SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION

• US 20150010167A1
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,754,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/105
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.

Claims

1. A method for using a controlling device to control an output device of a controllable appliance, comprising:

receiving by the controllable appliance from the controlling device a signal;

using the received signal by the controllable appliance to determine if the controlling device has been directionally reoriented relative to the controllable appliance by more than a threshold amount; and

when it has been determined by the controllable appliance that the controlling device has been directionally reoriented relative to the controllable appliance by more than the threshold amount, causing the controllable appliance to use the received signal to directionally reorient the output device of the controllable appliance generally towards the controlling device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises at least one moveable parabolic speaker associated with the controllable appliance.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the received signal by the controllable appliance to determine if a relative distance between the controlling device and the controllable appliance has changed by a threshold amount and, when it has been determined by the controllable appliance that the relative distance between the controlling device and the controllable appliance has changed by the threshold amount, causing the controllable appliance to use the received signal to change an output level of the output device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the output device comprises at least one moveable parabolic speaker associated with the controllable appliance and wherein the output level comprises a volume level.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device transmits the signal in response to an input element of the controlling device being activated.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the input element comprises a command key and the signal comprises a command transmitted to control a functional operation of the controllable appliance.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device transmits the signal in response to a motion sensing device of the controlling device sensing a movement of the controlling device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device transmits the signal in response to receiving a signal request as received from the controllable appliance.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the signal comprises GPS data obtained by the controlling device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the controlling device comprises a smart device having a universal remote control application resident thereon.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the output device comprises at least one moveable display device.

11. The method as recited in 1, wherein the controlling device comprises a universal remote control device.