EP0689704B1 - Remote control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

A togglebit learning remote control (TLRC) is described. Prior art "learning" remote control transmitters can neither learn nor transmit data formats with "toggle bits". The aim is to develop an infra-red remote control transmitter (TLRC) which both understands the former external formats and those with toggle bits and different carrier frequency ranges and transmits these data formats to the appropriate devices with or without a toggle bit. A device for receiving and transmitting infra-red formats consisting of an infra-red receiver (IR) with a fast microprocessor (MP) and/or with two carrier frequency oscillators (LO) and (HO) to generate two modulation frequencies and/or two infra-red receivers (LF) and (HF). An externally formatted data word with toggle bits is subjected, after being read in at least twice, to a comparison inside the microprocessor (MP) from which the presence of toggle bits and their number and position and the carrier frequency of the data word are found. Application to remotely controllable electrical devices.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a Device for learning remote control signals for electronic devices, in particular consumer electronics according to the preamble of Claim 1 or according to the preamble of Claim 9.

A remote control transmitter is generally known. He sends in Signal wired or wireless, for example infrared light, Microwaves, ultrasonic waves or the like, more specific Frequencies and codes using a transmitter over a transmission path to a receiving device that the sent Recognizes signal codes and then certain, in the Executes commands contained in signal codes.

It is also known, for example from EP 289625 B1, that there are remote control transmitters that use foreign transmission formats, such as infrared formats from other manufacturers or for other devices, recognize it, save it and send it again if necessary can. Such infrared remote control transmitters are also called "learning" remote control transmitter. Learning remote control transmitter are useful whenever two or more remote-controlled, devices that are independent of one another, in particular devices of different types Manufacturer, with a single infrared remote control transmitter to be operated. To save them of a foreign infrared format is prepared on the "learning" remote control transmitter one of several possible Buttons pressed. After a foreign format has been sent of an original remote control transmitter, additional commands can the foreign format on buttons of the "learning" remote control transmitter be placed. The foreign format of the original remote control transmitter is thus recognized and saved.

A disadvantage of the known learning remote control transmitters is the fact that data formats, the so-called toggle bits contained in their data word, not correctly recognized by them and also not perceived different carrier frequency ranges will. In addition, such "learning" remote control transmitters work usually in the range of approximately 30 kHz to approximately 40 kHz, so that data formats with a carrier frequency in the range from for example 390 kHz to approx. 500 kHz not determined and cannot be reproduced correctly in broadcast mode.

Toggle bits are usually at the beginning of a data word transferred and either take the logic state "1" or "0". Their condition remains until the corresponding one Data word is no longer sent. Have toggle bits the task of multiple, identical and long-lasting key presses to be able to distinguish perfectly from one another. Conventional "learning" remote controls would do the same Data word that after a short interruption by a button is sent again, but this time with the toggle bit state "0" (if it was previously "1"), no longer recognize as the same command.

This is always the case if e.g. a program position 11, 22, 33 etc. by pressing the number keys twice 1, 2, 3 etc. should be selected. The same applies for a "SOUND OFF" button, which is activated by pressing the Turn the sound off and then on again. Without a change of state of the toggle bit, the receiver software can do this again do not recognize the sent command as a new one. In this case has another send of the same command with the same Toggle bit status no or an undesired effect (e.g. the "SOUND OFF" state cannot be canceled or instead of the desired program position "11", the program position is changed "1" switched). A varied use of the known learning remote controls is therefore impossible.

The operation of a working according to the known learning method Infrared remote control transmitter can therefore in particular then fail if the original remote control transmitter, its infrared format from the learner remote control transmitter should be recognized and saved in the data word Togglebit contains. Error detections and / or operating errors are thus mapped out. Frequent complaints in this regard are known from publications e.g. in video 5/92, Page 42 and stereoplay no. 3/91, page 72.

EP-A-0 380 371 is a "learning" remote control known in which a received remote control signal in one Memory can be entered. The "learning" remote control has the ability to receive the remote control signal to analyze and then in the appropriate form reproduce. This "learning" remote control also the ability to toggle bits in the received Detect remote control signals. Everyone will received remote control signal to be learned corresponding bit pattern assigned, which is also stored becomes. After the repeated transmission of what is to be learned Remote control signal are both stored bit patterns compared with each other. This will position a Toggle bits detected.

The present invention is based on the object, too recognize and reproduce such transmission formats can have at least one toggle bit in their data word contain. It is advantageously irrelevant whether one or more toggle bits are contained in the data word and on the position of toggle bits in the data word.

The invention solves the problem in that at later times at least one other remote control signal for the same Remote command from the first remote control transmitter transmitted and received by the second remote control transmitter and is stored, the value of the further remote control signal is compared with the value of the first remote control signal and based on the comparison, the remote control command assigned remote control signal is formed.

