Method of controlling different home devices using a single controller and system thereof

• US 20060187083A1
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-ho, Park, In-ho, Lee, Sung-jin
• Application Number:
  US11/328,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20060187083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A method and system for controlling different home devices using a single controller, wherein the controller selects a device to control and controls only the selected device.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a plurality of devices using a single remote controller, the method comprising:

requesting a device to be controlled by the remote controller by sending a request signal to the device;

answering the device accepting the request signal by the remote controller; and

controlling the device accepting the request signal by the remote controller.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the answering the device accepting the request signal comprises:

receiving at the device the request signal;

indicating at the device whether the request signal is received; and

answering the device accepting the request signal by the remote controller.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling the device accepting the request signal comprises:

receiving at the remote controller an answer signal from the device accepting the request signal;

indicating at the remote controller whether the answer signal is received; and

controlling the device accepting the request signal by the remote controller.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the indicating whether the request signal is received comprises flickering a light emitting diode (LED) of the device receiving the request signal.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the indicating whether the answer signal is received is comprises flickering an LED of the remote controller.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller controls according to a key code for the device and when the remote controller controls the device, the remote controller transmits the key data, corresponding to the key code of the device accepting the request signal, to the device.

7. A device control system of a remote controller, the device comprising:

a remote controller comprising a key input portion for requesting a device to be controlled by sending a request signal, and

a plurality of devices which transmit an answer signal in response to receiving the control device request signal of the remote controller,

wherein the remote controller controls a corresponding device of the plurality of devices which transmits the answer signal.

8. The device control system of a remote controller according to claim 7, wherein each of the devices comprises a light emitting diode (LED), and the corresponding device indicates that the request signal is received from the remote controller by flickering the LED.

9. The device control system of a remote controller according to claim 7, wherein the remote controller further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and the remote controller indicates that the answer signal is received from the corresponding device by flickering the LED of the remote controller.

10. The device control system of a remote controller according to claim 7, wherein the remote controller controls each of the devices according to different key codes for each of the devices, and the remote controller controls by transmitting key data, corresponding to the key code of the corresponding device accepting the request signal, to the corresponding device.

11. A remote controller controlling a plurality of devices, the remote controller comprising:

a key input portion which requests one of the plurality of devices to be controlled by the remote controller by sending a request signal,

wherein the remote controller controls a corresponding device of the plurality of devices which transmits an answer signal in response to receiving the request signal of the remote controller.

12. The remote controller according to claim 11, wherein the remote controller further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and the remote controller indicates that the answer signal is received from the corresponding device by flickering the LED.

13. The remote controller according to claim 11, wherein the remote controller controls each of the plurality of devices according to different key codes for each of the devices, and the remote controller controls by transmitting key data, corresponding to the key code of the corresponding device accepting the request signal, to the corresponding device.

14. A device to be controlled by a remote controller, the device comprising:

a two-way interface through which the device receives a request signal; and

a message communication synchronization unit through which the device transmits an answer signal to the remote controller in response to the request signal, wherein the answer signal indicates that the device accepts a request to be controlled by the remote controller.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the device comprises a light emitting diode (LED), and the device indicates that the request signal is received from the remote controller by flickering the LED.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the answer signal includes a device information of device.