Remote control code filtering used for relaying of remote control codes

• US 20050280551A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hesdahl, Piet Bernard, Levi, Amiram
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.19
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Remote control code filtering techniques are disclosed that are suitable for use in a remote control code relaying system. A portion of a received remote control code is compared with corresponding portions of stored remote control codes. The received remote control code can be filtered based on the comparison. The filtering can comprise outputting the received remote control code or a portion thereof, discarding the received remote control code, or adding a new remote control code to the stored remote control codes. The remote control code can be received from a network or from a hardware interface (e.g., which converts an electromagnetic remote control signal to the remote control code). The received remote control code can be output to a network or to a hardware interface for subsequent transmission of an electromagnetic remote control signal. Filtering can occur before or after the network.

Claims

1. A method for filtering remote control codes in a remote control code relaying system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a remote control code;

comparing a portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of a given one of one or more stored remote control codes; and

filtering the received remote control code based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of comparing and determining are performed for each of the one or more stored remote control codes or until there is a match between the portion of the received remote control code and a corresponding portion of a stored remote control code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received remote control code corresponds to at least part of an electromagnetic (EM) remote control signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the EM remote control signal comprises an infrared (IR) remote control signal or a radio frequency (RF) remote control signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an electromagnetic (EM) remote control signal; and

converting at least a portion of the received EM remote control signal to the received remote control code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of comparing a portion of the received remote control code comprises the step of matching the portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of the given stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of outputting the received remote control code when the portion of the received remote control code matches the corresponding portion of the given stored remote control code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of comparing further comprises the steps of;

comparing the portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control codes; and

determining that no match exists between the portion of the received remote control code and a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of discarding the received remote control code based on the determination that no match exists.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of comparing the portion of the received remote control code comprises the step of matching the portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of the given stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of discarding the received remote control code when the portion of the received remote control code matches a corresponding portion of the given stored remote control code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of comparing further comprises the steps of;

comparing the portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control codes; and

determining that no match exists between the portion of the received remote control code and a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of outputting the received remote control code based on the determination that no match exists.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the received remote control code comprises a device code.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device code further comprises an address code.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the received remote control code further comprises a function code.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the remote control code and the given stored remote control code each comprises a device code;

the step of comparing further comprises the step of comparing the device code of the received remote control code with the device code of the given stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of filtering the received remote control code based on the comparison of the device code of the received remote control code with the device code of the given stored remote control code.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the remote control code and the given stored remote control code each comprises a device code and a function code;

the step of comparing further comprises the steps of;

comparing the device code of the received remote control code with the device code of the given stored remote control code; and

when there is a match between the device code of the received remote control code and the device code of the given stored remote control code, comparing the function code of the received remote control code with the function code of the given stored remote control code; and

the step of filtering further comprises the step of filtering the received remote control code based on the comparisons of the device and function codes of the received remote control code with the device and function codes of the given stored remote control code.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a new remote control code; and

storing the new remote control code with the one or more stored remote codes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the received new remote control code is learned from one or more electromagnetic (EM) remote control signals or is input from a remote control code database.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating an electromagnetic (EM) signal corresponding to at least a portion of the received remote control code.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filter further comprises the step of outputting at least a portion of the received remote control code to a network.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving frequency information, wherein the step of comparing further comprises the steps of:

comparing the received frequency information with frequency information in the given stored remote control code; and

when a match occurs between the received frequency information and the frequency information in the given stored remote control code, comparing the portion of the received remote control code with the corresponding portion of the given stored remote control code.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of comparing further comprises the step of comparing the portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control codes and determining there is no match between the portion of the received remote control code and a corresponding portion of each of the one or more stored remote control codes; and

the step of filtering the received remote control code based on the comparison further comprises the steps of;

determining whether the remote control code should be output or discarded; and

adding the new remote control code to the one or more stored remote control codes based on the determination of whether the remote control code should be output or discarded.

21. An integrated circuit for filtering remote control codes in a remote control code relaying system, the integrated circuit comprising:

a filtering module adapted;

to receive a remote control code;

to compare a portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of a given one of one or more stored remote control codes; and

to filter the received remote control code based on the comparison.

22. An apparatus for filtering remote control codes in a remote control code relaying system, the apparatus comprising:

one or more memories;

one or more processors coupled the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured;

to receive a remote control code;

to compare a portion of the received remote control code with a corresponding portion of a given one of one or more stored remote control codes; and

to filter the received remote control code based on the comparison.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a network interface coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor receives the remote control code from the network interface.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a hardware interface coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor receives the remote control code from the hardware interface.