GB2083931A

GB2083931A - A Remote Control System

Info

Publication number: GB2083931A
Application number: GB8109885A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-09-11
Filing date: 1981-03-30
Publication date: 1982-03-31
Also published as: IT1171267B; IT8148587A0; JPS5750013A; FR2489989B3; DE3120100A1; FR2489989A3

Abstract

A remote control system comprises a transmitter system including a data signal generator fed from a memory having n-bit addresses stored therein, a switching driver modulating the frequency of said data signal, a crystal oscillator generating a digital FM wave when said data signal passes through said crystal oscillator and a transmitter antenna; and a receiver system (Fig. 2) including a receiver antenna (9), a high fequency amplifier circuit (10), a first frequency modulation circuit (11) reducing the frequency of the signal, a second frequency modulation circuit (12) further reducing the frequency of said signal, an intermediate frequency amplifier (13), an FM detector (14), a digital filter (15), a data discriminator (16) for discriminating a proper signal from noise and false signals, a first signal generator circuit (19) counting signals, a logic sequence relay driver (21) and a signal switching circuit (20). The counting provides a start signal for the controlled device (22) and, with the aid of a timer (24), a stop signal. The start signal gives rise to a control confirmation signal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Remote Control System This invention relates to a remote control system and more particularly, to a remote control system which can determine a predetermined operation of an appliance with which the control system is used and control such an appliance.

Generally, a remote control system is designed to remotely operate a visible objective appliance positioned in a location remote from the control system and to perform various operations and terminate the operations by the use of switches and variable means assigned to such functions.

However, when an appliance such as the automatic starter of an automobile, for example, is left being provided with input thereto, there is the potential danger of unattended running of the automobile.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control system which can effectively eliminate the potential danger inherent in operation of the known remote control system referred to hereinabove.

The present invention provides a remote control system which automatically indicates the operation of an appliance to the operator or terminates the operation of the appliance a-fter a predetermined time period has elapsed since the start of operation of such an appliance to thereby control the appliance.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic block circuit diagram of the transmitter system of a remote control system according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic block circuit diagram of the receiver system of a remote control system according to the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally denotes a transmitter which is provided with a data signal generator 4 adapted to receive a current supply by way of a switch 3 connected to a power source when the switch is turned on and to provide a data output signal in response to a command signal from a bit address memory 2 which has n-bit addresses stored therein.

The data signal from the data generator 4 is passed to an oscillation frequency modulator switching driver 5 wherein the frequency of the data signal is modulated, and the frequency modulated data signal is then passed to a crystal oscillator 6 adapted to provide a digital FM waveform. The digital FM wageform shaped by the oscillator 6 has multiplied frequency of the order of 40-50 MHz. The signal is then fed to a transmitter antenna 7 from where the signal is transmitted to the receiver system 8 as shown in Fig. 2.

The receiver system 8 is shown in connection with the automatic starter of a vehicle engine and includes a receiver antenna 9 adapted to receive the signal transmitted from the transmitter system antenna 7.

The signal received by the antenna 9 is passed to a high frequency amplifier circuit 10 which amplifies the frequency of the signal to the value of F and the frequency amplified signal is then passed to a first frequency modulation circuit 11 where the frequency of the signal is reduced by the value of F, to provide a frequency (F--f,). The signal is then passed to a second frequency modulation circuit 1 2 where the frequency (F-f1) of the signal is further reduced by the value off2 to provide a frequency (F-f1-f2) (about 4.55 MHZ).The signal having the frequency (F-f1-f2) is passed to an intermediate frequency amplifier 13, which is adapted to modulate the frequency of the signal maintained at the time when the signal was received by the receiver to a lower value in a conventional manner, and is then passed to a FM detector 14 which reproduces a signal wave current.

Having been detected by the FM detector 14, the reproduced signal is passed to a digital filter 1 5, where the waveform of the signal is shaped, and the signal is then passed to a data discriminator 1 6.

The data discriminator 1 6 functions to discriminate the proper signal from noise and false signals and receives a command signal from a memory 1 7 which stores n-bit addresses therein. Only when the wave-shaped signal coincides with the command signal is a coincidence signal 18 provided by the data discriminator 1 6.

