Building an on/off switch via IR remote control?

[rockgardenlove]

Anybody have any ideas how this would be done?
I have a little space heater that I want to be able to control from my bed.   
Sooo lazy!

It seems like I'd need a little module thing with a bunch of infrared LEDs (or fewer, how strong are they?) and then another little box over by my space heater to pick up the pulses from my remote.  Then I need to use the little box to let AC from the wall into the space heater or not.  I think the easiest way would be via a relay. No?  Any better ideas for this?  I have a bunch of little transformers I've ripped from various adapters that I can use as a voltage supply for the receiver...

The one part I don't get is how to trigger the relay (or whatever I'm gonna use for the AC).  It will need to be a flip flop circuit because leaving the IR LEDs on whenever you want the heater on (or off, I guess) would drain the battery. 
So I suppose I need a flip flopping circuit to control a relay, that I can trigger with some IR sensors.

Oh my what a useless project.   

[Seljer]

IR LEDs on the remote -> photo transistor with filter to only let IR light through -> comparator turn the output from that into a cleaner logic signal -> D type flipflop -> transistor that turns on the relay

I think you could create an oscillator for the LEDs in the remote, then use a band pass filter after the phototransistor to make sure that only that frequency of blinking LEDs controls it (so it doesnt turn on when you change the channel on the TV, etc....)

I don't think you need many of those IR LEDs, as most remotes only have 1 or 2 of them in there


beyond that I think you'd have to get into microcontrollers for something like this

[GibsonGM]

This isn't that hard to do, and is similar to how Boss switches their pedals with 1 NO soft switch...I've played with the idea for a burglar alarm.  Garage door openers use this to keep you from getting squashed when they close. 

Google for "IR Remote Control Schematic" or the like, you'll probably be able to find DIY remote control circuits, this is a common application in those little robots that fight each other 

1 IR LED, a 555 to pulse it at a known frequency (if you wanna get fancy).  Phototransistor to receive, comparator, LPF.   Throw in a small lens to focus, a couple of JFETS and a few other parts.   Only really applicable for switching, going wireless is a different thing altogether!  The schems are out there 

[RaceDriver205]

Sounds fairly simple. One would use a debounced push-button to switch on the LED. The receiver would have the IR detector, connected to a flip-flop set to toggle, connected to a transistor, which powers the relay. Should work well.