JP2643068B2 - Remote control transmission unit, remote control reception unit and remote control transmission / reception unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control transmission unit, a remote control reception unit, and a remote control transmission / reception unit for transmitting operation information for a video game device (including a personal computer having a video game function) by infrared or ultrasonic remote control signals. About the unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An operation unit of a video game machine is provided with a plurality of operation buttons for controlling characters and the like on a television screen. Various data indicating whether or not these buttons have been operated are temporarily stored in a buffer memory in the operation unit, and the data is appropriately transmitted to the video game device main body in response to a request from the video game device main body.

The conventional operation unit is electrically connected to the main body of the video game machine via a signal line, and a plurality of operation units can be connected to one main body of the video game machine. You can enjoy video games at the same time. On the other hand, recent audio-visual devices and the like can be remotely controlled by a remote control transceiver for infrared light.

[0004]

By the way, it is conceivable that a remote control receiver is provided on the main body of the video game machine, the remote control transmitter is used on the operation section side, and the video game machine is controlled by wireless communication. However, in the conventional infrared remote control transceiver, there is only one modulated wave for transmitting data (36 KHz, 38 KHz,
Although three waves of 40 KHz are used, these can be regarded as substantially one because they are within the range of mutual interference.) When data is transmitted simultaneously from a plurality of remote control transmitters, time-division processing must be performed. There was no alternative but to do a handshake in both directions.

[0005] The time-division processing method does not have high-speed data transmission and has poor receiving efficiency on the transmitter side, so transmission must be continued for a long time, which is inefficient for battery-powered transmitters. It is. Similarly, bidirectionally requires a receiving unit for each transmitter, inevitably becomes expensive and improves reception efficiency. However, since data is transmitted while alternately communicating between the transmitter and the receiver. The transmission efficiency is worse than in the time division method, and the data transmission speed is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and allows a plurality of people to simultaneously operate a video game device by radio (infrared light or ultrasonic waves), and at a low cost, high speed data transmission. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a remote control receiving unit that can be implemented, and to provide an inexpensive remote control transmitting unit suitable for the remote control receiving unit.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a remote control receiver for receiving a plurality of remote control signals composed of infrared light or ultrasonic waves modulated by a plurality of carriers having different frequencies. A unit, a signal conversion unit that converts a plurality of remote control signals formed of the infrared light or the ultrasonic wave into an electric signal, and a pass band is set corresponding to the plurality of carrier waves, and output from the signal conversion unit. A plurality of filters for separating the electric signal for each frequency component, a plurality of demodulation means for demodulating the modulated electric signal passing through each filter, and a plurality of remote control signals output from the plurality of demodulation means. Storage means for storing the latest remote control signal.

A remote control transmitting unit suitable for the remote control receiving unit, comprising: a plurality of operation buttons for inputting operation information of a video game machine; and a carrier selecting means for selecting a plurality of carriers having different frequencies. A signal generating unit that generates transmission data of a predetermined format based on operation information of the plurality of operation buttons, and outputs a modulated signal obtained by modulating the transmission data with a carrier selected by the carrier selection unit; Signal converting means for converting the modulated signal output from the signal generating means into infrared light or ultrasonic waves.

[0009]

The present invention relates to a remote control receiving unit for enabling operation of a video game device by a remote control signal using infrared rays or ultrasonic waves, and a remote control transmitting unit suitable for the remote control receiving unit. It is configured to be enjoyable. That is, the remote control transmission unit generates transmission data in a predetermined format based on the operation information of the operation buttons, modulates the transmission data with the carrier selected by the carrier selection means, and converts this to infrared light or ultrasonic waves. And send. It is to be noted that a plurality of the remote control transmission units are prepared, and when these are used simultaneously, they are appropriately set so that the carrier waves are different from each other.

