This invention relates generally to a method for duplicating a RF remote control and remote control thereof.

More specifically, the invention relates to a duplication method for making clone RF remote controls, designed for remotely controlling an electrical/electronic device, by pressing a key, button or channel, by means of an original remote control. As is well known, a remote control is an electronic device equipped with a memory, a transceiver and a microprocessor configured to run a software application programme, which allows signals to be sent to a remotely located electrical/electronic device that can be controlled via these signals. The remote control is a small, portable, battery-powered device designed to be held and operated easily with one hand.

The most common remote controls are those designed to open and close doors and gates or to control lighting systems.

A remote control is designed to emit electromagnetic signals, which are picked up by the remote control device via a suitable receiver. Infrared signals are used for short-range remote controls, whilst radio waves are used for longer distances.

There are also remote controls defined as universal in the sense that they can be set to control a range of electrical/electronic devices.

In this context, there is a need to be able to quickly duplicate a remote control without necessarily having to call on specialised personnel.

In any case, it is necessary to have a frequency meter to measure the working frequency of the original remote control and, once the working frequency of the original remote control to be duplicated has been measured, it is also necessary to have a programmable universal remote control, which has the same frequency and can be programmed with the same radio code.

As can be seen, therefore, although the duplication operation is relatively simple, it is still the responsibility of specialised operators. However, for convenience and security reasons, one would sometimes like to avoid having to request this service from external personnel.

There is therefore a need to be able to duplicate a remote control quickly and easily on one's own. Some prior art technical solutions are described in patent documents US2008/068205 and EP3089184, however the duplication procedure is quite complicated and a combination of keys is needed to activate the programming.

The aim of the invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, by indicating a method for the duplication of a RF remote control which allows the duplication to be carried out in a more simple and immediate manner, with respect to the prior art, without having to carry out particular key combinations to activate the programming.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a method for duplicating a RF remote control, which can be achieved without having to know anything about the signal receiver and without having to know the transmission protocols of the original remote control.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a RF remote control, designed to implement the above-mentioned method of duplication, and which is relatively simple, secure, reliable, efficient and inexpensive to construct.

These and other aims, according to the invention, are achieved by a method for duplicating a RF remote control according to the appended claim 1 and a remote control thereof; other detailed technical features are provided in the subsequent dependent claims. Advantageously, the remote control according to the invention is characterised by simplicity of assembly and disassembly and by a sophisticated electronic circuit specially programmed to ensure simple duplicability with other remote control models on the market and with all automation devices and systems to be controlled. In particular, the method can be used for original fixed-code remote controls, that is, remote controls that transmit the same code each time the control button is pressed, and for original variable-code remote controls, that is, remote controls that change the code transmitted each time the control button is pressed; the emulation is carried out alternatively by making an exact copy of the radio code, characterised by the radio signal, by the modulation and by the operating frequency, or by making a similar copy of the radio code characterised by the same modulation and operating frequency and a partly different radio code.

Further aims and advantages of a method for duplicating remote controls, according to the invention, and of a remote control thereof, will be more apparent from the following description, relative to a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of non-limiting example, and referring to the accompanying schematic drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example of a RF remote control, which implements the duplication method according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic and partial plan view of an original RF remote control and a clone RF remote control, during a step of the duplication procedure, according to the invention.

With reference to the above-mentioned drawings, the duplication method according to the invention allows duplication of an original RF remote control 10 (Fig. 1), having a signalling LED 15 and a series of command and/or programming keys, buttons or channels; in particular, by way of preferred, non-limiting example, four command and/or programming keys 11 , 12, 13, 14 are used.

The original remote control 10 is duplicated in a clone remote control 20, which also has keys, buttons or command and/or programming A, B, C, D and a signalling LED 16.

The clone remote control 20 comprises a casing that contains and protects an electronic circuit, which in turn includes a microprocessor, a memory, integrated in the microprocessor, a transceiver, a power supply battery and a pair of antennas, designed to increase the range of the radio frequency action and therefore the effective range of action with respect to the device to be controlled.

The duplication procedure follows the steps described below.