In principle, an inventive device for learning and sending remote control signals realized be that with the help of a first memory initially at least two containing the same command, different remote control signals are saved with With the help of a comparator the values of the previously saved Remote control signals for time differences be examined with the help of a second memory (RAM) Results from the comparison are stored there with the help of an encoder at a later date Values of the original remote control signals are formed.

It can also be provided that with the help of the same Device containing further, different commands Remote control signals processed according to the same procedure can be saved, compared and sent out.

The invention is illustrated below using exemplary embodiments the drawing explained in more detail.

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an arrangement of a toggle bit learning Remote control with a "fast" microprocessor.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an arrangement of a toggle bit learning Remote control with two carrier frequency oscillators.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an arrangement of a toggle bit learning Remote control with two infrared receivers and two carrier frequency oscillators.

FIG. 4 shows a pulse diagram of an infrared data word.

Before going into the description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be pointed out that the blocks shown individually in the figures serve only for a better understanding of the invention. Usually, one or more of these blocks are combined into units. These can be implemented in integrated or hybrid technology or as a program-controlled microcomputer or as part of a program suitable for its control.
The elements contained in the individual stages can, however, also be carried out separately.

First, the structure of the embodiment of Figure 1 will be described.
Here, the original infrared format is forwarded from an infrared receiver IR to a first input E1 of a control device, which can be a microprocessor MP, for processing. A switch SW, which has one pole at reference potential and the other at a second input E2 of the microprocessor MP, switches the operating mode "LEARN" or "SEND" on. A keyboard matrix KB is connected to a third input E3 of the microprocessor MP via a first line bus LB1. An external memory RAM is connected to a bidirectional line bus I ² C with an input or output IO of the microprocessor MP. A first output A1 of the microprocessor MP supplies its data words to an infrared transmitter IS, which amplifies the data words and emits them as infrared light. A display device AZ of optical and / or acoustic type is controlled by a second output A2 of the microprocessor MP via a second line bus LB2.

In the following, the data word is examined for toggle bits. From the toggle bit learning shown in Figure 1 Remote control transmitter, henceforth referred to as TLRC (TLRC = toggle bit Learning Remote Control) are infrared data words read twice in succession. To do this, the user actuates first on the TLRC the switch SW, which the TLRC is ready to learn transferred. The microprocessor MP then controls the display device AZ, the advantageously light-emitting Diodes or an LCD display can contain. The Display device AZ shows the user whether the TLRC is on Ready to receive the first data word of the original remote control stands. The user now selects a button the keypad KB of the TLRC, so that it commands the Original remote control can take over. Then with the original remote control sent the command to the TLRC as long as until it is read by the microprocessor MP and in a Memory table of the microprocessor MP was stored. Of the Microprocessor MP then controls the display device AZ accordingly to inform the user of the successful Inform storage.

The microprocessor prompts by means of the display device AZ MP prompts the user to repeat the same process. After the second reading of the data word, the in two tables read within the microprocessor MP and stored two data words by comparison Examine toggle bits.

To determine toggle bits in the data word, the tables of the first and the second read-in process are examined. The measured times which correspond to the logical states of the data bits are stored in the tables.
FIG. 4 shows a typical example of a pulse diagram of an infrared remote control transmitter. As can be seen from this, the pulse diagram at points A0, A1 and D6 has time-dependent bit states of a logical "1" of, for example, a length of 5.06 milliseconds. Logical bit states of a "0" are transmitted with a duration of 2.53 milliseconds, for example.
The time-dependent bit states are compared at the same table position. If the times in the present example differ by less than 150 microseconds, both times are regarded as identical and an internal table pointer is increased by one digit. If the time difference is greater than 150 microseconds, there are different logical states at this position in the data words read. This is considered a toggle bit position. The position is stored in an information byte and a bit is set in the same byte, which indicates that it is a data format with at least one toggle bit. This is important for the examination of the table for further toggle bits and the transmission mode.
After comparing a table position, the internal table pointer of the microprocessor MP is incremented and the next table position is examined. Once the differences of each individual table position of the two data words have been determined, the information obtained from this is stored in an information byte and the differing times are stored in the internal RAM of the microprocessor MP. The tolerance time of 150 microseconds in the present example is a factor of 3 greater than the maximum inaccuracy measured when the same times are sent repeatedly from one and the same original remote control transmitter.

By the number of allowed toggle bits (maximum two in common Infrared data formats) must also be checked The position of the toggle bit is saved in the data word (= table position) be.

