System for transmitting control commands to electronic devices

• US 20020101357A1
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gharapetian, Ara H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.69
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

This invention provides a remote control capable of automatically sending signals to a variety of electronic devices so that a user does not have to send signals to each of the electronic devices individually. The remote control may include a dedicated button that when activated may send signals to a plurality of electronic devices to perform one or more operations. The remote control may send the signals simultaneously or sequentially. The signals may be also encoded with the specific address for each of the plurality of electronic devices. This way, only the electronic device with the matching address may receive the signal. The signals may be also encoded with any number of commands such as turn “on” or turn “off” so that each electronic device may perform a similar or different operation as other electronic devices. The remote control may be any type of device that may be distinct from the electronic device such as a hand-held device. The electronic devices may be any type of electronic device that may be controlled remotely either through a hardwire or wirelessly.

Claims

1. A remote control, comprising:

a memory capable of storing addresses and commands for a plurality of electronic devices;

a processor capable of communicating with the memory to access the addresses and commands for the plurality of electronic devices;

an initiation device capable of communicating with the processor so that when the initiation device is activated the processor encodes an address and a command into a signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices; and

a transmitter capable of communicating with the processor where the processor directs the transmitter to sequentially send automatically the signal to each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

2. The remote control according to claim 1, further including an input device capable of receiving address and command for an electronic device from a memory storage area.

3. The remote control according to claim 1, further including an output device capable of communicating with the microprocessor and displaying information about a status of the remote control.

4. A remote control, comprising:

a processor capable of communicating with a memory capable of storing addresses and commands for a plurality of electronic devices;

an initiation device capable of communicating with the processor so that when the initiation device is activated the processor encodes an address and a command into a signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices; and

a transmitter capable of communicating with the processor where the processor directs the

transmitter to send the signal to each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

5. The remote control according to claim 4, where the signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices is sent sequentially.

6. The remote control according to claim 4, further including a plurality of transmitters, where the signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices is stored in the memory, where all of the signals for the plurality of the electronic device are sent through the plurality of the transmitters simultaneously to the plurality of electronic devices.

7. The remote control according to claim 4, further including an input device capable of receiving address and command for an electronic device, where the input device is capable of communicating with the memory.

8. The remote control according to claim 4, further including an output device capable of communicating with the microprocessor and displaying information about a status of the remote control.

9. The remote control according to claim 4, where the initiation device is a dedicated button to turn on or off the plurality of the electronic devices.

10. The remote control according to claim 4, where the command is turning on a power for n electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

11. The remote control according to claim 4, where the commands is turning off a power for an electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

12. The remote control according to claim 4, where the commands is adjusting a volume of an electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

13. The remote control according to claim 4, where the command is different to each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

14. The remote control according to claim 4, where the address encoded in the signal is for a TV.

15. The remote control according to claim 4, where the address encoded in the signal is for a DVD player.

16. The remote control according to claim 4, where the address encoded in the signal is for an amplifier.

18. The remote control according to claim 17, where the commands includes a turn on command.

19. The remote control according to claim 17, where the commands includes a turn off command.

20. The remote control according to claim 17, where the initiation device is a dedicated button to turn on or off the plurality of electronic devices.

17. A remote control, comprising:

a memory capable of storing addresses and commands where each of the plurality of commands performs an operation for a corresponding plurality of electronic devices and each of the plurality of addresses corresponds to an electronic device within the plurality of electronic devices;

an initiation device capable of communicating with a microprocessor to encode a signal with the address and command for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices; and

a transmitter automatically sending the signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

21. A method for controlling electronic devices, comprising:

cycling through to ascertain an address for a plurality of electronic devices in a memory; and

if the address is found for an electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices, then encoding an address and a command into a signal for the electronic device;

transmitting the signal to the electronic device.

22. The method according to claim 21, further including:

if the address for electronic device is not available in the memory, then determining if a default address is available for the electronic device;

if so, then encoding the default address and a command into a signal for the electronic device; and

if not, then cycling to a next electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

23. The method according to claim 21, where the signal to the electronic device is sent sequentially.

24. The method according to claim 21, further including storing the signal to each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices;

and sending simultaneously all of the stored signals.

25. The method according to claim 21, further including:

using a dedicated button to turn on or off the plurality of electronic devices by encoding the turn on or off command into the signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

27. The system according to claim 26, where the initiation device is a dedicated button on the remote control.

28. The system according to claim 26, where the remote control further includes:

a processor capable of communicating with a memory capable of storing the corresponding addresses and commands for the plurality of electronic devices;

the processor capable of communicating with the initiation device so that when the initiation device is activated the processor encodes the corresponding address and command into the signal for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices; and

a transmitter capable of communicating with the processor where the processor directs the transmitter to send the signal to each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

29. The system according to claim 26, where the plurality of electronic devices includes a TV.

30. The system according to claim 26, where the plurality of electronic devices includes a DVD player.

31. The system according to claim 26, where the plurality of electronic devices includes an amplifier.

26. A system for controlling a plurality of electronic devices:

a plurality of electronic devices where each of the plurality of electronic devices are assigned a corresponding address to receive a signal; and

a remote control programmed with the corresponding address for each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices, where the remote control has an initiation device capable controlling the plurality of electronic devices by sending the signal encoded with the corresponding address and a command to control each electronic device in the plurality of electronic devices.

32. A remote control system, comprising

a plurality of electronic devices where each of the plurality of electronic devices are assigned a corresponding address;

and

a remote control programmed with the corresponding addresses for each of the plurality of electronic devices, where the remote control has a dedicated on button to turn on the plurality of electronic devices by sequentially sending signals encoded with the corresponding address and a turn on command to each of the plurality of electronic devices, and the remote control has a dedicated off button to turn off the plurality of electronic devices by sequentially sending signals encoded with the corresponding address and a turn off command to each of the plurality of electronic devices.