Abstract:
The present invention discloses a remote controller having a buzzer with a wireless signal receiving circuit in order to respond to the paging signal from the main AN having a wireless signal transmitting circuit for paging. The remote controller makes it possible to locate the missing remote controller with ease wherever the remote controller is located, for instance, hidden under the sofa or inside the armchair.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 2004-0066131, filed on Aug. 21, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a remote controller for volume control or channel control of the A/V system, more particularly to a remote controller which can be paged and report its location especially when the remote controller cannot be found around the A/V system because it is hidden somewhere.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0003]     Most of audio/video home appliances are equipped with IR (infrared) remote controller for the person watching television in the armchair, for instance, remotely to control the volume, channel, etc. Recently, a multi-purpose remote controller becomes available in the market which can control most of the audio and video units even if each unit is manufactured in different companies. As a consequence, a person sitting in the armchair can control most of home appliances with his IR remote controller.  
         [0004]     It happens, however, that when the user tries to turn on the television he can hardly find the remote controller. He can not even remember where he put the remote controller and the remote controller does not show up despite his effort to locate.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     An object of the present invention is to provide a remote controller for AN system, which is has capability to report its location when paged by the user.  
         [0006]     To accomplish the object of the present invention, the remote controller in accordance with the present invention has a buzzer with a wireless signal receiving circuit in order to respond to the paging signal from the main AN having a wireless signal transmitting circuit for paging. The remote controller in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to locate the missing remote controller with ease wherever the remote controller is located, for instance, hidden under the sofa or inside the armchair. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an A/V system equipped with a locatable remote controller in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2   a  is a schematic flow chart illustrating the working sequence of the microprocessor of the main AN unit in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2   b  is a schematic flow chart illustrating the working sequence of the microprocessor of the remote controller in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A remote controller with paging capability for A/V system is explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which illustrates how the missing remote controller can be located.  FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an A/V system equipped with a locatable remote controller in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the main A/V unit  100  and the remote controller  200  are depicted.  
         [0011]     The main A/V unit  100  comprises a microprocessor  111 , IR receiver  112  that detects the signal from the remote controller  200 , a paging switch  113  for inputting the paging order to the microprocessor  111 , a transmitter  114  sending the paging signal to the remote controller  200  under the control of the microprocessor  111 , a driver  115  driven by the microprocessor  111 , and a keyboard  116  for receiving commands from the user.  
         [0012]     In the meanwhile, the remote controller  200  comprises a microprocessor  221 , a keyboard  221  for receiving the user&#39;s command, a display  233  showing the operating status under the control of the microprocessor  221 , an IR transmitter  224  for transmitting the signal to the main unit  100  under the control of the microprocessor  221 , a receiver  225  for receiving the paging signal from the main unit  100  and inputting the signal to the microprocessor  221 , and a buzzer  226  for advising the user of the current location.  
         [0013]     When the user inputs the command to the microprocessor  221  by operating the keyboard  222  of the remote controller  200 , the microprocessor  221  displays the current command in a display  223  and triggers the IR transmitter  224  to transmit the IR signal.  
         [0014]     Further, when a command is inputted to the microprocessor  111  through a keyboard  115  or when the IR receiver  125  receives the signal transmitted from the transmitter  224  of the remote controller  200 , the microprocessor  121  deciphers the command and sends the corresponding order to the driver  116 .  
         [0015]     When the user wants to locate the missing remote controller  200 , he just pushes the paging button  113  on the main unit  100 . Then, the microprocessor  211  deciphers the command from the paging button  113 , make the IR transmitter  114  transmit the paging signal to the missing remote controller  200 .  
         [0016]     The IR receiver  225  of the remote controller  200  now receives the paging signal from the main unit  100 , and directs the decoded signal to the microprocessor  221 . The microprocessor  221  now understands that the main unit  100  is paging the remote controller  200  and lets the buzzer  226  ring for reporting its current location.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2   a  is a schematic flow chart illustrating the working sequence of the microprocessor of the main AN unit in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2   a , the microprocessor determines if the paging button switch  113  is pushed (step S 50 ). In case the button  113  is pushed, the IR paging signal is transmitted through the transmitter  114  (step S 51 ). Thereafter, the driver  116  is controlled at step S 52 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 2   b  is a schematic flow chart illustrating the working sequence of the microprocessor of the remote controller in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2   b , if the receiver  225  receives the paging signal at step S 80 , the buzzer  226  is driven to ring at step S 81 , followed by performing the operation in accordance with the keyboard  222  command at step S 82 .  
         [0019]     The forgoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of processes. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Although the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be understood as limited to the specific embodiment set forth above but to include all possible embodiments which can be embodied within a scope encompassed and equivalents thereof with respect to the feature set forth in the appended claims.