By incrementing the table pointer, it is checked in the further comparison whether a second toggle bit is present. In this exemplary embodiment, a maximum of only two toggle bits are permitted and these must follow one another directly. If it is an approved position, the current bit position must be 1 (one) larger than the position stored in the information byte. If this is not the case, there is an error, for example due to a reading error. The receiver software of the remotely controllable device simply changes a single toggle bit to recognize the same, repeated keystroke. Therefore only the position of the first detected toggle bit is saved.
The different times are stored in the internal RAM of the microprocessor MP in reserved memory locations. This is necessary because the data word must be regenerated before sending.

There is a further embodiment of the exemplary embodiment in the possibility of more than one carrier frequency range distinguish and process. Two are known Common carrier frequency ranges in the field of consumer electronics from about 30 kHz to about 40 kHz and from approx. 390 kHz to approx. 500 kHz. This makes it versatile Possible application of the learning remote control transmitter according to the invention TLRC reached.

This could be used to determine and generate the carrier frequencies An embodiment shown in Figure 1 as a control device contain fast microprocessor MP, which the incoming Frequencies up to 500 kHz, which corresponds to a period of 2 microseconds, can measure and reproduce safely.

The arrangement in FIG. 1 provides only a single broadband infrared receiver IR with an infrared receiving diode, which forwards carrier frequencies between 30 kHz and 500 kHz to its output. The high-speed microprocessor MP connected downstream of the infrared receiver IR can measure the frequencies directly and store their values or convert them into two decision criteria. One decision is on the lower, the other on the upper carrier frequency range. This means that, for example, a bit is set to "1" in the information byte when it is detected, and this frequency-designating bit is set to "0" in the information byte when it is detected. After examining the data words for toggle bits, i.e. determining their number and position as well as frequency range, the microprocessor MP stores all the information relevant for regeneration of the data word, such as the measured sequence of times, toggle bit times and information bytes, via the I ² C bus in the external memory RAM .
When the data word to be regenerated is called up, the user sets the switch SW to the "SEND" position and actuates a key on the keypad KB of the togglebit-learning remote control transmitter TLRC corresponding to the command to be executed. The microprocessor MP then reads the information from the external memory RAM via I ² C-Bus, regenerates the original data word in all essential details, as well as the modulation of the carrier frequency, and essentially sends it in its original condition via the infrared transmitter IS Receiving device.

A second exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2 contains two carrier frequency oscillators.
It differs from the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that between the output A1 of the microprocessor MP and the input of the infrared transmitter IS there is now an oscillator stage OSC with two parallel oscillators LO and HO, which can be selected through the output A1 of the microprocessor MP can be controlled via a third line bus LB3.
As described for the first exemplary embodiment, this arrangement contains only a single broadband infrared receiver IR with an infrared receiving diode, and a microprocessor MP, which, however, does not contain an internal carrier frequency oscillator here. Instead, it can be more cost-effective to design the microprocessor MP as a slow microprocessor and to connect this to a double oscillator stage OSC, which consists on the one hand of an oscillator with a low frequency LO (approx. 36 kHz) and on the other hand of an oscillator with a high frequency HO (400 kHz) exists. Depending on the carrier frequency that was originally modulated onto the original data format, the microprocessor MP either activates one or the other oscillator. Everything else remains as described above for the first embodiment, which is why the reference numerals used there have been retained.

An advantageous, because very inexpensive solution is in the third Embodiment shown in Figure 3. This poses an extension of the second embodiment described for Figure 2 is a common microprocessor (e.g. type Motorola MC68HC805C4) are used can. The infrared receiver stage IR contains two connected in parallel Infrared receiver LF and HF, which through the connection E1 of the microprocessor MP via a fourth line bus LB4 can be controlled.

The infrared commands are first read in with the aid of a first infrared receiver LF with a lower pass band for frequencies from 30 kHz to 40 kHz (eg type IS1U60 from Sharp).
The carrier frequency range can be determined together with the second infrared receiver HF, which responds to frequencies in the range from 390 kHz to 500 kHz (eg type TFMT 4040 from Telefunken).
For this purpose, a switch is made from the first infrared receiver LF to the second infrared receiver HF during the reading process of the data words. During a time window (eg 261 ms), the negative edges of the data words, which are received via the second IR receiver HF and are keyed at a carrier frequency in the range from 390 kHz to 455 kHz, trigger interrupts. The interrupts are counted in an interrupt routine within the microprocessor MP. If the carrier frequency is in the lower range, that is to say between 30 kHz and 40 kHz, no signal is passed through, due to the pass band of the IR receiver HF. However, if the user specifies an insufficient distance between the TLRC remote control learning toggle bit and the original remote control or if the lighting conditions are unfavorable, there is a possibility that a few interrupts will be counted despite the lower carrier frequency range. However, this is of no further importance since, for example, a number of more than 6 interrupts on the "upper" carrier frequency range can be detected. Known data formats in the upper carrier frequency range (eg formats from NEC, Philips, Ferguson, SABA, Telefunken and Nordmende) trigger interrupts according to their number of bits.

