Abstract:
An IR repeater includes a receiver portion for receiving an IR light signal representing a coded command modulated by a modulating signal and a transmitter portion, electrically coupled to the receiver portion to generate an IR light signal corresponding to the coded signal received by the receiver portion. A mounting structure mounts the receiver portion outside an opaque object and mounts the transmitter portion inside the opaque object.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/921,900 filed on Dec. 30, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present description relates generally to an infrared repeater and more particularly to an infrared repeater that may be supported for transmitting an infrared signal behind an obstacle. 
       BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Current wireless remote control units for consumer electronic equipment, such as stereo equipment, television receivers, DVD and/or blu-ray equipment, and cable or satellite receiver boxes, oftentimes operate by transmitting an infrared (IR) light signal, or other suitable signal, representing a coded command modulated on a modulating signal, from the remote control unit to the consumer electronic equipment. This modulated IR light signal is received by an IR receiver in the consumer electronic equipment, demodulated, decoded, and the appropriate action taken. IR remote control units are generally line-of-sight devices, meaning that any consumer electronic equipment which is in a shadow with respect to the IR light generated by the remote control unit will not be able to receive the IR light signal and respond to the command. 
         [0004]    Currently, however, consumer electronic equipment is oftentimes placed inside a piece of furniture, such as shelving, cabinetry, walls, etc. and more specifically, the equipment is oftentimes placed behind a solid door to hide the object from the room for aesthetic purposes. For example, a television, cable box, satellite receiver, etc., may be placed in a home entertainment cabinet in such a manner that the cable box, satellite receiver, blu-ray player, etc. are placed behind a solid door, etc, such that the IR light generated by remote control units cannot penetrate through the obstacle such that the hidden or remotely located equipment may not be receive the IR light signal in sufficient intensity to be controlled. 
         [0005]    To provide the capability of controlling consumer electronic equipment within cabinets, IR repeaters have been developed. An IR repeater typically includes an IR receiver section located where it can receive the coded modulated IR signal generated by the remote control unit. For example, it may be located on the outside of an entertainment unit or in the room in which the remote control unit is being used. The IR receiver section is typically connected to an IR transmitter section located where the consumer electronic equipment, which is to be controlled, can receive the IR transmitter signal. For example, the IR transmitter section is typically located inside of the entertainment unit in which the consumer electronic equipment is located. The IR transmitter section includes an IR light emitter which is placed so that the emitted IR light impinges on the IR receiver in the consumer electronic equipment to be controlled. More specifically, the IR light emitter is usually placed directly adjacent to the IR receiver in the consumer electronic equipment. The IR receiver section of the IR repeater detects the coded IR light signals produced by the remote control unit and transmits them to the IR transmitter section, usually via a wire. Usually, the IR transmitter section generates an IR light signal which is identical to the IR light signal received by the IR receiver section. The consumer electronic equipment then receives this IR light signal from the IR transmitter section, and performs the desired function as if receiving the command directly from the remote. 
         [0006]    For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,664 describes an IR repeater including a receiver section for receiving an IR light signal representing a coded command modulated by a modulating signal, and for detecting the coded signal. An oscillator generates a transmitter modulating signal, and a transmitter section, coupled to the receiver section and the oscillator, generates an IR light signal representing the detected coded command modulated by the transmitter modulating signal. 
         [0007]    While IR repeaters may be known in the art, mounting and/or locating IR repeater components typically requires a consumer to physically attach at least a portion of the repeater to certain surfaces. For example, a typical IR repeater installation may require the mounting of the IR receiver portion on a wall and/or flat surface, such as the entertainment cabinet, such that the IR receiver is within sight of the remote control. The consumer must also typically mount the IR transmitter within sight of the electronic equipment, such as inside the cabinetry containing the electronic equipment, and also hide and/or locate the wires extending between the IR receiver and the IR transmitter. This installation may scar and/or damage the mounting surfaces, and may be complicated for some consumers. 
         [0008]    Therefore, there is a demonstrated need for an IR repeater that is easy to mount and/or locate such that an IR signal may be easily transmitted behind an obstacle such as a solid door. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of an example IR repeater installed over a door of an entertainment cabinet. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the example IR repeater of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of some of the outer surfaces of various components of the example IR repeater of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The following description of various example apparatus is not intended to limit the scope of the description to the precise form or forms detailed herein. Instead the following description is intended to be illustrative so that others may follow its teachings. 