Firstly, it is necessary to simultaneously press two buttons A, B on the clone remote control 20 and release them when the LED 16 on the clone remote control 20 starts flashing with a certain colour.

One of the buttons A, B, C, D of the clone remote control 20 to be programmed is then pressed and released; in this way, the LED 16 of the clone remote control 20 remains the same colour and flashes faster.

At this point, the clone remote control 20, whose LED 16 is flashing rapidly, is brought close to the original remote control 10 to be duplicated (Fig. 2). The button 11 , 12, 13, 14 of the original remote control 10 to be duplicated is then pressed, without releasing, and one then waits for the LED 16 of the clone remote control 20 to stop flashing, remain on for a few seconds and then, turning off, flash the same colour or a different colour, depending on the type of code (fixed code or variable or rolling code) recognised by the clone remote control 20.

In particular, if the clone remote control 20 recognises a variable or rolling code, by pressing the programmed button A, B, C, D on the clone remote control 20, the LED 16 will light up in the same colour as during the duplication procedure, while if the clone remote control 20 recognises a fixed code, the LED 16 will light up in a different colour.

At this point in the procedure, if the clone remote control 20 recognises a fixed code, no further procedure is necessary and it will be immediately operational.

If, on the other hand, the clone remote control 20 recognises a variable or rolling code, a subsequent automatic recognition procedure will be required with the electrical/electronic device to be controlled remotely. This procedure must be carried out when the clone remote control 20 is in the vicinity of the above-mentioned electrical/electronic device to be controlled. The automatic recognition procedure comprises the following steps.

The button A, B, C, D of the clone remote control 20 previously programmed with the original remote control 10 is pressed; in this way, the LED 16, of the same colour as in the previous duplication procedure, remains switched on for a certain time.

When the above-mentioned LED 16 starts flashing, always in the same colour, key A, B, C, D is released; during the period in which the LED 16 is flashing, the data previously recorded by the original remote control 10 are transmitted to the electrical/electronic device to be controlled.

Once all data has been transmitted, the LED 16 on the clone remote control 20 stops flashing, which means that the automatic recognition procedure is complete.

The same button A, B, C, D, of the clone remote control 20 is pressed again, which will then be programmed to work with the electrical/electronic device to be controlled in the same way as the original remote control 10.

In practice, the duplication method according to the invention comprises:

- an training phase in which the clone remote control 20 is placed to listen to a remote control 10 to be duplicated;

- a phase of recognition of the working frequency and of the code transmitted by the original remote control 10 to be duplicated, in the case of a fixed or variable (rolling) code;

- an automatic control and memorisation phase, in which the clone remote control 20 starts a recognition and accreditation procedure with the electrical/electronic device to be controlled, which is able to also memorise the new code of the clone remote control 20 that emulates the variable code of the original remote control 10 to be duplicated.

The invention also relates to a remote control comprising a set of keys, buttons or control channels, a memory, a transceiver and a microprocessor, capable of executing a program to implement the steps of the method described above.

In practice, it has been found that the method of duplication according to the invention is particularly innovative and advantageous, since the duplication procedure is fast and immediate, since it is not necessary to press a combination of keys to activate the programming.

In this way, the clone remote control 20 is a universal remote control, as it can be used with a plurality of electrical/electronic devices to be controlled, in particular, but not only, for home automation use. Moreover, the clone remote control 20 is able to emulate original remote controls 10 made by a plurality of manufacturers, regardless of their internal structure. Advantageously, the clone remote control 20 is designed to automatically memorise itself on the receiver of the electrical/electronic device to be controlled, but without directly intervening on this receiver, and the emulation of the original remote control 10 takes place after a procedure of learning the code (fixed or variable at each pressure of the control button) of the original remote control 10 (copy procedure).

The characteristics of the method for duplicating remote controls, and of the remote control thereof, according to the invention, clearly emerge from the description, as do the advantages thereof. Finally, it is clear that numerous other variations can be made to the method of duplication and to the remote control in question, without departing from the inherent principles of novelty of the inventive idea as expressed in the attached claims.