KR20030053737A - PLC remote control IR remocon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A learning remote controller using a PLC(Power Line Communication) method is provided to control various household appliances by the control signal through a power line from an external user. CONSTITUTION: A signal coupling circuit(403) has a PLC transformer for connecting a power terminal to a power line signal driver terminal, and transmitting and receiving signals. If a command, for learning a remote controller signal of a household appliance, is inputted through a button input unit(414), a microcomputer(402) receives remote controller signals through an IR(Infrared) receiver(409), recognizes the received remote controller signals, and stores the recognized remote controller signals, for learning the remote controller signals. If a command, for controlling the household appliance, is inputted, a power line modem IC(401) transmits the inputted command to the microcomputer(402). The microcomputer(402) analyzes the transmitted command, and transmits a remote controller signal of a household appliance corresponding to the command through an IR signal transmitter(413), for controlling the household appliance. The microcomputer(402) broadcasts a result state on a power line through the power line modem IC(401).

Description

Remote control learning remote control using power line communication method {PLC remote control IR remocon}

In general, in order to remotely control a large number of devices or devices provided in a home, an office, or a factory, a control method using power line communication has recently been widely used due to its convenience.

That is, the technology for controlling the remote control devices installed in the home through the telephone network is remotely connected by the communication means between the telephone remote control device and the remote control device by wire or by physical coupling such as wireless or infrared, Controlled.

The general learning remote control has a function of learning a remote control signal for various kinds of home appliances and reproducing the signal in addition to the remote control code originally possessed by the user. And, the learning remote control is to process the signal transmitted by the integrated remote control into a signal that can be accepted by various home appliances, and to transmit, thereby enabling to control the various home appliances integrated.

However, the problem of the conventional learning remote control is that it is possible to control various home appliances only through the integrated remote controller provided separately, and the external user cannot control the various home appliances existing in the home. For example, a user who is outside in cold winter wants to operate the heating device in the home through the PSTN network or the Internet network to warm the inside of the home in advance, but there is no means to solve the problem.

An object of the present invention for solving the problems of the prior art as described above is to provide a remote control learning remote control that can remotely control various home appliances using a power line communication method.

1A and 1B are waveform diagrams showing data bits in a data communication method using zero cross points of a general power line,

Figure 2a is a data structure diagram showing the starting point of the conventional X-10 based protocol,

FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram showing a waveform of the data structure shown in FIG. 2A;

3 is an overall schematic diagram of a two-way power line communication home automation (HA) system applying a remote control learning remote control using a power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram of a remote control learning remote control using a power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a diagram showing how a power line communication protocol is applied to a remote control learning remote controller using the power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

※ Explanation of code about main part of drawing ※

401: power line modem IC 402: micom

403: signal coupling circuit 405: zero cross detection circuit

407: power supply unit 411: IR receiver

413 IR signal transmitter 414 button input unit

415: status display unit

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a power line modem IC, a microcomputer, a signal coupling circuit operating as a power line communication (PLC) driver, an IR receiver, an IR transmitter and a button input. The signal coupling circuit includes a power line communication transformer to connect and transmit and receive a power supply terminal and a power line signal driver terminal; The microcomputer learns the remote controller signals by receiving the remote controller signals through the IR receiver and recognizing and storing the remote controller signals when a command to learn a remote controller signal of a home appliance is input through the button input unit. When a command to control home appliances is input to the power line modem IC through a power line, the command is transmitted to the microcomputer, and the microcomputer interprets the transmitted command to receive remote control signals of home appliances corresponding to the command. After controlling the home appliances by transmitting through the IR signal transmitting unit, the remote control learning remote control using a power line communication method, characterized in that the broadcast on the power line through the power line modem IC so that other power line devices can know the result status to provide.

More preferably, the present invention provides a remote control switch device further comprising a zero cross detection circuit for sensing a voltage of a power line to detect a zero cross portion and transmitting a signal to the power line modem IC.

On the other hand, the outline of the data communication method at the zero cross point, which is widely used among the power line communication method used in the present invention is as follows.

In general, data communication at a zero cross point on a power line is performed in units of one cycle of power frequency for each data bit, and indicates data bits according to positions of carrier signals per half cycle. That is, according to the conventional X-10 based communication method, a signal is generated while generating a 120KHz power line signal for 1 ms at a zero cross point of the power line's power level, and power line communication is performed by combining these data.

1A and 1B are waveform diagrams showing data bits in a data communication method using zero cross points of a general power line.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, when a carrier signal is present as 'ON' and when there is no 'OFF', the data bit '1' is displayed as a carrier signal 'OFF' in the carrier signal 'ON'. The data bit '0' is indicated by the carrier signal 'on' from the carrier signal 'off'.

