JPH11196044A - Infrared-ray controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an infrared-ray controller capable of control a device having no control terminal to receive a control signal from a microcomputer, by means of the microcomputer. SOLUTION: An infrared-ray controller consists of an infrared-ray emitting element 11, a light transmissive enclosing body 12, a light transmissive adhesive 13 which fixes the body 12 to a control-use infrared-ray receiving window of a device to be controlled, a signal generator 14 which generates a control signal to drive the element 11, and a cable 15 which transmits the control signal to the element 11 from the generator 14. In this system, the controller 14 serves as a control microcomputer and an instruction signal received from an infrared- ray receiving element is inputted to the microcomputer. The device to be controlled includes at least a power supply.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an infrared controller capable of controlling a device having no control terminal for inputting a control signal from a microcomputer (hereinafter abbreviated as a microcomputer) by the microcomputer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A TV broadcast receiving system as shown in FIG. 5 is constructed in a relatively large number of ordinary households. That is,
This is a general system in which a high-frequency signal received by a TV receiving antenna 1 is amplified by a booster device 2 and input to a TV (television) receiving device 3 or a video device 4. In such a system, each of the devices 2, 3, and 4 is an independent device, and therefore has its own power input terminal 5, 6, and 7.

There are two types of power control methods for the TV receiver 3, a manual operation type and a remote control (hereinafter abbreviated as "remote control") type. In the case of the remote control type, the power is received by receiving infrared rays from the remote control. The operation power supply of the power supply control circuit necessary for turning on / off the power supply is always on.

The power supply control method of the video device 4 is also generally
It is the same as the receiving device 3 or linked to the TV receiving device 3. On the other hand, the power of the booster device 2 that is not controlled by the remote controller is generally always on.

[0005]

Although not limited to the above example, if the power supplies of the devices 2 to 4 of the system in FIG. 5 can be controlled by the microcomputer, the power consumption when not in use can be further reduced. However, since this type of device is not manufactured as a peripheral device of a microcomputer, it does not have a control terminal for receiving a control signal of the microcomputer. This is the problem to be solved by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an infrared controller which enables a microcomputer to control a device having no control terminal for inputting a control signal from the microcomputer.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an infrared light emitting element, a light-transmitting outer envelope in which the light emitting element is embedded, and an infrared light receiving window for controlling a device to be controlled. This is achieved by an infrared controller including a translucent adhesive that adheres to the light emitting element, a signal generator that generates a control signal for driving the light emitting element, and a cable that transmits the control signal from the signal generator to the light emitting element. it can.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the signal generator is a control microcomputer, and the computer receives a command signal from an infrared light receiving element. In this case, the control target of the control target device includes at least a power supply.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top view of an infrared controller showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof. In these figures, 11 is an infrared light emitting element (LED), 12 is a translucent enclosure made of, for example, epoxy resin in which the light emitting element 11 is embedded, and 13 is a control of the outer enclosure (plate) 12. A translucent adhesive (for example, a double-sided adhesive tape) fixed to the control infrared receiving window of the target device, 14 is a signal generator for generating a control signal for driving the light emitting element 11, and 15 is a signal generator for generating the control signal. 14
This is a cable that transmits the light to the light emitting element 11.

FIG. 3A and FIG.
3A and 3B are a bottom view and a side view of a cover 16 surrounding an outer periphery of the light emitting element 11 buried in FIG. The cover 16 is formed in a U-shaped cross section, and is fitted to the light emitting element burying portion 12A of the plate 12.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an application example of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a control device, which includes a booster device 2, a control microcomputer 14 as a signal generator 14, a power supply circuit 21, a power supply relay 22,
And a remote control light receiving element 23. Reference numeral 24 denotes a power supply terminal of the control device 20. The distal ends of the cables 15A and 15B extending from the control microcomputer 14 are connected to the infrared light emitting elements (11) in the plates 12A and 12B, respectively. The plates 12A and 12B are provided with a remote control infrared receiving window 31 of the TV receiver 3 and the video device 4.
A and 31B are bonded by the bonding body (13).

In this system, the only power supply terminal 24 is connected to the power supply circuit 21 and the power supply circuit 21 is further connected to the power supply relay 2.
2 is connected. The power supply relay 22 is a part that controls all power supply of the booster device 2, the TV receiver 3, and the video device 4. It is the control microcomputer 14 that controls the power supply relay 22. This control microcomputer 1
The output of the remote control light receiving element 23 gives an instruction to 4. Control infrared rays are incident on the light receiving element 23 from an infrared remote controller (not shown).

The controllability of the system shown in FIG.
In addition, the on / off of the power of each of the devices 2 to 4 can be centrally managed and controlled. Remote control of the power supply of the booster device 2 has not been conventionally performed, so that power is saved first. Further, the TV receiver 3 and the video device 4
Standby power can be saved. Further, in the case of the devices 3 and 4, there is an advantage that each operation mode (for example, video recording reservation, TV channel selection, volume adjustment, etc.) can be controlled by a common remote controller. Further, even when the individual remote controllers of the TV receiver 3 and the video device 4 are used, since the envelope 12 is transparent, it can be used as usual.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an infrared controller which can control a device having no control terminal for inputting a control signal from a microcomputer by the microcomputer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of an infrared controller showing one embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating a cover of the infrared controller of FIG. 2 alone;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an application example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a conventional TV broadcast receiving system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 TV antenna 2 Booster apparatus 3 TV receiver 4 Video apparatus 11 Infrared light emitting element 12 Enclosure (plate) 13 Adhesive body 14 Signal generator 15 Cable 20 Control equipment 21 Power supply circuit 22 Power supply relay 23 Remote control light receiving element 31 Infrared light receiving window

Claims (3)

[Claims] An infrared light-emitting element, a light-transmitting envelope in which the light-emitting element is embedded, and a light-transmissive adhesive for fixing the light-emitting element to a control infrared receiving window of a device to be controlled. An infrared controller, comprising: a signal generator that generates a control signal for driving the light emitting element; and a cable that transmits the control signal from the signal generator to the light emitting element. 2. The infrared controller according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator is a control microcomputer, and inputs an instruction signal from the infrared light receiving element to the computer. 3. The infrared controller according to claim 1, wherein the control target of the control target device is at least a power supply.