Compressed codeset database format for remote control devices

• US 7,855,672 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IXYS CH GmbH (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Provis, Adam P. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir; Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/190,162
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.72, 340/825.25, 341/176, 341/173, 348/734, 711/155, 712/233
• US Class Current: 341/173
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A database of codesets for a remote control device includes codeset information blocks for derivative codesets and codeset information blocks for nonderivative codesets. A codeset information block for a derivative codeset includes: a bit indicating that the block is for a derivative codeset, a plurality of bits each of which corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of fields in a referenced codeset information block, and a pointer that points to the referenced codeset information block. The digital value of a bit determines whether information from the corresponding field in the referenced block will be used as part of the derivative codeset or whether such information is contained in the derivative codeset information block itself. The sizes of the fields in the referenced block are predetermined or are determinable, so a field in the referenced block can be located if its bit is set in the referencing block.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing in a computer readable medium that is not a transitory signal a first codeset information block and a second codeset information block, the first codeset information block including a first bit that is associated with a first portion of the second codeset information block, the first portion storing a first type of information, the first codeset information block also including a second bit that is associated with a second portion of the second codeset information block, the second portion storing a second type of information, and wherein the first codeset information block also includes a pointer to the second codeset information block; and

using information of the first type to generate an operational signal using a microcontroller integrated circuit of a remote control device, and wherein if the first bit has a first digital value then the information of the first type that is used is information of the first type that is part of the first codeset information block whereas if the first bit has a second digital value then the information of the first type that is used is information in the first portion of the second codeset information block.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using information of the second type to generate the operational signal, wherein if the second bit has a first digital value then the information of the second type that is used is information of the second type that is part of the first codeset information block whereas if the second bit has a second digital value then the information of the second type that is used is information in the second portion of the second codeset information block.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first codeset information block contains no information of the first type if the first bit has the second digital value, and wherein the first codeset information block contains no information of the second type if the second bit has the second digital value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said using involves reading the first bit and determining whether the information of the first type that is used will be the information of the first type that is part of the first codeset information block or whether the information of the first type that is used will be the information in the first portion of the second codeset information block.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first type of information is key code data information, the key code data information including a plurality of sequences of bits, each sequence of bits being for a respective one of a plurality of keys.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of information is a system code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of information is carrier timing information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational signal is a serial digital signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointer to the second codeset information block is an address.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially all codeset information blocks stored in the readable medium that have a first portion have a first portion of an identical size.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first codeset information block is an information block for a derivative codeset, and wherein the second codeset information block is an information block for a nonderivative codeset.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bit has the second digital value, wherein the first type of information is key code data information, wherein the first codeset information block includes a first derivative bit that indicates that the first codeset information block is an information block for a derivative codeset, and wherein the second codeset information block includes a second derivative bit that indicates that the second codeset information block is an information block for a nonderivative codeset.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the operational signal from the remote control device to an electronic consumer device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first bit has the second digital value, then no information is stored in the first codeset information block in any field for which the first bit indicates that information in a corresponding field in the second codeset information block is used to generate the operational signal.

13. A plurality of codeset information blocks stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein some of the codeset information blocks are information blocks for derivative codesets, wherein others of the codeset information blocks are information blocks for nonderivative codesets, wherein a first codeset information block for a derivative codeset includes a bit and a pointer to another codeset information block, wherein the bit indicates whether information in a corresponding field in the other codeset information block is to be used as part of the derivative codeset, and wherein no information is stored in the first codeset information block in any field for which the bit indicates that information in the corresponding field in the other codeset information block is used as part of the derivative codeset.

14. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 13, wherein if the bit has a first digital value then information from the corresponding field in the other codeset information block is not incorporated as part of the derivative codeset, whereas if the bit has a second digital value then said information from the corresponding field in the other codeset information block is incorporated as part of the derivative codeset.

15. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 13, wherein the bit is one of a plurality of consecutively stored bits.

16. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 15, wherein the bit is associated with a first field of the other codeset information block, wherein a second bit of said plurality of consecutively stored bits is associated with a second field of the other codeset information block, said first field containing modulation information, said second field containing key code data information.

17. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 13, wherein the readable computer medium is a part of a microcontroller integrated circuit.

18. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 13, wherein the computer readable medium is taken from the group consisting of:

a part of a microcontroller integrated circuit, a part of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a part of a cellular telephone, a part of a handheld remote control device for controlling an electronic consumer device, a part of a personal computer, a semiconductor memory device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device.

19. A plurality of codeset information blocks stored in a computer readable medium that is not a transitory signal, wherein some of codeset information blocks are information blocks for derivative codesets, and wherein others of the codeset information blocks are information blocks for nonderivative codesets, wherein each codeset information block for a derivative codeset includes means for indicating whether information in a corresponding field in another of the codeset information blocks will be incorporated into the derivative codeset or whether the information will not be incorporated into the derivative codeset, and wherein no information is stored in any field of a codeset information block for a derivative codeset for which the means indicates that information in the corresponding field in the other codeset information block will be incorporated into the derivative codeset.

20. The plurality of codeset information blocks of claim 19, wherein the means for indicating comprises:

a bit associated with the field of the codeset information block of the derivative codeset; and

a pointer to said another of the codeset information blocks.