is a transient signal, sending the confirmation instruction.