On the other hand, the remote control receiving unit converts a plurality of remote control signals including infrared light or ultrasonic waves transmitted from the plurality of remote control transmitting units into electric signals, and then sets a pass band corresponding to each carrier. The electric signal is separated for each frequency component through the plurality of filters.
The plurality of electric signals separated in this manner are further demodulated via a plurality of demodulation units, respectively, and then buffered in a storage unit.

In response to a data request from the main body of the video game machine, the contents of the storage means are sent out,
It can respond independently of reception.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a remote control transmission unit, a remote control reception unit and a remote control transmission / reception unit according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a remote control transmission / reception system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the remote control transmission / reception system is applied to a video game, and includes a plurality of (eight in this embodiment) remote control transmission units 10 having the same configuration and one remote control reception unit 100. The remote control receiving unit 100 is connected to the video game device main body 20.

The remote control receiving unit 100 is formed in an external shape as shown in FIG. 2, for example, and has a plug 102 which can be attached to and detached from a connector of the video game machine main body 20. The TV game machine body 20 is a TV 30
The connector of the video game device main body 20 is a portion to which a wired operation unit (controller) is attached and detached.

Next, details of the remote control transmission unit 10 will be described.
explain about. FIG. 3 shows the remote control transmission unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the unit 10. Shown in the figure
As shown in FIG.
Signal processing circuit 12, mainly the signal processing circuit 12,
Frequency selection switch SW₁~ SW _Three, Pulse number selection switch
Switch_Four~ SW₆, Multiple operation buttons B₁~ B_n,
And an infrared light emitting diode LED.

The frequency selection switches SW _{1 to} SW ₃ select eight carrier waves having different frequencies, respectively.
Eight carrier waves in a range of, for example, 40 KHz to 80 KHz are selected by a combination of ON / OFF of the _three switches SW _{1 to} SW ₃ (a combination of the capacitor C and the resistors R, R _1, R _{2, and} R ₃ ). Further, the pulse number selection switches SW _{4 to} SW ₆ output information corresponding to the frequency of the selected carrier, and the combination of ON / OFF of the three switches SW _{4 to} SW ₆
For example, information indicating the number of pulses per standard time is output to the signal processing circuit 12. The details will be described later.

The plurality of operation buttons B _{1 to} B _n are buttons for controlling start / stop of a game, a moving direction of a character on a television screen, and the like.
Information indicating whether _{1 to Bn} are ON is added to the signal processing circuit 12. The signal processing circuit 12 constantly monitors the operation state of the operation buttons B _{1 to} B _n , and when there is a change in the operation state, generates transmission data in a predetermined format,
The transmission data is transmitted three times repeatedly, and thereafter, the transmission is stopped until the next operation state changes, thereby saving power.

Next, the format of the transmission data will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the transmission data is a 4-bit user ID (identification code of a user who uses this remote control transmission / reception system) as shown in FIG.
The transmission data length of 20 bits is 7.5 mSec ((A) in the figure), and 375 μSec per bit ((C) in the figure). The transmission repetition interval for repeating the above three times is 15 mSec ((A) in the figure), which is shorter than the period (16.6 mSec) of the vertical blanking period of the video signal, which is a general data input period. It has become.

Further, as shown in FIG.
The 1-bit transmission waveform of Sec is composed of a synchronization pulse of “1” of 125 μSec, binary data of “1” or “0” of 125 μSec, and a blank of 125 μSec “0”. According to the data format of this configuration,
Since the format is synchronized for each bit, no header is required for a data sequence that starts asynchronously, data can be sent from the first bit, and the transmission side and the reception side can transmit long data sequences. Can be completely prevented from being out of synchronization due to the clock mismatch. Further, even when no data continues, it is possible to prevent the transmission pulse from being regarded as being interrupted due to the presence of the synchronization pulse.

