JPH11225059A - Remote controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illumination type remote controller that is easily found in the dark. SOLUTION: An illumination type remote controller 10 is provided with a light emitting section 12 that sends a control signal light to a remote control object device, an illumination type operation button 13 that selects control contents, and a light source that illuminates this operation button. The controller 10 is provided with a non-contact type proximity sensor 15 and the light source is turned on when the proximity sensor outputs a detection signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote controller for transmitting control signal light to a device to be remotely controlled.
In particular, the present invention relates to a remote controller that automatically controls on / off of a light source for illumination of an illuminated operation button using a non-contact type proximity sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Infrared remote controllers (hereinafter, abbreviated as remote controllers) are widely used as remote control means for devices such as TVs and VTRs. A general remote control includes a light emitting unit for transmitting a control signal light at a front end of a case, and various operation buttons for selecting control contents are arranged on a front surface of the case. In a normal use environment of this type of remote control, the operation buttons can be visually recognized by natural light in the daytime and by indoor lighting at nighttime.

However, when a video is reproduced and viewed on a VTR or the like, the surroundings may be intentionally darkened. In such a case, it becomes difficult to visually recognize the operation buttons, and therefore, an illuminated operation button is introduced. This is because the built-in light source (eg, LE
D) illuminates the translucent operation button from the inside so that the operation button can be visually recognized even in a dark part. A remote control having such an illuminated operation button is called, for example, an illuminated remote control.

[0004]

Even in the above-described illuminated remote controller, the light source is not always lit, and when an illuminated switch dedicated to light source control is turned on or any operation button is pressed, the light source is not turned on. Is detected and the light source is turned on to reduce power consumption. Such a power saving mode of the illuminated remote control makes it difficult to find the remote control itself in a dark environment with extremely low illuminance. This is a problem to be solved by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an illuminated remote controller that can be easily searched for in a dark area by automatically turning on an illuminating light source of an illuminated operation button when a human hand approaches.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a light emitting unit for transmitting a control signal light to a device to be remotely controlled, an illuminated operation button for selecting the content of control, and illuminating the operation button. This can be achieved by a remote controller that includes a light source and a non-contact type proximity sensor, and turns on the light source when the proximity sensor outputs a detection signal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the proximity sensor is an infrared sensor. Since the infrared sensor can detect infrared rays emitted from the human body, it can detect the approach of the human body. If the intensity of infrared light from the human body is low and it is difficult to detect the infrared light with a normal infrared sensor, an infrared light emitting element is further provided, and the reflected light of the infrared light from this light emitting element by the object to be detected is reflected by the red light. The detection may be performed by an outside sensor. In this case, the object does not necessarily need to generate infrared light. The proximity sensor may be a temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature of the human body is detected. In any case, when the proximity sensor stops outputting the detection signal, the light source is automatically turned off to save power.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. 1 to 3 are a plan view, a front view, and a side view of an illuminated remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illuminated remote controller 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2, a light emitting unit 12 for transmitting a control signal light L1 to a remote control target device (TV, VTR, etc.) is provided at the tip of the case 11, and as shown in FIGS. A plurality of operation buttons 13 for selecting the contents of control are provided on the front of the unit 11. 11A is the upper case, 11B
Is the lower case.

The operation button 13 is of an illuminated type, and a light source (eg, LED) for illuminating the operation button 13 is built in the case 11. In the example shown in FIG.
A printed circuit board assembly 14 is built in, and the light source is not shown, but is incorporated in a part of the assembly 14. The above is the configuration common to a general illumination remote control.

In the present invention, the illuminated remote controller 10 having the above-described configuration is used.
In addition, a non-contact type proximity sensor is added to turn on / off the light source.
Automatically control off. Proximity sensors used include:
An infrared sensor for detecting infrared light or a temperature sensor for detecting temperature is included. The infrared rays detected by the infrared sensor include infrared rays emitted from the human body. The temperature detected by the temperature sensor is the temperature of the human body (body temperature). The illuminated remote control 10 equipped with such a proximity sensor can detect the approach of a human body and automatically turn on (turn on) the light source. It is convenient.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an infrared sensor 15 as a proximity sensor is arranged on the front surface of the upper case 11A. The infrared sensor 15 is configured using an infrared light receiving element, and detects an infrared ray L2 incident from outside the case, as shown in FIG. In a general circuit configuration, the output of the infrared sensor 15 is amplified, and the amplified output is compared with a predetermined threshold. Then, when the detection output exceeds the threshold value as a result of the comparison, the light source is turned on. Thereafter, when the operator operates the operation button 13, the light emitting unit 12 transmits the control signal light L1. The light source that has been turned on is normally turned off automatically by a timer operation when a certain time has elapsed. Alternatively, the light source may be turned off when the detection output of the infrared sensor 15 drops below the threshold.

To increase the detection distance of the infrared sensor 15, as shown in FIG. 1, an infrared light emitting element 16 is provided on the front surface of the case 11A, for example, side by side with the infrared sensor 15, and from the light emitting element 16 to the case 11A. Infrared rays are always sent forward. Then, the reflected light by the operator searching for the remote controller 10 is detected by the infrared sensor 15.

The output of the infrared sensor 15 is the illumination type operation button 1
Not only the light source control of No. 3 but also other uses are conceivable. For example, instead of turning on the light source, the light emitting unit 12 may transmit some control signal light L1.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a human hand approaches, the illumination light source of the illuminated operation button is automatically turned on, so that it is easy to find the remote controller itself in a dark part. A remote controller can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of an illuminated remote controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the illuminated remote controller of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the illuminated remote controller of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Illuminated remote controller 11 Case 12 Light emitting part 13 Illuminated operation part 14 Assembly of printed circuit board 15 Infrared sensor 16 Infrared light emitting element

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting unit for transmitting a control signal light to a device to be remotely controlled, an illuminated operation button for selecting a control content, a light source for illuminating the operation button, and a non-contact type proximity sensor. A remote controller that turns on the light source when the proximity sensor outputs a detection signal. 2. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said proximity sensor is an infrared sensor. 3. The remote controller according to claim 2, further comprising an infrared light emitting element, wherein reflected light of the infrared light from the light emitting element by a detection target is detected by the infrared sensor. 4. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein said proximity sensor is a temperature sensor. 5. The remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the light source is turned off when the proximity sensor stops outputting the detection signal.