Remote control with LED capabilities

• US 6,496,135 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Darbee, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/871,872
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 341/175, 340/825.69, 340/825.56, 340/825.72, 359/148, 359/142
• US Class Current: 341/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/189 with a tactile symbol or indication, e.g. for blind people
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/056 Modular conception
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/24 Remote control device with display showing program content
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 9/06 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. light
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A universal remote control comprising a keyboard having a plurality of pushbuttons including a macro pushbutton and a library of codes and data for use in transmitting operating commands to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers. Instructions within the remote control are used to match the universal remote control to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers such that selected codes and data from the library are used to transmit operating commands to the matched home appliances in response to activation of selected pushbuttons of the keyboard. The instructions are also used to assign to the macro pushbutton a subset of the selected codes and data from the library whereafter activation of the macro pushbutton causes the universal remote control to use the subset of selected codes and data from the library to transmit operating commands to one or more of the matched home appliances.

Claims

1. A method of identifying code data stored in a hand held remote control, the method comprising:

storing code data for controlling a device in memory of the remote control;

associating the code data stored in memory with a light emitting diode (LED) visible emission pattern;

associating the code data stored in memory with a user input; and

in response to a user entering the user input, emitting from an LED the LED visible emission pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises activation of a key selecting one of a plurality of operating modes for the remote control.

3. A method of manufacturing a hand held remote control comprising:

storing in memory a plurality of code data for controlling a plurality of devices;

providing programming for converting the plurality of code data to a plurality of infrared codes; and

providing an association between the plurality of code data and a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) visible emission patterns.

4. A hand held remote control comprising:

code data associated with a plurality of modes;

programming for converting code data to infrared codes used to command the operation of an electronic device;

a transmission circuit for transmitting infrared codes to the electronic device;

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) visible emission patterns associated with the code data; and

a LED which visibly emits one or more of the plurality of visible emission patterns dependent upon which infrared codes are being transmitted to the electronic device.

5. A hand held remote control comprising:

programming for selecting one of a plurality of device modes;

code data associated with a plurality of device modes;

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) visible emission patterns associated with the device modes; and

a LED adapted to emit the visible emission patterns, whereby information concerning the device modes may be communicated to a user.

6. A method of setting a device code in a remote control, the method comprising:

in response to a user device mode input, selecting a device mode corresponding to the user device mode input;

in response to a user setup device input, entering a setup mode;

receiving through key actuation inputs a code corresponding to a device to be controlled; and

after receiving the code corresponding to the device to be controlled;

emitting a light emitting diode (LED) visible pattern.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the key actuation inputs for the code corresponding to the device to be controlled comprises a predetermined number of key actuation inputs.

8. The method of claim 7, testing if the predetermined number of key actuation inputs have been entered.

9. A remote control device code entry method comprising:

in response to input from a user, entering a setup mode corresponding to a device to be controlled;

receiving a device code input from the user;

testing if the device code input is in a library stored in memory of the remote control; and

if the device code input is in the library, causing a light emitting diode (LED) to visibly flash twice.

10. A method of identifying code data in a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving in the remote control a predetermined key sequence comprising one of a plurality of device mode keys and at least one predetermined key; and

causing a light emitting diode (LED) in the remote control to visibly blink a code corresponding to the code data, whereby the code data for controlling a device corresponding to the device mode key may be identified by a user.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising providing the user access to a table cross referencing the code blinked by the LED and the device corresponding to the device mode key.

12. In a remote control adaptable to control a plurality of different types of electronic devices of different makes and different models, a readable media having instructions for conveying setup information to a user, the instructions performing steps comprising:

accepting user input specifying a type of electronic device to be controlled by the remote control;

accepting user input requesting setup information; and

in response to the request, blinking an LED on the remote control to provide a visual representation of a make of the specified type of electronic device which the remote control is presently adapted to control.

13. The readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the instructions further perform the step of blinking the LED to provide a visual representation of a make and model of the specified type of electronic device which the remote control is presently adapted to control.

14. The readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the visual representation is a color coded pattern.