COMMUNICATING DISCOVERY INFORMATION FROM REMOTE CONTROL DEVICES

• US 20170270781A1
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: McKay, Dan N., Chock, Raymond O.
• Granted Patent: US 10,553,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A set top box receives from a remote control device one or more of a codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information. The set top box then causes information representative of the received codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information to be displayed in a display device associated with the set top box.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by a set top box from a remote control device a codeset identifier, wherein the codeset identifier is transmitted as part of a wireless communication; and

causing information representative of the received codeset identifier to be displayed in a display device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the codeset identifier uniquely identifies a codeset stored in a memory of the remote control device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the codeset identifier corresponds to a codes currently being used by the remote control device to command functional operations of an appliance.

4. A method comprising:

receiving by an electronic consumer device from a remote control device usable to control the electronic consumer device remote control discovery information, wherein the remote control discover information is indicative of a diagnostic condition of the remote control device; and

causing information representative of the received remote control discovery information to be displayed in a display associated with the electronic consumer device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the diagnostic condition of the remote control device comprises a battery charge condition of the remote control device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the remote control is caused to transmit to the electronic consumer device remote control discovery information in response to a first key entry code being provided to the remote control device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, comprising causing the remote control to transmit to the electronic consumer device a codeset identifier in response to a second key entry code being provided to the remote control device wherein the first key entry code is distinct from the second key entry code.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the remote control discovery information is transmitted as an infrared signal.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the remote control discovery information is transmitted as a radio frequency signal.

10. A method comprising:

receiving by a set top box from a remote control device a consumer electronic device identifier, wherein the consumer electronic device identifier is transmitted as a part of a wireless communication and wherein the device identifier comprises data indicative of a device brand and a device type; and

causing information representative of the consumer electronic device identifier to be displayed on a display device associated with the set top box.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the consumer electronic device identifier corresponds to a consumer electronic device the remote control is currently configured to command functional operations of

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the remote control is caused to transmit to the electronic consumer device the consumer electronic device identifier in response to a first key entry code being provided to the remote control device.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising causing the remote control to transmit to the electronic consumer device a codeset identifier in response to a second key entry code being provided to the remote control device wherein the first key entry code is distinct from the second key entry code.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, comprising causing the remote control to transmit to the electronic consumer device battery condition information in response to a third key entry code being provided to the remote control device wherein the third key entry code is distinct from the second key entry code and the first key entry code.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the electronic consumer device identifier comprises text based data.