Programming a universal remote control

• US 20040155793A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ZiLOG Incorporated (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mui, Daniel SauFu
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.69
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control

Abstract

A method for programming a universal remote control comprises receiving a signal from a source remote control, determining characteristic information based on the signal, comparing the characteristic information to a database, determining a matching code set for the source remote control based on the comparing, and configuring the universal remote control to mimic control features of the source remote control based on the matching code set. Still other aspects and other features are also described herein.

Claims

1. A method for programming a universal remote control, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) determining characteristic information based on said signal;

(c) comparing said characteristic information to a database of said universal remote control;

(d) determining a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison; and

(e) configuring said universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said matching code set.

2. The method of claim 1, where said (a) includes moving at least one of said source remote control and said universal remote control until a sufficiently strong signal is being received by said universal remote control.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising triggering a signal to a user of said universal remote control that said signal is sufficiently strong.

4. The method of claim 1, where said determining in said (b) includes determining a carrier frequency of said signal.

5. The method of claim 1, where said determining in said (b) includes determining a timing sequence of said signal.

6. The method of claim 5, where said timing sequence includes mark-space information.

7. The method of claim 1, where said determining in said (b) includes:

(1) identifying a timing sequence based on said signal;

(2) determining a plurality of repeating characteristics of said timing sequence;

(3) associating one type of repeating characteristic as a first bit type;

(4) associating a second type of repeating characteristic as a second bit type; and

(5) representing said timing sequence as a binary string comprised of said bit types.

8. The method of claim 1, where said determining in said (b) includes determining data from within said signal.

9. The method of claim 1, where said signal(s) includes redundant information, and said determining in said (b) includes determining a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

10. The method of claim 1, where said determining in said (b) includes determining a lag time associated with said signal.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) performing one or more troubleshooting techniques if no matching code set is determined at said (d).

12. The method of claim 11, where said performing further comprising:

(1) connecting to a remote computer;

(2) transmitting said characteristic information to said remote computer thereby allowing said remote computer to find a matching code set; and

(3) receiving said matching code set from said remote computer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) connecting to a network; and

(g) updating said database via said network.

14. A computer readable medium for executing a computer method, comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(a) receive at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) determine characteristic information based on said signal;

(c) compare said characteristic information to a local database;

(d) determine a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison; and

(e) configure a universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said matching code set.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where said logic instructions for determining characteristic information includes logic instructions that, if executed, determine data from within said signal.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where said logic instructions for determining characteristic information includes logic instructions that, if executed,

(1) identify a timing sequence based on said signal;

(2) determine said characteristic information by converting at least a portion of said timing sequence into a binary string.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where said signal(s) includes redundant information, and said logic instructions for determining characteristic information in (b) includes logic instructions that, if executed, determine a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where said logic instructions for determining characteristic information includes logic instructions that, if executed, determine a lag time associated with said signal.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(f) connect to a network; and

(g) update said database via said network;

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(f) connect to a remote computer if no matching code set is determined at said (d);

(g) transmit said characteristic information to said remote computer, thereby allowing said remote computer to find a matching code set; and

(h) receive said matching code set from said remote computer.

21. A universal remote control, comprising:

(a) a receiver for receiving at least one signal from a source remote control; and

(b) a processor configured to perform a recognition operation, said recognition operation including;

(i) determining characteristic information based on said signal;

(ii) comparing said characteristic information to a database of said universal remote control;

(iii) determining a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison; and

(iv) configuring said universal remote control to mimic said source remote control based on said matching code set.

22. The universal remote control of claim 21, where said characteristic information includes a carrier frequency of said signal.

23. The universal remote control of claim 21, where said characteristic information includes a timing sequence of said signal.

24. The universal remote control of claim 21, where said characteristic information includes data from within said signal.

25. The universal remote control of claim 21, where said signal(s) includes redundant information, and said characteristic information in (b)(i) includes a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

26. The universal remote control of claim 21, where said characteristic information includes a lag time associated with said signal.

27. The universal remote control of claim 21, further comprising:

(c) an interface for connecting to a network to update said database via said network.

28. A universal remote control, comprising:

(a) means for receiving at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) means for determining characteristic information based on said signal;

(c) means for comparison said characteristic information to a local database;

(d) means for determining a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison; and

(e) means for configuring said universal remote control to mimic said source remote control based on said matching code set.

29. The universal remote control of claim 28, further comprising means for updating said database via a network.

30. A method for programming a universal remote control, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one electromagnetic signal corresponding to a source remote control;

(b) automatically recognizing said source remote control based on said received signal by executing a computer-implemented comparison procedure at said universal remote control; and

(c) configuring said universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said recognition in (b).

31. The method of claim 30 where said electromagnetic signal includes an infrared signal from said source remote control.

32. A universal remote control, comprising:

(a) an interface for receiving at least one electromagnetic signal corresponding to a source remote control;

(b) a processor configured to;

(i) automatically identify said source remote control based on said received signal by executing a computer-implemented comparison procedure at said universal remote control; and

(ii) configure said universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said identification in (i).

33. The universal remote control of claim 32 where said electromagnetic signal includes an infrared signal from said source remote control.