System and method for effectively implementing a charging base for a remote control device

• US 20080186410A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert, Candelore, Brant, Read, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A system and method for effectively implementing a charging base for a remote control includes a television device that is controlled by the remote control over a wireless RC-TV communications link. The charging base recharges a battery of the remote control when the remote control is docked to the charging base. In addition, the remote control may be docked to the charging base for bi-directionally communicating with the television and other external entities over a wireless base-TV communications link. Furthermore, various compatible peripheral devices may also recharge their batteries and bi-directionally communicate with the television and the external entities over the base-TV communications link while the peripheral devices are docked to the charging base.

Claims

1. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

a television that is configured to display image data on a television display screen;

a remote control that controls operations of said television over an RC-TV communications link; and

a charging base that generates an RC recharge power source to recharge an RC battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base, said charging base bi-directionally communicating with said television over a base-TV communications link.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said RC-TV communications link includes a wireless infrared communication path directly between said remote control and said television.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said RC-TV communications link includes a wireless radio frequency communication path directly between said remote control and said television.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote control docks to said charging base through an RC dataport/charger interface.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said remote control bi-directionally communicates with said television over said base-TV communications link while said remote control is docked to said charging base through said RC dataport/charger interface, said RC recharge power source being provided to said RC battery through said RC dataport/charger interface when said remote control is docked to said charging base.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said RC dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote control downloads electronic information over said base-TV communications link, through said charging base, from at least one of said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said electronic information includes electronic program guide information that is displayed on a display of said remote control.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said base-TV communications link operates by utilizing high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said base-TV communications link operates with said high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques in an approximate frequency range of 100 megabits-per-second.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said charging base is a portable device that is freely positionable within an operating location of said television, a system user selectively locating said charging base adjacent to a customary viewing location of said television to thereby facilitate conveniently utilizing said charging base without leaving said customary viewing location.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising peripheral devices that bi-directionally communicate with said television and other external entities over said base-TV communications link while said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said peripheral devices include a video camera, a digital still camera, a personal computer device, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, and a cellular telephone.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said peripheral dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said charging base is coupled to an AC power source to provide a continuous source of recharging power for recharging both said remote control and said peripheral devices.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said charging base is implemented to include a peripheral dataport/charger interface for docking said peripheral devices to said charging base.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein a peripheral recharge power source is provided to recharge peripheral batteries of said peripheral devices through said peripheral dataport/charger interface when said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein said peripheral devices upload content information to said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein said peripheral devices download content information from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein said peripheral devices upload and download content information to and from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base, said content information including entertainment programming, video data, still image data, text data, software program instructions, graphics, movies, and electronic program guides.

21. A method for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

providing a television that is configured to display image data on a television display screen;

utilizing a remote control to control operations of said television over an RC-TV communications link; and

generating an RC recharge power source from a charging base to recharge an RC battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base, said charging base bi-directionally communicating with said television over a base-TV communications link.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said RC-TV communications link includes a wireless infrared communication path directly between said remote control and said television.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said RC-TV communications link includes a wireless radio frequency communication path directly between said remote control and said television.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control docks to said charging base through an RC dataport/charger interface.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said remote control bi-directionally communicates with said television over said base-TV communications link while said remote control is docked to said charging base through said RC dataport/charger interface, said RC recharge power source being provided to said RC battery through said RC dataport/charger interface when said remote control is docked to said charging base.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said RC dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control downloads electronic information over said base-TV communications link, through said charging base, from at least one of said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said electronic information includes electronic program guide information that is displayed on a display of said remote control.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein said base-TV communications link operates by utilizing high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said base-TV communications link operates with said high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques in an approximate frequency range of 100 megabits-per-second.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein said charging base is a portable device that is freely positionable within an operating location of said television, a system user selectively locating said charging base adjacent to a customary viewing location of said television to thereby facilitate conveniently utilizing said charging base without leaving said customary viewing location.

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising peripheral devices that bi-directionally communicate with said television and other external entities over said base-TV communications link while said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said peripheral devices include a video camera, a digital still camera, a personal computer device, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, and a cellular telephone.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said peripheral dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said charging base is coupled to an AC power source to provide a continuous source of recharging power for recharging both said remote control and said peripheral devices.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said charging base is implemented to include a peripheral dataport/charger interface for docking said peripheral devices to said charging base.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein a peripheral recharge power source is provided to recharge peripheral batteries of said peripheral devices through said peripheral dataport/charger interface when said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein said peripheral devices upload content information to said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein said peripheral devices download content information from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein said peripheral devices upload and download content information to and from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base, said content information including entertainment programming, video data, still image data, text data, software program instructions, graphics, movies, and electronic program guides.

41. The method of claim 27 wherein said electronic information includes video content information that is displayed on a liquid-crystal display of said remote control.

42. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

means for displaying image data on a television display screen;

means for controlling operations of said means for displaying over an RC-TV communications link; and

means for generating an RC recharge power source to recharge an RC battery of said means for controlling, said means for generating bi-directionally communicating with said means for displaying over a base-TV communications link.

43. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

a remotely-controllable device;

a remote control that controls operations of said remotely-controllable device; and

a charging base that generates an RC recharge power source to recharge said remote control, said charging base communicating directly with said remotely-controllable device.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein said remotely-controllable device include a television set-top box.

45. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

a television that is configured to display image data on a television display screen;

a remote control that controls operations of said television over an RC-TV communications link;

a charging base that generates an RC recharge power source to recharge an RC battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base, said charging base bi-directionally communicating with said television over a base-TV communications link to download electronic program guide data from said television into said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base; and

a peripheral device that is dockable to said charging base for recharging a peripheral battery of said peripheral device, said peripheral device uploading and downloading content information over said base-TV communications link when docked to said charging base.