PROGRAMMING A REMOTE CONTROL USING REMOVABLE STORAGE

• US 20110115664A1
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James, Van Vleck, Paul, Belz, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control

Abstract

A method and system for programming, using a removable storage, a remote control apparatus providing universal remote control functionality is disclosed. A removable storage module may be introduced into the remote control apparatus. Programming codes for a remote-controlled device controllable by the remote control apparatus may be transferred from the removable storage module. Executable code for configuring the remote control apparatus may also be transferred. The programming codes may be assigned to control elements of the remote control apparatus. The remote control apparatus may be configured to use at least one of the programming codes to remotely control the remote-controlled device.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a universal remote control (URC), comprising:

detecting a removable storage module being coupled to the URC, the storage module including programming codes for a remote-controlled device; and

configuring the URC to control the remote-controlled device using the programming codes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage module is a semiconductor memory module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the storage module includes a programmable memory module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the URC is configured to transfer at least some of the programming codes to a URC memory immovably integrated into the URC.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage module further includes configuration code executable by the URC and wherein said configuring further comprises:

executing the configuration code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring further comprises:

assigning the programming codes to control elements of the URC, wherein subsequent activation of a control element invokes a programming code assigned to the control element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving user input to control the remote-controlled device, sending commands to the remote-controlled device, the commands corresponding to the programming codes.

8. A remote control apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a physical interface for receiving a plurality of removable storage modules; and

memory media accessible to the processor, including instructions executable by the processor to;

in response to detecting a new storage module coupled to the physical interface, receive first information from the storage module identifying a new remote-controlled device;

identify second information including programming codes for the new remote-controlled device; and

transmit at least one of the programming codes to the new remote-controlled device.

9. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the new storage module is detected, the remote control apparatus includes a second storage module coupled to the physical interface, the second storage module including programming codes for a second remote-controlled device that the remote control apparatus is configured to control.

10. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory media further comprises processor instructions executable to:

receive executable code from the new storage module.

11. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processor instructions executable to program the remote control apparatus further comprise processor instructions executable to:

access the programming codes on the new storage device.

12. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processor instructions executable to program the remote control apparatus further comprise processor instructions executable to:

receive the programming codes in the memory media.

13. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein said remote control apparatus is a universal remote control, and further comprising:

a control element for receiving user input, and wherein the memory media further comprise processor instructions executable to;

assign a programming code for the remote-controlled device to the control element.

14. The remote control apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory media further comprises processor instructions executable to:

responsive to receiving user input at the control element to control the remote-controlled device, send commands to the remote-controlled device, the commands corresponding to the assigned programming code.

15. The remote control apparatus of claim 8, wherein said remote control apparatus is a customer premises equipment of a multimedia content distribution network, and further comprising:

a remote control transceiver, and wherein the memory media further comprise processor instructions executable to;

responsive to displaying a virtual remote control context, receive a command via the remote control transceiver; and

forward a programming code corresponding to the received command to the remote-controlled device.

16. The remote control apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a bus interface coupled to the remote-controlled device, and wherein said processor instructions to forward the programming code further comprise processor instructions executable to;

forward the programming code via the bus interface.

17. Computer-readable memory media, including executable instructions for configuring a universal remote control (URC), said instructions executable to:

in response to detecting a removable storage module coupled to the URC, identify a remote-controlled device controllable by the URC based on a first indication received from the storage module;

identify programming codes for the new remote-controlled device based on a second indication received from the storage module; and

configure the URC to use at least one of the programming codes.

18. The memory media of claim 17, wherein said instructions executable to configure the URC further comprise instructions executable to:

assign a programming code selected from the identified programming codes to a control element of the URC.

19. The memory media of claim 18, further comprising processor instructions executable to:

responsive to receiving user input at the control element to control the remote-controlled device, send a command to the remote-controlled device, the command corresponding to the assigned programming code.

20. The memory media of claim 17, further comprising processor instructions executable to:

receive executable code from the storage module.