Method for controlling several apparatuses with the aid of a link attached device and said link attached device for carrying out said method

• US 20060022865A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Mingot, Jacques, Trinchero, Olivier, Chevallier, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of control of at least one electronic appliance with the aid of a distant device such as a remote control. The device comprises means of control, typically the keys of a keypad and a means of selection of an appliance from among several. The method comprises the following steps: activation of the device in a first mode where the means of control preferentially command the appliance selected by the means of selection, programming of at least one association between a means of control and an appliance, and activation of the associations so that the activation of a means of control commands the appliance associated during the programming step. The invention also relates to a device able to implement the method.

Claims

1. A method of control of at least one electronic appliance with the aid of a distant device such as a remote control comprising means of control and a means of selection of an appliance from amongst several, each means of control being associated with a code predefined in the device, each appliance also being associated with a code predefined in the device, said method comprising a step of activating the device in a first mode where the means of control preferentially command the appliance selected by the means of selection,

wherein it furthermore comprises the steps:

programming at least one association between a means of control and an appliance,

activating the device in a second mode so as to render active all the associations performed during the programming step, said activating step being triggered by the means of selection, the activation of a means of control in the second mode consisting in transmitting at least the predefined code associated with the activated means of control and the predefined code of at least one appliance associated during the programming step.

2. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of commanding associations during the programming step prohibiting the programming of prohibited associations.

3. The method of control as claimed in claim 2, wherein an attempt to program a prohibited association triggers the transmission of an alert signal.

4. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of displaying a visual identifier of an appliance, said step being triggered when the device is in the second mode and when the user activates a means of control associated with this appliance.

5. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step comprises a first step of selecting an appliance and a step of selecting several means of control at one and the same time, these means of control being associated with this appliance.

6. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step comprises a first step of selecting a means of control and a step of selecting several appliances at one and the same time, these appliances being associated with this means of control.

7. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step makes it possible to define at least one set of associations, and in that it comprises a step of selecting a set of associations making it possible to activate this set when the device is in the second mode.

8. A device for the remote control of a plurality of electronic appliances, comprising means of control and a means of selection of an appliance from among the plurality, each means of control being associated with a code predefined in the device, each appliance also being associated with a code predefined in the device, the whole collection of means of control commanding in a favored manner the appliance selected by the means of selection,

wherein it comprises:

a means of programming of at least one association between at least one means of control and at least one appliance,

a means of activation of all the associations programmed so that each associated control commands at least the appliance which is associated therewith by the programming means so that the activation of a means of control triggers the transmission of at least the predefined code associated with the activated means of control and the predefined code of at least one appliance associated by the programming means.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of programming comprises a means of commanding the associations prohibiting the programming of prohibited associations.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein it comprises a means of transmitting a visual or audible alert signal during an attempt to program a prohibited association.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein it comprises a means of display of an identifier of the appliance;

said means being activated when a means of control associated with this appliance is activated.

12. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of display of an identifier of appliance is integrated into the means of selection of an appliance.

13. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of programming comprises a means of selection of a means of control and a means of selection of several appliances, so that the means of control selected is associated with each of the appliances.

14. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the programming means comprises a means of selection of an appliance and a means of selection of several means of control, so that the appliance selected is associated with each of the means of control.

15. The control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device comprises a touch screen displaying the permitted associations.

16. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein it comprises a means of selection of at least one set of associations, the programming means being adapted to program the set of associations selected by said means, and in that the means of activation activates only the associations of the selected set.

17. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of selection of appliance consists of a switch comprising as many positions as appliances to be commanded plus a position activating the programmed associations.

18. The control device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means of selection of a set of associations comprises a switch possessing as many positions as sets, this means of selecting sets being activated when the means of selection of appliance is in the position activating the associations.