         [0013]    The present disclosure is directed toward an example IR repeater having a relatively compact design, allowing for the infrared (IR) repeater to be mounted over a supporting structure, such as for instance, a cabinet door. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that while the present examples are described in relation to IR technology, any known and/or suitable wireless transmission technology, such as, for example radio frequency (RF) may be utilized as desired. 
         [0014]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an example IR repeater  10  comprises, in general, an IR receiver portion  20  and a IR transmitter portion  30  (e.g., a IR blaster). The example IR receiver portion  20  is electrically and mechanically coupled to the IR transmitter portion  30  via a cable  40 , which in this example is an electrical ribbon-type cable. In this example, the cable  40  provides both electrical connectivity between the IR receiver portion  20  and the IR transmitter portion  30 , and a physical support (e.g, a hanger) for the IR repeater  10  as will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0015]    In general, a remote control unit (not shown) provides coded control signals modulated on an IR light signal  50  to an IR light detector  102  of the IR receiver portion  20  of the IR repeater  10 . The IR light detector  102  may be any suitable IR detector, including, for instance, an IR phototransistor. In some instances, the IR receiver portion  20  may also include a feedback transmitter  103 , such as an IR light emitting diode (LED), or other suitable device. 
         [0016]    The example IR transmitter portion  30  comprises a controller  120 , for example a printed circuit board (PCB), a power supply  122  (e.g., batteries), and at least one IR light emitter (e.g., an IR blaster)  124 . The IR light emitter  124  is arranged to produce an IR light signal  60  corresponding to the IR signal  50  received at the IR receiver portion  20 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the IR light emitter is illustrated as an IR light emitting diode (LED), although any suitable emitting device may be used. The IR light emitter  124  is placed so that the IR light emitted by the IR light emitter  124  is visible by a piece of consumer electronic equipment  112 ,  114  housed with an audio-visual unit  104 , such as an AV cabinet. To ensure coverage within the AV cabinet  104 , the IR transmitter portion  30  may optionally include one or more IR extensions  52  comprising at least one additional IR light emitter  124 ′. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the AV cabinet  104  may include a door  110  or other suitable access panel, which in this instance is solid or otherwise opaque. 
         [0017]    As noted above and as illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the example IR receiver portion  20  is electrically and mechanically coupled to the IR transmitter portion  30  via the cable  40 , which in this example is an electrical ribbon-type cable. The cable  40  is sufficiently thin so as to be extendable in the “gap” between the door  110  and the AV cabinet  104  (see  FIG. 2 ). In this instance, the example cable  40  is of sufficient length to extend the width of the door  110  and to “hang” or otherwise support the IR receiver portion  20  on the outside of the AV unit  104  while supporting the IR transmitter portion  30  on the inside of the AV unit  104 . It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the cable  40  may, as in this example, include the integral function of eclectically coupling the IR receiver portion  20  and the IR transmitting portion  30  and physically supporting the IR repeater  10  on the AV unit  104 , or alternatively, include a separate support structure to mount the IR repeater  10  to the AV unit  104 . For example, the IR repeater  10  may be mounted to the AV unit via any of: an adhesive element (for example an adhesive mounting strip  210 ) placed on the cable  104  and/or the IR repeater  10  to secure the unit; magnets applied to the IR repeater  10  and which may connect the receiver portion  20  to the transmitter portion  30 ; a counter balance; a hook or other suitable hanger; a structure, such as a malleable structure that may be formed by the installer; hook and loop; or any other suitable support structure. 
         [0018]    In operation, the remote control unit (not shown) produces a coded modulated IR light signal  50 . This signal  50  is detected by the IR light detector  102 , which generates an electrical signal representing the coded modulated signal, and supplies that signal to the controller  120  of the IR transmitter portion  30 . The IR transmitter portion  30  may condition and/or otherwise configure the signal to drive the IR light emitter  124  so that it produces an IR light signal  60  corresponding to this modulated signal, thereby repeating the received signal  50 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of the example IR repeater  10  of  FIG. 1 , wherein an IR receiver portion  202  is coupled to an IR transmitter portion  204  via a cable  206 . The cable  206  extends over the door  110  of an AV cabinet. In this illustration, both the IR receiver portion  202  and the IR transmitter portion  204  are mounted to their respective surfaces of the door  208  via the adhesive mounting strip  210 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated various views of an example IR receiver portion, and an example IR transmitter portion. For instance  FIG. 3  includes a top plan view  300 , a front view  302 , a side elevation view  304 , and a rear elevation view  306  of the IR receiver portion.  FIG. 3  also illustrates a front elevational view  308  and a side elevational view  310  of the IR transmitter portion. 
         [0021]    Although certain example methods and apparatus have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.