Patent ID: 6507423
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
An energy conserving device adapted to be connected to an infrared receiving circuit of a remote controlled apparatus that receives an infrared control signal from a remote controller, said energy conserving device controlling supply of an operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit, and comprising:an input voltage unit for providing a voltage output that is lower than the operating voltage; a voltage increasing unit connected to said input voltage unit and adapted to be connected to the infrared receiving circuit, said voltage increasing unit being operable in one of a wake mode, where said voltage increasing unit is enabled to generate the operating voltage from the voltage output of said input voltage unit and to supply the operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit, and a sleep mode, where said voltage increasing unit is inhibited from generating the operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit; and a sleep control unit including a detector circuit adapted to receive the infrared control signal from the remote controller, and having an output that varies upon receipt of the infrared control signal from the remote controller, a comparator circuit connected to said detector circuit, said comparator circuit comparing the output of said detector circuit with a reference signal, and generating a wake control signal upon determining that said detector circuit has received the infrared control signal from the remote controller, and a wake control circuit connected to said comparator circuit and said voltage increasing unit, said wake control circuit controlling said voltage increasing unit to operate in the wake mode for a predetermined time period upon receiving the wake control signal from said comparator circuit, and in the sleep mode when said wake control circuit ceases to receive the wake control signal from said comparator circuit after the predetermined time period has elapsed.