Network remote control

• US 8,054,854 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Poslinski, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSE, KERRI M
• Application Number:
  US10/926,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,630 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/339, 370464-467, 348/14.05, 348/734, 725/37, 725/39, 725/47, 725/48, 725/40, 725/59, 725/80, 725/141, 709217-219, 709/227, 340/825.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 715/259, 715/744, 715/745, 345/335
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/94 Smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• 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 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 : Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 : the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 : Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 : Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A network of devices with remote control includes a network interconnecting two or more networked devices and a wireless remote control unit for communicating with one or more of the networked devices. The remote control unit stores an interface for one or more of the networked devices so that the networked devices can be controlled with the remote control unit.

Claims

1. A remote control unit comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a plurality of interfaces from networked devices, said plurality of interfaces being stored in a memory module to become stored interfaces;

a display device connected to said system bus, said display device displaying user interface screens,

wherein said one of the stored interfaces is used to generate one of the user interface screens,

a processor configured to generate a command, one of the stored interfaces extracted from said memory module being used to generate said command,

wherein said command instructs an electrical device to perform or control a function, said electrical device being one of the networked devices,

wherein a network interconnects with each of said networked devices, said networked devices being end devices connected to the network, and

wherein said command is initiated from the remote control unit responsive to selection based upon said one of the user interface screens and is sent through a different one of the networked devices to said electrical device.

2. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said one of the stored interfaces includes data for a plurality of device functions that are performable or controllable by said electrical device, said function being one of the device functions.

3. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said one of the stored interfaces includes data for user preference settings, said user preference settings being input into said electrical device.

4. The remote control unit according to claim 3, wherein said user preference settings are editable by a user.

5. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory module is removable from a memory card slot.

6. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said one of the stored interfaces extracted from said memory module is used to generate a sound from a speaker.

7. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said remote control unit is assigned a remote control unit network address, said remote control unit network address uniquely identifying said remote control unit on said network.

8. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver wirelessly communicates with said network.

9. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver communicates with said network by wire.

10. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said each of the networked devices is individually addressable, said each of the networked devices being uniquely identifiable on said network.

11. The remote control unit according to claim 10, wherein said each of the networked devices is assigned a device network address.

12. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein a particular one of the user interface screens is selectable.

13. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein said display device is touch-sensitive display device, said user interface screens including one or more soft buttons.

14. The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein another of the interfaces is from another of the networked devices, said another the interfaces being used to generate another of the user interface screens.

15. The remote control unit according to claim 14, wherein another command controls said another of the networked devices, another of the stored interfaces extracted from said memory module being used to generate said another command.

16. An electrical device comprising:

a network connector/transceiver configured to output an interface onto a network, said interface including a plurality of device functions;

a processor configured to execute a command to perform or control a function, said function being one of the device functions,

wherein said network connector/transceiver receives said command originating from a remote control unit,

said remote control unit using a stored interface to generate said command through a remote control display that displays user interface screens, wherein the stored interface is used to generate one of the user interface screens,

wherein the electrical device is one of a plurality of networked devices interconnected by a network, said networked devices being end devices connected to the network, and

wherein said command is initiated from the remote control unit responsive to selection based upon said one of the user interface screens and is received by the electrical device through a different one of the networked devices.

17. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said electrical device is an appliance.

18. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said electrical device is electronics.

19. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said interface includes user preference settings, said user preference settings being input into said electrical device.

20. The electrical device according to claim 19, wherein said user preference settings are editable by a user.

21. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said network connector/transceiver wirelessly communicates with said network.

22. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said network connector/transceiver communicates with said network by wire.

23. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of device interfaces from networked devices are downloadable onto said network, said interface being one of the device interfaces.

24. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said each of the networked devices is assigned a device network address.

25. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said each of the networked devices is individually addressable, said each of the networked devices is individually addressable, said each of the networked devices being uniquely identifiable on said network.

26. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein a particular one of the user interface screens is selectable.

27. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said display device is touch-sensitive display device, said user interface screens including one or more soft buttons.

28. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said transceiver receives another interface from another of the networked devices, said another interface being used to generate another of the user interface screens.

29. The electrical device according to claim 28, wherein said another interface is another of the device interfaces.

30. The electrical device according to claim 28, wherein another command output from said transceiver controls said another of the networked devices, said another interface being used in controlling said another of the networked devices.