Data communication using a zero cross point of a power line is based on this definition, in which control devices transmit and receive data to and from each other using the power line.

For the data communication method using the existing zero cross point, the present inventors have already applied for and registered the 'remote control apparatus using bidirectional power line communication and its control method' (Publication No. 10-2000-002198) and the Priority Data Communication Method Using Zero Cross Point '(Publication Number: 10-1999-053820). In addition, the present invention utilizes the contents described in the patent application 'data packet recording medium, operation method and bidirectional communication method applied to the power line communication method' which is further improved (Application No. 10-2001-076335).

The X-10 based communication method is as follows.

FIG. 2A is a data structure diagram illustrating a starting point of a conventional X-10 based protocol, and FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram illustrating the data structure illustrated in FIG. 2A as a waveform.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the X-10 based protocol start point is composed of 2 cycles of 'StartCode', 4 cycles of 'House Code', and 5 cycles of 'Number Code' or 'Function Code'. Send twice in succession. At this time, 'Start Code' exists only 1110, and one data is transmitted in 1/2 cycle, and other codes are data of 1 and 0 if data is L1 because one cycle means 1 bit of data. Is extended and transmitted, and if L0, it is extended to 0 and 1 and sent. This is illustrated in Figure 2b.

Meanwhile, L1 and L0 are defined as follows.

If the carrier frequency is present at the zero cross point, it is defined as '1'. If it is not present, it is defined as '0', and 'logical 1 (L1)' is defined as '1' where the carrier frequency is present at the zero cross point and then is not present. 0 is a combination, and 'logical 0 (L0)' means a carrier frequency does not exist at a zero cross point and a carrier frequency exists at a next zero cross point, that is, a combination of 0 and 1.

Therefore, according to FIG. 2B, 'Start Code' is '1110', 'House Code' is 'L0, L0, L0, L1', and 'Number / Function Code' is 'L0, L0, L0, L1, L1'. do.

The present invention may be implemented using a general power line communication method, or may be implemented using the power line communication method using the zero cross point as described above.

Hereinafter, the remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in more detail.

3 is an overall schematic diagram of a home automation (HA) system for two-way power line communication using a remote control learning remote control using a power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The power line remote control telephone apparatus 300 includes a power line switch 301, a power line outlet 302, a power line gas intermediate valve 303, a power line gas main valve 304, and a power line learning remote controller 305, which are control devices on the power line. Is connected by a power line, the power line remote control phone device 300 is connected to a human body detector operating as a security sensor 306 using a separate wire, the power line remote control phone device 300 is a separate PSTN Connected to a network allows a user to remotely control the controlled devices 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306 through a telephone network from the outside.

In addition, an external user may be connected to the power line remote control telephone apparatus 300 through a PSTN network to directly control the power line learning remote controller 305 to control home appliances in the home.

As shown in FIG. 3, the power line remote control telephone apparatus 300 integrates the power line remote control devices in the home, informs the status of the power line remote control devices outside the home through a telephone line connected to the outside, and gives a command to the user. It delivers the power back to the power line remote control devices. In addition, a separate security sensor 306 is connected to the power line remote control telephone device 300 by wire, and after setting the security function when the user goes out, if the human body is detected as a result of sensing, it is assumed that there is an intruder Along with the alarm sound, ARS will dial the pre-stored phone numbers to tell the ARS that there is an intruder in your home.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the security sensor 306 is designed to be connected by wire, but does not exclude the case of wireless connection. Such a wireless connection can be easily implemented using various means such as a conventional infrared method, FM frequency method.

In addition, although the power line gas main valve 304 is illustrated to be connected to the power line gas intermediate valve 303 in FIG. 3, the power line gas main valve 304 may be connected to a common power line to perform a function.

4 is a block diagram of a remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method is a power line modem IC (401), micom (402), PLC (Power Line Communication) A signal coupling circuit 403 and a zero cross detection circuit 405 operating as a driver, a power supply unit 407, an IR receiver 411 (IR receiver), an IR signal transmitter 413, And a button input unit 414 and a status display unit 415.

The power supply unit 407 drops the voltage using a transformer and supplies a stable DC power supply to the entire apparatus through a smoothing circuit. The PLC driver portion is divided into a signal coupling circuit 403 and a zero cross detection circuit 405. The zero cross detection circuit 405 detects a zero cross portion by detecting a voltage of a power line and signals the power line modem IC. The power line modem IC 401 performs power line communication using the signal in synchronization. The signal coupling circuit 403 transmits and receives a power line communication transformer by connecting a 220 V power supply terminal and a power line signal driver terminal.

The microcomputer 402 learns the remote control signal of the home appliance through the button input unit 414 through the IR receiver 411 or reproduces the learned signal to play the home appliance through the IR signal transmitter 413. It is determined whether to transmit a remote control signal capable of controlling the device.

