Antenna diversity for control device applications

• US 8,418,211 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Beals, William Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US12/347,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 725/80, 725/81, 348/734, 348/552
• US Class Current: 725/81
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

One embodiment may take the form of a method for routing a signal to a target device. The method may include a control device that may transmit a signal on a first network. The signal may reach devices other than the target device. The devices that receive the signal may recognize that the signal is intended for another device and may transmit the signal on a second network. The signal may be received by the target device via the second network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a first electronic device, comprising:

receiving, by at least a second electronic device, a control signal for the first electronic device across a first network from a control device;

transmitting the control signal from the second electronic device, after determining that the control device is not paired with the second electronic device, to the first electronic device on a second network;

receiving the control signal at the first electronic device; and

executing the control signal on the first electronic device, wherein the first and second networks transmit data according to different protocols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first network and the second network is a wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first network and the second network is a wired network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device is a television receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising programming the first electronic device to recognize an address of the remote control.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the control signal by multiple electronic devices via the first network;

retransmitting the control signal by multiple electronic devices via the second network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring the control signal in the event the control signal is a cloned signal.

8. A method for routing control signals comprising:

receiving, at a first electronic device, a control signal transmitted on a first network from a control device;

determining whether the control device is paired with the first electronic device; and

in the event the control device is not paired with the first electronic device, transmitting the control signal from the first electronic device on a second network, wherein the first and second networks transmit data according to different protocols.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first electronic device is a television receiver.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first network is a wireless network and the second network is a wired network.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising in the event the control signal is transmitted by a control device that is paired with the first electronic device, processing the control signal using the first electronic device.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining at the second electronic device whether the control signal is a cloned signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising in the event the control signal is a cloned signal, ignoring the control signal at the second electronic device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising in the event the control signal is not a cloned signal and the control signal is received from a control device that is paired with the second electronic device, processing the control signal at the second electronic device.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising programming the address of the control device into the second electronic device.

16. A method for routing control signals, comprising:

receiving a first control signal at a first electronic device via a first network;

receiving a second control signal at the first electronic device via the first network;

determining whether the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted by a control device that is paired with the first electronic device;

determining whether the first control signal and the second control signal are cloned signals;

in the event the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted by a control device that is not paired with the first electronic device and the first control signal and the second control signal are not cloned signals, transmitting the first control signal and the second control signal from the first electronic device via a second network, wherein the first and second networks transmit data according to different protocols; and

receiving the first control signal and the second control signal at a second electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising ignoring the first control signal and the second control signal at the first electronic device when the first control signal and the second control signal are cloned signals.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted by a control device that is paired with the second electronic device; and

in the event the first control signal and the second control signal are transmitted by a control device that is paired with the second electronic device, executing the first and second control signals at the second electronic device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the first control signal and the second control signal are cloned signals further comprises:

determining whether the first and second control signals are received within a predetermined time period; and

in the event the first and second control signals are received within the predetermined time period, further determining whether the first and second control signals are from a single control device and whether the first and second control signals are identical signals.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising in the event the first and second control signals are not received within the predetermined time period, executing the first and second control signals at the second electronic device.