Method and system for extending internet protocol remote control to non-internet protocol devices

• US 20070258718A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Furlong, Jeff, Beaton, Robert, McNeill, Jared
• Application Number:
  US11/418,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258718A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A method for controlling an infrared radiation (“IR”) based consumer electronics (“CE”) device with a wireless Internet Protocol (“IP”) based remote control unit, the method comprising: receiving an IP message from the remote control unit through an IP receiver of an IP remote control extender system, the IP message for controlling a function of the CE device, the IP receiver for receiving IP messages over a wireless IP network; determining from the IP message a respective IR message for controlling the function; and, sending the respective IR message to the CE device through an IR transmitter of the IP remote control extender system, the IR transmitter for sending IR messages over a wireless IR link, whereby a user of the remote control unit may control the function of the CE device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an infrared radiation (“

IR”

) based consumer electronics (“

CE”

) device with a wireless Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) based remote control unit, the method comprising;

receiving an IP message from the remote control unit through an IP receiver of an IP remote control extender system, the IP message for controlling a function of the CE device, the IP receiver for receiving IP messages over a wireless IP network;

determining from the IP message a respective IR message for controlling the function; and

,

sending the respective IR message to the CE device through an IR transmitter of the IP remote control extender system, the IR transmitter for sending IR messages over a wireless IR link, whereby a user of the remote control unit may control the function of the CE device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless IP network is an IEEE 802.11 based wireless fidelity (“

Wi-Fi”

) network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the IR based CE device is a radio frequency (“

RF”

) based CE device, the IR transmitter is a RF transmitter, and the IR message is a RF message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining further comprises using content of the IP message to look up the IR message from a table of IP messages, IR messages, and IR based CE device identifiers, the table being stored in a memory of the IP remote control extender system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the content of the IP message includes an identifier for the CE device and an identifier of the function.

6. The method of claim 5 and further comprising populating the table by discovering the IR based CE device identifiers from the IP based remote control unit using an IP based discovery protocol over the wireless IP network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the IP based discovery protocol is a universal plug and play (“

UPnP”

) protocol.

8. The method of claim 5 and further comprising populating the table by discovering the IR based CE device identifiers from each IR based CE device using an IR based discovery algorithm over the wireless IR link.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP remote extender system is included in a set-top box (“

STB”

).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the IR based CE device is one or more of a set-top box (“

STB”

), a stereo system, a video recorder (“

VCR”

), a digital video disk (“

DVD”

) player, a compact disk (“

CD”

) player, a stereo receiver, a tape deck, and a television (“

TV”

).

11. A system for controlling an infrared radiation (“

IR”

) based consumer electronics (“

CE”

) device with a wireless Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) based remote control unit, the system comprising;

a processor coupled to memory, an IP receiver for receiving IP based messages over a wireless IP network, and an IR transmitter for sending IR based messages over a wireless IR link; and

,

modules within the memory and executed by the processor, the modules including;

a module for receiving an IP message from the remote control unit through the IP receiver, the IP message for controlling a function of the CE device;

a module for determining from the IP message a respective IR message for controlling the function; and

,

a module for sending the respective IR message to the CE device through the IR transmitter, whereby a user of the remote control unit may control the function of the CE device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the wireless IP network is an IEEE 802.11 based wireless fidelity (“

Wi-Fi”

) network.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the IR based CE device is a radio frequency (“

RF”

) based CE device, the IR transmitter is a RF transmitter, and the IR message is a RF message.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the determining further comprises using content of the IP message to look up the IR message from a table of IP messages, IR messages, and IR based CE device identifiers, the table being stored in a memory of the system.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the content of the IP message includes an identifier for the CE device and an identifier of the function.

16. The system of claim 15 and further comprising a module for populating the table by discovering the IR based CE device identifiers from the IP based remote control unit using an IP based discovery protocol over the wireless IP network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the IP based discovery protocol is a universal plug and play (“

UPnP”

) protocol.

18. The system of claim 15 and further comprising a module for populating the table by discovering the IR based CE device identifiers from each IR based CE device using an IR based discovery algorithm over the wireless IR link.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the system is included in a set-top box (“

STB”

).

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the IR based CE device is one or more of a set-top box (“

STB”

), a stereo system, a video recorder (“

VCR”

), a digital video disk (“

DVD”

) player, a compact disk (“

CD”

) player, a stereo receiver, a tape deck, and a television (“

TV”

).