Abstract:
A self-testing and mutual testing method of multifunctional remote control transmitters includes the steps of self-testing multifunctional remote control transmitters by selecting a self-testing mode using a test pin switch, mutually testing multifunctional remote control transmitters by selecting a mutual testing mode, compressing and analyzing data by the multifunctional remote control transmitters, and displaying the error condition. The method facilitates checking faults occurring in multifunctional remote control transmitters, thereby reducing poor products and enhancing the reliability of the products.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method for self-testing and mutual testing of multifunctional remote control transmitters used to control household appliances such as stereos and televisions; and particularly to a method for improving reliability of the transmitting and receiving conditions of the multifunctional remote control transmitter having an infrared receiver therein by self-testing and mutual testing. 
     An ordinary multifunctional remote control transmitter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,887 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, to learn, store and retransmit a remote control code transmitted from any other similar remote control transmitter, the multifunctional remote control transmitter comprises microprocessor 1, infrared receiver 2, signal converter 3, infrared transmitter 4, expanded memory 5, key selector 6, display 7 and battery check unit 8. The microprocessor 1 controls the entire system of the multifunctional remote control transmitter. The infrared receiver 2 detects and amplifies a signal transmitted from any other remote control transmitter. The signal converter 3 converts a signal received by the infrared ray receiver 2 into a signal that the microprocessor 1 can analyze. The infrared transmitter 4 converts an electric signal transmitted from the microprocessor 1 to a light signal and then transmits it. The expanded memory 5 stores code information entered from the infrared receiver 2 and the key selector 6 inputs a key selection signal to the microprocessor 1. The display 7 is a liquid crystal device (LCD) to display received data from the microprocessor 1. The battery check unit 8 transmits a battery detecting signal to the microprocessor 1. The reference number 9 in FIG. 1 represents a light emitting diode (LED) and number 10 represents a memory back-up circuit for maintaining the memory state of the expanded memory 5 during absence of power. 
     The ordinary multifunctional remote control transmitter, however, has drawbacks that make it difficult to detect circuit malfunction caused by poor soldering and misalignment; and to test the remote control transmitter itself or any other remote control transmitter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for self-testing and mutual testing of multifunctional remote control transmitters which facilitate the cure defect occurring in production of multifunctional remote control transmitter by automatically detecting a malfunction by means of a display incorporated therein, and allow the mutual testing between one multifunctional remote control transmitter and any other transmitter to find fault, thereby reducing defective products. 
     To achieve the object, the method for self-testing and mutual testing of multifunctional remote control transmitters of the present invention comprises the steps of: 
     determining whether or not the current mode is a self-testing mode, then, if the current mode is not a self-testing mode, performing a usual learning program, and when the mode is a self-testing mode, examining the condition of components of the multifunctional remote control transmitter to display the condition, and then, enabling and initializing the state of a waveform receiving mode; 
     determining whether or not the current mode is a mutual testing mode, then, if the current mode is not a mutual testing mode, performing a usual learning program and when the mode is a mutual testing mode, determining whether or not the current mode is of a waveform receiving mode; 
     converting the current mode to a waveform transmitting mode when the current mode is not a waveform receiving mode, then, outputting data stored in a microprocessor in accordance with a key signal, and then, increasing a key selection value by a certain value in order to output compressed data corresponding to the next key selection value, simultaneously converting the current mode to a waveform receiving mode; 
     comparing data of an expanded memory and the microprocessor to each other if converted to the waveform receiving mode in the former step, then, displaying a receiving error count value when the comparison of data is completed; 
     inspecting whether or not data is all stored in the expanded memory if the current mode is of a waveform receiving mode in the aforementioned step that determines whether or not the current mode is the waveform receiving mode, then if the data is all stored, analyzing and compressing the data while a flag of the expanded memory is set; 
     comparing the data compressed in the data analysis and compression step to the compressed data stored in the microprocessor, then, if the data do not match each other, increasing an error count value, if the data match each other, increasing key selection value to be compared and simultaneously converting the waveform receiving mode to the waveform transmitting mode; 
     inspecting whether or not data is all transmitted for each key selection value, then if the data is all transmitted, displaying a transmitting error count value, if the data is not all transmitted, waiting for a while and returning to the step that determines whether or not the current mode is mutual testing mode. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional multifunctional remote control transmitter; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a multifunctional remote control transmitter of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3A and 3B are flow charts of a method for self-testing and mutual testing of the multifunctional remote control transmitters in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a receiving and transmitting timing between the multifunctional remote control transmitters in FIG. 3A and 3B. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the multifunctional remote control transmitter for the method for self-testing and mutual testing of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the present invention further comprises a test pin switch SW coupled to the microprocessor 1 of the conventional multifunctional remote control transmitter shown in FIG. 1. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4, if test pin switch SW coupled to microprocessor 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is pressed in step 100, the self-testing mode is selected in order to self-detect the malfunction of the multifunctional remote control transmitters automatically, and if the switch is not pressed, a usual learning program is performed in step 119. 
