Addressable distributed wireless remote control system

• US 6,424,660 B2
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobson, James E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/947,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.72, 340/3.5, 340/3.53, 340/3.54, 370/475
• US Class Current: 370/475
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways

Abstract

An apparatus for use in an addressable distributed wireless remote control system includes a receiver operative to receive a request from an unidentified remote control device via a wireless communication medium. The apparatus also includes a storage device to store an identifier which identifies the receiver in the system, and transmit logic, coupled to the receiver and the storage medium, operative to transmit both the request and the identifier to a system controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving with a wireless reception device a command for an audio/visual component from a remote control device;

determining a receiver identifier corresponding to the wireless reception device;

transmitting the command and the receiver identifier to a controller in response to receiving the command; and

transmitting a control sequence generated by the controller to the audio/visual component, to control the audio/visual component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless reception device and the audio/visual component comprise a single device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver identifier indicates a location of the wireless reception device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless reception device and the controller comprise a single device.

5. An article comprising a machine-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed, cause one or more electronic systems to:

receive with a wireless reception device a command for an audio/visual component from a remote control device;

determine a receiver identifier corresponding to the wireless reception device;

transmit the command and the receiver identifier to a controller in response to receiving the command; and

transmit a control sequence generated by the controller to the audio/visual component, to the audio/visual component.

6. The article of claim 5 wherein the wireless reception device and the audio/visual component comprise a single device.

7. The article of claim 5 wherein the receiver identifier indicates a location of the wireless reception device.

8. The article of claim 5 wherein the wireless reception device and the controller comprise a single device.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a command for an audio/visual component and a receiver identifier of a wireless reception device that received the command;

generating a control sequence in response to the command and the receiver identifier; and

transmitting the control sequence to the audio/visual component.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless reception device and the audio/visual component comprise a single device.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a location of the audio/visual component.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining a location of a device to be controlled by the control sequence.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a location of the audio/visual component.

14. An article comprising a machine-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed cause one or more electronic systems to:

receive a command for an audio/visual component and a receiver identifier of a wireless reception device that received the command;

generate a control sequence in response to the command and the receiver identifier; and

transmit the control sequence to the audio/visual component.

15. The article of claim 14 wherein the wireless reception device and the audio/visual component comprise a single device.

16. The article of claim 14 further comprising sequences of instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more electronic systems to determine a location of the wireless reception device.

17. The article of claim 16 further comprising sequences of instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more electronic systems to determine a location of the audio/visual component to be controlled by the control sequence.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless receiving device to receive a command for an audio/visual component from a wireless remote control device, the wireless receiving device having an associated receiver identifier;

a controller coupled with the wireless reception device, the controller to receive the command and the receiver identifier from the wireless receiving device and to transmit a control sequence in response to the command and the receiver identifier;

an audio/visual component coupled with the controller to receive the control sequence from the controller and to perform a function indicated by the control sequence.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the wireless reception device and the audio/visual component comprise a single device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the receiver identifier indicates a location of the wireless reception device.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the wireless reception device and the controller comprise a single device.