JP2007174356A - Rf converter device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that when analog broadcasts cease and are replaced completely by terrestrial digital broadcasting, television units which can only receive analog broadcasts cannot be used any more as they are and especially those set up in the bathroom have no AV input terminal and therefore have to be replaced with ones which can cope with digital broadcasts, and to solve this problem it is now proposed that a channel selection command signal transmission means be incorporated in the television units for exclusive use for analog broadcasts, which is not a practical solution. <P>SOLUTION: An RF converter device of this invention is attached to a commercially-supplied tuner 2 for terrestrial digital broadcasting, and the converted RF signal is inputted into a television unit 1. Radio waves sent from the remote controller in the bathroom are received by the RF converter 3 and are converted into infrared signals, which are emitted from a light emitting portion 31 to make the tuner 2 operable by the remote controller 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an RF converter device that is connected to a terrestrial digital broadcast tuner that receives terrestrial digital broadcast and outputs an AV signal, converts the AV signal into an RF signal, and outputs the RF signal to a television set in a bathroom. .

  This type of conventional RF converter device may be used for the purpose of remedying a television device that can only receive analog broadcasting after it has been completely switched to terrestrial digital broadcasting.

  For example, it is known that it is connected to a TV apparatus dedicated to analog broadcasting installed in a bathroom, and is used to convert an AV signal output from a tuner for terrestrial digital broadcasting into an RF signal and output it to the TV apparatus. (Patent Document 1).

In this apparatus, a channel selection instruction signal transmitting means for outputting channel selection information to the outside of the TV device is built in the TV device. And it is comprised so that channel selection operation of the tuner installed outside the bathroom may be performed by the channel selection information.
JP 2005-229495 A (Claim 1, FIG. 1, FIG. 2)

  The conventional configuration described in Patent Document 1 cannot be implemented unless a channel selection instruction signal sending means is incorporated in advance in a television apparatus that can receive only analog broadcasting. However, almost all this type of television apparatus does not include a channel selection instruction signal transmission means. For this reason, after switching to terrestrial digital broadcasting completely, it is not possible to continue to use a television device dedicated to analog broadcasting that has already been used. That is, it can be said that the invention described in Patent Document 1 is not practical and has low possibility of implementation.

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention has an object to provide an RF converter device that can continue to use a television device dedicated for analog broadcasting that is actually used even after switching to terrestrial digital broadcasting. And

  In order to solve the above problems, an RF converter device according to the present invention is connected to a terrestrial digital broadcast tuner that receives terrestrial digital broadcast and outputs an AV signal, and converts the AV signal into an RF signal to convert the AV signal into a bathroom. Operation signal superimposed on the radio signal received from a radio remote controller provided in the bathroom for operating the tuner Is provided with a light emitting section that superimposes the light on the infrared ray and emits it to the tuner.

  According to this configuration, the TV device does not require any special configuration, and the operation signal transmitted from the wireless remote controller is emitted from the RF converter device by superimposing it on the infrared light, thereby operating the tuner from the bathroom with the remote controller. It can be performed.

  If the wireless remote controller transmits a radio signal with an operation signal superimposed thereon and adopts a configuration including a receiving unit that receives the transmitted radio wave, no work is required in the bathroom.

  In addition, the wireless remote control transmits an operation signal superimposed on infrared rays, and a light receiving unit that receives the transmitted infrared rays and that is installed facing the bathroom adopts a configuration in which an output signal can be input. Then, you can use an inexpensive infrared learning remote control, or you can use a tuner-specific remote control in a waterproof case.

  As is clear from the above description, the present invention can continue to use a TV device dedicated to analog broadcasting fixed in the bathroom, even after completely switching to terrestrial digital broadcasting, and the channel of the channel from the bathroom. Operations such as changing and turning the power on and off can be performed.

  Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a television apparatus fixed to a wall surface in a bathroom BR. This television apparatus 1 is dedicated for analog broadcasting and cannot receive terrestrial digital broadcasting alone. Moreover, since it is used by being fixed to the bathroom BR, it does not have a video input terminal.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a commercially available terrestrial digital broadcast tuner that receives digital broadcast waves and outputs audio signals and AV signals that are image signals.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes an RF converter device according to the present invention. The RF converter device 3 receives an AV signal from the tuner 2 and converts the AV signal into an RF signal. The output RF signal is input to the antenna input terminal of the television apparatus 1. The TV apparatus 1 is set to a predetermined channel such as “1” or “2”, and an RF signal having the channel frequency is output from the RF converter apparatus 3, thereby the same TV signal as the AV signal output from the tuner 2 is output. An image can be displayed on the television device 1 and a television sound can be generated from the television device 1.

