Method for controlling several apparatuses with the aid of a link attached device and said link attached device for carrying out said method

• US 7,605,713 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Trinchero, Olivier, Chevallier, Pascal, Mingot, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang; Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US10/528,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/72, 340/31, 340/825, 340/825.72, 341/176, 341/173
• US Class Current: 340/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of control of at least one electronic appliance with the aid of a distant device such as a remote control. The device comprises means of control, typically the keys of a keypad and a means of selection of an appliance from among several. The method comprises the following steps: activation of the device in a first mode where the means of control preferentially command the appliance selected by the means of selection, programming of at least one association between a means of control and an appliance, and activation of the associations so that the activation of a means of control commands the appliance associated during the programming step. The invention also relates to a device able to implement the method.

Claims

1. A method of control of at least two electronic appliances with the aid of a remote device comprising means of control and a means of selection of an appliance from a plurality of appliances, wherein the method comprises the steps:

programming at least two associations between at least two means of control and at least two appliances of said plurality of appliances,

activating the device in a first mode where the appliance selected by the means of selection is controlled by the means of control according to associations that are not programmed during the step of programming,

activating the device in a second mode wherein at least two appliances are continuously controlled by the means of control according to the associations performed during the programming step, said activating in the second mode being triggered by inputting a command on the means of selection, and

re-activating the device in a first mode by inputting a new command on the means of selection.

2. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises a step of commanding associations during the programming step prohibiting the programming of prohibited associations.

3. The method of control as claimed in claim 2, wherein an attempt to program a prohibited association triggers the transmission of an alert signal.

4. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises a step of displaying a visual identifier of an appliance, the visual identifier of an appliance being displayed when the device is in the second mode and when a user activates a means of control associated with the appliance.

5. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step comprises selecting an appliance and selecting several means of control, the means of control being associated with the selected appliance.

6. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step comprises selecting a means of control and selecting several appliances the selected appliances being associated with the means of control.

7. The method of control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming step makes it possible to define at least one set of associations, and wherein the method comprises a step of selecting a set of associations making it possible to activate the set when the device is in the second mode.

8. A device for remote control of at least two electronic appliances, comprising means of control and a means of selection of an appliance from a plurality of electronic appliances, each means of control being associated with a code predefined in the device,

wherein said device comprises:

a means of programming at least two associations between at least two means of control and at least two appliances amongst the plurality of appliances,

a means of activation of the device in a first mode wherein the appliance selected by the means of selection is controlled by the means of control according to associations that are not programmed by the means of programming, the activating of the device in the first mode being triggered by inputting a command on the means of selection,

a means of activation of the device in a second mode wherein the programmed associations are activated and wherein at least two appliances are continuously controlled by the means of control according to the associations performed by the programming means, the activating of the device in a second mode being triggered by inputting a command on the means of selection.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of programming comprises a means of commanding the associations prohibiting the programming of prohibited associations.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device comprises a means of transmitting a visual or audible alert signal during an attempt to program a prohibited association.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control device comprises a means of display of an identifier of the appliance, said means of display of an identifier of the appliance being activated when a means of control associated with the appliance is activated.

12. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control device comprises a means of display of an identifier of the appliance, the means of display being integrated into the means of selection of an appliance.

13. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of programming selects at least one appliance from the plurality of appliances and then specifies keys of the control means that are associated with the selected appliance.

14. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the programming means selects a key of the means of control to be programmed and then selects appliances to be associated with the selected key.

15. The control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device comprises a touch screen displaying the permitted associations.

16. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control device comprises a means of selection of at least one set of associations, the programming means being adapted to program the set of associations selected by said means of selection, and in that the means of activation activates only the associations of the selected set.

17. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means of selection of an appliance comprises a switch including as many positions as appliances to be commanded plus a position activating the programmed associations.

18. The control device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means of selection of a set of associations comprises a switch including as many positions as sets, the means of selecting sets being activated when the means of selection of an appliance is in the position activating the associations.