Gesture-initiated remote control programming

• US 8,665,075 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James, Sullivan, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US12/606,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/12.78, 340/5.1, 340/825.22, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.24, 340/825.71, 340/539.16, 340/539.19, 340/541, 340/567, 340/10.1, 345/156, 345/157, 345/121, 345/123, 345/127, 345/341, 345/339, 345/159, 345/173, 345/158, 382/288, 382/115, 382/118, 382/181, 382/203, 348/211.1, 348/211.99, 348/734, 348/77
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio 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 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A method and system for configuring a universal remote control (URC) to control a remote-controlled device includes establishing a communication link between the URC and the remote-controlled device in response to detecting a gesture motion of the URC. Device information may be received from the remote-controlled device and used by the URC to program the URC to control the remote-controlled device. The URC may be configured to control a plurality of remote-controlled devices. The communication link may be a near field wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a universal remote control, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting a programming gesture motion of the universal remote control, initiating a remote control programming sequence including;

broadcasting, by a wireless transceiver, a wireless device identification request;

responsive to receiving, with the wireless transceiver, a wireless response to the device identification request from a remote-controlled device, requesting the remote controlled device to send device information, including remote control codes, for the remote controlled device;

responsive to receiving the device information, programming the universal remote control to support the remote control codes; and

storing the device information in the universal remote control;

responsive to receiving user input associated with a first remote control code, sending the first remote control command to the remote controlled device;

displaying, on a display device of the universal remote control, a list of available remote controlled devices; and

receiving user input to select one of the plurality of available remote-controlled devices for programming.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming gesture motion includes a pre-defined spatial path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the programming gesture motion includes an oscillating motion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver complies with a near field communication link standard selected from:

IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, and IEEE 802.15.1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the available remote controlled devices comprise remote controlled devices from which responses to the device identification request were received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an infrared transceiver.

7. A universal remote control, comprising:

a processor;

a motion sensor;

a near field transceiver; and

memory media, accessible to the processor, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

responsive to detecting a programming gesture motion of the universal remote control, initiating a remote control programming sequence comprising operations including;

broadcasting, by a wireless transceiver, a wireless device identification request;

responsive to receiving, with the wireless transceiver, a wireless response to the device identification request from a remote-controlled device, requesting the remote controlled device to send device information, including remote control codes, for the remote controlled device;

responsive to receiving the device information, programming the universal remote control to support the remote control codes; and

storing the device information in the universal remote control;

responsive to receiving user input associated with a first remote control code, sending the first remote control command to the remote controlled device;

displaying, on a display device of the universal remote control, a list of available remote controlled devices; and

receiving user input to select one of the plurality of available remote-controlled devices for programming.

8. The universal remote control of claim 7, wherein the programming gesture motion includes a pre-defined spatial path.

9. The universal remote control of claim 7, wherein the programming gesture motion includes an oscillating motion.

10. The universal remote control of claim 7, wherein the wireless transceiver complies with a near field communication link standards selected from:

IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, and IEEE 802.15.1.

11. The universal remote control of claim 7, wherein the available remote controlled devices comprise remote controlled devices from which responses to the device identification request were received.

12. The universal remote control of claim 7, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an infrared transceiver.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

responsive to detecting a programming gesture motion of the universal remote control, initiating a remote control programming sequence comprising operations including;

broadcasting, by a wireless transceiver, a wireless device identification request;

responsive to receiving, with the wireless transceiver, a wireless response to the device identification request from a remote-controlled device, requesting the remote controlled device to send device information, including remote control codes, for the remote controlled device;

responsive to receiving the device information, programming the universal remote control to support the remote control codes;

storing the device information in the universal remote control;

responsive to receiving user input associated with a first remote control code, sending the first remote control command to the remote controlled device;

displaying, on a display device of the universal remote control, a list of available remote controlled devices; and

receiving user input to select one of the plurality of available remote-controlled devices for programming.

14. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 13, wherein the programming gesture motion includes a pre-defined spatial path.

15. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 13, wherein the programming gesture motion includes an oscillating motion.

16. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 13, wherein the wireless transceiver complies with a near field communication link standards selected from:

IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, and IEEE 802.15.1.

17. The non-transitory memory medium of claim 13, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an infrared transceiver.