Universal remote control with macro command capabilities

• US 6,587,067 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Grossman, Avram S., Ellis, Richard E., Jansky, Louis Steven, Darbee, Paul V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Albert K.
• Application Number:
  US09/791,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 348/734, 340/825.52, 340/825.72, 359/146, 359/148, 345/168, 345/169, 345/172
• US Class Current: 341/176
• 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. In 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, a readable medium having instructions for performing steps comprising:

matching 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 pushbuttons of the keyboard being activated to directly identify each of the plurality of different home applicances of different manufacturers to which the universal remote control is to be matched; and

assigning 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 a plurality of operating commands to one or more of the matched home appliances.

2. The readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions further perform the step of using activation of one or more pushbuttons of the keyboard to assign the subset of the selected codes and data from the library to the macro pushbutton.

3. In a universal remote control comprising a keyboard having a plurality of pushbuttons and a library of codes and data for use in transmitting operating commands to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers, a readable medium having instructions for performing steps comprising:

matching 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; and

using activation of one or more pushbuttons of the keyboard to match the universal remote control to the plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers;

instructions further perform the step of using activation of one or more of the pushbuttons of the keyboard to directly identify each of the plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers to which the universal remote control is to be matched.

4. In 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, a method comprising:

matching 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 pushbutton of the keyboard, the pushbutton of the keyboard being activated to directly identify each of the plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers to which the universal remote control is to be matched; and

assigning 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 a plurality of operating commands to one or more of the matched home appliances.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising using activation of one or more pushbuttons of the keyboard to assign the subset of the selected codes and data from the library to the macro pushbutton.

6. In a universal remote control comprising a keyboard having a plurality of pushbuttons and a library of codes and data for use in transmitting operating commands to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers, a method comprising:

matching 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 pushbutton of the keyboard; and

using activation of one or more pushbuttons of the keyboard to directly identify each of the plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers to which the universal remote control is to be matched.