Remote command learning

• US 10,386,809 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Griffiths, Neil, Jarvis, Simon, Lehnert, Hilmar, Ramos, Aurelio
• Primary Examiner(s): Akki, Munear T
• Application Number:
  US15/960,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20180239326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 340 42, 340 43, 340 432, 340 433, 340 1228, 341176
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/04 Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2615 Audio, video, tv, consumer electronics device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to learn and share remote commands are disclosed. An example method to configure a playback device to be controlled by a remote control includes receiving by the playback device a first code for a first command from the remote control. The example method includes identifying by the playback device a second code for a second command based on the received first code. The example method includes receiving by the playback device the second code from the remote control. The example method includes executing the second command by the playback device.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions encoded thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the playback device to perform a method comprising;

receiving a first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from a remote control;

determining that the first set of one or more codes is one of (i) not recognized or (ii) recognized; and

in response to determining that the received first set of one or more codes is not recognized, performing learning functions comprising;

prompting a user to enter a second set of one or more commands via the remote control, wherein the second set of one or more commands is different than the first set of one or more commands;

receiving a second set of one or more codes, wherein each code corresponds to one command of the second set of one or more commands;

in the tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory, storing (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands; and

causing a code database separate from the playback device to store (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device:

configuring the playback device to (i) execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control and (ii) execute each of the second set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the second set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein prompting the user to enter the second set of one or more commands via the remote control comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein prompting the user to enter the second set of one or more commands via the remote control comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more commands comprises one or more of a volume up, volume down, mute, power on, and power off command.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, to another playback device, (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the remote control comprises an infrared transmitter and wherein receiving the first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from the remote control comprises receiving the first set of one or more codes via an infrared transmission.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the remote control comprises a Bluetooth transmitter and wherein receiving the first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from the remote control comprises receiving the first set of one or more codes via a Bluetooth transmission.

9. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions encoded thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a playback device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from a remote control;

determining that the first set of one or more codes is one of (i) not recognized or (ii) recognized; and

in response to determining that the received first set of one or more codes is not recognized, performing learning functions comprising;

prompting a user to enter a second set of one or more commands via the remote control, wherein the second set of one or more commands is different than the first set of one or more commands;

receiving a second set of one or more codes, wherein each code corresponds to one command of the second set of one or more commands;

in a local memory, storing (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands; and

causing a code database separate from the playback device to store (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises, after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device:

configuring the playback device to (i) execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control and (ii) execute each of the second set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the second set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein prompting the user to enter the second set of one or more commands via the remote control comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein prompting the user to enter the second set of one or more commands via the remote control comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first set of one or more commands comprises one or more of a volume up, volume down, mute, power on, and power off command.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting, to another playback device, (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the remote control comprises an infrared transmitter and wherein receiving the first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from the remote control comprises receiving the first set of one or more codes via an infrared transmission.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the remote control comprises a Bluetooth transmitter and wherein receiving the first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from the remote control comprises receiving the first set of one or more codes via a Bluetooth transmission.

17. A method comprising:

a playback device receiving a first set of one or more codes corresponding to a first set of one or more commands from a remote control;

the playback device determining that the first set of one or more codes is one of (i) not recognized or (ii) recognized; and

in response to determining that the received first set of one or more codes is not recognized, the playback device performing learning functions comprising;

prompting a user to enter a second set of one or more commands via the remote control, wherein the second set of one or more commands is different than the first set of one or more commands;

receiving a second set of one or more codes, wherein each code corresponds to one command of the second set of one or more commands;

in a local memory at the playback device, storing (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands; and

causing a code database separate from the playback device to store (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in local memory at the playback device:

configuring the playback device to (i) execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control and (ii) execute each of the second set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the second set of one or more corresponding codes from the remote control.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein prompting the user to enter the second set of one or more commands via the remote control comprises at least one of (i) prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device or (ii) prompting the user via visual instructions.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting, to another playback device, (i) the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands and (ii) the second set of one or more codes corresponding to the second set of one or more commands.