Remote operation of local or distant infrared-controllable and non-infrared-controllable devices
First Claim
1. A system for operating infrared-controllable apparatus, said system comprising a remote control comprising circuitry for sending infrared signals;
- first apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving first infrared signals from said remote control, circuitry for decoding data from said first infrared signals, and circuitry for sending said data over a communications network; and
second apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving said data over said communications network and circuitry for sending second infrared signals associated with said received data to said infrared-controllable apparatus.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tokenized commands originating in an infrared (IR) remote control are sent over a home automation network using low-cost radio-frequency (RF) and/or powerline (PL) communications to enables operation of distant IR-controllable devices not within view of the IR beam from the remote control, as well as operation of other devices that are not IR-controllable. Using IR or RF, the remote control sends only a few bytes of tokenized information designating the specific function to be controlled. An IR or RF receiver optionally retransmits the tokens over another network, such as the powerline. “IR Blaster” devices receive the tokens via RF or another network, and apply them to an IR engine that generates an IR pulse stream identical to that of the original remote control. Non-IR devices receive the tokens via RF or another network and interpret them as specific control commands.
65 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A system for operating infrared-controllable apparatus, said system comprising
a remote control comprising circuitry for sending infrared signals; -
first apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving first infrared signals from said remote control, circuitry for decoding data from said first infrared signals, and circuitry for sending said data over a communications network; and
second apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving said data over said communications network and circuitry for sending second infrared signals associated with said received data to said infrared-controllable apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for operating infrared-controllable apparatus, said system comprising
a remote control comprising circuitry for wirelessly sending commands to an infrared blaster comprising infrared-emitting circuitry able to operate infrared-controllable apparatus; - and
apparatus comprising said infrared blaster, circuitry for receiving said commands for controlling said infrared blaster from said remote control, and circuitry for applying said received commands to said infrared blaster. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for operating non-infrared-controllable apparatus, said system comprising
a remote control comprising circuitry for wirelessly sending signals; -
first apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving wireless signals from said remote control and circuitry for sending over a communications network associated commands for operating a second apparatus connected to said communications network; and
one or more of said second apparatus comprising circuitry for receiving said commands over said communications network and executing said commands. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for operating non-infrared-controllable apparatus, said system comprising
a remote control comprising circuitry for wirelessly exchanging messages with non-infrared-controllable apparatus, circuitry for associating keypresses on said remote control with commands for operating said non-infrared-controllable apparatus; - and
one or more of said non-infrared-controllable apparatus comprising circuitry for exchanging messages with said remote control, circuitry for executing commands received from said remote control, and circuitry for communicating with said remote control to establish in said remote control an association between keypresses on said remote control and commands for operating said non-infrared-controllable apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for operating infrared-controllable apparatus, said method comprising the steps of
sending a first infrared signal from an infrared-emitting remote control; -
receiving said first infrared signal from said remote control, decoding data from said first infrared signal, and sending said data over a communications network; and
receiving said data over said communications network and sending a second infrared signal associated with said received data to said infrared-controllable apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for operating infrared-controllable apparatus, said method comprising the steps of
wirelessly sending commands from a remote control to an infrared blaster comprising infrared-emitting circuitry able to operate infrared-controllable apparatus; - and
receiving said commands for controlling said infrared blaster from said remote control, and applying said received commands to said infrared blaster. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method for operating non-infrared-controllable apparatus, said method comprising the steps of
wirelessly sending signals from a remote control; -
receiving wireless signals from said remote control by a first apparatus and sending over a communications network associated commands for operating a second apparatus connected to said communications network;
receiving said commands by said second apparatus over said communications network and executing said commands. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method for operating non-infrared-controllable apparatus, said method comprising the steps of
wirelessly communicating with a remote control to establish in said remote control an association between keypresses on said remote control and commands for operating said non-infrared-controllable apparatus; -
exchanging messages between said remote control and said non-infrared-controllable apparatus; and
executing commands received from said remote control by said non-infrared-controllable apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification