JPH0536309U - Distance measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a distance measuring device having a function of measuring a distance from a remote control to a device to be controlled, which is low in cost, small in size, and lightweight. [Structure] The distance measurement signal transmitted from the remote control device is received (S4), the power supply voltage of the remote control device is decoded from this distance measurement signal (S5),
Read the received light level or signal width from the distance measurement signal (S
6, 7), a relative relationship regarding a distance between a preset power supply voltage and a light receiving level or a signal width is stored as a distance table, and each value stored as the distance table and each value obtained from the distance measurement signal are stored. Is compared to determine the distance between the remote control device and the device to be controlled (S8).

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a distance measuring device having a function of measuring a distance between a remote control device (hereinafter, referred to as a remote controller) and a device to be controlled.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Generally, a remote controller having a function of measuring a distance from a remote controller to a device to be controlled such as a television or a video cassette recorder is known. This type of conventional remote controller has a built-in sound wave oscillator, and measures the distance between the remote control and the device to be controlled by the arrival time difference between the sound wave from this sound wave oscillator and the infrared transmission wave of the remote control. .

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the conventional configuration, since the remote controller has a built-in sound wave oscillator, there is a problem that the remote controller becomes large and the cost becomes high.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques and to provide a distance measuring device having a function for measuring the distance from a remote controller to a device to be controlled. It is an object of the present invention to provide a distance measuring device that is cost-effective and can be made compact and lightweight.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a distance measuring device having a function of measuring a distance between a remote control device and a device to be controlled, wherein the control target device is transmitted from the remote control device. A receiver for receiving a distance measurement signal including power supply voltage data of the remote control device, a decoding means for decoding the power supply voltage of the remote control device from the distance measurement signal received by the receiver, and the distance measurement Reading means for reading the received light level or signal width from the signal, storage means for storing the relative relationship between the preset power supply voltage and the received light level or signal width as a distance table, and a memory table stored in this storage means as a distance table. The remote control device and the device to be controlled are compared by referencing and comparing each value obtained from the distance measurement signal. And determining means for determining the distance between and it is characterized in that it comprises a.

[0006]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, the relative relationship with respect to the distance between the preset power supply voltage and the light receiving level or the signal width is stored as a distance table, and each of the above values stored as the distance table and the distance measurement signal are stored. Since the distance between the remote control device and the controlled device is determined by referring to and comparing each of the above values obtained from the remote control device, the control signal (infrared) from the remote control is used to Since it is possible to measure the distance between them, a sound wave transmitter or the like is not required, so that the remote controller can be made smaller, lighter, and lower in cost.

[0007]

【Example】

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote controller. This remote controller 1 wirelessly transmits information by infrared rays, and includes a CPU 11, a key matrix 12, a ROM 13, a RAM 14, a battery voltage detection circuit 15, an infrared light emitting element. 16 and its drive circuit 17 and the like.

The key matrix 12 is provided with a power supply key, a channel switching key, a volume adjusting key, etc. in the case of a television remote control. In this embodiment, a distance measuring key 12a is additionally provided. ing. The RAM 14 stores the voltage value of the remote control power source detected by the battery voltage detection circuit 15 and the corresponding code in a table, and the ROM 13 stores the signal processing as shown in FIG. Contains the program.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control target device. The receiver of the control target device 3 includes an infrared light receiving element 31 for receiving information from the infrared light emitting element 16, an amplifier 32 for amplifying a received signal, and an A It is configured to include an A / D converter 37, a CPU 33, a ROM 34, a RAM 35, an input / output control device 36, and the like.

A signal processing program as shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the ROM 34, and the input / output control device 36 has various types provided in the key matrix 12 if the controlled device 3 is a television. Corresponding to key operation, power supply, channel switching, volume control, etc. are connected.

Next, an operation for measuring the distance to the controlled device 3 using the remote controller 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, when distance measurement key 12a of remote controller 1 is turned on (S1), battery voltage detection circuit 15 detects the voltage value of the remote controller power supply, A / D converts the voltage value, and It outputs to CPU11 (S2). The CPU 11 refers to the table stored in the RAM 14, obtains coded data corresponding to the voltage value of the remote control power supply, and uses this data as a distance measurement signal to pass through the drive circuit 17 and the infrared light emitting element 16. And transmits it to the controlled device 3 (S3).

