Remote control with LED capabilities

• US 6,720,904 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• 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): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/223,261
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 340/815.66, 340/815.63, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/539.1, 340/815.69, 341/173, 341/175, 341/176
• US Class Current: 341/175
• 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: 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• 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 remote control comprising:

a central processing unit;

a plurality of command keys coupled to the central processing unit;

a transmitter coupled to the central processing unit for transmitting commands to a remotely controllable device in response to activation of one or more of the command keys;

a first light emitting diode coupled to the central processing unit which emits a visible light having a first color; and

a second light emitting diode coupled to the central processing unit which emits a visible light having a second color;

wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are individually operable to emit light in either the first color or the second color and wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are operable in combination to emit light in a third color to thereby allow the remote control to communicate state information to a user by way of color.

2. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second colors are primary colors and the third color is a secondary color.

3. The remote control as recited in claim 2, wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and the third color is yellow.

4. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable to communicate to a user a state of an attempt to setup the remote control to transmit commands to the remotely controllable device in response to activation of one or more of the command keys.

5. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are located in a single light emitting diode package.

6. The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable to communicate to a user a code representative of the remotely controllable device.

7. The remote control as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable in response to activations of command keys used to input the code representative of the remotely controllable device.