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(11) | EP 0 973 139 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Remote controller for electronical appliance |
| (57) An electric device remote controller that uses little energy and solar power as source
of energy. The present invention includes solar cells adopted to convert a solar energy
into the electric energy, and the condenser which is connected to said solar cells
to reserve converted solar energy and supply electric energy whenever needed. The
present invention also includes a controller provided to controls the electric device,
a data line supplies the specific data the controller, a plurality of buttons including
a first terminal connected to the condenser of said electric supply system, a second
terminal connected to the controller, a third terminal designated as specific datum
by said data line, a fourth terminal transmit specific data transmitted from said
data line, a first switching line connecting first and second terminal and a second
switching line connecting third and fourth terminal. Whenever one of said remote controller
buttons is pressed, then the first switching line supplies electric energy to the
controller by connecting the first terminal and the second terminal and simultaneously
the second switching line transmits specific data to the data line by connecting said
third terminal and the fourth terminal and when the buttons are not pressed then the
first switching line disconnects the first terminal and the second terminal and the
second switching line disconnects the third terminal and the fourth terminal. |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a remote controller device, and more particularly, relates to a power supply system of a remote controller, which uses a solar cell and a condenser instead of a battery as remote controller power source.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Generally, a remote controller is used as a convenient means to utilize the electronic appliances. As illustrated in Fig 1, in order to perform a command of each button of remote controller 1, the buttons are properly connected to each command input terminal of a micro controller 2 by means of a data transfer line 3. In order to achieve the objective of the system, a micro controller 2 generates a control data signal according to a function of the pressed button, whereby when one of buttons 1 is pressed, then the signal is transmitted through the output terminal of micro controller 2.
[0003] Output terminal of micro controller 2 is connected to a base of switching transistor 5, and a cathode of infrared light-emitting diode 4 is connected to a collector of switching transistor 5. A switching transistor 5 converts a control data signal transmitted from the micro controller 2 to an infrared light control data for the purpose of the wireless remote control, by means of current flow control of an infrared light-emitting diode 4, which emits infrared light if current flows in it.
[0004] A battery 6, which is used as a power supply source, is connected directly to the micro controller 2 and anode of an infrared light-emitting diode 4 in order to supply power. Fig. 2 is overall mechanical block diagram of remote controller with control buttons 1 and a battery 7 in the prior art.
[0005] However, when the conventional remote controller power supply system is used for the remote controller, there is no way to avoid battery dissipation according to use of remote controller and battery dissipation still continues due to the power consumption of the micro controller 2 even when it is not being in use. In the end, if power source of a battery is dissipated completely, then it has to be replaced with new one and the old one becomes a waste. As a result, more expense is needed to buy a new battery and the old battery, which is useless, may contribute to the environmental contamination problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In order to solve the above stated problems in the conventional remote controller system, the object of the present invention is to provide a permanent power supply source to a remote controller without an additional expense and the environmental problem.
[0007] To achieve the above stated object, one aspect of the present invention is to use a solar cell 8 as the power source as shown in Fig. 3, but in this case another back up power system should be considered to use in situation when the solar cell cannot generate electric current properly. As a back up power system, the present invention uses a condenser 9 as illustrated in Fig. 3, which has a large capacitance such as gold capacitor. Although rechargeable battery may also be used as a back up power system of the remote controller, it is inadequate and impractical because recharging requires a high electric energy whereas a solar cell, in range of remote controller use, merely generate a low electric energy. On the contrary, because of a condenser can be charged even with a low electric energy easily, this is the reason why the condenser is used as a back up power system in the present invention.
[0008] The condenser 9 connected to an output of solar cell 8, recharges electric energy generating from a solar cell 8 whenever light enters and recharged electric energy contained in the condenser 9 is used as a back up power source when there is no light such as a dark place.
[0009] Even if the condenser 9 can be designed for the cost merit and simplicity as a back up power system, it has a problem that a condenser cannot supply the electric energy to a circuit system of a remote controller for a long period of time in no light condition since the capacity of the charged electric energy in the condenser 9 is not as large as a battery and micro controller 2 consumes it continuously.
