Method of programming local control
First Claim
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1. A method of programming a remote control comprising:
- (a) storing in a memory, data for control of a population of appliances, said data being sufficient to allow a remote control to remotely control functions of any of the population of appliances;
(b) selecting which appliances are to be controlled by the remote control,(c) transmitting to the remote control data for control of the selected appliances;
(d) storing said transmitted data in said remote control;
whereby the remote control is programmed to control the selected appliances,(e) said memory being at a central location, and said data is transmitted to a user terminal for acquisition by said remote control,(f) the data is acquired by the remote control by flashing a code using electromagnetic energy at the user terminal corresponding to said data for control of said appliances on a display, and(g) pointing said remote control at a display for reception and thus acquisition of said data.
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Abstract
This invention relates to programming a remote control comprised of storing in a memory, data for control of a population of appliances, the data being sufficient to allow a remote control to remotely control functions of any of the population of appliances; selecting which appliances are to be controlled by the remote control; transmitting to the remote control data for control of the selected appliances; storing the transmitted data in the remote control; whereby the remote control is programmed to control the selected appliances.
121 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of programming a remote control comprising:
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(a) storing in a memory, data for control of a population of appliances, said data being sufficient to allow a remote control to remotely control functions of any of the population of appliances; (b) selecting which appliances are to be controlled by the remote control, (c) transmitting to the remote control data for control of the selected appliances; (d) storing said transmitted data in said remote control; whereby the remote control is programmed to control the selected appliances, (e) said memory being at a central location, and said data is transmitted to a user terminal for acquisition by said remote control, (f) the data is acquired by the remote control by flashing a code using electromagnetic energy at the user terminal corresponding to said data for control of said appliances on a display, and (g) pointing said remote control at a display for reception and thus acquisition of said data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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- 4. A method for programming an appliance control apparatus comprising repetitively and cyclically transmitting control code for a population of appliances from a central location, receiving said control codes, the transmitting step being comprised of broadcasting said control codes, storing all of the control codes for said population of appliances at the control apparatus, indicating to a user the identity of appliances that may be controlled by means of a remote appliance control means, selectively particular ones of said appliances in response to said indication, then storing only those control codes corresponding to said selected particular appliances in said remote appliance control means, in which the indicating step is effected by flashing a light to said remote appliance control means in accordance with said control codes, and in which the storing means is effected by storing data signals corresponding to the flashes of light in memory locations of said remote appliance control means addressable by predetermined key switches of said remote appliance control means, whereby said codes stored at said memory locations can be accessed by means of said switches and local appliances control codes generated thereby for controlling said local appliances.
- 8. A method of programming an appliance control apparatus comprising repetitively and cyclically transmitting control codes for a population of appliances from a central location, receiving said control codes and storing at least those control codes required to control local appliances at the control apparatus, the transmitting step being comprised of broadcasting said control codes, at least some of the control codes are for control of a VCR to record a program during a predetermined period on a predetermined channel, further including controlling said VCR using said control codes for control of said VCR, and including displaying to a user on a display a list of programs that may be automatically recorded by means of a control means, selecting particular programs from the list, then storing control codes for control of said VCR in the control means corresponding to the selected programs.
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11. A method of programming and operating a remote control comprising:
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(a) transmitting from a central location control codes for recording of at least one program by at least one VCR, (b) acquiring and storing said control codes in a user terminal, (c) presenting on a display screen associated with the user terminal a list of programs for which the control codes have been stored, (d) selecting a program from the list by means of a signal from a remote control to the user terminal, (e) transmitting particular control codes from those stored in the user terminal, relating to the selected program, from the user terminal to the remote control, and (f) automatically controlling the VCR from the remote control using the particular control codes, to record the selected program. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of programming and operating a remote control comprising:
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(a) repetitively and cyclically transmitting control code for a population of appliances from a central location, (b) transmitting from a remote control to a user terminal a command for the user terminal to acquire said control codes, (c) acquiring and storing said control codes in the user terminal, (d) presenting on a display screen associated with the user terminal a list of appliances for which the control sequences have been stored, (e) selecting an appliance from the list by means of a signal from the remote control to the user terminal, (f) transmitting particular control codes from those stored in the user terminal, relating to the selected appliance, from the user terminal to the remote control, and storing the particular control codes in the remote control, and (g) controlling the selected appliance from the remote control using the particular control codes, in which the particular control codes are control codes designating the on time, off time, and channel of a particular VCR for a particular program shown on said list.
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15. A method of programming and operating a remote control comprising:
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(a) repetitively and cyclically transmitting control codes for a population of appliances from a central location, (b) transmitting from a remote control to a user terminal a command for the user terminal to acquire said control codes, (c) acquiring and storing said control codes in the user terminal, (d) presenting on a display screen associated with the user terminal a list of appliances for which the control sequences have been stored, (e) selecting an appliance from the list by means of a signal from the remote control to the user terminal, (f) transmitting particular control codes from those stored in the user terminal, relating to the selected appliance, from the user terminal to the remote control, and storing the particular control codes in the remote control, and (g) controlling the selected appliance from the remote control using the particular control codes, in which a guide of programming instructions transmitted to the user terminal and stored in the user terminal is displayed on said display prior to presentation of said list of said appliances. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of programming an appliance control apparatus comprising providing an identification of equipment to be controlled to a service provider, and transmitting by said service provider from a head end control codes for said equipment via a transmission medium, said control codes being addressed to a user terminal, receiving said control codes from the transmission medium in the user terminal and storing said control codes for invoking by a subscriber in controlling said equipment, locally storing said control codes in a user remote control, and at least temporarily storing said control codes in a terminal memory and wireless transmitting said control code from said terminal to the remote control on command from the remote control, in which said wireless transmitting is effected by one of infrared light, a flashing light emitting diode and a flashing television display screen.
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19. A method for programming a remote control comprising:
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(a) storing in a memory, data for control of a population of appliances, said data being sufficient to allow a remote control to remotely control functions of any of the population of appliances; (b) selecting which appliances are to be controlled by the remote control; (c) transmitting to the remote control data for control of the selected appliances; (d) storing said transmitted data in said remote control; whereby the remote control is programmed to control the selected appliances, (e) in which data transmitted and stored in the remote control includes an encryption key, and (f) controlling at least one appliance by transmitting an encrypted ultrasonic or electromagnetic energy signal from the remote control to said at least one appliance for decoding of said signal and control of said at least one appliance by the decoded signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of programming a remote control comprising:
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(a) storing in a memory, data for control of a population of appliances, said data being sufficient to allow a remote control to remotely control functions of any of the population of appliances; (b) selecting which appliances are to be controlled by the remote control; (c) transmitting to the remote control data for control of the selected appliances; (d) storing said transmitted data in said remote control; whereby the remote control is programmed to control the selected appliances, (e) in which the data transmitted and stored in the remote control is substituted for a program already stored therein, whereby the remote control is completely reprogrammed. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification