JPH06140991A - Light emitting section and light receiving section for remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the directivity by providing a reflecting plate reflecting a light sent from a light emitting element toward a light receiving section in front of the light emitting element so as to receive a signal light from a side direction. CONSTITUTION:A light receiving section 17 has a structure that a reduced diametrical end of a funnel shaped (tapered cylinder) reflecting plate 20 is fixed by adhering to the surface of a light transmission section 11 in front of an existing light receiving section 7 while its center is coinciding with a center of a light emitting element 12. Furthermore, as the reflecting plate 20, metallic plating coated on the surface of a metal or a resin is used. The light receiving element 12 is put in a metallic case because of handling a very weak voltage and the center of the reflecting plate 20 in front of the light receiving element 12 is formed to be a throughhole, then the light from the front side is made incident on the light receiving element 12 in a same conventional manner. Then the light emitted from the light emitting section in the right direction from the light receiving section 17 hits on the reflecting plate 20 and is reflected and led to the light receiving element 12. In this case, since infinitesimal unevenness is in existence on the surface of the reflecting plate 20, the light is reflected irregularly and the beam is more or less spread and the signal light is led to the light receiving element 12 without a problem.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to audio equipment, video equipment,
The present invention relates to a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit of a remote control device used for an air conditioner or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Infrared remote control devices are widely used in, for example, audio equipment and video equipment. The conventional infrared remote control device has poor usability because the directivity of the light emitting part and the light receiving part is narrow. A specific example will be described.

FIG. 14 shows a conventional centralized control type remote control system. CDP1, LDP2, VTR3, and AMP4 are available as audiovisual equipment to be controlled.
There is a centralized control center 5 as means for centrally controlling these, and a centralized control commander 6 as a hand-operated device.

A light receiving section 7 is provided on the front panel of each of the devices 1 to 4 and the front panel of the centralized control center 5, and the centralized control center 5 transmits the remote control signal by infrared rays to these light receiving sections 7. A light emitting unit 8 for transmitting a remote control signal using infrared rays is drawn out using a cable 9.

The light emitting section 8 is arranged in front of each of the devices 1 to 4, and the light receiving part 7 of each of the devices 1 to 4 receives the remote control signal generated from the device 1 to 4, whereby each of the devices 1 to 4 is It is controlled.

In this system, for example, when the "VTR button" of the centralized control commander 6 is pressed, the function of the amplifier (AMP) becomes "VTR", and at the same time, an operation signal is input to the VTR3 and the VTR3 starts to reproduce.

[0007]

In the centralized control type remote control system as described above, it is necessary to surely input the signal from the centralized control center 5 to the light receiving section 7 of each of the devices 1 to 4. Because there is
The light emitting part 8 had to be pulled out to the front position of the devices 1 to 4, and the wiring by the cable 9 was troublesome. Also,
Instead of concentrating the light-emitting unit 8 on one point, the light-emitting unit is connected to each device
Although a method of directly attaching to the light receiving portion 7 of the above is conceivable, in that case, there are problems in that the number of light emitting portions must be prepared as many as the number of light receiving portions, and wiring and aesthetic problems occur.

Further, as another problem, when there are many same devices such as VTRs, there is a limit of allocation with the electric remote control code, and the VTRs which are not desired to operate may operate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion of a remote control device which eliminates such inconvenience.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, in the light emitting section of the remote control device of the present invention,
A light reflector is provided in front of the light emitting element to reflect the light emitted from the light emitting element toward the light receiving portion. Alternatively, the light emitting element is arranged in a portion protruding from the front panel of the device. The reflector may be arranged so as to block light in a specific direction.

Further, the light receiving section of the remote control device of the present invention is provided with a reflecting plate in front of the light receiving element for reflecting the light from the light emitting section toward the light receiving element. In addition to the reflector, a shutter that can be opened and closed may be arranged on the front surface of the light receiving element.

Further, the front panel of the first device is provided with a light emitting part provided with the reflector or the light emitting part arranged on the protrusion, and the front panel of the second device is provided with a light receiving part provided with the reflector. The front panels of the first device and the second device may be arranged side by side on substantially the same plane.

[0013]

According to the light emitting portion of the remote control device of the present invention, when the reflecting plate is provided, the light of the light emitting element is reflected toward the light receiving portion by the reflecting plate and the directivity is improved. Also,
In the case where the light emitting element is arranged on the protruding portion, the directivity of light by the light emitting element is expanded.

Further, according to the light receiving section of the remote control device of the present invention, the light from the light emitting section is reflected by the reflector so that the light is incident on the light receiving element even if the light is not incident from the front. Therefore, it is possible to receive not only light from a specific direction (for example, the front) but also light from other directions.

When the shutter is arranged in front of the light receiving element, the light from the light emitting portion is received when the shutter is opened, and the light from the light emitting portion is blocked when the shutter is closed. Therefore, by making the light receiving units of a plurality of devices equipped with this shutter, the light receiving units of each device can be brought into a selectively operable state.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an audiovisual device centralized control system including a remote control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this system, the light emitting portion 18 of the embodiment of the present invention is adopted as the light emitting portion of the centralized control center 5, and the light receiving portion 17 of the embodiment of the present invention is used as each device CDP1, LDP2, V.
It is used for the light receiving parts of TR3 and AMP4.

Since the light receiving section of the centralized control center 5 only receives the signal light of the centralized control commander 6 for hand operation sent from the front, the light receiving section 7 similar to the conventional one is sufficient. Of course, the light receiving unit 17 of the embodiment of the present invention may be used for this light receiving unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the light receiving portion 17 has a funnel-shaped (tapered cylindrical) reflection plate 20 on the front side of the light-transmitting portion 11 in front of the existing light-receiving portion 7 with its diameter-reducing end portion at the center. Is attached and fixed to the center of the light emitting element 12. As the reflection plate 20, it is possible to use, for example, a metal or resin whose surface is plated with metal.

The light-receiving element 12 is housed in a metal case for handling a very weak voltage, and is placed at the front of the device panel.
It is placed about 10 mm deep. The light receiving element 12
The pin photodiode normally has a wide directional characteristic of about ± 70 ° just on the surface of the metal case. Since the central portion of the reflection plate 20 in front of the light receiving element 12 is a through hole, light from the front enters the light receiving element 12 as in the conventional case.

The light emitting portion 18 is constructed by arranging a light emitting element on a protrusion 19 (eg, a volume knob or the like) protruding from the front panel 5A of the centralized control center 5.

As shown in detail in FIG.
, Four light emitting elements 22 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, and one light emitting element 22 is also arranged in the center of the front surface. As a result, the directional characteristic of each light emitting element 22 is ± 45 as indicated by the chain double-dashed line in the figure.
When covering the range of °, as shown in FIG. 6C, the entire surface can emit light within a range of ± 90 ° or more with respect to the front surface. The periphery of the light emitting element 22 is molded with a material that transmits at least infrared rays used as a signal. Depending on the method of molding, when the light emitting element 22 is arranged on the volume knob, it may be configured so that the appearance is not noticed at all.

Next, the operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, in the light receiving section 17, the light emitted from the light emitting section to the right strikes the reflecting plate 20, is reflected, and is guided to the light receiving element 12. Actually, as shown in FIG. 5, since the surface of the reflection plate 20 has minute irregularities, diffuse reflection occurs and the beam spreads to some extent. Therefore, the signal light is guided to the light receiving element 12 without any problem even if the position and orientation of the reflection plate 20 are slightly low in accuracy.

As for the signal light from the front, since the hole 20a is formed in the center of the reflector 20, the reflector 20
The light enters the light receiving element 12 in the same manner as when there is no light. Further, the signal light obliquely from the front is guided to the light receiving element 12 by being diffusedly reflected by the reflection plate 20 toward the light transmitting portion 11. Therefore, it is possible to receive an operation from the outside by the normal remote control commander 6 other than the signal from the centralized control center 5.

As described above, since the light receiving section 17 of the present system has the reflecting plate 20 on the front surface, not only the signal light from the front but also the signal light from the side can be received, and the directivity is maintained. Can be expanded. Further, since the light emitting unit 18 is located in a portion protruding from the front panel of the device, the directivity is expanded.

As a result, as shown in FIG.
4 to the central control center 5 are arranged side by side so that all the front panels are located on substantially the same plane, the signal light from the light emitting section 18 of the central control center 5 is received by each of the devices 1 to 4. The portion 17 can receive the light reliably, and there is no need to separately pull out the light emitting portion with a cable. That is, the optical communication can be performed simply by arranging the device on a rack or the like, and it is not necessary to perform troublesome wiring.

The reflecting plate of the light receiving section 17 does not have to be a funnel-shaped one, but as shown in FIG. 6, a simple plate-shaped reflecting plate 20A or a spherical reflecting plate is placed in the direction in which the signal light comes. It may be arranged only toward (the second embodiment). Further, in this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the reflector 22A may be arranged so as to block outside light such as the fluorescent lamp 25 (third embodiment).

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a reflecting plate 22B made of a dome-shaped transparent or semi-transparent molding material may be used (fourth embodiment). In this case, the incident light passes through the point a, diffusely reflects on the surface of the point b, and reaches the light receiving element 12. Since the point b itself is transparent or semi-transparent, most of it goes straight, but a part of the light is reflected and reaches the light receiving element 12.

