Programmable remote control and method for programming a programmable remote control, a readable memory and a program

• US 20050151726A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Home Control Signapore Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Wouters, Johan Agnes Emile
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code

Abstract

A remote control comprises object keys and a selector for linking preset IR or RF code sets to the object keys. The remote control comprises:—a selector for the selection of an IR or RF preset code set by a user,—an activator for the activation of one or more links between an element of said preset IR or RF code set and an object key by the user after the selection,—a selector for the subsequent selection of a further preset code set by the user and—repeat means for repeating the steps a and b for the further preset code set until all object keys have been linked or the user terminates the process. This allows the user to combine more then one preset code set into a single code set.

Claims

1. A remote control device comprising object keys, a selector for linking preset IR or RF code sets to the object keys to thereby enable the user to control functions of a device to be controlled via the remote control, characterized in that the remote control device is arranged for enabling combination of a number of preset IR or RF code sets into a single code set, and comprises:

a. a selector for the selection of IR or RF preset code set by a user,

b. an activator for the activation of one or more links between an element of said preset IR or RF code set and an object key by the user after the selection.

c. a selector for the subsequent selection of a further preset code set by the user, and

d. repeat means for repeating a and b for the further preset code set until all object keys have been linked or the user terminates the process.

2. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control device comprises storage means for storing preset IR or RF code sets, and in the steps a and c the preset code set and the further preset code set are selected from the preset IR or RF code sets in the storage means.

3. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control device is a multi-mode remote control.

4. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control comprises a proposer for proposing a preset code set to a user prior to the selection of a preset code set (a).

5. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control device comprises a verification means for showing, in between the selection of a preset code set (a) and the activation of links (b), the effect of linking.

6. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control comprises a further proposer for proposing a further preset code set prior to the selection of a further preset code set (c).

7. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control device comprises a communicator to communicate, after the linking (b) still unlinked object keys to the user.

8. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control comprises a touch screen.

9. A remote control device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control device comprises storage means to store IR or RF code sets from outside the remote control device in the storage means of the remote control device.

10. A method for programming a remote control device, characterized in that data of more than one preset IR or RF code set of a remote control are combined into a single IR or RF code set by carrying out the following steps:

a. selection of a preset code set is by the user,

b. activation of links between an element of said preset IR or RF code set and an object key, after which

c. a further preset code set is selected by the user and the steps a and b are repeated for the further preset code set until all object keys have been linked or the user terminates the process.

11. A method for programming a remote control device as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the method comprises the following step which is carried out, prior to selection of a preset code set (a):

a′

. proposal of a preset code set to the user by the remote control device.

12. A method for programming a remote control device as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the method comprises the following step which is carried out, prior to the selection of a further preset code set (c):

c′

. proposal of a further preset code set to the user by the remote control device.

13. A method for programming a remote control device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the method comprises the following step which is carried out, prior to the selection of a further preset code set:

c″

. communication of unlinked object keys to the user by the remote control device.

14. A method for programming a remote control device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that preset IR or RF codes are transferred from a device outside the remote control device so as to be stored in the storage means.

15. A method for programming a remote control device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the remote control device comprises storage means for preset IR or RF code sets and that in the steps a and c said preset code set and further preset code set are stored in the storage means.

16. A programmable remote control device comprising object keys and a memory, said memory comprising means for storing a number of preset IR or RF code sets, and also comprising an executable program or set of programs, said program or set of programs comprising:

a. a program code for the selection of a stored preset IR or RF code set by a user,

b. the linking of an element of said preset IR or RF code set and an object key upon activation by the user and

c. a program code for the subsequent selection of a further preset code set by the user, and

d. a program code for repeating the steps a and b for the further preset code set until all object keys have been linked or the user terminates the process.

17. A programmable remote control device as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the program or set of programs comprises:

a program code for proposing a preset IR or RF code set to the user.

18. A programmable remote control device as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the program or set of programs comprises:

a program code for proposing a further IR of RF code set to the user.

19. A readable memory for use in a programmable remote control device as claimed in claim 16.

20. A program or set of programs for use in a programmable remote control device as claimed in claim 16.