Can anyone postulate (shed some light) as to how the following device might work?

http://www.nextgen.us/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=REMOTEEXTENDERGENIUS

It's essentially an RF transmitter module which fits in place of one of the AA battery receptacles. How does it pick up (detect) the actual coded IR signals from the handset. Does the IR circuitry emit its own "weak" RF signal which is then further amplified and sent via this module?

Quite an interesting bit of kit.


Thanks,
Andreas
_____________
"Don't believe everything you think"

 

The statement below taken from the webpage to which you provided a link pretty much says it all.​

The Greatest Thing to Happen to the RemoteControl Since Infrared! Adds RF to Your Existing Remote by Simply Installing the Battery Tranmitter.​

hgmjr​

 

How does it pick up (detect) the actual coded IR signals from the handset.

Monitoring the current consumption of the hand held remote control unit. When user press a button, the value of current pulses to the IR emitter diode is quite significant.

Does the IR circuitry emit its own "weak" RF signal which is then further amplified and sent via this module?

No.

Great idea and design by the original designer.

 

The RF transmitter is located in the battery-shaped package that you substitute for one of the batteries.

It senses the IR emitter output current as already described and transmits an RF version of the IR signal being emitted when you press a given button.

hgmjr

 

The RF transmitter is located in the battery-shaped package that you substitute for one of the batteries.

It senses the IR emitter output current as already described and transmits an RF version of the IR signal being emitted when you press a given button.

hgmjr

Yes the 1st bit I knew as I also pointed that out. But I think your answer (and the chap before) needs more clarification (detail).

So I'm going to hazard a guess at my own answer and please correct me if I am wrong.
When a key is pressed the on-board chip generates a unique code particular to that key (let's say it's an 8 bit stream that is generated). The RF module can detect minute changes in current draw from this data stream depending how many zeros and ones it has. That is; each data stream has it's own unique current drain and this is what the RF module detects and retransmits in an RF form.

This kind a makes sense. But then how does it know the current drain for each individual key? When you first twin (marry) the transmitter with the receiver you only need to press any one of the Keys to do this. Perhaps IR coded signals are an industry standard protocol, hmmm...

Again, thanks for the insight.

 

The Apple IR remote sends the battery level with every keypress.

 

So I'm going to hazard a guess at my own answer and please correct me if I am wrong.
When a key is pressed the on-board chip generates a unique code particular to that key (let's say it's an 8 bit stream that is generated). The RF module can detect minute changes in current draw from this data stream depending how many zeros and ones it has. That is; each data stream has it's own unique current drain and this is what the RF module detects and retransmits in an RF form.

Yes, the circuitry contained in the battery-substitute module monitors the current and simply converts the current fluctuations associated with the IR ones and zeroes to an equivalent RF bitstream of ones and zeroes and transmits the bit stream pattern to the base station where it is converted back to IR which is broadcasted from the base station as a boosted IR bitstream.

The IR pattern that is normal emitted by the TV remote does encode the keys press into unique bit streams.

Keep in mind that the battery module does nothing but convert the current associated with the IR bitstream into an equivalent RF bitstream which is converted from RF back to IR and rebroadcast. I doubt that the battery module and the base station attempt to interpret the bitstream.

hgmjr