In the conventional centralized control system shown in FIG. 14, the signal reaching distance from the light emitting portion to the light receiving portion is as long as about 10 m, but in the present embodiment, the light emitting portion 18 itself is the main body portion of the centralized control center 5. Because it is equipped,
That distance will be shortened to around 1 m. Therefore,
The output of light becomes smaller accordingly, and therefore the practical use can be sufficiently exerted even with the minute irregular reflection as described above.

In the above embodiment, the centralized control center 5 is provided and the light emitting section 18 is provided in the centralized control center 5. However, for example, the LDP 2 itself which is a video device may be provided with the light emitting section 18. Good. In that case, for example, if you press the play button of LDP2,
It is also possible that the operation code of "REC (recording)" of the VTR 1 is output from the light emitting unit 2 and the VTR 1 operates.

Here, an operation example of the system of FIG. 1 will be briefly described. For example, press the "VTR" button of the centralized control commander 6. Then, from the central control commander 6 to the central control center 5, "V
The command "TR activation" is transmitted. The centralized control center 5 receives it, and the centralized control center 5 sends a command of “power on AMP” to the AMP 4. Next, the central control center 5
To "P4""Set AMP selector SW to VTR"
Send the command. For VTR1, "PLA
Send "Y" command. As a result, the function of the AMP4 becomes "VTR", and the VTR1 performs the reproducing operation.

In this way, the power of the AMP4 is turned on by simply pressing the "VTR" button of the centralized control commander 6, the selector is switched to "VTR", and the VTR1
To play. From that state, the next time you press the "LDP" button on the centralized control commander 6, VTR1
To the AMP4, and the command to "set selector to LDP" to AMP4,
The command "PLAY" is sent to the LDP2, which causes the LDP2 to play.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the system of the fifth embodiment, the light receiving section 37 is configured as a combination of the reflecting plate 20 and the shutter 40, as shown in FIG. The reflection plate 20 is supported by a capsule-shaped hood 38 that transmits an optical signal, and a slidable shutter 40 is arranged on the rear side of the hood 38. The shutter 40 opens and closes the light transmitting portion 11, and prevents light signals from reaching the light receiving element 12 when the shutter 40 is closed.

FIG. 10 shows the structure of the light receiving portion 47 used in the system of the sixth embodiment, which uses a liquid crystal shutter as the shutter. The light receiving section 47 has a liquid crystal shutter 41 on the front surface for opening and closing the light transmitting section 11.
The liquid crystal shutter 41 changes to transparent or opaque according to the change of the electric field, and is driven and controlled by the microcomputer 45. A manual control switch SW and a remote control receiver 46 are connected to the microcomputer 45.
The liquid crystal shutter 41 opens and closes each time the switch SW is pressed. Further, the liquid crystal shutter 41 is controlled to be opened / closed by a “shutter close” or “shutter open” command input to the remote control receiver 46.

Since the liquid crystal shutters 41 can be opened / closed by another remote control signal, for example, even if a large number of VTRs are used, if the opening / closing commands of the respective liquid crystal shutters 41 are distinguished, each VTR can be controlled independently. It becomes possible.

Since the liquid crystal shutter 41 has low power consumption, it can be sufficiently driven by a small mercury battery.
Further, since the size is about 3 cm × 3 cm × 1 cm, it is possible to attach the current device to the light receiving portion without providing any wiring.

By adopting the light receiving section having the liquid crystal shutter in this way, it is possible for the receiving side to decide whether or not to receive the command from the other side, and the user can make the decision. You will be able to do this with a remote control device at hand. Therefore, even when many VTRs are used, it is possible to operate only the target VTR.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the contents of drive control of the liquid crystal shutter 41. When the manual switch SW is pressed, the output of the port of the microcomputer is inverted and the open / closed state of the liquid crystal shutter 41 is switched (steps 201 and 202). If the switch SW is not pressed, it is judged whether or not the "liquid crystal shutter close" command or the "liquid crystal shutter open" command has been issued from the hand side centralized control center 6 (steps 203, 205), and it is issued. If so, the liquid crystal shutter 41 is closed according to the command,
It is opened (steps 204 and 206).

FIG. 12 shows the TAPE as the controlled device.
Deck 61, VTR-A62, VTR-B63, LDP
2 shows the external appearance of the system of the seventh embodiment incorporating AMP4. This system has two VTRs and each V
A light receiving portion 47 (see FIG. 10) in which a liquid crystal shutter and a reflecting plate are combined is adopted as a light receiving portion of TR. A light-receiving unit 17 (see FIG. 2) having only a reflection plate without a shutter is used for other devices. AMP in this case
The connection relationship between the device and each device is as shown in FIG.
4a is a selector, 4b is a volume, 4c is an amplifier,
4d is a speaker.

