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US 6,476,727 B1Granted
Long distance remote control
OwnerPeter S Vogelinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic appliance equipped with an infra-red or ultrasonic remote control device in which the device is controlled from a great distance by receiving control signals transmitted from a remote station (6), reformatting the control signals (3) in the device to conform with the protocol required by the appliance to be controlled, and transmitting the infra-red (5) or ultrasonic signal to the appliance.
Claims46
A method of controlling a remote appliance, comprising:
- transmitting a first control signal from a control transmitter, said first control signal being indicative of a predetermined target condition of a remote appliance, said control transmitter disposed a first distance apart from said remote appliance;
- receiving said first control signal at an intermediate station disposed a second distance apart from said remote appliance, wherein said first distance is greater than said second distance;
- sensing a channel being processed by said remote appliance, said channel being one among a plurality of available information channels, the sensing said channel including forming a channel indicating signal;
- and
- responsive to said channel indicating signal, forming a second control signal which, when applied to an input of said remote appliance, causes said remote appliance to enter said predetermined target operational condition.
2 more elements
A method of controlling a remote appliance, comprising:
- transmitting a first control signal from a control transmitter, said first control signal being indicative of a predetermined target condition of a remote appliance and including information associating said first control signal with a particular information channel, said control transmitter disposed a first distance apart from said remote appliance;
- receiving said first control signal at an intermediate station disposed a second distance apart from said remote appliance, wherein said first distance is greater than said second distance;
- sensing a channel being processed by said remote appliance, said channel being one among a plurality of available information channels, the sensing said channel including forming a channel indicating signal;
- and
- responsive to said channel indicating signal, forming a second control signal which, when applied to an input of said remote appliance, causes said remote appliance to enter said predetermined target operational condition.
2 more elements
A device controller, comprising:
- a control transmitter configured to transmit a first control signal, said first control signal being indicative of a predetermined target condition of a remote appliance, said control transmitter disposed a first distance apart from said remote appliance;
- and
- an intermediate station configured to receive said first control signal, said intermediate station disposed a second distance apart from said remote appliance, wherein
- said first distance is greater than said second distance,
- wherein a channel being processed by said remote appliance is sensed, said channel being one among a plurality of available information channels,
- wherein a channel indicating signal is formed based at least in part on the sensed channel, and
- wherein, responsive to said channel indicating signal, a second control signal is formed which, when applied to an input of said remote appliance, causes said remote appliance to enter said predetermined target operational condition.
4 more elements
A device controller, comprising:
- a control transmitter configured to transmit a first control signal, said first control signal being indicative of a predetermined target condition of a remote appliance and including information associating said first control signal with a particular information channel, said control transmitter disposed a first distance apart from said remote appliance;
- and
- an intermediate station configured to receive said first control signal, said intermediate station disposed a second distance apart from said remote appliance, wherein said first distance is greater than said second distance,
- wherein a channel being processed by said remote appliance is sensed, said channel being one among a plurality of available information channels,
- wherein a channel indicating signal is formed based at least in part on the sensed channel, and
- wherein, responsive to said channel indicating signal, a second control signal is formed which, when applied to an input of said remote appliance, causes said remote appliance to enter said predetermined target operational condition.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.