USER-ASSISTED PROGRAMMABLE APPLIANCE CONTROL

• US 20090040019A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Chuey, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.610
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/62 Rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00

Abstract

A system for activating an appliance responsive to one of many transmission schemes includes a transmitter, memory holding data describing the transmission schemes, and a controller in communication with the transmitter and the memory. The controller is operable to store a fixed code. If a fixed code is stored, then the controller transmits a sequence of fixed code activation schemes, based on the fixed code and data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received. If no fixed code is stored, then the controller transmits a sequence of rolling code activation schemes, based on data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received. The controller stores in the memory an indication as to which activation scheme activated the appliance based on the received input. The controller generates an activation signal based on the stored indication and a received activation input.

Claims

1. A method of programming a programmable remote control, the remote control programmable to a fixed code appliance activation scheme, the method comprising:

receiving a fixed code associated with a fixed code appliance; and

transmitting at least a first activation signal and a second activation signal, each of the first activation signal and the second activation signal based on the same fixed code activation scheme, each of the first activation signal and the second activation signal based on the received fixed code, the second activation signal based on a binary modification of the received fixed code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the binary modification is either a bitwise reversal or a bitwise inversion of the received fixed code.

3. A system for wirelessly activating an appliance, the appliance responding to one of a plurality of transmission schemes, the system comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter;

memory holding data describing the plurality of transmission schemes; and

a controller in communication with the transmitter and the memory, the controller operative to

(a) store a fixed code in the memory,

(b) if a fixed code is stored in the memory, transmit a sequence of fixed code activation schemes, based on the fixed code and data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received,

(c) if no fixed code is stored in the memory, transmit a sequence of rolling code activation schemes, based on data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received,

(d) store in the memory an indication as to which activation scheme activated the appliance based on the received input indicating activation of the appliance, and

(e) generate an activation signal based on the stored indication and a received activation input.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the input is user input.