Remote command learning

• US 10,671,042 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2019
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• 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:
  US16/544,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20200110380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• 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;

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media with instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising;

receiving a first control code via a control interface;

in response to receiving the first control code, determining whether the first control code is a control code in a first set of control codes stored in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media, wherein the first set of control codes corresponds to a first controller device;

in response to determining that the first control code is in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device;

in response to determining that the first control code is not in the first set of control codes, sending a query to a remote database of control codes, wherein the query includes an indication of the first control code;

receiving a response to the query from the remote database of control codes, wherein the response comprises one of (i) a second set of control codes comprising the first control code, wherein the second set of control codes corresponds to a second controller device or (ii) an indication that a second set of control codes corresponding to a second controller device could not be determined based on the first control code; and

when the response comprises the second set of control codes comprising the first control code, storing the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, receiving a second control code via the controller interface;

in response to receiving the second control code, determining whether the second control code is a control code in (i) the first set of control codes or (ii) the second set of control codes;

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device; and

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the second set of control codes, executing a command associated with the second controller device.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the functions further comprise:

when the response comprises an indication that a second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device could not be determined based on the first control code, prompting a user to enter a set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device;

receiving the set of one or more new command codes from the second controller device via the controller interface;

storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device.

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, sending the second set of control codes to the remote database of control codes.

5. The playback device of claim 3, wherein prompting the user to enter the set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

6. The playback device of claim 3, wherein prompting the user to enter the set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

7. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, receiving a second control code via the controller interface;

in response to receiving the second control code, determining whether the second control code is a control code in (i) the first set of control codes or (ii) the second set of control codes;

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device; and

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the second set of control codes, executing a command associated with the second controller device.

8. The playback device of claim 3, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, sending the second set of control codes to one or more other playback devices in communication with the playback device via a local area network.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the controller interface comprises one of an infrared interface or a radio frequency (RF) interface.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises a sound bar for a video device.

11. Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a playback device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a first control code via a control interface at the playback device;

in response to receiving the first control code, determining whether the first control code is a control code in a first set of control codes stored in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media, wherein the first set of control codes corresponds to a first controller device;

in response to determining that the first control code is in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device;

in response to determining that the first control code is not in the first set of control codes, sending a query to a remote database of control codes, wherein the query includes an indication of the first control code;

receiving a response to the query from the remote database of control codes, wherein the response comprises one of (i) a second set of control codes comprising the first control code, wherein the second set of control codes corresponds to a second controller device or (ii) an indication that a second set of control codes corresponding to a second controller device could not be determined based on the first control code; and

when the response comprises the second set of control codes comprising the first control code, storing the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, receiving a second control code via the controller interface;

in response to receiving the second control code, determining whether the second control code is a control code in (i) the first set of control codes or (ii) the second set of control codes;

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device; and

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the second set of control codes, executing a command associated with the second controller device.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise:

when the response comprises an indication that a second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device could not be determined based on the first control code, prompting a user to enter a set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device;

receiving the set of one or more new command codes from the second controller device via the controller interface;

storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, sending the second set of control codes to the remote database of control codes.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein prompting the user to enter the set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein prompting the user to enter the set of one or more new command codes via the second controller device comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, receiving a second control code via the controller interface;

in response to receiving the second control code, determining whether the second control code is a control code in (i) the first set of control codes or (ii) the second set of control codes;

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the first set of control codes, executing a command associated with the first controller device; and

in response to determining that the second control code is a control code in the second set of control codes, executing a command associated with the second controller device.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the functions further comprise:

after storing the set of one or more new command codes as the second set of control codes corresponding to the second controller device in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media along with the first set of control codes corresponding to the first controller device, sending the second set of control codes to one or more other playback devices in communication with the playback device via a local area network.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the controller interface comprises one of an infrared interface or a radio frequency (RF) interface.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the playback device comprises a sound bar for a video device.