Referring to FIG. 4, the receiver of the controlled device 3 receives the distance measurement signal through the infrared light receiving element 31 (S 4), and based on this signal, decodes the voltage value of the remote control battery and ( In step S5, the infrared ray reception level from the remote controller 1 is read (step S6), and the infrared signal width from the remote controller 1 is read (step S7). Then, based on the values obtained in S5 to S7, the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3 is determined by referring to the distance table created in advance (S8).

As the distance table, two types of tables are conceivable: a relationship between the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3 and the infrared light reception level, and a relationship between the distance and the infrared signal width. That is, when the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3 increases, the infrared light reception level decreases as shown in FIG. 5 and the infrared signal width narrows as shown in FIG. Two types of distance tables are created by using the relationship of. Note that only one of the tables may be used as the distance table. However, even if the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3 does not increase, if the voltage value decreases due to the consumption of the remote controller battery, the same phenomenon as described above may occur.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3, the infrared light reception level and the signal width thereof, the voltage value of the remote control battery is further taken into consideration. Is previously made into a distance table.

According to this, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, not only can the distance between the remote controller 1 and the controlled device 3 be determined based on the infrared reception level and the infrared signal width, but also the remote controller. Even if the voltage value drops due to exhaustion of the battery, the above determination can be performed accurately.

After the distance between the remote controller 1 and the device to be controlled 3 is determined in S8, the condition corresponding to the distance is set (S9). For example, it is used for automatic sound image setting of a surround system, or when the controlled device 3 is a television, the volume of the television is adjusted through the input / output control device 36. Immediately, if it is determined that the distance of the remote controller 1 is long, the remote controller operator is located far from the television, and the volume is increased to an appropriate volume. Various modes are possible for setting the conditions.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment.

In this example, in the receiver of the controlled device 3, a plurality of infrared light receiving elements 31 are provided, and the plurality of infrared light receiving elements 31 are arranged on a curved line facing the remote controller 1. According to this, since the infrared light receiving level of the infrared light receiving element 31 closest to the remote controller 1 becomes the maximum, the infrared light receiving level of the plurality of infrared light receiving elements 31 depends on the position of the maximum infrared light receiving element 31. The direction in which the remote controller 1 exists can be specified.

That is, if the position of the remote controller 1 is specified, the position where the remote controller operator is located is specified. For example, if the controlled device 3 is a television, the direction of the screen of the television is directed to the remote controller operator. Etc. can be adjusted.

In this case, the television may be placed on a rotary table (not shown) driven by a motor, and the rotary table may be appropriately rotated by driving the motor. In this case, the motor drive signal may be output through the input / output control device 36 in S9 of FIG.

[0023]

[Effect of the device]

 As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to measure the distance between the remote controller and the device to be controlled or its direction by using the control signal (infrared ray) of the remote controller. Since a sound wave transmitter is not required, the remote controller can be made smaller and lighter than conventional ones, and the remote controller cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control target device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a distance between a remote controller and a device to be controlled and a light receiving level of infrared rays in a receiver of the device to be controlled.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between a distance between a remote controller and a device to be controlled and an infrared signal width in a receiver of the device to be controlled.

FIG. 7 is a layout view of an infrared light receiving element showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control 3 Controlled equipment 11,33 CPU 12 Key matrix 13,34 ROM 14,35 RAM 15 Battery voltage detection circuit 16 Infrared light emitting element 31 Infrared light receiving element 36 Input / output control device

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A distance measuring device having a function for measuring a distance between a remote control device and a controlled device, wherein the controlled device is a remote control device that is transmitted from the remote control device. A receiver for receiving a distance measurement signal including power supply voltage data, a decoding means for decoding the power supply voltage of the remote control device from the distance measurement signal received by the receiver, and a light receiving level or a signal width from the distance measurement signal. Reading means, a storage means for storing a preset relative relationship between the power supply voltage and the light receiving level or signal width as a distance table, and each value stored as a distance table in the storage means and the distance. By comparing each value obtained from the measurement signal with reference, the remote control device and the controlled device A distance measuring device comprising: a determining unit that determines a distance between the two.