Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-12
2003-05-20
Zimmerman, Brian (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
C340S870030, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control device for controlling operations of a device to be controlled in which a receiver receives a transmission code signal of electromagnetic wave transmitted from a transmitter. More specifically, the present invention relates to; for example, a multifunction system for controlling operations of numerous types of one or more devices to be controlled, in order to, for example, lock or unlock a door of a vehicle such as an automobile, to unlock a trunk of a vehicle, or to activate a vehicle burglar alarm of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has already been put into practical use a device which enables a user to remotely control locking/unlocking of a vehicle's doors by actuation of a button of a transmitter. According to a certain existing technology, a transmitter is equipped with a single button. When the button is actuated, the transmitter sends only an ID code, which is a transmitter identification code unique to the transmitter. A receiver determines whether or not the received ID code matches a code which has been stored in the memory of the receiver beforehand. When a match is determined to exist between the codes, a predetermined single function of a device to be controlled is activated. The predetermined single function of the device to be controlled corresponds to execution of only unlocking of a lock mechanism of a vehicle door or the lock mechanism performing a locking operation and an unlocking operation alternately when the ID code is received repeatedly. Since the transmitter controls only a single function, the technology involves the disadvantage of inferior convenience.
According to another existing technology intended for solving such a drawback, a transmitter is equipped with a plurality of buttons. When one of the buttons is actuated, a transmitter identification code unique to the transmitter and a control code corresponding to the actuated button are transmitted. Upon determination of a match between the ID code transmitted from the transmitter and the code stored in memory beforehand, a receiver controls the operation of the device to be controlled, on the basis of a corresponding control code uniquely allocated to the actuated button. For example, in the case of a transmitter equipped with two buttons, the locking or unlocking of a door lock mechanism is controlled through actuation of one button. Further, a lock mechanism of a vehicle trunk is unlocked by actuation of the other button, to thereby release the trunk. In this way, multi-functionality is attained.
A problem which has arisen in the latter technology is that the functions of devices to be controlled have been uniquely allocated respectively to the plurality of buttons of the transmitter in advance; for example, one of the transmitter's buttons is uniquely allocated to the function of locking/unlocking doors, and the other button is uniquely allocated to a trunk release function. The user cannot allocate desired functions to respective buttons, and is thus forced to endure inferior operability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device which enables the user to arbitrarily allocate a plurality of types of operations of devices to be controlled to a single or a plurality of operation switches of a transmitter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device which enables the user to arbitrarily allocate a plurality of types of operations of devices to be controlled respectively to a plurality of operation modes of a single operation switch of a transmitter; for example, a period of time during which a button is to be pressed or a single operation or the number of operations to be performed within a predetermined period of time.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote control device for controlling a plurality of operations in a multifunction system, the device comprising:
a transmitter having an operation switch, the transmitter for transmitting a transmission code including a transmitter ID code unique to the transmitter and a control code assigned to the operation switch or corresponding to an operation of the operation switch; and
a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising:
first memory means for storing the transmitter ID code and one of a plurality of function selection codes corresponding to the transmitter ID code;
second memory means for correspondingly and previously setting and storing the control code and operation information to be remotely controlled for each of the plurality of function selection codes, in which the operation information corresponding to the control code differs for each of the plurality of function selection codes;
function selection code input means for inputting the function selection code;
mode setting means for setting the receiver to one of a program mode and an operation mode; and
receiving control means for controlling the plurality of operations in response to a signal output from the mode setting means,
wherein, during the program mode, the receiving control means stores in the first memory means the function selection code input by the function selection code input means to correspond to the transmitter ID code received; and
wherein, during the operation mode, when the transmitter ID code included in the transmission code received corresponds with the transmitter ID code stored in the first memory means,
the receiving control means reads from the first memory means the function selection code corresponding to the transmitter ID code;
the receiving control means reads from the second memory means the operation information corresponding to the control code of the function selection code read from the first memory means; and
the receiving control means performs an operation based on the operation information read from the second memory means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the transmitter comprises a plurality of operation switches, and a plurality of control codes respectively allocated to the plurality of operation switches are transmitted.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the transmitter comprises at least one operation switch, the transmitter transmits the control code corresponding to operation of the operation switch or corresponding to a time during which the operation switch is operated or the number of times that the operation switch is operated.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the transmitter comprises a plurality of operation switches and the transmitter transmits the control code corresponding to one of combinations of the operation switches operated simultaneously.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the transmitter comprises a plurality of operation switches, the transmitter transmits the control code corresponding to one of combinations of the plurality of operation switches operated simultaneously and corresponding to a time during which the operation switches are operated or the number of times that the operation switches are operated.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the function selection code input means comprises:
detection means for detecting an operation of an object to be operated by an operator and to be provided in a vehicle in advance; and
count output means for counting the number of signals output from the detection means within a predetermined code input time and outputting a count result as the function selection code.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the remote control device, the detection means for detecting the operation of the object to be operated corresponds to one selected from the group consisting of:
a courtesy switch for detecting the opening and closing ac
Matsubara Manabu
Yoshimura Minoru
Fujitsu Ten Limited
Nguyen Nam V
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Zimmerman Brian
LandOfFree
Remote control device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Remote control device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Remote control device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3036714