System and Method for Capturing Remote Control Device Command Signals

• US 20100123598A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cinereski, Stephanie, Fu, Jack I-Chieh, Brodersen, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 10,223,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying protocols. In one aspect, a method includes comparing characteristics of a wireless signal received from a remote control to characteristics associated with a set of protocols. The method also includes assigning a score, based upon the comparison, to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols. The method also includes identifying a protocol from the set of protocols based upon the assigned scores. The identified protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing characteristics of a wireless signal received from a remote control to characteristics associated with a plurality of protocols;

based upon the comparison, assigning a score to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols; and

identifying a protocol from the plurality of protocols based upon the assigned scores, wherein the identified protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing a data packet representative of the identified protocol and contents of the wireless signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse counts.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse count comparison.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse widths.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse width comparison.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing the amount of pulses representative of data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the assigned score represents the data pulse amount comparison.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the assigned score is adjusted based upon translation of the data pulses.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the score includes summing sub-scores.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the protocol includes determining if a threshold has been attained.

12. A media processing device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from a remote control; and

a remote control driver for comparing characteristics of the wireless signal to characteristics associated with a plurality of protocols, the remote control driver is configured to assign a score, based upon the comparison, to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols, the remote control driver is further configured to identify a protocol from the plurality of protocols based upon the assigned scores, wherein the identified protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.

13. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein the remote control driver is further configured to produce a data packet representative of the identified protocol and contents of the wireless signal.

14. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse counts.

15. The media processing device of claim 14, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse count comparison.

16. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse widths.

17. The media processing device of claim 16, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse width comparison.

18. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing the amount of pulses representative of data.

19. The media processing device of claim 18, wherein the assigned score represents the data pulse amount comparison.

20. The media processing device of claim 19, wherein the assigned score is adjusted based upon translation of the data pulses.

21. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein assigning the score includes summing sub-scores.

22. The media processing device of claim 12, wherein identifying the protocol includes determining if a threshold has been attained.

23. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

comparing characteristics of a wireless signal received from a remote control to characteristics associated with a plurality of protocols;

based upon the comparison, assigning a score to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols; and

identifying a protocol from the plurality of protocols based upon the assigned scores, wherein the identified protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.

24. The computer readable media of claim 23, further comprising instructions to cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

producing a data packet representative of the identified protocol and contents of the wireless signal.

25. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse counts.

26. The computer readable media of claim 25, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse count comparison.

27. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing pulse widths.

28. The computer readable media of claim 27, wherein the assigned score represents the pulse width comparison.

29. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein comparing characteristics includes comparing the amount of pulses representative of data.

30. The computer readable media of claim 29, wherein the assigned score represents the data pulse amount comparison.

31. The computer readable media of claim 30, wherein the assigned score is adjusted based upon translation of the data pulses.

32. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein assigning the score includes summing sub-scores.

33. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein identifying the protocol includes determining if a threshold has been attained.