[0010] In order to solve the above stated problem, another aspect of the present invention is to provide a technique that allows much longer usage of the charged energy in the condenser 9. That can be achieved by means of on-off switching power supply line of circuit, using a switch 10 as shown in Fig. 3. The switch prevents the electric energy from flowing into the controller 2 and supply electric energy only when the data line transmits data. If the switch10 is designed to convert to the ON state simultaneously as whenever one of buttons 1 is pressed for the purpose of transferring a command input to a remote controller and always stays at the OFF state while the buttons 1 is not being pressed, then there will be no power consumption through load of circuit while button 1 is not in operation, and thus the charged energy in the condenser 9 can last much longer than one without the switch circuit because consumption of charged energy only takes place when the button 1 is pressed for a remote controller operation. The present invention will demonstrate how to design a switch 10, which operates power on-off function simultaneously according to the press of button 1 for the remote controller operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Fig. 2 is an overall mechanical block diagram of a remote controller system illustrating the prior art in which batteries are used as a power supply source.
[0013] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the remote controller system according to embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] Fig. 4 is a mechanical diagram of a remote controller system illustrating a solar cell as a power supply source.
[0015] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the switch according to embodiment of the present invention, which has two circuit lines in one mechanical switch connecting each line simultaneously but separately when the switch is pressed.
[0016] Fig. 6 is a detailed block diagram of the remote controller system which is designed accordance with the concept set forth in Fig. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the remote controller system according to embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, a circuit design between the prior art and the present invention consist basically the same connection among a micro controller 2, a switching transistor 5 and an infrared light-emitting diode 4, except for a data line 3 which transfer a command of buttons 1, a switch 10 for the on-off power line, a condenser 9 for charge of electric energy and a solar cell 8.
[0018] The solar cell 8 is used as the power supply source for the present invention. The positive terminal of the solar cell 8 is connected to the positive terminal of the condenser 9, and the negative terminals of the solar cell 8 and the negative terminal of the condenser 9 are connected to each ground terminals of the micro controller 2 and a switching transistor 5 in common. To receive the light properly, the solar cell 8 is placed on the remote controller case as shown in Fig. 4.
[0019] The positive terminal of the condenser 9 is connected to a power-input terminal of the micro controller 2 and anode terminal of an infrared light-emitting diode 4 via the switch 10 for the on-off power line.
[0020] For embodiment of this invention, the function of the switch 10 is to convert to ON state simultaneously with press of the buttons 1 for sending a command input to a remote controller, but always stays at the OFF state if the buttons 1 is not pressed. The embodiment of the switch 10 for the above function is illustrated in Fig. 5. The switch 10 consists of two circuit lines where each line is connected separately, whereby when the switch is pressed then both circuit lines simultaneously becomes connected. As a result, if this switch is used for each button of remote controller, one pass of the switch is utilized as a data line that transfers a command of button and another pass of the switch is utilized as a switch for the on-off power line, and thus creating two separated pass line when the button is pressed.
[0021] Fig. 6 is a detailed block diagram of the remote controller system designed according to the concept set forth in Fig. 3. If a button 11 of remote controller buttons 1 is pressed, the c and d terminals transfer command data to the micro controller 2 and the a and b terminals supply electric energy of a condenser 9 to load of circuit, including the micro controller 2 and the infrared light-emitting diode 4. Terminal a and b are selectively connected by the first switching line 21 when the button 1 is pressed and terminal c and d are also selectively connected by the second switching line 22. The terminal b is connected to solar cells 8 and the terminal is connected to the micro controller 2. When the button 1 is pressed, terminal a and b become connected and same time terminal c and d also become connected by first and second switching lines 21, 22. On the contrary, if the button of remote controller buttons 1 is not pressed and remains at the OFF state, and the charged energy in the condenser 9 is blocked from flowing into the micro controller 2, 4 thus continual consumption of the charged energy no longer occurs.
