WO2008000852A1 - Audio system with two-way remote control and protocol necessary for said purpose - Google Patents

Abstract

System formed by an electronic module of equipment to be tuned, which will generally be concealed, a remote control with display, and a two-way communications protocol, which aims to achieve a system in which the functions and status of the electronic equipment to be monitored are shown on the display of the remote control. Two-way communication between control and electronic module therefore has to be established, said control and module both being provided with devices for transmitting and receiving signals in the infrared spectrum. The system also includes a two-way communications protocol adapted for achieving comprehension between the other components and covering all the possible eventualities of transmission and reception failures.

Description

 AUDIO SYSTEM WITH BIDIRECTIONAL REMOTE CONTROL AND PROTOCOL REQUIRED FOR SUCH PURPOSE

DESCRIPTION

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is an audio system with bidirectional remote control, which allows to know by means of the remote control the performance or tuning performed on an audio equipment regardless of the location of the electronic equipment on which the tuning is performed .

Thanks to the present system, it is possible to carry out the tuning of an electronic equipment with remote control, presenting as a differentiating aspect the fact that, regardless of the location of the equipment to be tuned, for example, hidden in a false ceiling, and by Therefore, the selected values cannot be displayed, it is possible to know these values through the display that is associated with the remote control itself.

In order to carry out the described functionality it is necessary to design a two-way communications protocol that allows the understanding between the remote control and the electronic equipment located in the equipment to be tuned, therefore the communication protocol is also an objective of the present invention. Bidirectional character necessary for the understanding between the remote control and the electronic equipment.

Therefore, the present invention is circumscribed within the scope of remote drive means between equipment, particularly audio equipment tunable, as well as bidirectional protocols.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally the interaction between the remote controls actuators of electronic equipment, such as music equipment, tuners, televisions and the like, is carried out in a unidirectional way, that is, a function is activated from the remote control, the command is received by the equipment electronic, being verified that the command has produced the desired result by means of information shown on a display always installed on the electronic equipment that you want to control and that is always displayed by the user. Thus, if a certain station is selected or tuned with a remote control, the information of the tuned station or selected channel is shown on a display installed in the electronic equipment to be controlled, in which the user verifies that the selected option has been effectively executed.

However, sometimes electronic devices are not fully accessible, it is not possible to verify the information of the selected options on a display, for example when the equipment is hidden in a suspended ceiling, then the user has no information some of the options selected, therefore performing a control that we could call blind.

The objective technical problem that the present invention should solve would be how to provide the user with information on the selected options or the tunings performed, when the equipment is hidden and it is not possible to verify said information on the equipment itself. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, developing an audio system that solves the objective technical problem raised, modifying the constituent elements in the necessary manner, as well as developing a two-way communications protocol.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is an audio system with bidirectional remote control, as well as the protocol necessary to achieve said tuning.

The system like any remote control system consists of a remote control, an electronic module located in the equipment to be controlled and a communications protocol. In this case, all the previous elements must be duly modified in order to solve the objective technical problem raised of how to know the user the commands processed by the electronic equipment when it is not accessible.

For this, on the one hand the electronic module is installed in a fixed way, and in general in a hidden way, for example in a false ceiling. It consists of a processing unit or CPU based on a microcontroller, with infrared emitting and receiving means that allows infrared spectrum signals to communicate with a remote control.

On the other hand, the bidirectional remote control, in addition to the elements of any command, has a central processing unit or CPU, based on a Naproprocessor, means emitting and receiving signals from the infrared spectrum in its communication with the electronic module and a display to visualize the information that it will receive from the electronic equipment installed in an inaccessible and hidden way.

Thanks to this display, the remote control performs the functions of the user interface from which each and every one of the functions supplied by the set is handled, controlled and displayed at all times.

The display, unlike similar systems in the market, does not indicate the functions and information that correspond to the status of the remote control, but indicates the status and functions of the electronic module, which is the one that communicates through of a two-way communications protocol its status to the remote control itself.

Finally, the last necessary element of the system is the bidirectional communications protocol that allows understanding between the remote control and the electronic module, establishing a "question-answer" type communication between them.

Communications are always initiated by the remote control and terminated by a response from the ceiling control, even if it is a null response. Upon receipt of a command or a response by the electronic module or by the remote control respectively, an acknowledgment signal (Ack) is emitted.

