METHOD OF ACTUATING A SWITCH BETWEEN A DEVICE AND A POWER SUPPLY

• US 20110006616A1
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hilgers, Achim
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/140
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices

Abstract

The invention describes a method of actuating a switch (S) between a device (Di) to be controlled and a power supply (P), which method comprises the steps of generating a first electrical signal (14) in a remote control unit (10) and converting the first electrical signal (14) into electromagnetic radiation (EM) by means of a first transmitting antenna (Ti) of the remote control unit (10). A first detecting antenna (Ri) of a remote control interface module (20) of the device (Di) to be controlled detects the electromagnetic radiation (EM) to obtain a second electrical signal (24), which is passively converted into a switch actuating signal (25). The switch actuating signal (25) is actuated to switch the device (Di) to be controlled between an operating mode in which current is drawn from the power supply (P) by the device (Di) during operation, and an inactive mode in which the device (Di) is completely disconnected from the power supply (P) so that no current is drawn by the device (Di). The invention further describes a system (1) for actuating a switch (S) between a device (Di) to be controlled and a power supply (P). The invention also describes a remote control interface module (20) and a remote control unit (10).

Claims

1. A method of actuating a switch (S) between a device (D₁) to be controlled and a power supply (P), which method comprises the steps of

generating a first electrical signal (14) in a remote control unit (10);

converting the first electrical signal (14) into electromagnetic radiation (EM) by means of a first transmitting antenna (T₁) of the remote control unit (10);

detecting the electromagnetic radiation (EM) with a first detecting antenna (R₁) of a remote control interface module (20) of the device (D₁) to be controlled to obtain a second electrical signal (24);

passively converting the second electrical signal (24) into a switch actuating signal (25);

actuating the switch (S) using the switch actuating signal (25) to switch the device (D₁) to be controlled between an operating mode in which current is drawn from the power supply (P) by the device (D₁) during operation, and an inactive mode in which the device (D₁) is completely disconnected from the power supply (P) so that no current is drawn by the device (D₁).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal (24) comprises a high-frequency signal (24) whose frequency lies in an ISM frequency band.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal (24) comprises a pulsed high-frequency signal (24).

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal (24) comprises a carrier signal modulated to carry device identification information for one of a plurality of devices (D₁, D₂) to be controlled.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein a switch (S) is actuated on the basis of the device identification information.

6. A remote control interface module (20) comprising

a first detecting antenna (R₁) for detecting electromagnetic radiation (EM) to obtain a second electrical signal (25);

a passive conversion unit (21) for passively converting the second electrical signal (24) into a switch actuating signal (25);

and a switch (S) for actuating by the actuating signal (25) to switch a device (D₁) to be controlled between an operating mode in which current is drawn by the device (D₁) during operation and an inactive mode in which the device (D₁) to be controlled is completely disconnected from the power supply (P) so that no current is drawn by that device (D₁).

7. A remote control interface module (20) according to claim 6, wherein the passive conversion unit (21) comprises a passive rectifier circuit.

8. A device (D₁) comprising a remote control interface module (20) according to claim 6.

9. A system (1) for actuating a switch (S) between a device (D₁) to be controlled and a power supply (P), which system comprises

a signal generator (13) for generating a first electrical signal (14) in a remote control unit (10);

a first transmitting antenna (T₁) of the remote control unit (10) for converting the first electrical signal (14) into electromagnetic radiation (EM);

a first detecting antenna (R₁) for detecting electromagnetic radiation (EM) to obtain a second electrical signal (24);

a passive conversion unit (21) for passively converting the second electrical signal (24) into a switch actuating signal (25);

and a switch (S) for actuating by the actuating signal (25) to switch a device (D₁) to be controlled between an operating mode in which current is drawn by the device (D₁) during operation and an inactive mode in which the device (D₁) to be controlled is completely disconnected from the power supply (P) so that no current is drawn by that device (D₁).

10. The system (1) according to claim 9, comprising a second transmitting antenna (T₂) and a second receiving antenna (R₂).

11. The system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the first transmitting antenna (T₁) and/or the second transmitting antenna (T₂) comprise directional antennae (T₁, T₂).

12. The system (1) according to claim 9, wherein radiation characteristics of the first transmitting antenna (T₁) are matched to radiation characteristics of the first receiving antenna (R₁), and/or radiation characteristics of the second transmitting antenna (T₂) are matched to radiation characteristics of the second receiving antenna (R₂), such that electromagnetic radiation (EM) originating from the first transmitting antenna (T₁) is detected by the first receiving antenna (R₁), and/or electromagnetic radiation (EM) originating from the second transmitting antenna (T₂) is detected by the second receiving antenna (R₂).

13. The system (1) according to claim 12, wherein the radiation characteristics of the transmitting antennae (T₁, T₂) comprise polarisation characteristics.

14. A remote control unit (10) for use in a system (1) according to claim 9 comprising a user interface (11) for inputting a control input (15), a signal generator (13) for generating a first electrical signal (14) according to the control input (15), and at least one transmitting antenna (T₁) for converting the first electrical signal (14) into electromagnetic radiation (EM) for detection by a remote control interface module (20) comprising

a first detecting antenna (R₁) for detecting electromagnetic radiation (EM) to obtain a second electrical signal (25);

a passive conversion unit (21) for passively converting the second electrical signal (24) into a switch actuating signal (25);

and a switch (S) for actuating by the actuating signal (25) to switch a device D₁ to be controlled between an operating mode in which current is drawn by the device D₁ during operation and an inactive mode in which the device (D₁) to be controlled is completely disconnected from the power supply (P) so that no current is drawn by that device (D₁).

15. A remote control unit (10) according to claim 14, comprising an additional control interface arrangement (16, 17) for transmitting control signals to a device control interface (27) of a remote control interface module (20) of the device (D₁) to be controlled.