Transmitting a codeset over a single-wire bus from a computer to a remote control device

• US 7,895,301 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UEI Cayman Incorporated (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nekl, Joshua J., Mui, Daniel SauFu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zong; Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US11/975,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 709/209, 709/221, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/5.61, 340/5.62, 340/5.63, 340/5.64, 341/23, 341/173, 341/176, 348731-734, 446/454, 710/71, 710/105, 710/106, 710/305, 710/310, 710/29, 370/463, 370/514, 370/538, 375/370, 375/225, 375/295, 375/316, 375/219, 375/340, 375/360, 375354-357, 375/369
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4286 using a handshaking protocol, e.g. RS232C link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices

Abstract

A hypertext document containing a selection criterion for a desired codeset is transmitted from a web server to a web client on the computer of a user of an electronic consumer device. The user selects a desired codeset and sends a designation of the selection criterion from the web client on his computer back to the web server. The designation of the selection criterion is used to select the desired codeset from a central database of codesets. The desired codeset is then transmitted from the web server to the web client on the user'"'"'s computer. A pin of an integrated circuit in the user'"'"'s remote control device is coupled to a single-wire communication bus. The user'"'"'s remote control device is coupled to the user'"'"'s computer via the single-wire communication bus. The desired codeset is then transmitted from the user'"'"'s computer over the single-wire communication bus to the remote control device.

Claims

1. A method for downloading a codeset onto a remote control device having a flash memory, comprising:

(a) coupling a pin of an integrated circuit in a remote control device to a single-wire communication bus;

(b) using the single-wire communication bus to download to the remote control device the codeset, to program the flash memory of the remote control device, and to perform debugging of the remote control device;

(c) transmitting from a web server to a computer a hypertext document that includes a codeset election criterion;

(d) receiving onto the web server a designation of the codeset selection criterion from a web client on the computer;

(e) selecting a codeset from a plurality of codesets associated with the web server using the designation of the codeset selection criterion, wherein the selected codeset is the codeset downloaded to the remote control device and;

(f) transmitting the selected codeset from the web server to the web client on the client prior to downloading the selected codeset to the remote control device;

wherein the selected codeset is stored in a central database of codesets before the selected codeset is transmitted in (f); and

wherein the codeset is transmitted in (b) in the form of a plurality of strings of timing information, and wherein the plurality of strings of timing information is associated with a plurality of functions of an electronic consumer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the codeset comprises key code information and tables of modulation, timing and framing protocols, wherein the key code information includes key codes, and wherein each key code corresponds to a function of an electronic consumer device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the function of the electronic consumer device is taken from the group consisting of:

volume up, volume down, channel advance, channel back, cursor up, cursor down, cursor right, cursor left, select, play, record, stop, forward, back, pause, play VCR, play DVD, TV power on, and DVD and stereo equalizer power on.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is a microcontroller, and wherein the microcontroller includes the flash memory.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) supplying initial data bits onto the single-wire communication bus, wherein a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter supplies the initial data bits.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(d) supplying a remote start bit onto the single-wire communication bus, wherein the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter detects the remote start bit.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the codeset comprises the initial data bits.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) transmitting a second codeset from the remote control device over the single-wire communication bus to a computer, wherein the second codeset is transmitted in the form of a plurality of strings of timing information.

9. A system comprising:

a single-wire communication bus;

a microcontroller having an associated flash memory in a remote control device, wherein the single-wire communication bus is coupled to a pin of the microcontroller and wherein the single-wire communication bus is used to download to the remote control device a codeset, to program the flash memory, and to perform debugging of the remote control device;

transmitting from a web server to a computer a hypertext document that includes a codeset election criterion;

receiving onto the web server a designation of the codeset selection criterion from a web client on the computer;

selecting a codeset from a plurality of codesets associated with the web server using the designation of the codeset selection criterion, wherein the selected codeset is the codeset downloaded to the remote control device and;

transmitting the selected codeset from the web server to the web client on the client prior to downloading the selected codeset to the remote control device;

wherein the selected codeset is stored in a central database of codesets before the selected codeset is transmitted in (f); and

wherein the codeset is transmitted in (b) in the form of a plurality of strings of timing information, and wherein the plurality of strings of timing information is associated with a plurality of functions of an electronic consumer device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote control device has no USB socket.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the codeset is received onto a web client on a computer before the codeset is downloaded from the computer to the remote control device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the single-wire communication bus plugs into a six-pin socket on the remote control device.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a pull-up resistor coupled to the single-wire communication bus.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the single-wire communication bus couples a first open-drain interface to a second open-drain interface, further comprising:

a remote start bit UART that includes the second open-drain interface, wherein the remote start bit UART detects a remote start bit on the single-wire communication bus and then supplies initial data bits onto the single-wire communication bus, and wherein part of the codeset is transmitted via the initial data bits.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the codeset comprises key codes, and wherein each key code corresponds to a function of an electronic consumer device.