# US 2010/0164564 A1 · Starting apparatus and starting method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0164564 A1 - Document ID: US20100164564A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/560,609 - Filed: 2009-09-16 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-25 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Shoji Otaka; Toshiyuki Umeda; Shigeyasu Iwata; Takafumi Sakamoto; Tsuyoshi Kogawa; Koji Ogura; Makoto Tsuruta; Yu Kaneko; Nobuhiko Sugasawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100164564A1 ## CPC - H04W 52/028: {switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks} - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A starting apparatus includes: a storage unit storing an identifier; a rectifying unit rectifying a reception signal; a generating unit comparing the reception signal rectified in the rectifying unit to a reference signal and generating a digital signal from the reception signal; a judging unit judging whether or not the digital signal contains information of the identifier; a reference changing unit changing the reference signal when the judging unit judges that the reception signal does not contain information of the identifier; and a start instructing unit instructing start of an electric appliance when the judging unit judges that the reception signal contains information of the identifier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A starting apparatus, comprising: a storage unit storing an identifier; a rectifying unit rectifying a reception signal; a generating unit comparing the reception signal rectified in said rectifying unit to a reference signal and generating a digital signal from the reception signal; a judging unit judging whether or not the digital signal contains information of the identifier; a reference changing unit changing the reference signal when the judging unit judges that the reception signal does not contain information of the identifier; and a start instructing unit instructing start of an electric appliance when the judging unit judges that the reception signal contains information of the identifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an amplifying unit amplifying the reception signal rectified in the rectifying unit, wherein the generating unit compares the reception signal amplified in the amplifying unit to the reference signal and generates the digital signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a gain of the amplifying unit or the rectifying unit is variable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a gain reducing unit reducing the gain of the amplifying unit or the rectifying unit when a strength of the reference signal changed by the reference changing unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a gain reducing unit reducing the gain of the amplifying unit or the rectifying unit when a predetermined number or more of High states of the digital signal continue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rectifying unit comprises: a first FET having a first gate terminal and a first source terminal to which the reception signal is applied; a second FET having a second gate terminal, a second source terminal, and a drain terminal connected to the first source terminal; a first voltage applying unit applying a first control voltage between the first gate terminal and the first source terminal; and a second voltage applying unit applying a second control voltage between the second gate terminal and the second source terminal, wherein the gain of the rectifying unit is changed by adjusting the first and second control voltages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference changing unit repeatedly changes the reference signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the repeat of change of the reference signal by the reference changing unit is stopped when a strength of the reference signal changed by the reference changing unit is less than a predetermined second value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a gain increasing unit increasing the gain of the amplifying unit or the rectifying unit when a strength of the reference signal changed by the reference changing unit is greater than a predetermined second value, wherein the gain of the amplifying unit or the rectifying unit is variable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the reference changing unit changes the reference signal after the gain is increased by the gain increasing unit. ### Claim 11 A starting method, comprising: rectifying a reception signal; comparing the rectified reception signal to a reference signal and generating a digital signal from the reception signal; judging whether or not the digital signal contains information of a predetermined identifier; changing the reference signal when it is judged that the reception signal does not contain information of the identifier; and instructing start of an electric appliance when it is judged that the reception signal contains information of the identifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: amplifying the rectified reception signal, wherein the generating step compares the amplified reception signal to the reference signal and generates a digital signal from the reception signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein a gain in the amplifying step or the rectifying step is variable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: reducing the gain in the amplifying step or the rectifying step when a strength of the reference signal changed in the changing step is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: reducing the gain in the amplifying step or the rectifying step when a predetermined number or more of High states of the digital signal continue. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the changing step repeatedly changes the reference signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the repeat of change of the reference signal is stopped when a strength of the reference signal changed in the changing step is less than a predetermined second value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising: increasing the gain in the amplifying step or the rectifying step when a strength of the reference signal changed in the changing step is greater than a predetermined second value, wherein the gain in the amplifying step or the rectifying step is variable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the reference signal is changed after the gain is increased in the increasing step.