Now, the frequency selection switches SW _{1 to} SW ₃
For example, a case will be described where 80 KHz is selected as a carrier and the transmission data is switch-modulated by the carrier. In this case, when the transmission data (modulation signal) shown in FIG. 5A is turned on / off at a carrier wave of 80 KHz, as shown in FIG.
A modulated signal (modulated signal) obtained by repeating ON / OFF twice is obtained. As described above, the signal processing circuit 1
2, the information corresponding to the carrier wave of 80 KHz is added from the pulse number selection switches SW _{4 to} SW ₆ , and the signal processing circuit 12 uses the information in the standard time (for example, 125 μm).
The number of pulses (the number of times of switching) is controlled so that 10 pulses per Sec).

Similarly, the frequency selection switch SW₁~ SW
_ThreeFor example, 40 KHz was selected as a carrier wave
In this case, as shown in FIG.
A modulated signal obtained by repeating ON / OFF five times is obtained.
Note that the frequency selection switch SW ₁~ SW_ThreeAnd pulse number selection
Switch SW_Four~ SW₆Need to work in conjunction with
Yes, for example, selecting one of eight carriers
Set up a dial etc. that does not work, and interlock with this dial operation etc.
Above frequency selection switch SW₁~ SW_ThreeAnd number of pulses
Selection switch SW_Four~ SW₆If you make it work
Good.

The transmission data modulated by the appropriate carrier as described above is applied to the infrared light emitting diode LED. Light emission of the infrared light emitting diode LED is controlled by the transmission data, and an infrared remote control signal is transmitted.
Next, details of the remote control receiving unit 100 will be described. FIG. 6 shows the remote control receiving unit 100 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
Photodiode PD, receiving circuit 110, BPF band selection circuit 120, and signal processing circuit 13 such as MCU, GA, etc.
0, and is electrically connected to the video game device main body 20 as described above.

First, the receiving circuit 110 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing details of the receiving circuit 110.
The receiving circuit 110 can simultaneously receive infrared remote control signals modulated by four types of carrier waves.
A plurality of infrared remote control signal transmitted into an electric signal (FIG. 8 (A) see), which amplification circuit Amp, respectively via a limiting amplifier circuit Lmt 4 single bandpass filter BPF ₁ ~BPF ₄ Output.

These bandpass filters BPF ₁ -BPF
The PF ₄ is configured such that the pass band is switched by the selection of the channel ch1 or ch2 in the BPF band selection circuit 120 shown in FIG. 6, and the eight selectable remote control transmission units 10 by the channel selection. The received signal can be passed through each carrier.

Each band pass filter BPF _{1 to} BPF ₂
Are passed through the integrating circuits I ₁ to I ₁ to
After being integrated by I ₄ , it is applied to Schmitt trigger amplifiers Smt _{1 to} Smt ₄ , and is shaped into “1” or “0” according to the input signal level, and received data N
Output as o.1 to No.4. The output signal from the receiving circuit 110 is applied to the signal processing circuit 130 via the input circuit 131 as shown in FIG. Signal processing circuit 13
0 is a central processing unit (CPU) 132, a ROM 133,
RAM 134, clock circuit 135, etc.
The processing to be described later is executed according to a program stored in advance in the storage unit 133.

That is, the input 4 through the input circuit 131
The type of received data is constantly monitored and each non-signal state is 1 mSe
c A 16-bit data string is fetched with reference to the first bit after the continuation of the above, and the received data is temporarily stored in the RAM 134 for each remote control transmission unit (FIG. 8).
(See (B) and (C)). The remote control transmission unit 10
Since the same data is transmitted three times each time the operation state changes, if the receiving side receives the same received data three times, the data can be rewritten if highly reliable data is rewritten. can get.

When there is an appropriate data request of a remote control transmission unit from the input / output circuit 22 of the video game machine main unit 20 via the input / output circuit 136 of the remote control reception unit 100, data is stored for each remote control transmission unit. The content of the game is read out from the RAM 134 and the video game
Send to 0. Thereby, it is possible to respond to a data request randomly generated from the video game device main body irrespective of the reception.