The protocol is designed so that they can solve all eventualities that may occur, such as: - Loss of the signal (Ack) sent by the remote control to the response sent by the electronic module.

- Loss of the response signal itself sent by the electronic module.

- Loss of the signal (Ack) sent by the electronic module upon receipt of a command by the remote control.

- Loss of the initial bit stream itself.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is attached, as an integral part thereof, a set of drawings where illustrative and not limiting The following has been represented:

Figure 1 is a representation of a block diagram of the elements and their constituent parts that are part of the tuner system object of the invention.

Figure 2 is a representation of the structure of a bit stream in the bidirectional protocol.

Figure 3 shows the typical exchange of information between the remote control and the hidden electronic module.

Figure 4 shows the protocol that takes place in case of loss of (Ack) sent by the remote control to the response sent by the electronic module.

Figure 5 shows the exchange that takes place in case that the response of the electronic module is lost.

Figure 6 shows the exchange that takes place in case of loss of (Ack) sent by the electronic module to the initial bit stream sent by the remote control.

Figure 7 shows the exchange that takes place in case of loss of the initial bit stream.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforementioned figures, a preferred embodiment of the invention and the explanation of the drawings are described below.

The audio system with bidirectional remote control, as previously stated, aims to get to know the status and functions selected on an electronic module not accessible, from a remote control.

The system consists of a remote control (1) with infrared and bidirectional, a two-way communication protocol (2) and an electronic module

(3) located on a hidden device or not viewable by the user.

The bidirectional remote control (1) consists of a central processing unit (CPU) (4), a keypad (5), a display (6), a power supply (7), and a transmitter ( 8) and infrared receiver (9).

As already indicated above, unlike commercial remote controls with display, in this case The information shown on the display corresponds not to the state of the remote control, but to the state of the electronic module (3). On the other hand, it also has means (9) for receiving signals in the infrared spectrum, whose coding allows the module status to be shown on the display.

On the other hand, the electronic module (3) has a central processing unit (CPU) (10), based on a microprocessor. The entire electronic module (3) is powered from a power source (14) that conditions the power supplied from the mains

(fifteen).

The central processing unit (CPU) (10) governs the rest of the elements that are connected to it, such as tuning means (16) of the signal received by an antenna (17), an audio processor (18), a amplifier

(19) of the audio signal, as well as means emitting (11) and infrared receivers (12).

The amplifier (19) of the audio signal sends the signal to speakers (20).

It presents the electronic module (3) as a differentiating feature compared to other commercials, the presence of signal emitting means (12) in the infrared spectrum of the state and functions selected in the electronic module itself.

The understanding and communication between the two-way remote control (1) and the electronic module (3) is possible thanks to the two-way protocol (2) developed for this purpose. Figure 2 shows a structure of a bit stream consisting of two "start" bits of a "toggle" bit, five command bits, two new "Start" bits of a "start" bit. toggle ", two bits of" flags "and eight bits of data, followed by three bits of parity (PO, Pl, P2) where:

- PO is the parity bit of the command.

- Pl is the bit of impartiality of the "flags".

- P2 is the oddity bit of the data.

Figure 3 shows the typical exchange of information between the remote control and the hidden electronic module, which follows the indicated sequence. It starts with an initial bit stream sent by the remote control, the electronic module answers with an (Ack), there is a waiting time for the response, followed by the response sent by the electronic module to the remote control, and followed by an (Ack) sent by the remote control, followed by a second response timeout, followed by the response of the electronic module, followed by an (Ack) sent by the remote control .

The (Ack) signal is produced between a minimum time and a maximum Ack time.

The response signal sent by the electronic module is produced between a minimum response time and a maximum time.

A minimum frame time will pass between one bit stream and the next.

In those cases that require a second response, there is a time that must elapse that will be between a minimum response time and a maximum second response time. In figure 4, it shows the protocol that takes place in case of loss of the (Ack) sent by the remote control to the response sent by the electronic module. If the maximum time of (Ack) has elapsed, it is not received correctly, the module repeats the response up to a maximum of two times. The electronic module sends the response between a minimum response time and a maximum response time. If the command has received the first response correctly, it ignores the following, although it will return an (Ack) if it has received them correctly.

