SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING THE POWER STATE OF REMOTE CONTROL ELECTRONICS

• US 20090249086A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A remote control device may include circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control an electronic device, a power source electrically coupled to provide power to the circuitry, and a power state controller configured to control a power state of the circuitry based on a state of the electronic device. An electronic device may be configured to be controlled by a remote control device, and may include an input device configured to receive a wireless signal from the remote control device, an output device configured to send a wireless signal to the remote control device, and a processor coupled to the input device. The processor may be configured to control a function of the electronic device based on the received signal, to determine information regarding the state of the electronic device, and to send the determined information regarding the state of the electronic device to the remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote control device, comprising:

circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control at least one electronic device;

a power source electrically coupled to provide power to the circuitry; and

a power state controller configured to control a power state of the circuitry based on a state of the at least one electronic device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power state controller is configured to place at least a portion of the circuitry into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the at least one electronic device is not in use.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to receive user input includes circuitry to wirelessly control a main electronic device and circuitry to wirelessly control at least one auxiliary electronic device, and the power state controller is configured to control a power state of the circuitry to control the main electronic device based on a state of the main electronic device and to control a power state of the circuitry to control the at least auxiliary electronic device based on a state of the at least one auxiliary electronic device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the power state controller is configured to place at least a portion of the circuitry to control the main electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the main electronic device is not in use.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the power state controller is configured to obtain information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device by polling the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device when at least a portion of the circuitry is in at least one of a stand-by or an off power state.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device periodically.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device at least when the remote control device is contacted by a user.

9. An electronic device configured to be controlled by a remote control device, the electronic device comprising:

an input device configured to receive at least one wireless signal from the remote control device;

an output device configured to send at least one wireless signal to the remote control device; and

a processor coupled to the input device, configured to control at least one function of the electronic device based on the at least one wireless signal received by the input device, configured to determine information regarding the state of the electronic device, and configured to send the determined information regarding the state of the electronic device to the remote control device via the output device.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine information regarding the states of a plurality of functions of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising at least one auxiliary input device coupled to the processor and configured to receive information regarding the state of an auxiliary device coupled to the auxiliary input device, wherein the processor is configured to send the information regarding the state of the auxiliary device to the remote control device via the output device.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the electronic device is configured to be controlled by a plurality of remote control devices that are configured to control respective auxiliary devices;

the electronic device includes a plurality of auxiliary input devices coupled to the processor and configured to receive information regarding the state of the respective auxiliary devices coupled to corresponding ones of the auxiliary input devices; and

wherein the processor is configured to send the information regarding the state of the respective auxiliary devices to the respective remote control devices via the output device.

13. A method of controlling a power state of a remote control device including circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

determining a state of the at least one electronic device; and

controlling a power state of the circuitry of the remote control device based on the determined state of the at least one electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein controlling the power state of the circuitry comprises placing at least a portion of the circuitry into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the at least one electronic device is determined to not be in use.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the circuitry configured to receive user input includes circuitry to wirelessly control a main electronic device and circuitry to wirelessly control at least one auxiliary electronic device, and wherein controlling the power state of the circuitry comprises controlling a power state of the circuitry to control the main electronic device based on a state of the main electronic device and controlling a power state of the circuitry to control the at least auxiliary electronic device based on a state of the at least one auxiliary electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the power state of the circuitry to control the main electronic device comprises placing at least a portion of the circuitry to control the main electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the main electronic device is not in use.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising obtaining information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device by polling the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein polling of the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device is performed at least when at least a portion of the circuitry is in at least one of a stand-by or an off power state.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein polling of the at least one electronic device is performed periodically.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein polling the at least one electronic device is performed at least when the remote control device is contacted by a user.