Programmable vehicle-based appliance remote control
First Claim
1. A method of programming a vehicle-based remote control to activate an appliance, the appliance responding to a radio frequency activation signal having characteristics represented by one of a plurality of activation schemes, the method comprising:
- automatically prompting the user to select one of a plurality of subsets of possible activation schemes;
receiving user input selecting a particular subset of the plurality of subsets;
for each of at least one activation scheme in the particular subset, transmitting an activation signal having characteristics represented by the activation scheme;
receiving user input indicating whether or not the at least one transmitted activation signal successfully activated the appliance;
if the user input indicates success, storing data representing the at least one activation scheme associated with one of at least one user activation input channel; and
if the user input indicates no success and if the particular subset includes at least one untried activation scheme, repeating transmitting an activation signal and receiving user input indicating success.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A universal in-vehicle remote control automatically assists in appliance activation configuration. The appliance responds to a radio frequency activation signal having characteristics represented by one of a plurality of activation schemes. The user is automatically prompted to select one of a plurality of subsets of possible activation schemes. For each activation scheme in the subset, an activation signal is transmitted. User input is received indicating whether or not at least one transmitted activation signal successfully activates the appliance. If the user input indicates success, data representing the activation scheme is associated with a user activation input channel.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of programming a vehicle-based remote control to activate an appliance, the appliance responding to a radio frequency activation signal having characteristics represented by one of a plurality of activation schemes, the method comprising:
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automatically prompting the user to select one of a plurality of subsets of possible activation schemes;
receiving user input selecting a particular subset of the plurality of subsets;
for each of at least one activation scheme in the particular subset, transmitting an activation signal having characteristics represented by the activation scheme;
receiving user input indicating whether or not the at least one transmitted activation signal successfully activated the appliance;
if the user input indicates success, storing data representing the at least one activation scheme associated with one of at least one user activation input channel; and
if the user input indicates no success and if the particular subset includes at least one untried activation scheme, repeating transmitting an activation signal and receiving user input indicating success. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of activating an appliance comprising:
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when in a learn mode, receiving first user input selecting one of a plurality of possible appliance classes;
transmitting at least one activation signal, each transmitted activation signal based on characteristics of a member of the selected class;
storing data representing characteristics of at least one transmitted activation signal based on receiving second user input indicating that at least one of the at least one transmitted activation signal activated the appliance, the data associated with one of at least one activation inputs;
when in an operate mode, receiving one of at least one activation inputs;
retrieving stored data representing activation signal characteristics; and
transmitting at least one activation signal based on the retrieved data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A programmable appliance remote control comprising:
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a user interface;
a transmitter operative to transmit radio frequency activation signals;
a memory holding a plurality of activation schemes, each activation scheme assigned to one of a plurality of subsets; and
control logic operative in a learn mode and an operate mode, the control logic in the learn mode accepting a subset selection, transmitting at least one activation signal having characteristics specified by the selected subset, accepting a user selection input selecting at least one activation scheme in response to the at least one transmitted activation signal, and storing data representing the user selection associated with one of at least one activation input, the control logic in an operate mode receiving an activation input through the user interface and transmitting at least one activation signal using stored data based on the received activation input. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification