Systems and methods for controlling the power state of remote control electronics

• US 8,082,455 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rehman, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US12/056,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A remote control device may include circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control an electronic device, a power source electrically coupled to provide power to the circuitry, and a power state controller configured to control a power state of the circuitry based on a state of the electronic device. An electronic device may be configured to be controlled by a remote control device, and may include an input device configured to receive a wireless signal from the remote control device, an output device configured to send a wireless signal to the remote control device, and a processor coupled to the input device. The processor may be configured to control a function of the electronic device based on the received signal, to determine information regarding the state of the electronic device, and to send the determined information regarding the state of the electronic device to the remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote control device, comprising:

circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control at least one electronic device;

a power source electrically coupled to provide power to the circuitry; and

a power state controller configured to control a power state of the circuitry based on a state of the at least one electronic device, wherein the power state controller is configured to place at least a portion of the circuitry that is operable to control a corresponding portion of the at least one electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when the power state controller obtains state information indicating that the corresponding controlled portion of the at least one electronic device is not in use in order to reduce power consumption;

wherein the circuitry configured to receive user input includes circuitry to wirelessly control a main electronic device and circuitry to wirelessly control at least one auxiliary electronic device and the power state controller is configured to;

control a power state of the circuitry to control the main electronic device based on a state of the main electronic device;

control a power state of the circuitry to control the at least one auxiliary electronic device based on a state of the at least one auxiliary electronic device,

place at least a portion of the circuitry to control the main electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when the power state controller obtains state information indicating that a corresponding controlled portion of the main electronic device is not in use in order to reduce power consumption, and

place at least a portion of the circuitry to control the at least one auxiliary electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when the power state controller obtains state information indicating that a corresponding controlled portion of the at least one auxiliary electronic device is not in use in order to reduce power consumption.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power state controller is configured to obtain information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device by polling the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device when at least a portion of the circuitry is in at least one of a stand-by or an off power state.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device periodically.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the power state controller is configured to poll the at least one electronic device at least when the remote control device is contacted by a user.

6. A method of controlling a power state of a remote control device including circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

determining a state of the at least one electronic device; and

controlling a power state of the circuitry of the remote control device based on the determined state of the at least one electronic device, wherein controlling the power state of the circuitry comprises placing at least a portion of the circuitry that is operable to control a corresponding portion of the at least one electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when state information is obtained indicating that the corresponding controlled portion of the at least one electronic device is not in use in order to reduce power consumption

wherein the circuitry configured to receive user input includes circuitry to wirelessly control a main electronic device and circuitry to wirelessly control at least one auxiliary electronic device and wherein controlling the power state of the circuitry comprises;

controlling a power state of the circuitry to control the main electronic device based on a state of the main electronic device;

controlling a power state of the circuitry to control the at least auxiliary electronic device based on a state of the at least one auxiliary electronic device;

placing at least a portion of the circuitry to control the main electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the main electronic device is not in use; and

placing at least a portion of the circuitry to control the at least auxiliary electronic device into at least one of a stand-by or an off power state when a corresponding controlled portion of the at least auxiliary electronic device is not in use.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising obtaining information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device by polling the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein polling of the at least one electronic device for information regarding the state of the at least one electronic device is performed at least when at least a portion of the circuitry is in at least one of a stand-by or an off power state.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein polling of the at least one electronic device is performed periodically.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein polling the at least one electronic device is performed at least when the remote control device is contacted by a user.