JP2005079805A - Remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote controller capable of extending the working period of a battery, allowing a user to recognize the remaining capacity of the battery and informing the user of a battery replacement time. <P>SOLUTION: The remote controller 1 provided with a power supply part 34 using a battery as a power supply, a voltage detection part 35 for detecting the voltage of the battery and outputting a signal, an operation part 3 having a plurality of switches 11-20 and capable of setting the operation contents of an air conditioner by the switching operation of these switches 11-20, and a display part 4 having a plurality of display areas and capable of displaying the set contents set by the operation of the switches 11-20 selects and displays the set contents of the display part 4 in accordance with the voltage drop of the battery and controls display time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control device that operates an electric device such as an air conditioner by remote control and uses a battery as a power source.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a remote control device that uses a battery as a power source, a remote control device is known that monitors the voltage of the battery in order to guarantee the operation and displays the remaining capacity of the battery.

The remote control device includes switches for operation and a display unit for displaying contents set by the switches, and the display unit includes a remaining capacity display unit for displaying the remaining capacity of the battery. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 7-154869 A

  However, displaying the remaining capacity on the above-described remote control device consumes the battery accordingly and shortens the battery life.

  In addition, even if a display indicating that the battery is about to run out is displayed on the remote control device, there is a problem in that the user continues to use without recognizing that and the remote control cannot be used due to sudden battery exhaustion.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and provides a remote control device that extends the use period of a battery and informs the user of the remaining capacity of the battery and notifies the battery replacement time. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention described in claim 1 includes a power supply unit that uses a battery as a power source, a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of the battery and outputs a signal, and a plurality of switches. In the remote control device, comprising: an operation unit that sets operation details of an electrical device by a switch operation; and a display unit that has a plurality of display areas and displays setting contents set by operation of the switch. The setting contents of the display unit are selected and displayed according to the above, and the display time is controlled.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device according to the first aspect, a battery remaining amount display unit is provided in the display unit, and is displayed when a detection value of the voltage detection unit becomes a predetermined value or less. It is characterized by.

  The remote control device of the present invention selects and displays the setting contents of the display unit step by step in accordance with a decrease in the voltage value of the battery and displays the display time shortly. The user can be notified of the battery replacement time. Furthermore, it is less likely that the remote control battery will run out as a malfunction of the air conditioner, reducing unnecessary repair services.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a remote controller for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a wireless remote control device (hereinafter simply referred to as a remote control). The remote control 1 has a remote control case 2 having a door 2a at the lower portion. And an operation unit 3 for setting the operation of an air conditioner (not shown) having a plurality of operation switches, and a display unit 4 for displaying contents set by these operation switches using an LCD. Yes. A remote sensor case 2 has a sensory sensor 5 for detecting the temperature around the remote controller 1 at the upper end.

  The upper operation unit 3 includes an operation / stop switch 11 for operating and stopping the air conditioner, a switch 12a for raising and lowering a set temperature for setting the room temperature, and a switch 12b for lowering, and stopping the operation of the air conditioner after one hour. A one hour timer switch 13 is arranged. And in the operation part 3 in the door 2a, the operation mode changeover switch 14 which sets an operation mode, the angle of the up-and-down air direction adjustment board (not shown) provided in the air conditioner main body is adjusted, and an up-and-down blowing direction is set. The air flow switch 15 for setting the air flow, the air flow switch 16 for setting the air flow, the time setting switch 17 for setting the current time / on timer time / off timer time, the on timer switch 18 for starting the operation of the air conditioner at the set time, A timer switch 19 for stopping the operation of the air conditioner at the time, and a clock switch 20 that is operated when setting the current time of the time setting switch are provided.

  The operation mode switch 14 is set by switching to heating / cooling / dehumidification sequentially each time the switch 14 is pressed. Each time the switch 16 is pressed, the air volume switch 16 is set so that the air volume is sequentially switched between strong, medium, and weak.

  The display unit 4 is provided with a first display unit 4a for displaying the setting contents of the operation switches 11 to 20, and a second display unit 4b for displaying the remaining battery capacity. The first display section 4a displays the operation mode, set temperature, wind direction, air volume, and time according to the operation of the operation switches 11 to 20, respectively, and the time display area 21 displays the current time, on timer time, or off timer time. Any one of them is displayed, and when the on-timer time is displayed, the on character is displayed, and when the off-timer time is displayed, the off character is displayed at the same time.

  The remote control case 2 contains a control board 31 connected to the operation unit 3 and the display unit 4 and a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) provided on the control board 31. The control board 31 is provided with a circuit for transmitting the switch operation content of the remote controller 1 to the display unit 4 and a transmission unit 33 for transmitting the operation content to the air conditioner body.

