SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION
First Claim
1. A system for providing location data for use in a portable device, the system comprising:
- a portable device having programming for simultaneously receiving from each of a plurality of different signaling devices a wireless signal wherein the simultaneously received wireless signals function to provide a unique wireless signal fingerprint in each of a plurality of different environments and for capturing the unique wireless signal fingerprint in each of the plurality of different environments; and
a database accessible to the portable device having a plurality of stored location definitions each being related to a captured unique wireless signal fingerprint such that when the portable device is in subsequent simultaneous receipt of the wireless signals from each of the plurality of different signaling devices in a one of the plurality of different environments the programming is setup to select one of the plurality of stored location definitions from the database for use in configuring the portable device to be used in the one of the plurality of different environments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.
50 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A system for providing location data for use in a portable device, the system comprising:
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a portable device having programming for simultaneously receiving from each of a plurality of different signaling devices a wireless signal wherein the simultaneously received wireless signals function to provide a unique wireless signal fingerprint in each of a plurality of different environments and for capturing the unique wireless signal fingerprint in each of the plurality of different environments; and a database accessible to the portable device having a plurality of stored location definitions each being related to a captured unique wireless signal fingerprint such that when the portable device is in subsequent simultaneous receipt of the wireless signals from each of the plurality of different signaling devices in a one of the plurality of different environments the programming is setup to select one of the plurality of stored location definitions from the database for use in configuring the portable device to be used in the one of the plurality of different environments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7)
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4. A controlling device having instructions for configuring the controlling device to command operations in a one of a plurality of control environments, the instructions performing the steps comprising:
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receiving at least one signal containing a unique identifying characteristic representative of the one of the plurality of control environments wirelessly transmitted from at least one signaling device; selecting from a database accessible to the controlling device a one of a plurality of location definitions that has been preassociated with the unique identifying characteristic in the received at least one signal; and using the selected location definition to configure the controlling device to command functional operations of one or more appliances which have been predetermined to be within the one of the plurality of control environments corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of location definitions.
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5. In an environment including a plurality of appliances, a method comprising:
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accepting user input into a controlling device indicative of an operation to be performed by one of more of the plurality of appliances; determining the current location of the controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment; selecting from a database of commands available to the controlling device one or more commands to be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of appliances as a function of the determined location of the controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment and the user input; and transmitting the selected one or commands to cause one or more of the plurality of appliances to perform the operation.
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Specification