SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING A CONTROLLER

• US 20120320272A1
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• 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: Schmehl, Ian, White, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gateway comprising a controller to transmit a first RF signal to a remote control device, wherein the first radio-frequency signal is received by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the remote control device, receive at each of a plurality of receivers operably coupled to the gateway a second RF signal from the RFID tag of the remote control device in response to the first RF signal, determine an approximate location of the remote control device based on at least a portion of the second RF signals received by the plurality of receivers, and transmit a signal to a set-top-box, wherein the signal comprises the approximate location of the remote control device, and wherein the set-top-box displays the approximate location of the remote control device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A gateway device, comprising:

a memory for storing computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving one or more radio-frequency signals from a remote control device, wherein the one or more radio frequency signals are captured by one or more receivers;

determining an approximate location of the remote control device based on the one or more radio-frequency signals captured by the one or more receivers; and

transmitting a signal to a set-top-box, corresponding to the approximate location of the remote control device.

2. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein transmission of the one or more radio-frequency signals from the remote control device are triggered by an input that is external to the remote control device.

3. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted to the set-top box enables the set-top-box to display the approximate location determined for the remote control device.

4. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein the determination of the approximate location of the remote control device is based on a signal strength associated with the one or more radio-frequency signals captured by the one or more of receivers.

5. The gateway device of claim 4, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising determining the approximate location of the remote control device according to a triangulation analysis of the one or more radio-frequency signals captured by the one or more of receivers.

6. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising transmitting a first radio-frequency signal to the remote control device to stimulate the remote control device to respond by emitting the one or more radio-frequency signals.

7. The gateway device of claim 6, wherein the one or more radio-frequency signals are emitted responsive to the first radio frequency signal interacting with a radio-frequency identification tag at the remote control device.

8. A set-top-box device, comprising:

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

determining a location of a remote control device based on a received radio-frequency signal; and

presenting the location of the remote control device at a display device via a graphical user interface.

9. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the radio-frequency signal is received from the remote control device.

10. The set-top box device of claim 9, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising initiating transmission of a signal to the remote control device, wherein the transmitted signal triggers the remote control device to emit the radio-frequency signal.

11. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the set-top box device provides interactive television services, wherein the interactive television services comprise at least one of internet protocol television, interactive satellite television, or interactive cable television.

12. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the set-top box device receives the radio-frequency signal from a gateway device and wherein the gateway device receives the radio-frequency signal from the remote control device in response to the gateway device being in proximity to the remote control device.

13. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface displays the location of the remote control device on a map of an area associated with the determined location of the remote control device.

14. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface displays the location of the remote control device via an electronic programming guide.

15. The set-top box device of claim 8, wherein the radio-frequency signal is emitted by the remote control device frin a radio-frequency identification tag at the remote-control device.

16. A remote control device, comprising:

a radio-frequency identification tag;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the radio-frequency identification tag, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a first radio-frequency signal from a gateway device;

generating a second radio-frequency signal responsive to an interaction between the received first radio-frequency signal and the radio-frequency identification tag; and

transmitting the second radio-frequency signal to a plurality of receivers operably coupled to the gateway device, wherein a location of the remote control device is determined based on one or more instances of the second radio-frequency signal being received by the plurality of receivers.

17. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising generating an audio signal responsive to receiving the first radio-frequency signal.

18. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the determined location is displayed by a set-top-box via a graphical user interface

19. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the radio-frequency identification tag comprises at least one of an active tag, a passive tag, or a semi-passive tag.

20. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising transmitting a control signal to a set-top box device responsive to receiving the first radio-frequency signal.