In this embodiment, the infrared remote control signal is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an ultrasonic remote control signal may be used. Also, the type of carrier used is not limited to the present embodiment, but may be two or more. In the case of two types of carrier, two filters of a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter are used instead of a band-pass filter. be able to.

[0028]

As described above, according to the remote control receiving unit according to the present invention, a plurality of remote control signals composed of infrared light or ultrasonic waves modulated by a plurality of carrier waves having different frequencies are received and an electric signal is received. Since the electric signal is separated into frequency components of each carrier and demodulated and then buffered, the video game device can be operated by a plurality of persons at the same time, and data transmission can be performed at low cost. Higher speed can also be achieved. It should be noted that the existing video game machine body can be used without any design change.

Further, since the remote control transmission unit can select a carrier and transmit a remote control signal composed of infrared light or ultrasonic waves, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated remote control transmission unit for each type of carrier. is there.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a remote control transmission / reception system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a remote control receiving unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a remote control transmission unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of transmission data.

FIG. 5 is a diagram used to explain switch modulation of transmission data by a carrier wave.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a remote control receiving unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing details of a receiving circuit shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a signal waveform diagram used to explain the remote control receiving unit of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... remote control transmitter unit 12,130 ... signal processing circuit 20 ... video game apparatus main body 30 ... TV 100 ... remote control receiving unit 110 ... reception circuit 120 ... BPF band selection circuit 132 ... CPU 133 ... ROM 134 ... RAM SW 1 ~SW 3 … Frequency selection switch SW _{4 to} SW ₆ … Pulse number selection switch B _{1 to} B _n … Plural operation buttons LED… Infrared light emitting diode PD… Pin photodiode BPF ₁ 〜BPF ₄ … Band pass filter I ₁ ＩI ₄ … Integrating circuits Smt _{1 to} Smt ₄ … Schmitt trigger amplifier

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of operation buttons for inputting operation information of a video game machine; a carrier wave selecting means for selecting a plurality of carrier waves each having a different frequency; generates transmission data format, a the transmission data signal generating means for outputting a modulated signal modulated at a selected carrier wave by the carrier selecting means, said plurality of Misao
Generated each time the operation information of the operation button changes
Send transmission data in a predetermined format at regular time intervals.
A remote control transmitting unit, comprising: a signal generating unit that repeatedly outputs a plurality of times, and a signal converting unit that converts a modulated signal output from the signal generating unit into infrared light or ultrasonic waves. . (2) Operate video game consoles by multiple people at the same time
A plurality of remote control transmitting units for performing
Remote control receiving unit electrically connected to the game device
A remote control transmission / reception unit comprising:
Multiple operation buttons for inputting operation information
Carrier selection method for selecting multiple carriers with different frequencies
And a predetermined value based on operation information of the plurality of operation buttons.
Generate transmission data in the format of
Modulated by the carrier selected by the carrier selecting means.
Generating means for outputting a modulated signalWherein the compound
Generated every time the operation information of the number of operation buttons changes
The transmission data of the predetermined format for a certain period of time.
Signal generation means that outputs repeatedly multiple times at intervals
The modulated signal output from the signal generation means
First signal conversion means for converting light or ultrasonic waves.
The remote control receiving unit transmits the plurality of remote control signals.
Multiple units consisting of infrared light or ultrasonic waves transmitted from the unit
Signal conversion means for converting remote control signals of the
Stage and each carrier of the plurality of remote control transmission units.
A pass band is set accordingly, and the second signal conversion means
That separate the electrical signal output from each frequency component
Filters and the modulated electrical signal passing through each filter
A plurality of demodulating means for demodulating a signal;
Out of the multiple remote control signals
Storage means for storing a remote control signal,Same limo
Data is rewritten when the controller signal is received multiple times.
IThe memory is stored by a request from the video game device.
Storage means for transmitting the contents.
Remote control transceiver unit.