The total information of the data words as well as the information about the toggle bit, the different times of the toggle bit states, number, position, carrier frequency range as well as other data relevant to the program (channel assignment, timer data, VPS etc.) are stored in the external memory RAM using the I ² C bus read, and stored there until called. If the data are to be sent, switch SW must be set from "LEARN" to "SEND" so that the microprocessor MP can read the data from the external memory RAM. The data from the external memory RAM are processed in the microprocessor on the basis of the information from the information byte to form the complete data word. If there are one or more toggle bits in the data word, the state of the toggle bit (s) is also changed or incremented by 1 each time a key on this key is assigned to the data field KB. After analyzing the data, the microprocessor activates either the 36 kHz carrier frequency oscillator LO or the 400 kHz carrier frequency oscillator HO so that the data word corresponding to the original can be sent to the receiving device via the infrared transmitter IS.

Claims (9)

1. Method of learning the remote control signals from a first remote control unit which initially sends first remote control signals in respect of a data word for a predefined remote control command, said signals being received by a second remote control unit (TLRC) which is designed to receive and to send remote control signals, wherein the value of the first remote control signals from the first remote control unit is stored in the second remote control unit (TLRC) and second or further remote control signals that only differ from the first remote control signals by at least one toggle bit are recognised, characterised in that, after reception, the first and second or further remote control signals are stored in the form of times in mutually associated tables of a microprocessor (MP) or of a memory (RAM) of the second remote control unit (TLRC) and these values are investigated for time differences, whereby one compares whether the difference in the measured times between the rising edges is greater than a predetermined time and that if this is the case, then it is recognised that differing logical states are present at the corresponding position in the received data word and this position is assessed as a toggle bit position.
2. Method in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the comparison of the measured times is continued after the recognition of the first toggle bit and, inasmuch as a time difference that is greater than the predetermined time is again determined at a further position, it is checked as to whether this relates to a toggle bit, whereby a further toggle bit is recognised if the large time difference is detected for a bit of the data word which is directly adjacent to the first recognised toggle bit and that it is assessed as an error in any other case.
3. Method in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, wherein the information regarding the toggle bit positions obtained by the comparison of the measured times is stored in an information byte.
4. Method in accordance with Claim 3, wherein the information byte is stored in the microprocessor (MP) or in the memory (RAM) of the second remote control unit (TLRC) and one part of the information byte, in particular, one single bit, is used for identifying the carrier frequency band which was modulated by the original remote control signals.
5. Method in accordance with Claim 4, wherein the frequency identifying bit (s) stored in the information byte is/are used for activating an oscillator (LO, HO) that modulates the remote control signals being regenerated onto a carrier frequency which substantially corresponds to that which was modulated by the original remote control signals.
6. Method in accordance with Claim 4 or 5, wherein one of a plurality of possible carrier frequencies is modulated by the remote control signals that are to be sent in dependence on the information bit or the information bits stored in the memory (RAM).
7. Method in accordance with Claim 5 or 6, wherein, in the case of the second remote control unit (TLRC), a first carrier in the 36 kHz band and/or the one second carrier frequency in the 400 kHz band is modulated by the remote control signals that are to be sent.
8. Method in accordance with any of the preceding Claims, wherein a second infra-red receiver (HF) is switched on in the second remote control unit (TLRC) and the negative edges of the data words set off interrupts in the microprocessor (MP) via the second infra-red receiver (HF) during a time window, said interrupts being evaluated by the microprocessor (MP) for determining the carrier frequency, whereby the information obtained therefrom is stored in the form of a bit in the information byte and the total amount of information in the information byte is stored in the microprocessor (MP) or in the external memory (RAM) for the purposes of regenerating the data word at a later time.
9. Device for learning the remote control signals from a first remote control unit which initially sends first remote control signals in respect of a data word for a predefined remote control command, including a second remote control unit (TLRC), which is designed to receive and to send remote control signals and which receives the first remote control signals and stores values corresponding to the first remote control signals that have been received and also contains means which can recognise the second or further remote control signals that are only distinguished by at least one toggle bit, characterised in that, means are provided which, after reception thereof, store the first and second or further remote control signals in the form of times in mutually associated tables of a microprocessor (MP) or a memory (RAM) and investigate these values for time differences, whereby a comparison is made in a comparator as to whether the difference in the measured times between two rising edges of the remote control signals is greater than a predetermined time and that further means are provided which recognise that differing logical states are present at the corresponding position in the received data word and assess these positions as toggle bit positions if the difference exceeds the predetermined time.

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