MULTI-FUNCTION REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20120019400A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Mukesh K., Logan, Jonathan A., Gharaat, Amir, Lee, Richard, Hsu, Roger, Poniatowski, Robert, Lee, Anthony P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,786,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method for operating a target media device is described. The method includes receiving a user command by a remote control device for operating a target media device, where a signal to operate the target media device is not stored on the remote control device when the user command is received. Data associated with the user command is transmitted by the remote control device to a second media device and signal information, associated with the signal to operate the target media device, is received by the remote control device from the second media device. The signal to operate the target media device is transmitted by the remote control device to the target media device, where the target media device performs a function based on the signal received from the remote control device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command for operating a target media device, wherein a signal to operate the target media device is not stored on the remote control device when the user command is received;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, information associated with the user command;

receiving, by the remote control device from the second media device, signal information associated with the signal to operate the target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to the target media device, the signal to operate the target media device;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the remote control device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitting the signal to operate the target media device by the remote control device to the target media device comprises transmitting an infrared signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein transmitting the information associated with the user command by the remote control device to a second media device comprises transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on the signal information received from the second media device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on a previous signal transmitted to the target media device.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command to operate a target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, data associated with the user command;

transmitting, by the second media device to the target media device, a signal based on the user command;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the second media device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the remote control device transmitting data to the second media device comprises the remote control device transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the second media device transmitting the signal to operate the target media device comprises the second media device transmitting an infrared signal, Ethernet signal, a Wi-Fi signal, HDMI CEC signal.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the remote control device is not configured for direct communication with the target media device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

logic configured to perform steps comprising;

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command for operating a target media device, wherein a signal to operate the target media device is not stored on the remote control device when the user command is received;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, information associated with the user command;

receiving, by the remote control device from the second media device, signal information associated with the signal to operate the target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to the target media device, the signal to operate the target media device;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the remote control device.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein transmitting the signal to operate the target media device by the remote control device to the target media device comprises transmitting an infrared signal.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein transmitting the information associated with the user command by the remote control device to a second media device comprises transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on the signal information received from the second media device.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on a previous signal transmitted to the target media device.

15. A apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

logic configured to perform steps comprising;

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command to operate a target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, data associated with the user command;

transmitting, by the second media device to the target media device, a signal based on the user command;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the second media device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the remote control device transmitting data to the second media device comprises the remote control device transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the second media device transmitting the signal to operate the target media device comprises the second media device transmitting an infrared signal, Ethernet signal, a Wi-Fi signal, HDMI CEC signal.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the remote control device is not configured for direct communication with the target media device.

19. An computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, performs steps comprising:

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command for operating a target media device, wherein a signal to operate the target media device is not stored on the remote control device when the user command is received;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, information associated with the user command;

receiving, by the remote control device from the second media device, signal information associated with the signal to operate the target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to the target media device, the signal to operate the target media device;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the remote control device.

20. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, wherein transmitting the signal to operate the target media device by the remote control device to the target media device comprises transmitting an infrared signal.

21. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 20, wherein transmitting the information associated with the user command by the remote control device to a second media device comprises transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

22. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on the signal information received from the second media device.

23. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the remote control device identifies the target media device for transmitting the signal based on a previous signal transmitted to the target media device.

24. An computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, performs steps comprising:

receiving, by a remote control device, a user command to operate a target media device;

transmitting, by the remote control device to a second media device, data associated with the user command;

transmitting, by the second media device to the target media device, a signal based on the user command;

performing, by the target media device, a function based on the signal received from the second media device.

25. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the remote control device transmitting data to the second media device comprises the remote control device transmitting a Bluetooth signal.

26. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the second media device transmitting the signal to operate the target media device comprises the second media device transmitting an infrared signal, Ethernet signal, a Wi-Fi signal, HDMI CEC signal.

27. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the remote control device is not configured for direct communication with the target media device.