Remote controller and remote control system

• US 9,934,678 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirakawa, Mitsuru, Teki, Sei
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US14/890,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/11 Energy harvesting
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/112 Mechanical energy, e.g. vibration, piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/114 Solar power

Abstract

A remote controller 101 includes: an operation unit 11; a power generating unit 12 that generates electric power by operation on the operation unit 11; a signal generating unit 13 that operates by using the electric power generated by the power generating unit 12 and is able to output a signal of a kind corresponding to the content of each operation on the operation unit 11; a storage unit 15 that operates by using the electric power generated by the power generating unit 12 and nonvolatilely stores the content of an output signal of the signal generating unit 13; and a transmission control unit 14 that operates by using the electric power generated by the power generating unit 12 and transmits a wireless signal including information corresponding to the content of the output signal stored in the storage unit 15 when the operation on the operation unit 11 satisfies a predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A remote controller comprising:

a mechanical operation unit that generates mechanical energy by being pressed by a user;

a power generating element that is provided corresponding to the mechanical operation unit and generates electric power by converting the mechanical energy generated by the mechanical operation unit into electric energy;

an electric circuit that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and is able to output a signal of a kind corresponding to a content of each operation on the mechanical operation unit;

a memory that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and nonvolatilely stores a content of an output signal of the electric circuit;

a wireless transmitter that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and transmits a wireless signal including information corresponding to a content of the output signal stored in the memory;

a switch that is provided on a power supply line from the power generating element to the wireless transmitter; and

a processor that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and is programmed to cause the wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless signal when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the processor turns on the switch when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies the predetermined condition to supply the electric power generated by the power generating element to the wireless transmitter and turns off the switch in response to completion of transmission of the wireless signal by the wireless transmitter to stop the power supply to the wireless transmitter.

2. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the memory further stores reference information, and

when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies a predetermined condition, the processor compares the content of the output signal with the reference information, the content of the output signal and the reference signal being stored in the memory, and when a result of the comparison satisfies a predetermined condition, the processor causes the wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless signal.

3. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies a predetermined condition, the processor causes the wireless transmitter to transmit a wireless signal including a content of the output signal stored in the memory.

4. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein

erases the processor is further programmed to erase a content of the output signal stored in the memory, in response to completion of transmission of the wireless signal by the wireless transmitter.

5. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical operation unit includes a plurality of buttons having different sizes, and

the predetermined condition is that the button having a larger size is pressed.

6. The remote controller according to claim 2, wherein the reference information is password information, and

the processor causes the wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless signal in a case where a content of the output signal stored in the memory coincides with the password information.

7. A remote control system comprising:

a remote controller that transmits a wireless signal; and

a receiving unit that receives the wireless signal from the remote controller and controls an instrument based on information included in the wireless signal received, wherein

the remote controller includes;

a mechanical operation unit that generates mechanical energy by being pressed by a user;

a power generating element that is provided corresponding to the mechanical operation unit and generates electric power by converting the mechanical energy generated by the mechanical operation unit into electric energy;

an electric circuit that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and is able to output a signal of a kind corresponding to a content of each operation on the mechanical operation unit;

a memory that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and nonvolatilely stores a content of an output signal of the electric circuit;

a wireless transmitter that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and transmits a wireless signal including information corresponding to a content of the output signal stored in the memory;

a switch that is provided on a power supply line from the power generating element to the wireless transmitter; and

a processor that operates by using electric power generated by the power generating element and is programmed to cause the wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless signal when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies a predetermined condition, and

the processor turns on the switch when the operation on the mechanical operation unit satisfies the predetermined condition to supply the electric power generated by the power generating element to the wireless transmitter and turns off the switch in response to completion of transmission of the wireless signal by the wireless transmitter to stop the power supply to the wireless transmitter.