[0022] The power supply system of remote controller of the present invention accordance with the above described embodiment comprises of a solar cell 8 that generates current whenever light exists. To be able to use as a power source of remote controller, the size of the solar cell 8 should be a small enough that it could be mounted on a remote controller case, but must sufficiently generate current in order to supply energy to operate the remote controller without any difficulties. For example, the solar cell that can generate about electric power of 3V × 10mA should be used. Current generated from the solar cell 8 is charged in a condenser 9 and used as a power source. The condenser 9 should have sufficiently large capacitance, preferably a gold capacitor, to hold the charged energy to use as a back up power source when the solar cell 8 cannot generate current properly such as when there is no light. If a condenser with capacitance of 0.2 farad and the solar cell generating electric energy of 3V × 10mA is used as a power source, according to the equation. Q = C × V = I ∫ tdt of charged electric energy in the condenser, the condenser 9 charges electric energy of 0.6 [CV] in 60 second, and that is sufficiently, large enough energy which can actually operate a remote controller more than 100 times in a condition when the solar cell 8 cannot generate current.
[0023] Even if the condenser 9 is used as a back power source since it contains sufficiently large energy which can operate a remote controller more than 100 times in no light condition, the condenser 9 is connected to the micro controller 2 and the infrared light-emitting diode 4 directly thus the electric energy in the condenser 9 will be reduced slowly and continuously because of current consumption by the micro controller 2. As a result, the condenser 9 will completely drained of energy such that it cannot be used as a back up power if there is no additional current from the solar cell 8 is supplied.
[0024] A switch 10 for the on-off power line is designed in order to solve above stated problem. The switch 10 is consist of the function that turns to ON state simultaneously as whenever one of the buttons 1 is pressed for a command input to the remote controller, but always remains in OFF State if no buttons 1 has been pressed as described above in detail along with Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. As a result of this function, the electric energy of the condenser 9 will be conserved without consumption as long as there is no pressing of button 1 for remote controller operation because electric energy consumption in a condenser 9 takes place only by press of button 1. Therefore, the method of the present invention prevents drainage of the energy and the condenser 9 can be used as a back up power source for much longer period of time during the no light state.
1. A remote controller having a solar cell that converts a solar energy into an electric
energy, a condenser as a back up power being used for a power supply source of a remote
controller, a controller that controls electrical appliance, a data line transmitting
specified command from said controller and a plurality of buttons, in which each button
has a specific function command, sending specified data to said data line.
2. The remote controller adopted for conserve electric energy, comprising :
a energy supply device;
a controller controlling the electrical device;
a data line sending specific data to the controller;
a plurality of buttons having a specific data command sending a specific data to said data line; and
a switching method consists of two different circuit lines where one line transferring command data from a button to the micro controller and another line supplying power to load of circuit, and when the button is not pressed to send the command data then the electric energy is prevented from supply to said controller from a energy supplier.
3. The remote controller for the electric device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said
energy supplier includes the solar cells adopted to covert a solar energy into the
electrical energy, and the condenser. which is connected to the solar cell to reserve
energy, as a back up power being used for a power supply.
4. The remote controller, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said condenser is a gold capacity.
5. The remote controller, comprising:
a electric controlling device including the solar cells adopted to convert a solar energy into the electric energy, and the condenser which is connected to said solar cells to reserve converted solar energy and supply electric energy whenever needed;
a controller that controls the electric device;
a data line supplies the specific data the said controller; and
a plurality of buttons including a first terminal connected to said condenser of said electric supply system, a second terminal connected to said controller, a third terminal designated as specific datum by said data line, a fourth terminal transmit specific data transmitted from said data line, a first switching line connecting first and second terminal and a second switching line connecting third and fourth terminal, and whenever one of said remote controller buttons is pressed then said first switching line supplies electric energy to said controller by connecting said first terminal and said second terminal and simultaneously said second switching line transmits specific data to the data line by connecting said third terminal and said fourth terminal and when said buttons are not pressed then said first switching line disconnects said first terminal and said second terminal and said second switching line disconnects said third terminal and said fourth terminal.