APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMPENSATING INFRARED NOISE IN AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

• US 20130272715A1
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Eber, Samuel, Hieb, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission

Abstract

Remote control signal detection systems and methods are operable to compensate detected infrared energy to identify an infrared energy communication signal emitted by a remote control. An exemplary embodiment detects first infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is absent in the first infrared energy; determines compensation based on the first infrared energy; detects second infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is present in the second infrared energy; and compensates the second infrared energy based on the determined compensation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting first infrared energy at a first time at an infrared (IR) signal detector of a device that is controllable by a remote control, wherein an infrared energy communication signal emitted from the remote control is absent in the detected first infrared energy;

determining an amount of background ambient infrared energy based on the first infrared energy;

determining a compensation based on the amount of background ambient infrared energy;

detecting second infrared energy at a second time at the IR signal detector of the device, wherein the second time is after the first time, and wherein the detected second infrared energy includes at least the infrared energy communication signal communicated from the remote control;

compensating the second infrared energy based on the determined compensation; and

determining the infrared energy communication signal from the compensated second infrared energy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving information corresponding to a known remote control (RC) infrared signal from a memory,

wherein the second infrared energy is further compensated based on the retrieved information corresponding to the known RC infrared signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible from the compensated second infrared energy; and

indicating that the remote control is not operational in response to determining that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

retrieving a visual notification message from a memory; and

communicating the visual notification message to a media presentation device,

wherein the visual notification message is presented on a display to a user of a device emitting the infrared energy communication signal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

issuing an audible alarm,

wherein a characteristic of the audible alarm corresponds to a magnitude of the first infrared energy.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

illuminating an indicator light, wherein a characteristic of the illumination from the indicator light corresponds to a magnitude of the first infrared energy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein after a predefined duration, the method further comprises:

detecting third infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is absent in the third infrared energy;

determining a new amount of background ambient infrared energy based on the third infrared energy;

determining new compensation based on the new amount of background ambient infrared energy;

subsequently detecting fourth infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is present in the fourth infrared energy; and

compensating the fourth infrared energy based on the determined new compensation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy with a threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy,

wherein the second infrared energy is only compensated when the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy exceeds the threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared energy communication signal emitted by the remote control is a first infrared energy communication signal emitted by a first remote control, the method further comprising:

detecting third infrared energy, wherein a second infrared energy communication signal emitted by a second remote control is present in the third infrared energy; and

compensating the third infrared energy based on the determined compensation.

10. A method comprising:

detecting first infrared energy at a first time at an infrared (IR) signal detector of a device that is controllable by a remote control, wherein an infrared energy communication signal emitted from the remote control is absent in the detected first infrared energy;

determining an amount of background ambient infrared energy based on the first infrared energy;

determining a compensation based on the background ambient infrared energy;

detecting second infrared energy at a second time at the IR signal detector of the device, wherein the second time is after the first time, and wherein the detected second infrared energy includes at least the infrared energy communication signal communicated from the remote control;

compensating the second infrared energy based on the determined compensation;

determining that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible from the compensated second infrared energy because of interference caused by the background ambient infrared energy; and

indicating that the remote control is not operational in response to determining that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible in the detected second infrared energy.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

retrieving a visual notification message from a memory; and

communicating the visual notification message to a media presentation device,

wherein the visual notification message is presented on a display to a user of a device emitting the infrared energy communication signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the visual notification message indicates that the user of the remote control should take at least one remedial action to reduce a current amount of background ambient infrared energy.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

issuing an audible alarm,

wherein a characteristic of the audible alarm corresponds to a magnitude of the first infrared energy.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein indicating that the remote control is not operational comprises:

illuminating an indicator light, wherein a characteristic of the illumination from the indicator light corresponds to a magnitude of the first infrared energy.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein after a predefined duration after indicating that the remote control is not operational, the method further comprises:

detecting third infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is absent in the third infrared energy, and wherein the detected third infrared energy corresponds to a new amount of background ambient infrared energy;

determining new compensation based on the new background ambient infrared energy;

subsequently detecting fourth infrared energy, wherein the infrared energy communication signal is present in the second infrared energy; and

compensating the fourth infrared energy based on the determined new compensation.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

comparing the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy with a threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy,

wherein the second infrared energy is only compensated when the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy exceeds the threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

comparing the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy in the detected first infrared energy with a threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy; and

indicating that the remote control is not operational in response to determining that the detected amount of background ambient infrared energy exceeds the threshold amount of background ambient infrared energy.

18. A media system, comprising:

a media device with an infrared (IR) detector configured to detect infrared energy, wherein the media device is configured to receive programming and configured to process the programming for presentation to a viewer;

a remote control configured to communicate instructions to the media device via an infrared energy communication signal; and

a media presentation device configured to present the processed programming on a display,

wherein the media device is further configured to;

detect first infrared energy at a first time at an infrared (IR) signal detector of a device that is controllable by a remote control, wherein the infrared energy communication signal emitted from the remote control is absent in the detected first infrared energy;

determine an amount of background ambient infrared energy based on the first infrared energy;

determine a compensation based on the amount of background ambient infrared energy;

detect second infrared energy at a second time at the IR signal detector of the device, wherein the second time is after the first time, and wherein the detected second infrared energy includes at least the infrared energy communication signal communicated from the remote control;

compensate the second infrared energy based on the determined compensation; and

determining the infrared energy communication signal from the compensated second infrared energy,

wherein the received programming is processed in accordance with at least one instruction determined from the infrared energy communication signal.

19. The media system of claim 18, wherein the IR signal detector is a first IR signal detector that resides in the media device and is configured to detect the second infrared energy, and further comprising:

a second IR signal detector configured to detect the first infrared energy, wherein the second IR signal detector is portable remote device configured to communicate the detected first infrared energy to the media device.

20. The media system of claim 18, wherein the media device is further configured to:

determine that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible from the compensated second infrared energy; and

indicate that the remote control is not operational in response to determining that the infrared energy communication signal is not discernible.