Technology Aquarius

Radio remote controls

The meaning of Simplex, Semi duplex and Full duplex

Simplex radio controlled systems

Radio remote controls for the professional market

Infrared wireless remote controls

Universal (infrared) wireless remote controls

PLC (I/O BOARD)

Free field measurement

Radio Frequent connection

RS232

As its name implies, a radio remote control actually works just like a radio! Both work using radio waves.
So to find out how a radio remote control works, we first have to know what radio waves are.
Just like light, a radio wave is an electromagnetic wave.
Radio waves can move through a room without needing a cable or something else that ‘conducts’ the waves.
And that’s exactly what makes radio waves so useful: you can transmit information without needing a cable or a ‘line of sight link’. So they are ideal for a remote control.
If you listen to a radio broadcast, then the radio mast of the radio transmitter emits  ‘little pulses’ which move outwards in all directions just like the ripples in a pond if you throw in a pebble.
If these waves touch the aerial of your radio receiver, the aerial will pick up the waves and conduct them to the receiver (the radio). The receiver transforms the waves into electric pulses.
These pulses are strengthened in the radio and the accompanying information is made audible.
And that’s also how a radio remote control works: the waves from the remote control - the transmitter – move through the air like ripples in a pond and are picked up by the aerial of the receiver.
The length of a radio wave (the wavelength) can differ from a millimetre to a few metres. The larger the wave, the more sensitive the radio (the receiver) has to be.
The frequency is the number of vibrations per second of the wave.
The transmitter and the receiver must be tuned to the same frequency, for example 868 MHz. For example for a normal radio the frequency 91 MHz to tune into Radio 3. If you want to use several radio remote controls at the same time, you have to ensure that they are set to different frequencies, otherwise the receivers will become confused and you will have the same effect as two radios that are tuned into two different transmitters: Radio 3 and Radio 5 live mixed together: so a muddle.
The receivers then no longer work because the signals from the two transmitters disturb each other.

 In telecommunication, a duplex connection is a connection in which communication is possible in two directions at the same time. This is also called full-duplex. That is to make a distinction with semi-duplex. Semi-duplex is a two-way connection in which the communication cannot occur in two directions simultaneously. Communication occurs either in one direction or the other.
A connection that only goes in one direction is called a simplex connection.

An example of a full duplex connection is telephony.
In a walkie-talkie however it is normal to have a semi-duplex connection. A button often has to be pushed to make the transition between listening and talking.

The Tyro controls are available as simplex, semi-duplex and full-duplex connections.
- With the simplex control, communication is possible from transmitter to receiver.
- With the semi-duplex connection, communication is possible to and from the transmitter. The feedback to the transmitter will occur via the buzzer and LED indicators.
- With the full-duplex connection, feedback is possible to the handheld transmitter via a display. This can always be used to display all the digital and/or analog inputs optically as you wish

Feedback in the full-duplex version
The feedback to the handheld transmitter gives the user information about the process. For example motor status, pressure, temperature or the level of a liquid. All the digital and analog inputs can be shown on the display. The message can appear via text on the display but it is also possible to visualise the feedback using pictograms (bmp picture).

Most motorised model vehicles are radio controlled (also abbreviated to RC). These models contain a receiver, (usually) servos and a battery. The models are controlled with radio transmission (usually with frequency modulation (FM)) from the transmitter to the receiver. The receiver then controls the servomotors connected to it which in turn control various functions of the model. In this way for example the gas level of a model motor that runs on fuel or in case of an electric drive the electronic motor regulator are controlled. Servomotors are also used to move rudders and wheels so that the model changes driving direction(on the ground), or height and flight direction (in the air). A transmitter for models has 2 to 12 different channels so that other functions such as for example a hose on a fire brigade boat can be operated. The advantage of these radio-controlled models is that you can actually get the model that you built to move and that there is a greater range than with wired models. What is more, you can remain in one place which is not possible with wired models. It is also possible to have competitions, in which each operator sets his control set to a different frequency. One disadvantage is that there is a limit to the range (especially with toys and vehicles the range is noticeably small) and that control distance is also negatively affected by human sight. Furthermore, you have to drive / fly / sail your vehicle outdoors, making the control susceptible to weather conditions.

Radio remote controls for the professional market
The reliability of radio remote controls has increased dramatically during the past few years and they are also increasingly being used to remotely operate hydraulic, pneumatic and electric drives and/or switches for example. They are used;

Industrial
Automation is a must in this sector. Our products are used to operate high-pressure sprayers, cleaners, conveyor belts, stackers, hydraulic valves, lids, lifts and much more. In addition to industry, our clientele also includes technical wholesale and engineering companies.

Indoor-infra
Indoor - Infra stands for all the applications for factory and office buildings. This can vary from opening sliding doors, roll-down shutters, pipe motors, gates to operating the lighting.

Agriculture
Tyro remote controls are used both in agriculture and in horticulture. Farm mechanisation companies (FMCs), earthworks companies and agricultural contractors work with hydraulic machines. Whereas electrically driven equipment is used a lot in horticulture. Both can be controlled with the radio remote controls of Tyro Products B.V. In greenhouse cultivation, our remote controls are used in mushroom farming, cattle farming and breeding to control feed installations or milking machines.

Vehicle applications
Various sectors use the products of Tyro Products B.V. amongst other things to operate winches. For example the 4x4 and off-road market but also towing services, car ambulances, break-down service vehicles, fire brigade and RORY containers. The winch controls are used not only by chassis builders, but also for lifts for roof tiles, generator sets, lifts for removal companies and cranes.  But we can also help you to operate hydraulic equipment such as movers, caravan movers, market stalls, fork-lift trucks, loading platforms, signalling trucks for roadworks, the arms of gantry cranes and snow ploughs or gritting vehicles.

Axlesteering
Flat-bed trailers often have rear axles that can be controlled separately. They are controlled from a trailer, cabin or on foot. Naturally this is only possible with very accurate radio equipment with e4 automotive certification. Major trailer builders swear by our radio axle controls. Other applications include mover systems or shunting systems for caravans and market stalls.

Marine
Water and electrical components make a bad combination. That’s why perfection and know-how are vital if you want to keep your head above water in this sector. Thanks to our 100% waterproof receivers, we deliver remote controls for lorry loading cranes, hoists, winches, propellers, capstans, mast lowering systems and windlasses. They can be both electric or hydraulic.

There are many different types of universal remote controls. These are remote controls that can be set to various brands of televisions and/or video recorders and/or satellite equipment. With certain software it is also possible for some PDAs that have infrared transmission diodes to be used as a remote control.  In the past (e.g. AKAI around 1988), some models of remote control had a similar function for copying the infrared signal from another remote control and thus programming it for use with other appliances. It did take a little time, since it had to be done for each function key; and what is more the remote control to be replaced still had to function and have batteries. Nowadays this option is hardly found on remote controls any more. Now universal remote controls are pre-programmed for many televisions, CD players, DVD players, etc., and it suffices to set them to the right model the first time they are used. If a certain device does not appear in the accompanying list, it can still be programmed manually.

PLC (I/O BOARD)
The PLC board is delivered standard in all the Tyro remote controls with the exception of the Aquarius.
This unique I/O board makes it possible to switch digitally or to measure analog values.
The PLC is available in several versions.
- 3 relays
- 5 relays
- 10 relays
- 10 relays + analog circuit.

The specifications named here are of the maximum configuration.
( = 10 relays + analog circuit)

COMMUNICATION
The I/O board is linked to the receiver print via an I²C bus. With an I²C extension port, a maximum of 16 I/O boards (160 digital outputs) can be linked to the receiver. The power supply is also linked in through this communication line.

DIGITAL OUTPUTS
The I/O board has 10 relays that are potential enabling contacts, with a maximum contact load of 3 amps for inductive load.

DIGITAL INPUTS
The I/O board has 8 digital inputs. These inputs can handle a voltage of 10 – 40 V whereby <4V low and >6V high detection.

ANALOG OUTPUTS
The I/O board has 1 analog output. As a result the voltage can be regulated This from 0 to 10V with an accuracy of 8 bit.

ANALOG INPUTS
The I/O board also comes standard with 4 analog inputs. With these inputs (0-10V / 4-20mA), values can be shown on the receiver display, or in case of a duplex system on the display of the handheld transmitter. This could be the pressure, temperature or the level of a liquid for example. The analog inputs have a resolution of 8 bit.

All of our remote controls are tested remotely, usually simulated but it can also be a free field measurement. This means that the remote control is tested in an open field with a line of sight link with the receiver. In this way a distance of up to 350 metres can be guaranteed.

All our handheld transmitters have a unique ID number. The number is obtained from an ic chip that has an 8-bits guaranteed unique code. The code is transmitted with each package that goes from the transmitter to the receiver. In this way Tyro can guarantee that transmitters never take over each other’s function

RS-232 is a popular communication interface to connect modems and other data acquisition equipment (GPS receivers, data loggers) to computers.

The RS232 can be directly connected via the computer’s serial port (known as the COM port).

Using an extension card, the Tyro receiver can be equipped with a RS232 interface which makes it possible to read out data (both analog & digital) from the PLC and to convert it to the RS232 protocol.