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Remote control system for transmitting messages whose length is adapted to the nature of the operating command and to the quantity of information to be transmitted. Each message is provided with an "anti-phase start bit" in order to prevent a long message from being interpreted as a different, equally valid, shorter message in the case of incomplete reception.

InventorHans E.P. Kohler
Original AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
Current U.S. Classification340/12.22; 375/282; 375/369
International Classification: H04Q 100

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US4118791Apr 25, 1977Oct 3, 1978Norlin Music, Inc.Multi-level encoding system
US4310922Jan 10, 1980Jan 12, 1982Bit sampling multiplexer apparatus
US4427980Oct 13, 1981Jan 24, 1984Motorola, Inc.Encoder for transmitted message activation code
US4638478Jun 21, 1985Jan 20, 1987Nitsuko LimitedFrame synchronizing system in a receiver in a time-division multiplex transmission system
US4730188Dec 30, 1985Mar 8, 1988Identification Devices, Inc.Identification system
US4748643Mar 13, 1987May 31, 1988Iwatsu Electric Co., Ltd.Start bit detecting circuit
US4885579Apr 25, 1988Dec 5, 1989British Broadcasting CorporationDevice for the remote control of a videorecorder or a videoreceiver
US4894826Jan 30, 1989Jan 16, 1990Honeywell, Inc.Message generating communication apparatus having a message preamble format allowing parts of certain messages to be ignored
US4914649Sep 12, 1988Apr 3, 1990Motorola, Inc.Multiple frequency message system
US4980681Sep 29, 1986Dec 25, 1990Charbonnages de FranceDirect view remote control method for workings machine and transmitter and receiver assembly for carrying out such method
US5043723Jan 26, 1990Aug 27, 1991Sharp Kabushiki KaishaMemory remote control device

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5952936Aug 25, 1997Sep 14, 1999NEC CorporationBidirectional remote control system using interrupt arbitration
US6848968Jan 14, 2002Feb 1, 2005Mattel, Inc.Communication system for radio controlled toy vehicle
US7697605Jul 26, 2005Apr 13, 2010Sony CorporationSignal transmitting/receiving system and method, signal transmitting apparatus and method, signal processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program for transmitting/receiving signals unaffected by other apparatuses

Claims

1. A transmitter for use in a remote control system, the transmitter comprising:

generating means for generating a series of message bits constituting a message to be transmitted and a start word preceding the message bits;
an encoding circuit for converting the message bits into biphase bits having a predetermined bit period which comprises a first and a second bit interval and whose logic value is represented by a pulse during one of the first and second bit intervals; and
means for transmitting a biphase signal thus obtained to a receiver;

wherein the encoding circuit converts the start word into a biphase start bit having the pulse during the first interval, said start bit being distinguished from the other biphase bits in that the second bit interval of the biphase start bit is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits.

2. A transmitter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generating means generates distinct messages in series of variable lengths and adds a code to the message, said code being indicative of the number of bits comprised by the message.

3. A transmitter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the encoding circuit generates for a predetermined further message bit, a biphase bit of which at least one of the first and second bit intervals is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits.

4. A transmitter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the encoding circuit generates for a predetermined further message bit, a biphase bit of which at least one of the first and second bit intervals is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits.

5. A receiver for use in a remote control system for receiving signals consisting of encoded message bits preceded by a start word, in which each bit of the message has been converted into a biphase bit having a predetermined bit period which comprises a first and a second bit interval and whose logic value is represented by a pulse during one of the first and second bit intervals, and in which the start word has been converted into a biphase start bit having the pulse in the first bit interval, said biphase start bit being distinguished from other biphase bits in that the second bit interval of the biphase start bit is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits, said receiver comprising:

means for receiving the transmitted biphase signal; and
a decoding circuit for decoding the biphase start bit, starting in response thereto a periodic reference signal whose period corresponds to the predetermined bit period, and for regaining the original message, wherein said decoding circuit ignores the message if no biphase bit is received during a period of the periodic reference signal after decoding the biphase start bit.

6. A receiver as claimed in claim 5, in which the messages are encoded in a series of variable length and a code indicative of the number of bits in the message has been added to the message, wherein said decoding circuit decodes said code and ignores the message if the number of bits in the message does not correspond to said code.

7. A receiver as claimed in claim 6, in which said transmitted biphase signal includes, for a predetermined further message bit, a further biphase bit of which at least one of the first and second bit intervals is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits, wherein said decoding circuit decodes the further biphase bit and ignores the message if the further biphase bit is not received.

8. A remote control system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter comprising:

generating means for generating a series of message bits constituting a message to be transmitted, and a start word preceding the message bits;
an encoding circuit for converting each message bit into a biphase bit having a predetermined bit period which comprises a first and a second bit interval and whose logic value is represented by a pulse during one of the first and second bit intervals; and
means for transmitting a biphase signal thus obtained to the receiver; and the receiver comprising:
means for receiving the transmitted biphase signal; and
a decoding circuit for decoding the start word, starting in response thereto a periodic reference signal whose period corresponds to the predetermined bit period, and for regaining the original message, wherein the encoding circuit converts the start word into a biphase start bit having the pulse in the first bit interval, said biphase start bit being distinguished from the other biphase bits in that the second bit interval of the biphase start bit is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits, and the decoding circuit decodes said biphase start bit and ignores the message if no biphase bit is received during a period of the periodic reference signal after decoding the biphase start bit thereby regaining the original message.

9. A receiver as claimed in claim 5, in which said transmitted biphase signal includes, for a predetermined further message bit, a further biphase bit of which at least one of the first and second bit intervals is equal to the bit period of the other biphase bits, wherein said decoding circuit decodes the further biphase bit and ignores the message if the further biphase bit is not received.