Device control system, method, and apparatus

• US 20060007015A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, Keith, Harter, Glenn, Krzyzanowski, Paul, Alaimo, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,579,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.720
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for controlling consumer electronic (CE) devices are provided. A remote control unit controls one or more CE devices by obtaining control information necessary to control each CE device from a Consumer Electronic Device Control Database (CEDB). A CEDB provides control information, such as command codes and metadata, for various CE devices as well as providing a mapping between CE device types, CE brands, and particular CE devices. A remote control unit accesses the records provided by a CEDB to provide automatic and programistic control of CE devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a consumer electronic device, comprising:

a transmitter;

a user interface;

a storage area; and

a control module coupled to the transmitter, the user interface, and the storage area,

wherein the control module is configured to access a plurality of records from the storage area, based on a selection input by a user on the user interface, to transmit control signals through the transmitter to at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the plurality of records includes;

at least one metadata record and

at least one code record.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to copy the plurality of records from an external database to the storage area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to modify the plurality of records in the storage area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and a program code wherein the control module is configured by the program code.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each metadata record comprises:

a model ID;

a model type ID;

a company ID;

a valid mask;

an after channel delay time;

an after input delay time;

a begin channel;

a delay time;

an input pulse time;

an IR pulse time;

a power delay time;

an input type;

an one digit;

a two digit;

a three digit;

a four digit;

a power method;

a power off method;

a switch method;

an OSD use input IR as closure; and

an OSD closure two.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each code record comprises a code ID and a code.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one transmission record, wherein each transmission record includes;

a transmission type;

a model ID;

a command ID;

a code ID; and

a multi code number.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one command record, wherein each command record includes;

a command ID; and

a command name.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one input record, wherein each input record includes;

an input ID;

a model type ID;

a company ID;

a model ID;

a list number;

a tunable; and

a label.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one codeset record, wherein each codeset record includes;

a codeset ID;

a model type ID;

a company ID; and

a codeset name.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one company record, wherein each company record includes;

a company ID; and

a company name.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one model record, wherein each model record includes;

a model ID;

a model type;

a company ID;

a codeset applicable;

an ID; and

a model name.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of records further comprising:

at least one model type record, wherein each model type record includes;

a model type ID; and

a model type name.

14. An apparatus for controlling a consumer electronic device, comprising:

a transmitter;

a user interface;

a storage area; and

a control module coupled to the transmitter, the user interface, and the storage area,

wherein the control module is configured to access a plurality of records from the storage area, based on a selection input by a user on the user interface, to transmit control signals through the transmitter to at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the control module is further configured to access a database that includes;

at least one model type record,

at least one company record, and

at least one model record.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each model type record includes a model type ID and a model type name, wherein each company record includes a company name and a company ID, and wherein each model record includes a model ID and a model name.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the control module is further configured to:

retrieve at least one model type name from the database,

display the at least one model type name;

receive, from a user, through the user interface a model type selection from the at least one model type name;

retrieve at least one company name from the database,

display the at least one company name;

receive, from a user, through the user interface a company selection from the at least one company name;

retrieve at least one model name from the database,

display the at least one model name;

receive, from a user, through the user interface a model selection from the at least one model name; and

populate the storage area with records containing information from the database based on the model type selection, the company selection, and the model selection.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each model record in the database further includes a model type ID and a company ID,

wherein for each retrieved model name, there exists a first model record in the database wherein a retrieved model name is the model name of the first model record,

wherein the company ID of the first model record is the company ID of a first company record, wherein the company selection is the company name of the first company record, and

wherein the model type ID of the first model record is the model type ID of a first model type record, wherein the model type selection is the model type name of the first model type record.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control module is configured to populate the storage area with records comprising:

at least one metadata record; and

at least one code record.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control module is configured to populate the storage area with records further comprising:

at least one transmission record;

at least one input record;

at least one codeset record; and

at least one command record.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control module is configured to populate the storage area with records further comprising:

at least one company record;

at least one model record; and

at least one model type record.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the metadata record comprises:

model ID;

delay time;

a power delay time;

an input type;

a power method; and

a power off method.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein each metadata record includes a model ID and a delay time, wherein each transmission record includes a transmission type, code ID and a model ID, and wherein each code record includes a code ID and a code.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control module is further configured to process a segment of the script, wherein the segment of the script requires a transmission of at least one code to a first consumer electronic device,

wherein the control module is configured to access a first metadata record containing a model ID that corresponds to the first consumer electronic device;

wherein the control module is configured to access a first IR code record containing a model ID that matches the model ID of the first metadata record;

wherein the control module is configured to access a first code record containing a code ID that matches the code ID of first transmission record.

22. An apparatus for controlling a consumer electronic device, comprising:

a transmitter;

a user interface;

a storage area; and

a control module coupled to the transmitter, the user interface, and the storage area,

wherein the control module is configured to access a plurality of records from the storage area, based on a selection input by a user on the user interface, to transmit control signals through the transmitter to at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the control module is further configured to execute a script that supports complex commands, wherein the control module is configured to access the plurality of records as directed by the execution of the script, wherein the plurality of records includes;

at least one metadata record,

at least one transmission record, and

at least one code record.

25. An apparatus for controlling a consumer electronic device, comprising:

a transmitter;

a user interface;

a storage area; and

a control module coupled to the transmitter, the user interface, and the storage area,

wherein the control module is configured to access a plurality of records from the storage area, based on a selection input by a user on the user interface, to transmit control signals through the transmitter to at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the plurality of records includes;

at least one metadata record, and

at least one code record,

wherein the control module is configured to pause for a delay time after transmitting a control signal to the at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the delay time is provided from a metadata record in the plurality of records.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each metadata record includes a model ID and a delay time, and wherein each code record includes a code ID and a code.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each metadata record further includes a power delay time, and

wherein the control module is configured to pause for a power delay time after transmitting a control signal to turn on the at least one consumer electronic device, wherein the power delay time is provided from a metadata record in the plurality of records.

28. A method, executing on a remote control device, of controlling a consumer electronic device, comprising:

receiving a selection from a user;

accessing a plurality of records from a storage area based on the selection, wherein the plurality of records includes at least one metadata record and at least one code record; and

transmitting to at least one consumer electronic device a code from the plurality of records.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein each metadata record comprises:

a model ID;

a model type ID;

a company ID;

a valid mask;

an after channel delay time;

an after input delay time;

a begin channel;

a delay time;

an input pulse time;

an IR pulse time;

a power delay time;

an input type;

an one digit;

a two digit;

a three digit;

a four digit;

a power method;

a power off method;

a switch method;

an OSD use input IR as closure; and

an OSD closure two.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein each code record comprises a code ID and a code.

31. A system, comprising:

a remote control unit; and

a consumer electronic device control database;

wherein said remote control unit is adapted to receive a plurality of records from the consumer electronic device control database, and

wherein the plurality of records includes at least one metadata record and at least one code record.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein each metadata record comprises:

a model ID;

a model type ID;

a company ID;

a valid mask;

an after channel delay time;

an after input delay time;

a begin channel;

a delay time;

an input pulse time;

an IR pulse time;

a power delay time;

an input type;

an one digit;

a two digit;

a three digit;

a four digit;

a power method;

a power off method;

a switch method;

an OSD use input IR as closure; and

an OSD closure two.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein each code record comprises a code ID and a code.