Compressed codeset database format for remote control devices

• US 8,081,102 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UEI Cayman Incorporated (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Provis, Adam P. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US12/928,889
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.72, 340/825.25, 341/176, 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 readable medium 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, wherein the first codeset information block also includes a pointer to the second codeset information block, and wherein the 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, and an optical storage device; and

using information of the first type to generate an operational signal, 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, wherein the said using information is performed by a virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the readable medium is part of a remote control device.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 6, 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.

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

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

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

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

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least twenty-five percent of all codesets stored in the readable medium are derivative codesets.

15. A method comprising:

storing in a readable medium 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, wherein the first codeset information block also includes a pointer to the second codeset information block, and wherein the 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, and an optical storage device;

using information of the first type to generate an operational signal, 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; and

transmitting the operational signal to an electronic consumer device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic consumer device is a combo device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting occurs as a result of a key press.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the said using information is performed by a virtual machine.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the readable medium is part of a remote control device.

20. A method comprising:

storing in a readable medium 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, wherein the first codeset information block is an information block for a derivative codeset and the second codeset information block is an information block for a nonderivative codeset, and wherein the 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, and an optical storage device; and

using information of the first type to generate an operational signal, 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.