System and method supporting infrared remote control over a network

• US 20030195969A1
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neuman, Darren D.
• Application Number:
  US10/116,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/637 Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for wireless control of home media sources that utilizes a home digital network to transport packetized IR transmitter data to a remote location. The system allows for flexible control of multiple devices that accept IR commands without requiring additional wiring, and is independent of any particular IR protocol.

Claims

1. A system for controlling media sources across a network, comprising:

a first interface device operatively coupled to the network and located with a device for reviewing media;

a second interface device operatively coupled to the network located with a media source;

said first interface device adapted to convert commands from a wireless remote to a format compatible with said network; and

said second interface device adapted to convert commands for said first interface device into a wireless format for re-transmission to said media source.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first interface device comprises a first settop box and the second interface device comprises a second settop box.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first interface device comprises a signal processor that generates data packets representative of the commands from the wireless remote and communicates said data packets over the network.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the signal processor causes said data packets to be buffered before communicating said data packets over the network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first interface device further comprises a user interface that receives at least one command from the wireless remote indicative of a type of wireless remote being used, and wherein the first interface device generates the format compatible with said network based on the type of wireless remote being used.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first interface device further comprises memory, and wherein the type of wireless remote being used is determined by a comparison of the at least one command to information stored in the memory.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first interface device further comprises a wireless receiver that receives the commands from the wireless remote, wherein the first interface device generates the format compatible with said network by sampling the wireless receiver, and wherein the first interface device communicates the samples generated over the network.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first interface device generates the format compatible with said network using a pulse width modulation scheme.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the pulse width modulation scheme comprises generating a pulse width value using the commands from the wireless remote and encoding the pulse width value.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the second interface device comprises a signal processor that receives and decodes data packets representative of the commands from the wireless remote, and reconstructs an original signal from decoded data.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a wireless transmitter for broadcasting the original signal.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first interface device receives a media signal from the media source over the network based on the broadcasting of the original signal.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless remote comprises an infrared remote control.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the media source comprises one of a videocassette recorder or a digital video disc player.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the device for reviewing media comprises a television.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a home network.

17. A method of controlling media sources across a network, comprising:

packetizing a wireless control signal at a location of a device for viewing media;

forwarding the packetized control signal over said network to a device located with a media source;

depacketizing the wireless control signal;

retransmitting the control signal into a room where the media source is located.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising buffering the packetized control signal.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining a type of device that generated the wireless control signal, and wherein packetizing the wireless control signal is based on the type of wireless device determined.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein determining the type of device that generated the wireless control signal comprises receiving at least one command indicative of the type of device and comparing the at least one command to information stored in memory.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising generating samples based on the wireless control signal, and wherein the packetizing is performed on the samples generated.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising pulse width modulating the wireless control signal, and wherein the packetizing is performed using a pulse width modulated signal.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein pulse width modulating comprises generating a pulse width value using the wireless control signal, and wherein packetizing comprises encoding the pulse width value generated.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein depacketizing the wireless control signal comprises decoding the encoded pulse width value.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving a media signal from the media source over the network based on the retransmitting.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising causing the display of media on the device for viewing media using the media signal received.

27. A method of transmitting control signals in a media network comprising:

receiving a wireless control signal from a remote control;

digitizing the wireless control signal received;

generating at least one data packet using the digitized control signal; and

communicating the at least one data packet over the network.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising buffering the at least one data packet prior to the communicating.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising determining a type of remote control that generated the wireless control signal, and wherein generating the at least one data packet is based on the type of remote control determined.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein determining the type of remote control that generated the wireless control signal comprises receiving at least one command indicative of the type of remote control and comparing the at least one command to information stored in memory.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the digitizing comprises generating samples based on the wireless control signal, and wherein the at least one data packet is generated using the samples.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the digitizing comprises pulse width modulating the wireless control signal, and wherein the at least one data packet is generated using a pulse width modulated signal.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein generating the at least one data packet comprises encoding a pulse width value generated.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising receiving a media signal over the network based on the communicating.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising causing the display of media using the media signal received.

36. The method of claim 27 wherein the remote control comprises an infrared remote control.