That is, when the learning command for the remote control signal of the home appliances is transmitted through the button input unit 414, the micom is converted into the learning mode to learn the transmission signal of the remote control of each home appliance. When the learning mode is completed, the remote controller transmission signals of the respective home appliances are stored in a separate memory unit. Then, when a command to control home appliances is transmitted to the learning remote control through a power line, the microcomputer interprets the transmitted command and transmits remote control signals of home appliances corresponding to the command, thereby controlling home appliances.

Meanwhile, the control command for the home appliances may be transmitted to the learning remote controller through a power line, or may be transmitted by an integrated remote controller provided separately. The signal of the integrated remote controller is input through the IR receiver 411.

In addition, after a control command for various home appliances is input through the power line, and after performing an operation corresponding to the command, the learning remote controller broadcasts the result of the operation to the power line, whereby other power line devices operate the learning remote controller. Make sure the results are known. In addition, the operation result may be displayed through the status display unit 415.

5 is a view showing how the power line communication protocol is applied to the remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the content shown in Figure 5 when the device is connected on the same power line For example.

Since the power line communication remote control learning remote control is located at a visible distance of a home appliance to be controlled, the same operation can be performed through a power line communication device in the same home that is not connected to an external network. However, a more useful aspect of the present invention is to implement home networking more simply by using a power line communication method when controlling home appliances in a home when needed outside the home.

When a user connects to a telephone or the Internet from the outside through a power line device connected to an external network (PSTN network, Internet network, etc.), for example, a power line modem or a remote control telephone 520, the user is assigned to the home appliance to be controlled. Send control contents with address value. The power line modem or remote control telephone 520 that has received this control content broadcasts the control command on the power line.

The power line communication remote control learning remote control 510 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives the broadcasted control command and transmits the control command of a corresponding home appliance as a remote control signal learned in advance, thereby controlling each home appliance. Done. That is, the user can directly operate the remote control of the home appliance can bring the effect. Meanwhile, the power line communication remote control learning remote control 510 broadcasts the control result state performed by the power line communication to the power line again, so that other power line devices can know the control result performed by the learning remote control 510. This is to implement the reliability of the operation.

Since the remote control learning remote control proposed by the present invention uses an open power line protocol, even a power line communication device having a different type operates on a command transmitted by a power line communication device using the same protocol. It can also be controlled by sending commands to the device.

Meanwhile, the present invention has been described as being applied to a power line communication method using a zero cross point, but may be applied to other power line communication methods. However, in such a case, a zero cross detection circuit operating as a PLC driver is replaced by a corresponding power line communication data receiving unit, which can be modified by anyone skilled in the art.

While the invention has been described above based on the preferred embodiments thereof, these embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, or adjustments to the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention will be limited by the appended claims, and should be construed as including all such changes, modifications or adjustments.

As described above, according to the present invention, by receiving power from the power line through the outlet without additional wiring and utilizing the power line as a communication line, there is no hassle of replacing the battery like other learning remote control, home appliances inside the home from outside the home There is an effect to control the devices.

Claims (5)

A signal coupling circuit operating as a power line modem IC, a microcomputer, a power line communication (PLC) driver, an IR receiver, an IR transmitter, and a button input, The signal coupling circuit includes a power line communication transformer to connect a power supply terminal and a power line signal driver terminal to perform transmission and reception; The microcomputer learns the remote controller signals by receiving the remote controller signals through the IR receiver and recognizing and storing the remote controller signals when a command to learn a remote controller signal of a home appliance is input through the button input unit. When a command to control home appliances is input to the power line modem IC through a power line, the command is transmitted to the microcomputer, and the microcomputer interprets the transmitted command to receive remote control signals of home appliances corresponding to the command. And controlling the home appliances by transmitting them through an IR signal transmitter, and then broadcasting the results on the power line through the power line modem IC so that other power line devices can know the result status. The method of claim 1, A remote control learning remote control using a power line communication method further comprising a power supply circuit for dropping the voltage using a transformer and supplying a stable DC power through a smoothing circuit. The method of claim 1, And a zero cross detection circuit for detecting a zero cross portion by detecting a voltage of a power line and transmitting a signal to the power line modem IC. The method of claim 1, Further includes an integrated remote control, When a control command for home appliances is transmitted to the IR receiver through the integrated remote controller, the command is transmitted to the micom, and the microcomputer interprets the transmitted command to receive remote control signals of home appliances corresponding to the command. Remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method characterized in that by controlling the home appliances by transmitting through the IR signal transmission unit, and then broadcast the result state on the power line through the power line modem IC so that other power line devices can know . The method of claim 1, The remote control learning remote control using the power line communication method further comprises a status display unit for displaying the status of the control operation result for the home appliances.