Figure 5 shows the exchange that takes place in case the response of the electronic module is lost. When the command does not receive the response correctly before the maximum response time, it does not send an (Ack), and when the (Ack) does not receive the electronic module, it will repeat the response up to two more times.

Figure 6 shows the exchange that takes place in case of loss of (Ack) sent by the electronic module to the initial bit stream sent by the remote control. In this case, when the (Ack) of the electronic module does not receive the command to its initial bit stream, the command repeats the initial bit stream up to a maximum of twice. This train will be sent after a minimum train time and a maximum train time. If on the third attempt the remote control does not receive the (Ack), it sends an order to abort the command sent, so that the electronic module does not execute the order sent.

Figure 7 shows the exchange that takes place in case of loss of the initial bit stream, in which case the electronic module does not return anything, and when not receiving (Ack) the remote control repeats up to twice the train of bits If it is not possible to send the initial bit stream in None of the three attempts, the (Ack) is not received, then sending the abort order.

It is not considered necessary to make this description more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands the scope of the invention and the advantages derived therefrom.

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements will be subject to variation as long as they do not alter the essentiality of the invention.

The terms in which this report has been described must always be taken in a broad and non-limiting sense.

Claims

1.- Audio system with bidirectional remote control consisting of: - A remote control (1) which in turn consists of a central processing unit (CPU) (4), a keyboard (5), a display (6), a power supply (7), and of an infrared emitter (8). - an electronic module (3) that has a central processing unit (CPU) (10), based on a microprocessor, powered the entire assembly from a power source (14), where the central processing unit (CPU) ( 10) governs the elements that are connected to it, such as tuning means (16) of the signal received by an antenna (17), an audio processor (18), an amplifier (19) of the audio signal, so as infrared receiving means (12). - a communications protocol Characterized because: - The remote control (1), in addition to the mentioned elements, has signals (9) in the infrared spectrum, where the display (6) also displays the functions and information corresponding to the electronic module (3). - The electronic module (3) in addition to the aforementioned elements has signal emitting means (11) in the infrared spectrum. - The communications protocol is a bidirectional protocol. 2.- Bidirectional protocol for the audio system with bidirectional remote control previously claimed characterized in that the typical exchange of information between a remote control (1) and a hidden electronic module (3) begins with an initial bit stream sent by the remote control, the electronic module answers with an (Ack), there is a waiting time for the response, followed by the response sent by the electronic module to the remote control, and followed by a (Ack) sent by the remote control, followed by a second response timeout, followed by the response of the electronic module, followed by an (Ack) sent by the remote control. 3. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that the bit stream consists of two "start" bits of a "toggle" bit, five command bits, two new "Start" bits of a bit of "toggle", two bits of "flags" and eight bits of data, followed by three bits of parity (PO, Pl, P2) where: - PO is the parity bit of the command. - Pl is the bit of impartiality of the "flags". - P2 is the oddity bit of the data. 4. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that the signal of (Ack) is produced between a minimum time and a maximum time of (Ack), the response signal sent by the electronic module is produced between a minimum response time and a maximum response time and a minimum frame time will elapse between one bit stream and the next. 5. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that in case of loss of the (Ack) sent by the remote control to the response sent by the electronic module, if the maximum time of (Ack) has elapsed, it is not received correctly, the electronic module repeats the response up to a maximum of twice, the electronic module sends the response between a minimum response time and a maximum response time, if the command has received the first response correctly it ignores the following ones, although it will return a (Ack ) if you received them correctly. 6. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that in case the response of the electronic module is lost, when the command does not correctly receive the response before the maximum response time, it does not send an (Ack), and upon not receiving (Ack) the electronic module, it will repeat the response up to two more times. 7. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that in case of loss of (Ack) sent by the electronic module to the initial bit stream sent by the remote control, in this case the remote control repeats the initial bit stream Up to a maximum of two times, this train will be sent after a minimum train time and a maximum train time, if on the third attempt the remote control does not receive the (Ack) send an order to abort the command sent, so that the Electronic module do not execute the order sent. 8. Bidirectional protocol according to claim 2, characterized in that in case of loss of the initial bit stream, in which case the electronic module returns nothing, and upon not receiving the (Ack) the remote control repeats Up to twice the bit stream, if the initial bit stream cannot be sent in any of the three attempts, the (Ack) is not received, then the abort order is sent.