Two way communication using light links

• US 20070097275A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Yun, Youping (Edward), Dresti, Mauro, Hayes, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Two-way communications between a video system and a control device is disclosed. The communications links comprise visible light, IR light, or a combination of visible and IR light. The communications link provide a convenient route to capture data or lock system features or various combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method of editing a favorite channel table in a remote control, the method comprising:

transmitting from the remote control to a video system a channel identification request;

receiving through an optical receiver in the remote control a series of video screen flashes that function to specify to the remote control via a predetermined serial protocol an identity of a single channel that was determined as currently being displayed on a video screen when the channel identification request was transmitted;

decoding the series of video screen flashes to determine the identity of the channel; and

modifying the favorite channel table in the remote control using the determined identity of the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the favorite channel table comprises deleting from the favorite channel table a channel corresponding to the determined identity of the channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the favorite channel table comprises adding to the favorite channel table a channel corresponding to the determined identity of the channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel identification request is transmitted using an IR protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the favorite channel table is modified as a function of a key activated to cause a transmission of the channel identification request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the key activated to cause a transmission of the channel identification request functions to cause a channel corresponding to the determined identity of the channel to be added to the favorite channel table.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the key activated to cause a transmission of the channel identification request functions to cause a channel corresponding to the determined identity of the channel to be deleted from the favorite channel table.

8. For use in a remote control having a memory, a method for storing and using channel identification information, comprising:

receiving a signal that functions to specify to the remote control an identity of a single channel that is determined as currently being tuned to by an appliance;

converting the signal to an electrical signal;

decoding the electrical signal to obtain the channel identification information;

storing the obtained channel identification information in a favorite channel table of the memory; and

in response to actuation of a favorite channel key, retrieving from the favorite channel table of the memory the obtained channel identification information and using the obtained channel identification information to cause a transmission of a command adapted to tune an appliance to a channel corresponding to the obtained channel identification information.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising transmitting a request to receive the signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal comprises a visible light pattern flashed on a video display.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal comprises a serial transmission of data.