Using "ALL" Smartphones as
Remote for Electronic Devices

Problems arose when Companies started to place IR blasters in "some" smartphones. IR blaster is the component which creates the IR signal that remotes(like TV remote) produce. There are smartphones both at higher end and lower end ( LG L90, LG L90 Dual, Xolo 2100, Xiaomi Mi4) which could be having IR blaster. Starting then peoples those who don't have such smartphone are at regular disadvantage.
Especially in conference halls, class rooms where remote for Air Conditioners and projectors etc are never to be found when needed. Besides, it would be very user friendly if he can operate different devices with a phone without any specific component like the IR blaster. So we created a microcontroller based, very less costly option. As a Universal "universal remote".

How Current IR blaster based smartphone work?

Smartphone Use an App like "ZaZa Remote" or "Mi Remote controller". These apps used to have only specific types of remote options. For the Options it have, the control instructions were already recorded to use, that is For Example if you use mi remote controller for say decreasing temperature on your Samsung Air Conditioner and push button in your smartphone, corresponding to that pushed button an IR signal which is already noted there as control instruction for this button will be send to IR blaster. And from the IR blaster the Infrared is generated and reaches the Air Conditioner IR sensor.

How we did it for those smartphones which Don't have IR sensor?

We connected the smartphone to the microcontroller using the Wireless module. The smartphone has buttons for different operations specific to the device you want to control. The button you press instruct the microcontroller. Now Microcontroller have control instructions and interpret the signal from the pressed button to corresponding IR signal instruction. This IR signal instruction is then sent to an IR signal generator(an IR LED) like you have in your traditional remotes using which IR signal is generated.

Why this is Better?

1. More Control to owner.
Every phone has wifi. But the percentage of smartphones with IR blaster in the market today is not more than a handful. Of course if the remote is not there or due to some reason someone doesn't want to give the remote to you, which may be due to his device being misusing etc, you can't control the device though you have it. Using microcontroller based approach the owner can set limitations like the students in class can’t decrease the temperature of Air Conditioner below 19 degrees or they can't turn on/off some of the lights etc. This gives the owner more control due to which he can provide maximum “allowed” freedom to users at his place.
2. More convenience to User.
Convenience is highly increased because wherever you are just see all devices you are allowed to control and whenever required use your simple smartphone phone for controlling. You don't need to ask for any remote.
3. No Extra Component in the user's smartphone required.

Usefulness

Highly useful for classrooms, conference rooms, Laboratories etc.
In the home automation same microcontroller can also be used for various other operations too.

Limitation and Future work

Price at first appears to be high (INR 800). But the arduino uno used can be used for other operations too while it's price is added only once. But still on the cost aspect we can do better.