The coincidence signal 1 8 is passed from the discriminator 1 6 to a first signal generator circuit 1 9 which has a counter incorporated therein and the counter takes out only one half of the signal wave to thereby provide a start signal to a logic sequence relay driver 21. At this time, the counted signals from the first signal generator circuit 19 comprise the start signal and a confirmation signal which will be described below and which passes through a signal switching circuit 20. The signal switching circuit 20 has a current path the direction of which is determined by a predetermined input voltage.

The logic sequence relay driver 21 is adapted to provide a signal to the electrical system of a vehicle 22 when the driver 1 6 receives the start signal at its input to thereby generate a regulator voltage.

The regulator voltage is adapted to be passed to the above-mentioned signal switching circuit 20 and by passing the confirmation signal to and through the logic sequence relay driver 21, the operator can determine whether the regulator voltage has been generated or not by the use of a suitabie means.

The determination of the generator of the regular voltage can be easily made by incorporating a manuai switching means 23 corresponding to two voltages such as 6 V and 12 V in the current path between the signal switching circuit 20 and logic sequence relay driver 21.

The other one of the signals counted in the first signal generator circuit 1 9 is passed to a second signal generator 25 together with the signal from a timer 24 set to four seconds to provide a stop signal to the logic sequence relay driver 21. At the end of the time period of four seconds set for the timer 24, the receiver system ceases its operation. Even with the receiver system maintained in its non-operative condition, when the electrical system of the vehicle 22 begins its operation, the engine of the vehicle starts.

Incorporated in the choke signal feed current path from the logic sequence relay driver 21 is a manual switching means 26 adapted to pull the choke once or twice and a timer set at about fifteen minutes (not shown) is provided in the starter signal current path and is adapted to automatically cut off the output of the starter when the key is not used for fifteen minutes after the start of the engine (when the automobile driver has not come to drive the vehicle, for example).

With the above-mentioned construction and arrangement of the components of the remote control system of the present invention, the embodiment of the control system has been described in connection with the automatic start of a vehicle engine. However, the remote control system of the invention is not limited to such an application only, but can be equally applied to other applications such as locking devices, electrical appliances and the like.

In the remote control system of the present invention, the logic sequence relay drive is controlled by the timer and the like. By selecting n-bit addresses, a multi-channel system can be designed. In order to cope with the modulation of frequency due to the changeover of one channel to another channel, the first frequency modulation circuit 11 has a first local section 27 connected thereto and the second frequency modulation circuit 12 has a second local section 28 connected thereto whereby the frequency of the generated signal can be regulated.

Thus, the remote control system of the present invention can be easily designed as a channeled system. For example, even when n is set as 1 5 and fifty-four channels are employed, the channel arrangement of 215x5=1 63840 channels can be obtained and channel change can be easily carried out without erroneous operation caused by interference radio wave and noise because the channel setting and data discrimination are digitally performed.

Furthermore, since the control is performed by the logic sequence, an appliance which is controlled by the remote control system of the present invention can safely operate without being attended by any operator.

As clear from the foregoing description in connection with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the remote control system has excellent advantages and highly practical value.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of the components of the remote control system which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended Claims.

Claims

1. A remote control system in which a data signal is generated in response to an input command from a memory circuit having n-bit addresses stored therein, said data signal is fed to a switching driver which modulates the oscillation frequency of the data signal, said data signal having the modulated frequency is fed to an oscillator which multiplies the frequency by tfold, said data signal is transmitted to a receiver which feeds the received data signal to a high frequency amplifier, the frequency of said frequencyamplified signal is modulated, the signal having the modulated frequency is detected, the waveform of the frequency of said signal is shaped, the signal having the shaped waveform is discriminated from a signal from a memory circuit having n-bit addresses stored therein, whereby when the two signals coincide with each other, a coincidence signal is generated to be fed to a logic sequence relay driver, the arrangement being such that the coincidence signal actuates an objective appliance which is to be remotely controlled by the control system, and in which a constant voltage generated from the actuation of said objective appliance and a timer generate a confirmation signal and a stop signal, respectively.

2. A remote control system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3. The features as herein described, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.