  Further, at the lower end of the remote control case 2, two dry batteries are housed as the power supply unit 34 and serve as a power source for the microcomputer 32 and the display unit 4. The power supply unit 34 is connected to a voltage detection unit (not shown) that is provided on the control board 31 and measures the voltage of the battery, and this voltage detection unit is connected to the microcomputer.

  FIG. 2 is a principal block diagram of the remote controller 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of operation switches 11 to 20 of the operation unit 3 and a power supply unit 34 are connected to the input side of the microcomputer 32 via a voltage detection unit 35. Are connected to the first and second display units 4a and 4b and the transmission unit 33. By operating the operation switches 11 to 20, the microcomputer 32 displays on the first display unit 4 a and transmits a signal from the transmission unit 33.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the power supply voltage and the elapsed time in the remote controller. In FIG. 3, the voltage of the power supply gradually decreases as the user operates the remote controller 1, and when the voltage decreases to the position V3, for example, the signal from the transmission unit 33 does not reach the air conditioner body. The remote control cannot be operated. At this time, it is necessary to replace the battery of the remote control 1, but when the battery replacement time of the remote control 1 comes suddenly, it is inconvenient for the user.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the voltage value of the battery is divided into four stages W1, W2, W3, and W4, and the display area and display time of the display unit 4 are controlled for each of these four stages. The four stages of boundary voltage values V1, V2, and V3 are 2.8 volts, 2.6 volts, and 2.4 volts, respectively.

  Next, display control at the battery voltage value will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  In the W1 stage (step S1), when the operation of the air conditioner is stopped, both the first and second display units 4a and 4b are turned off, and the display operation switches 11 to 20 are operated (step S2). The contents are displayed on the first display unit 4a (step S3). During operation of the air conditioner, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation mode, the set temperature, the wind direction, the air volume, and the time are displayed.

  Next, when the voltage decreases and the process proceeds to the W2 stage (step S11), the first and second display units 4a and 4b are both turned off while the operation of the air conditioner is stopped, and the operation switches 11 to 20 are turned on. When operated (step S12), the operation setting content is displayed on the first display unit 4a for 1 minute immediately after the operation of the operation switches 11 to 20 (step S13). Thereafter, when one minute has passed (step S14), the first display unit 4a is turned off (step S15), and as shown in FIG. 5, the second display unit 4b is displayed (step S16), and the remaining capacity of the battery is displayed. To do. When the operation switches 11 to 20 are not operated, only the second display unit 4b is continuously displayed.

  Next, at the W3 stage (step S21), even if the switch is operated, the first display unit 4a is not displayed (step S22), and only the second display unit 4b is continuously displayed (step S23). Only the operation / stop switch 11 can be operated, and the operation of the air conditioner is performed in the previously set operation mode, set temperature, wind direction, and air volume.

  Next, in the W4 stage (step S24), even if the switch is operated, neither the first display unit 4 nor the second display unit 4 is displayed (step S25), and all the switch operations are canceled (step S26).

  As described above, the setting contents of the display unit 4 are selected and displayed step by step in accordance with the decrease in the voltage value of the battery, and the display time is limited and displayed. Can be lengthened. Further, since the display on the display unit changes, the user can recognize the decrease in the remaining battery capacity and recognize the battery replacement time.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on one Example, this invention is not limited to this, It can deform | transform within the range which does not deviate from a summary.

  In this embodiment, the air conditioner provided with a remote control device has been described as an example. However, as long as it is an electric device having a display unit and a battery-use remote control device, the present invention may be applied to other electric devices. .

It is a front view of the remote control apparatus of the air conditioner in one Example of this invention. It is a principal part block diagram of the remote control apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the power supply voltage and elapsed time in the remote control apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the relationship between the power supply voltage and display content in remote control apparatus operation. It is a figure which shows an example of the display part at the time of the voltage drop of a battery.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control 2 Remote control case 2a Door 3 Operation part 4 Display part 4a 1st display part 4b 2nd display part 11 Start / stop switch 12a Switch for setting temperature rise 12b Switch for setting temperature fall 13 1 hour timer switch 14 Operation mode switch 15 Wind direction Switch 16 Air flow switch 17 Time setting switch 18 On timer switch 19 Off timer switch 20 Clock switch 31 Control board 32 Microcomputer 33 Transmitter 34 Power supply 35 Voltage detector

Claims (2)

A power supply unit that uses a battery as a power source, a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of the battery and outputs a signal, an operation unit that has a plurality of switches and sets the operation content of the electrical device by operating these switches, In a remote control device comprising a display section having a display area and displaying a setting content set by operating the switch,
A remote control device characterized in that the setting content of the display unit is selected and displayed according to the voltage drop of the battery, and the display time is controlled. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein a battery remaining amount display unit is provided in the display unit and is displayed when a detection value of the voltage detection unit becomes a predetermined value or less.

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