The operation of this system will be described. VTR-
If A and VTR-B are operated with exactly the same command, the conventional system will operate when the two units work together. If a liquid crystal shutter is attached to the light receiving part like this system and the liquid crystal shutter is automatically opened / closed by the command of the centralized control commander 6 itself or opened / closed by the command transmitted from the centralized control center, The VTR-A and VTR-B can be operated.

First, the operation for reproducing the VTR-A will be described. First, press the "VTR-A" button on the centralized control commander 6. Then, the signal is directly received by the light receiving units 47 of the VTR-A and VTR-B. The VTR-A62 receives the signal and sends it to the VTR.
-Open the liquid crystal shutter of A and close the liquid crystal shutter of VTR-B.

Further, this command is received by the centralized control center 5, and the center 5 sends to the AMP 4,
The command "switch the selector SW of AMP4 to VTR-A" is sent.

Then, the command "VTR-A PLAY" is transmitted from the centralized control center 5. This "VTR PLAY" command is VTR-A, VT
Although it is a common command for RB, only the VTR-A62 operates because of the liquid crystal shutter.

In addition to these, the so-called "synchro R
Operations such as “EC” can also be performed without wiring connection. In this case, for example, the centralized control commander 6
Attach a button called "Synchro REC" to this and press it to make LDP2 PLAY and VTR to REC (recording operation)
You can do it.

As described above, according to each embodiment of the present invention, each device can be operated by optical communication without wiring connection. Therefore, it is extremely convenient and aesthetically pleasing.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where the control operation is performed by using the centralized control commander 6 has been described, but the centralized control center 5 may be connected to a telephone, a personal computer or the like for control.

Further, the centralized control center 5 is provided independently, but of course, it may be built in the AMP 4 or the like.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the light emitting portion is constituted by providing the light emitting element on the projection portion.
Similarly to, a funnel-shaped reflector may be attached to improve the directivity. In this case, it is natural that the reflector is provided so as to guide the light from the light emitting element to the light receiving portion side.

Further, although the device of the above embodiment is provided with only the light receiving portion, the bidirectional communication can be performed by providing the light receiving portion and the light emitting portion.

[0049]

According to the present invention, even in the case of centralized control, the light emitting portion can be controlled without providing it outside, and the wiring is not complicated. Therefore, the aesthetics of the system will not be lost and the usability will be improved. Also, even if there is a possibility that the same device will increase and malfunction, it is possible to operate only the device that you want to operate reliably by shutting off the light receiving part of the device that you do not want to operate, which also improves usability. It

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an audiovisual device centralized control system including a remote control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a light receiving portion of the remote control device of the first embodiment, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a light emitting unit of the remote control device of the first embodiment, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a reflecting action of the light receiving unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a diffuse reflection action of the light receiving unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of a light receiving portion of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a light receiving portion of a third embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a perspective view seen from the front direction, and (b) is a side view.

FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view of a light receiving portion of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan sectional view of a light receiving portion of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a light receiving unit of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a control operation of a light receiving unit of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an external view of an audiovisual centralized control system shown as a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an electrical configuration diagram of a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an external view of a conventional centralized control system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 to 4, 61 to 63 Equipment 12 Light receiving element 17, 37, 47 Light receiving section 18 Light emitting section 20, 20A, 20B Reflector 22 Light emitting element 40 Shutter 41 Liquid crystal shutter

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04Q 9/00 311 U 7170-5K

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting section of a remote control device, comprising a reflector in front of the light emitting element for reflecting light emitted from the light emitting element toward a light receiving section. 2. A light emitting portion of a remote control device, wherein the light emitting element is arranged in a portion protruding from a front panel of the device. 3. A light receiving section of a remote control device, comprising a reflecting plate in front of the light receiving element for reflecting light from the light emitting section toward the light receiving element. 4. The light receiving section of the remote control device according to claim 3, wherein the reflector is arranged so as to block light in a specific direction. 5. A remote control device comprising the light emitting section according to claim 1 and the light receiving section according to claim 3. 6. A remote control device comprising the light emitting section according to claim 2 and the light receiving section according to claim 3. 7. A light receiving section of a remote control device, comprising a shutter that can be opened and closed on the front surface of the light receiving element. 8. A light-receiving unit of a remote control device, comprising a reflector for reflecting light from a light-emitting unit toward the light-receiving unit on the front surface of the light-receiving unit, and a shutter that can be opened and closed. . 9. The light emitting unit according to claim 1 or the light emitting unit according to claim 2 is provided on a front panel of the first device,
A remote control system in which the light receiving unit according to claim 2 is provided on a front panel of the device, and the first device and the second device are arranged with the front panels arranged substantially in the same plane.