PORTABLE INFRARED CONTROL LIAISON

• US 20110158652A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• 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: Friedman, Lee G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information

Abstract

A remote control liaison device for use in controlling a remote controlled device via a LAN device includes a processor, a wireless transceiver, a remote control signal emitter, a remote control signal emitter adapter, an infrared signal detector, an indicator signal light, a power interface, and memory media accessible to the processor. The memory media may include instructions executable by the processor to establish a communication channel between the remote control liaison device and the LAN device using the wireless transceiver; convert a remote control command signal received from the LAN device for control of the remote controlled device into a device command executable by the remote controlled device; and send an infrared command signal corresponding to the device command to the remote controlled device using at least one of the remote control signal emitter and a second remote control signal emitter connected to the remote control signal emitter adapter.

Claims

1. A remote control liaison device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a remote control signal emitter;

a processor and

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

establish a communication channel between the remote control liaison device and a LAN device using the wireless transceiver;

convert a remote control command signal received from the LAN device for control of a remote controlled device into a device command executable by the remote controlled device; and

send an infrared command signal corresponding to the device command to the remote controlled device using the remote control signal emitter.

2. The remote control liaison device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power interface, wherein the power interface is configured to couple to a power source.

3. The remote control liaison device of claim 2, wherein the power interface is a USB connector.

4. The remote control liaison device of claim 3, wherein the USB connector is configured to couple the remote control liaison device in close proximity to the remote controlled device, and further wherein the remote control liaison device receives power from the remote controlled device.

5. The remote control liaison device of claim 1 further comprising:

processor instructions executable to;

responsive to establishing the communications channel, determine if the LAN device is authorized to transmit the remote control command signal for control of the remote controlled device.

6. The remote control liaison device of claim 1 further comprising:

processor instructions executable to;

receive configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes information for converting the remote control command signal into the device command.

7. The remote control liaison device of claim 6, wherein the configuration data is received from the LAN device.

8. The remote control liaison device of claim 7, wherein the configuration data is received using the wireless transceiver.

9. The remote control liaison device of claim 7, wherein the configuration data is received using a USB interface coupled to the LAN device.

10. The remote control liaison device of claim 1 further comprising:

an indicator signal light, wherein the indicator signal light is configured to occupy a plurality of states, wherein each state indicates a status of the remote control liaison device; and

processor instructions executable to;

determine the status of the remote control liaison device; and

responsive to the determined status, cause the indicator signal light to occupy a corresponding state selected from one of the plurality of states.

11. The remote control liaison device of claim 10, wherein the states of the indicator signal light are selected from one of the following:

constant on, constant off, intermittent on/off.

12. A remote control liaison device, comprising:

a wireless receiver;

a first remote control signal emitter;

a remote control signal emitter interface configured to receive a second remote control signal emitter;

a processor; and

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

receive a remote control command signal from the LAN device using the wireless receiver;

convert the remote control command signal into an infrared command signal executable by a remote controlled device; and

send infrared command data corresponding to the infrared command signal to the remote controlled device using at least one of the remote control signal emitter and the remote control signal emitter interface.

13. The remote control liaison device of claim 12, further comprising:

a network adapter configured to connect to at least one of the LAN device and the remote controlled device.

14. The remote control liaison device of claim 13, wherein the network adapter includes a USB interface.

15. The remote control liaison device of claim 14, wherein the network adapter provides power for the remote control liaison device from at least one of the LAN device and the remote controlled device.

16. The remote control liaison device of claim 13, wherein the remote control liaison device receives configuration data from the LAN device using at least one of the network adapter and the wireless transceiver.

17. The remote control liaison device of claim 12 further comprising:

an infrared signal detector; and

processor instructions executable to;

receive infrared command signals using the infrared signal detector; and

store the received infrared command signals.

18. A remote control liaison device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a first remote control signal emitter;

a remote control signal emitter interface configured to receive a second remote control signal emitter;

a processor; and

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

establish a communication channel between the remote control liaison device and a LAN device using the wireless transceiver;

convert a first remote control command signal received from the LAN device into a first device command executable by a first remote controlled device;

convert a second remote control command signal received from the LAN device into a second device command executable by a second remote controlled device;

send a first infrared command signal corresponding to the first command signal to the first remote controlled device using at least one of the remote control signal emitter and the remote control signal emitter interface; and

send a second infrared command signal corresponding to the second command signal to the second remote controlled device using at least one of the remote control signal emitter and the remote control signal emitter interface.

19. The remote control liaison device of claim 18 further comprising:

a USB connector.

20. The remote control liaison device of claim 19, wherein the remote control liaison receives power using the USB connector.