Communicating discovery information from remote control devices

• US 10,553,107 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: McKay, Dan N., Chock, Raymond O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murphy, Jerold B
• Application Number:
  US15/452,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20170270781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1222- 1255, 348 1405, 348734, 341176, 334 8, 4551511-1532
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A set top box receives from a remote control device one or more of a codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information. The set top box then causes information representative of the received codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information to be displayed in a display device associated with the set top box.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting from a remote control device to a set top box a codeset identifier that was retrieved from a memory device of the remote control device, wherein the codeset identifier corresponds to a codeset that is currently being used by the remote control device in a normal operating mode of the remote control device to control functional operations of an intended target device and wherein an entirety of the codeset identifier is transmitted to the set top box as part of a single wireless data communication; and

causing information representative of the received codeset identifier to be displayed by the set top box in a display device associated with the set top box.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control is caused to transmit the codeset identifier in response to a first key entry code being provided to the remote control device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising causing the remote control to transmit to the set top box battery condition information in response to a second key entry code being provided to the remote control device wherein the second key entry code is distinct from the first key entry code.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information representative of the received codeset identifier to be displayed by the set top box in a display device associated with the set top box comprises a brand for the intended target device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the information representative of the received codeset identifier to be displayed by the set top box in a display device associated with the set top box further comprises a model for the intended target device.