Remote control apparatus with selectable RF and optical signal transmission

Claim 1

A remote control communication apparatus comprising: a transmitter having a radio signal sending circuit connected to a transmitting antenna, an optical signal sending circuit connected to a light emitting element, data supplying means for supplying data to be transmitted by one of said radio signal sending circuit and said optical signal sending circuit, a battery power source, and switching means for selectively switching said data supplying means and said battery power source to one of said radio and optical signal sending circuits, wherein said optical signal sending circuit has the characteristic of requiring substantially less power from said battery power source for sending an optical signal than said radio signal sending circuit requires to send a radio signal; and a receiver having a radio signal receiving circuit connected to a receiving antenna for receiving the radio signal from said transmitter, an optical signal receiving circuit connected to a light detecting element for receiving the optical signal from said transmitter, and data processing means for processing data received by said radio signal receiving circuit and said optical signal receiving circuit, whereby, when a user provided said the transmitter is within unimpeded visual range of a location where said receiver is installed, the user can switch over said switching means to transmit an optical signal to said receiver in order to save consumption of power from said battery power source.