System for obtaining state information from consumer electronic devices

• US 20040263615A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ritchie, Jonathan G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method of determining an operating state of a consumer electronic device allows a computer to control the consumer electronic device without user input. The system includes an image detection device for obtaining in image of the consumer electronic device. The image detection device can be a camera, or other sensor such as a photocell(s). A processor, or personal computer, is coupled to the image detection device for extracting information from a consumer electronic device display image. The processor generates control instructions for the consumer electronic device, and provides the control instructions to an infrared transmitter for transmitting the control instructions to the consumer electronic device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an image detection device to obtain an image of a consumer electronic device; and

a transmitter to transmit control instructions to the consumer electronic device responsive to information extracted from the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a television.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a video recorder, and the image includes a front panel of the video recorder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the image detection device comprises a camera having a field of view including the consumer electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the image detection device comprises a plurality of photo cells attached to the consumer electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first database coupled to a processor to extract the information from the image, the first database comprising a conversion table to provide the control instructions to the transmitter.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a second database comprising an icon table to be accessed by the processor to extract the information from the image.

8. A system, comprising:

a camera to obtain an image of a consumer electronic device, the image comprising at least one visual indication of an operating state of the consumer electronic device;

a computer coupled to the camera to receive the image and determine the operating state based upon the image;

a database including instructions to change the operating state; and

a transmitter to transmit the instructions to the consumer electronic device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a video recorder.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a television.

11. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image of a consumer electronic device, wherein the image comprises at least one visual indication a first operating state of the consumer electronic device;

determining the first operating state based on the image;

generating at least one control signal responsive to the first operating state; and

signaling the consumer electronic device to change to a second operating state different from the first operating state using the at least one control signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a processor decodes the image to compare the first operating state to the second operating state to generate the at least one control signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a video recorder.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the consumer electronic device comprises a television.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining the image using a camera.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the first operating state comprises:

accessing a database comprising images.

17. A machine-accessible medium having associated instructions, wherein the instructions, when accessed, result in a machine performing:

obtaining an image of a consumer electronic device, wherein the image comprises at least one visual indication a first operating state of the consumer electronic device;

determining the first operating state based on the image;

generating at least one control signal responsive to the first operating state; and

signaling the consumer electronic device to change to a second operating state different from the first operating state.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17, wherein consumer electronic device comprises a television, and wherein the instructions, when accessed, further result in the machine performing:

obtaining the image using a camera.

19. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when accessed, further result in the machine performing:

accessing a first database to determine the at least one control signal; and

accessing a second database to determine the first operating state.