AU2001100043A4 - Remote control finder device - Google Patents

Description

SEAN WAUCHOP, ANGELA WALDRON AND PAULINE WALDRON

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "REMOTE CONTROL FINDER DEVICE" This invention is described in the following statement: -1- REMOTE CONTROL FINDER DEVICE THIS INVENTION relates to a remote control finder device.

The invention is particularly aimed at remote control devices for domestic electrical appliances. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this field of use.

It is a recurring and sometimes annoying problem when remote control devices for electrical appliances are sometimes misplaced. Remote control devices are usually small and compact, and may be easily become hidden behind or under other objects, or to become lodged in cracks or gaps in furniture. Some appliances require the remote control to perform exclusively some or all of their functions, so that a lost remote control device results in those appliances being partly or totally inoperable.

Even where the remote control device replicates the functions of non-remote controls for the appliance, the misplacement of the remote control device can make operation of the appliance less convenient. This problem may be exacerbated by an increasing number of remote control devices accumulating in many households and/or other situations.

An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control finder device which alleviates one or more of the aforementioned problems. Other objects and advantages of the invention may hereinafter become apparent.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one aspect, resides broadly in a remote control finder device operable to assist in locating the remote control device for a remote controlled appliance, including: -2signal transmission means associated with the electrical appliance and operable to transmit a coded signal; signal receiving means operably associated with the remote control device and operable to receive said coded signal; and audible sounding means operably associated with said signal receiving means and operable to produce an audible sound upon receipt of said coded signal.

Preferably, the signal transmission means includes a transmitter circuit which is operable to produce the coded signal as a digitally encoded signal at a selected frequency, and the signal receiving means includes a receiver circuit which can be tuned to the selected frequency and is operable to receive and decode the digitally encoded signal when tuned to the selected frequency. When the encoded signal is decoded and possesses the appropriate code, audible sounding means operates to produce the audible sound. It is preferred that the transmitter circuit and receiver circuit are arranged to produce the audible sound continuously whilst the transmitter circuit is in operation, subject, of course, to the remote control device being within range, and being tuned to the selected frequency and programmed with the appropriate code.

It is further preferred that the transmitter circuit includes indication means for indicating the operational state of the transmitter circuit. Preferably, the indication means includes a visible indication means, such as an electric lamp, light emitting diode, or such like arranged to illuminate whilst the transmitter circuit is in operation to transmit the signal.

In such form, the user may operate the transmitter circuit and -3be assured that the transmitter circuit is operating even if no audible sound is produced by the remote control device, indicating that possibly the remote control device is out of range.

It is also preferred that the transmitter circuit includes a digital signal encoder and the receiver circuit includes a digital signal decoder corresponding to the digital signal encoder. In such form, the transmitter circuit preferably includes tuned circuit in operative connection with the encoder for producing a digital signal transmission from a transmitting antenna in electrical connection with the tuned circuit, and the receiver circuit includes a tuned circuit in operative connection with the decoder for amplifying the signal received from a receiver antenna electrically connected to the tuned circuit.

The transmitter circuit may be incorporated into the circuitry for the appliance and the receiver circuit may be incorporated into the circuitry for the remote control device.

Alternatively, the transmitter and/or receiver circuits may be provided in add-on units to an existing appliance and/or remote control device.

In another aspect, this invention resides broadly in a method of locating a remote control device for a remote control appliance, the method including: providing signal transmission means associated with the electrical appliance, signal receiving means associated with the remote control device and audible sounding means operably associated with said signal receiving means; operating said signal transmission means to transmit a coded -4signal to said signal receiving means which upon receiving said coded signal operates said audile sounding means to produce an audible sound upon receipt of said coded signal.

Preferably, the signal transmission means provides a continuous coded signal when activated, whereby the signal receiving means may receive said coded signal continuously, and the audible sounding means may produce an audible sound or sounds during the continuance of the activation of the signal transmission means, subject, of course to the signal receiving means being in range and the coded signal and frequency being for the signal receiving means.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram for a transmitter for a remote control finder according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram for a receiver for the remote control finder of Fig.l.

The receiver circuit 10 shown in Fig. 1 receives its power supply of twelve volts DC through terminal Vl, and power is supplied to the remainder of the circuit through a momentary contact activation switch Sl. Closure of the activation switch S1 supplies power to an integrated circuit transmitter chip ICI through pin 20 as well as to a tuned circuit described hereinafter. Four address encoding switches S2, S3, S4 and may be set to open or closed in any combination (sixteen combinations) to select an "address". The address encoding switches S2, S3, S4 and S5 are electrically connected to pins 2 through 5 respectively of the transmitter chip ICI for electrical connection internally of the transmitter chip IC1 of a transmission gate circuit (not shown) to ground. The transmitter ship ICI is grounded through pin 10. Extra address encoding switches may, if desired, be added in respective electrical connection to pins 6 through 9 and 11 through 14 to ground.

However, it is believed that the transmission and reception of the coded signal would probably be more reliable with the lower addresses encoded from the transmitter chip IC1. An internal oscillator (not shown) within the transmitter chip ICI produces a radio frequency signal (an 'IC output signal") from pin 19 which is electrically connected to the base of a transistor Q2 through the resistor R3. The IC output signal is in the form of an encoded data serial transmission signal, the encoding dependant upon the address selected by the address encoding switches, and this is amplified by a tuned circuit electrically connected to the base, emitter and collector of the transistor Q2 to provide an amplified signal. Four capacitors Cl, C2, C3 and C4 and two inductors L1 and L2 are arranged in association with the transistor Q2 for a typical tuned amplifier circuit.