     After the self-testing mode is selected in step 100, the condition of the input port of the microprocessor 1, expanded memory 5, key selector 6 and battery check unit 8 shown in FIG. 2 is examined and displayed on display 7 in step 101. The steps 100 and 101 examine the multifunctional remote control transmitter itself and display the condition of each component on the display 7. 
     In step 102, a waveform receiving mode is enabled and initialized and in step 103, it is determined whether or not a mutual testing mode is selected, depending on whether or not the test pin switch SW is pressed. 
     In step 103, if the mutual testing mode is not selected, a usual learning program is performed, and if the mutual testing mode is selected, step 103 moves to step 104 which determines whether or not the current mode is a waveform receiving mode. 
     If the current mode is not a waveform receiving mode in step 104, the current mode is converted to a waveform transmitting mode in step 105 and compressed data of microprocessor 1 corresponding to a key selection value is transmitted to infrared transmitter 4 to transmit the data to any other remote control transmitter in step 106. 
     Next, in step 107, the key selection value is increased by &#34;1&#34; to output the compressed data of microprocessor 1 corresponding to the next selection value and the current mode is converted to a waveform receiving mode. In step 108, if the current mode is converted to a waveform receiving mode in step 107, whether or not comparison of data inputted to the multifunctional remote control transmitter is completed is checked. Then, if the comparison is not finished, step 108 returns to step 103 and if the comparison is finished, a receiving error count value is displayed on display 7, in step 117. 
     Meanwhile, if the current mode is a waveform receiving mode in step 104, width of received pulse is measured, the pulse is stored, and the count value of the expanded memory 5 is increased in step 109. In step 110, whether or not data is all stored in the expanded memory 5 is checked. 
     If data is not all stored in the expanded memory 5 in step 110, it returns to step 103, and if the data is all stored, the flag of the expanded memory 5 is set in step 111. 
     In step 112, data stored in the expanded memory 5 is analyzed and compressed, and in step 113, the compressed data stored in the expanded memory 5 is compared with the compressed data stored in the microprocessor 1. 
     If the compressed data compared in step 113 do not match, an error count value is increased by &#34;1&#34; in step 114, and if the compared compressed data match, to compare it with the subsequent compressed data of expanded memory 5, a key selection value of the microprocessor 1 to be compared is increased and the current mode is converted to a waveform transmitting mode in step 115. 
     If the mode of any other remote control transmitter is converted to the waveform transmitting mode after step 115, whether or not data of relevant keys have all been transmitted via infrared transmitter 4 is checked in step 116. 
     If the data is not all transmitted in step 116, it returns to step 103 after waiting for a period in step 118, if the data is all transmitted, transmitting error count value is displayed on display 7 in step 117. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, multifunctional remote control transmitter A and B examine each peripheral hardware and display the examined result, respectively. 
     Upon displaying of the examined result, a key is selected and pressed in multifunctional remote control transmitter A to convert from a receiving mode to a transmitting mode. At this time, multifunctional remote control transmitter B, maintaining the receiving mode, finishes receiving the signals transmitted from transmitter A during its transmitting mode, then waits for a certain period of time. When the transmitter A finishes transmitting to be converted to a receiving mode, the transmitter B is converted to a transmitting mode after a delay of a certain time. Then, transmitter A finishes receiving the signals while the transmitter B is in the transmitting mode, and waits for a while. 
     Then, when transmitter B finishes transmitting and is to be converted to the receiving mode, the transmitter A waits for a while and is converted to the transmitting mode. 
     After repetition of the above process, the transmitters A and B maintain their transmitting and receiving modes, respectively. Then, if the transmitter B finishes receiving data, the transmitter A finishes transmitting data sequentially. After that, the transmitters A and B display each error count value. 
     As described above, the present invention facilitates checking of fault occurring in multifunctional remote control transmitter, thereby reducing poor products and enhancing the reliability of the products. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.