  Therefore, it is necessary to select the channel for the tuner 2 instead of the television device 1. In the present invention, tuning operation of the tuner 2 and power on / off operation are performed by the remote controller 4. The remote controller 4 is a so-called learning remote controller, and previously stores control codes adopted by various manufacturers. By selecting a control code adopted by the manufacturer of the tuner 2, the remote controller 4 can output a control signal for the tuner 2.

  The remote controller 4 transmits the control signal superimposed on the radio wave. The transmitted radio wave propagates outside the bathroom RB through the wall of the bathroom BR. The RF converter device 3 has a receiving means for receiving radio waves transmitted from the remote controller 4, and the RF converter device 3 separates the control signal from the received radio waves. Next, the separated control signal is superimposed on infrared rays and emitted from the light emitting unit 31. The emitted infrared light is received by the tuner 2 and the tuner is controlled.

  If the RF converter device 3 can be disposed so as to face the tuner 2, the infrared light emitted from the light emitting unit 31 is received by the tuner without any problem. However, when the RF converter device 3 cannot be disposed facing the tuner 2, it is necessary to reliably receive the infrared light from the light emitting unit 31 in the light receiving unit of the tuner 2.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, a swing arm 32 is provided in the RF converter device 3, and a light emitting unit 31 is provided at the tip of the swing arm 32. As illustrated, when the RF converter device 3 is placed on the tuner 2, the swing arm 32 is swung to a horizontal position. Then, since the light emitting unit 31 faces downward, it is possible to reliably emit infrared light to the tuner 2 disposed below the RF converter device 3. Although not shown, when the RF converter device 3 is arranged next to the tuner 2, it is arranged so that the side surface of the RF converter device 3 is installed, and the swing arm 32 is set so as to swing in the horizontal direction. Then, the light emitting unit 31 can face the front surface of the tuner 2, and the infrared light from the light emitting unit 31 can be emitted to the front surface of the tuner 2.

  In the above embodiment, the radio remote controller 4 is used as the remote controller 4, but an infrared remote controller 4 may be used. In that case, as shown in FIG. 3, an infrared light receiving unit 5 is provided so as to face the bathroom BR, and an output signal from the light receiving unit 5 is input to the RF converter device 3. In the RF converter device 3, the received control signal may be directly superimposed on the infrared rays and emitted from the light emitting unit 31.

  The remote controller 4 uses an infrared learning remote controller. Alternatively, for example, a dedicated remote controller for the tuner 2 attached to the commercially available tuner 2 may be used. However, in general, a dedicated remote control is not waterproof, so the dedicated remote control may be used in a waterproof case formed of transparent vinyl or the like.

  The remote controller 4 does not necessarily have a learning function. If the RF converter 3 has a learning function, a plurality of manufacturers' remote controllers can be used as the remote controller 4.

  By the way, in the said embodiment, although the light emission part 31 was provided in the front-end | tip of the rocking | swiveling arm 32, the flexible arm which can be bent in all directions is provided instead of the rocking | swiveling arm 32, and light emission is carried out at the front-end | tip of the flexible arm. The part 31 may be attached.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to an above-described form, You may add a various change in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

The figure which shows the structure of one embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the installation state of RF converter The figure which shows other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 TV equipment 2 Tuner (for commercial terrestrial digital broadcasting)
3 RF converter device 31 Light emitting unit 4 Remote control BR Bathroom

Claims (3)

  In an RF converter device that is connected to a terrestrial digital broadcast tuner that receives terrestrial digital broadcast and outputs an AV signal, converts the AV signal into an RF signal, and outputs the RF signal to a television device in the bathroom. A light emitting unit is provided that receives a radio signal transmitted from a wireless remote controller for operating the tuner and superimposes the operation signal superimposed on the radio signal on infrared rays and emits the signal to the tuner. An RF converter device characterized by that.   2. The RF converter device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless remote controller includes a receiving unit that transmits an operation signal superimposed on a radio wave and receives the transmitted radio wave.   The wireless remote controller transmits an operation signal superimposed on infrared rays, and is a light receiving unit that receives the transmitted infrared rays, and an output signal can be input from a light receiving unit that is mounted facing the bathroom. The RF converter device according to claim 1.

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