The tuned circuit is grounded through a resistor R2. The amplified signal is transmitted from a transmission antenna ANTI and additionally, a light emitting diode D1 in serial connection with the activation switch Sl through resistor R4 is illuminated to give the user an indication that the transmitter circuit is in an activated state by the closure of activation switch Sl.

An internal oscillator output signal from pin 17 of ICl is -6directed through resistor R1 to an internal oscillator input at pin 18. The internal oscillator is earthed through pin 16 of ICI. The transmitter circuit 10 may be incorporated into the circuitry of the electrical appliance, or it may be added to the appliance as a separate device.

The receiver circuit 20 shown in Fig. 2 has electrical component which may have the same numerical references as components as the transmitter circuit 10 of Fig. i. However, it will be appreciated that the receiver circuit is an independent circuit and as such, components having similar or identical numerical references to those of Fig. 1 are not necessarily equivalent and do not necessarily perform corresponding functions. The receiver circuit receives a radio frequency signal (the received signal) from the transmitter circuit 10 when activated by way of a receiving antenna ANT1. The received signal is amplified through two tuned circuits having the transistors Qi and Q4, in electrical association with capacitors C8, C9, C10O, C5 and C3, the resistors R3, R4, R5, and R6 and the inductors LI, L2, L3 and L4 when powered by closing an activation switch S5. The amplified received signal is further amplified through the tuned circuit associated with transistor Q2 for passage to an amplifier chip IC2 which is a dual operational amplifier. The output from the amplifier chip IC2 (at pin 1 a "coded input signal") is directed to the input of a decoder chip IC1, which is a signal decoder for decoding signals produced by the integrated circuit encoder IC1 in the transmitter. In a similar arrangement to the four address encoding switches described in relation to Fig. i, the decoder chip has pins 1 -7through 4 in electrical connection with four corresponding address matching switches S1 through S4. If the coded input signal is verified as matching (by having the same combination of the address matching switches Sl, S2, S3 and S4 corresponding to the address encoding switches S2, S3, S4 and S5 in the transmitter, the output from output data pin 9 is activated to provide power to the speaker PIEZO1 to produce an audible sound to enable a user to locate the remote control device having the receiver circuit. The receiver circuit 20 may be a separate circuit from the remote control device, or it may be incorporated into the circuitry of the remote control device.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the transmitter circuit produces a signal having a typical frequency of 400 Mhz.

However, it will be appreciated that the transistor may be replaced with various equivalents depending on power use and the frequency required for the signal, with minimal changes to the circuit, the signal power and frequency, of course, being subject to regulatory controls.

In use, the transmitter and receiver circuits may be incorporated into separate devices for addition to an electrical appliance and its remote control device respectively, and wired in to receive the required power to the power terminals V1 in each circuit. The receiver activation switch S5 may be set to close to permit the receiver circuit to await reception of a matching signal from the transmitter. Upon activation of the transmitter circuit by closure of the transmitter activation switch Sl, a serial data encoded signal is transmitted and, if the remote control device is within range, produces an audible -8sound from its speaker, enabling a user seeking the remote control device to locate it.

Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more specific examples, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms which fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (9)

1. A remote control finder device operable to assist in locating the remote control device for a remote controlled appliance, including: signal transmission means associated with the electrical appliance and operable to transmit a coded signal; signal receiving means operably associated with the remote control device and operable to receive said coded signal; and audible sounding means operably associated with said signal receiving means and operable to produce an audible sound upon receipt of said coded signal.

2. A remote control finder device according to Claim 1, wherein the signal transmission means includes a transmitter circuit which is operable to produce the coded signal as a digitally encoded signal at a selected frequency, and the signal receiving means includes a receiver circuit which can be tuned to the selected frequency and is operable to receive and decode the digitally encoded signal when tuned to the selected frequency.

3. A remote control finder device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the transmitter circuit and receiver circuit are arranged to produce the audible sound continuously whilst the transmitter circuit is in operation, subject, of course, to the remote control device being within range, and being tuned to the selected frequency and programmed with the appropriate code.

4. A remote control finder device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter circuit includes indication means for indicating the operational state of the transmitter circuit.

A remote control finder device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter circuit includes a digital signal encoder and the receiver circuit includes a digital signal decoder corresponding to the digital signal encoder.

6. A remote control finder device according to Claim 5, wherein the transmitter circuit includes tuned circuit in operative connection with the encoder for producing a digital signal transmission from a transmitting antenna in electrical connection with the tuned circuit, and the receiver circuit includes a tuned circuit in operative connection with the decoder for amplifying the signal received from a receiver antenna electrically connected to the tuned circuit.

7. A method of locating a remote control device for a remote control appliance, the method including: providing signal transmission means associated with the electrical appliance, signal receiving means associated with the remote control device and audible sounding means operably associated with said signal receiving means; operating said signal transmission means to transmit a coded signal to said signal receiving means which upon receiving said -11- coded signal operates said audile sounding means to produce an audible sound upon receipt of said coded signal.

8. A method according to Claim 7, wherein the signal transmission means provides a continuous coded signal when activated, whereby the signal receiving means may receive said coded signal continuously, and the audible sounding means may produce an audible sound or sounds during the continuance of the activation of the signal transmission means, subject, of course to the signal receiving means being in range and the coded signal and frequency being for the signal receiving means.

9. A remote control finder device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 29 th day of May, 2001 SEAN WAUCHOP, ANGELA WALDRON AND PAULINE WALDRON By their Patent Attorneys AHEARN FOX