Apparatus, systems and methods for detecting infrared signals at a media device configured to be positioned in different orientations

• US 8,682,169 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Hardaker, Trevor, Lockwood, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, DZUNG D
• Application Number:
  US13/036,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20120219297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 398/115, 398/212, 398106-107, 398/127
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Systems and methods are operable to detect infrared (IR) signals at a media device. Exemplary embodiments include a media device configured to receive media content; at least one IR detector residing in the media device, and configured to receive a portion of IR signals emitted from a remote control; and a cover lens disposed in a portion of an enclosure of the media device. The cover lens has a first cover lens portion configured to receive the IR signals emitted from the remote control and is configured to transmit a first portion of the received IR signal to the IR detector when the media device is horizontally oriented, and has a second cover lens portion configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control and is configured to transmit a second portion of the received IR signal to the IR detector when the media device is vertically oriented.

Claims

1. A media device infrared (IR) signal detection system, comprising:

a media device configured to receive media content;

at least one IR detector residing in the media device, the at least one IR detector configured to receive a portion of an IR signal emitted from a remote control; and

a cover lens disposed in an enclosure of the media device, the cover lens comprising;

a first cover lens portion configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in a horizontally oriented position, and configured to transmit the portion of the received IR signal to the at least one IR detector; and

a second cover lens portion configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in a vertically oriented position, and configured to transmit the portion of the received IR signal to the at least one IR detector,

wherein the enclosure of the media device further comprises;

a first surface that is configured to receive the first cover lens portion, wherein the first cover lens portion is oriented in a first outward direction to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position; and

a second surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the first surface and joined with the first surface at an edge, wherein the second surface is configured to receive the second cover lens portion, and wherein the second cover lens portion is oriented in a second outward direction to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position, and

wherein the first outward direction and the second outward direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

2. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the horizontally oriented position of the media device is a first horizontally oriented position, wherein the cover lens further comprises:

a third cover lens portion configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control, and configured to transmit a third portion of the received IR signal to the at least one IR detector when the media device is oriented in a second horizontally oriented position,

wherein the enclosure of the media device further comprises;

a third surface that is configured to receive the third cover lens portion, wherein the third cover lens portion is oriented in a third outward direction to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the second horizontally oriented position.

3. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 2, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are fabricated as a unitary body cover lens, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are located at a corner of the enclosure where the first surface, the second surface and the third surface are joined together.

4. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are joined and are located at the edge of the enclosure, and wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

5. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are separate, and wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

6. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one IR detector is a first IR detector configured to detect the portion of the IR signal through the first cover lens portion when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position, and wherein the media device further comprises:

a second IR detector configured to detect the portion of the IR signal through the second cover lens portion when the media device is in the vertically oriented position.

7. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the media device further comprises:

at least one signal conditioning lens configured to refract the first portion of the received IR signal to the IR detector, and configured to refract the second portion of the received IR signal to the IR detector.

8. The media device IR signal detection system of claim 1, wherein the first cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the vertically oriented position, and wherein the second cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position.

9. A method for detecting remote control emitted infrared (IR) signals at a media device, the media device comprising an enclosure defined by at least a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is substantially perpendicular to the second surface, and wherein the first surface is joined with the second surface at an edge, the method comprising:

receiving an IR signal at a first cover lens portion disposed on the first surface of the media device when the media device is in a horizontally oriented position, wherein the first cover lens portion is oriented in a first outward direction; and

receiving the IR signal at a second cover lens portion disposed on the second surface of the media device when the media device is in a vertically oriented position, wherein the second cover lens portion is oriented in a second outward direction,

wherein the first outward direction and the second outward direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media device comprises an IR detector located behind the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion, and further comprising:

detecting a portion of the IR signal through the first cover lens portion at the IR detector when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position; and

detecting the portion of the IR signal through the second cover lens portion at the IR detector when the media device is in the vertically oriented position.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the horizontally oriented position of the media device is a first horizontally oriented position, and further comprising;

receiving the IR signal at a third cover lens portion disposed on a third surface of the media device when the media device is in a second horizontally oriented position,

wherein the third surface is orthogonally oriented to the first surface and the second surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are fabricated as a unitary body cover lens.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are located at a corner of the enclosure where the first surface, the second surface and the third surface are joined together.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the vertically oriented position, and wherein the second cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position.

15. A media system, comprising:

a media device configured to receive media content, and configured to operate in one of a horizontally oriented position and a vertically oriented position;

a remote control configured to transmit an infrared (IR) signal to the media device, wherein the IR signal comprises information to control at least one of the media device and a presentation device communicatively coupled to the media device;

at least one IR detector residing in the media device, and configured to receive a portion of the IR signal emitted from the remote control; and

a cover lens defined by a first cover lens portion and a second cover lens portion disposed in an enclosure of the media device, the cover lens configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control, and configured to transmit the portion of the IR signal to the IR detector when the media device is in one of the horizontally oriented position and the vertically oriented position,

wherein the enclosure of the media device further comprises;

a first surface that is configured to receive the first cover lens portion, wherein the first cover lens portion is oriented in a first outward direction to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position; and

a second surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the first surface and joined with the first surface at an edge and is configured to receive the second cover lens portion, wherein the second cover lens portion is oriented in a second outward direction to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position,

wherein the first outward direction and the second outward direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

16. The media system of claim 15, wherein the horizontally oriented position is a first horizontally oriented position, wherein the edge joining the first surface and the second surface is a first edge, wherein the enclosure of the media device further comprises a third surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the third surface is joined with the first surface at a second edge, wherein the third surface is joined with the second surface at a third edge, and wherein the cover lens further comprises:

a third cover lens portion in the third surface that is configured to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is oriented in a second horizontally oriented position, and is configured to transmit a third portion of the received IR signal to the IR detector.

17. The media system of claim 16, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are fabricated as a unitary body cover lens.

18. The media system of claim 16, wherein the first cover lens portion, the second cover lens portion, and the third cover lens portion are located at a corner of the enclosure where the first surface, the second surface and the third surface are joined together.

19. The media system of claim 15, wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are joined, and wherein the first cover lens portion and the second cover lens portion are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

20. The media system of claim 15, wherein the first cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the vertically oriented position, and wherein the second cover lens portion is not oriented to receive the IR signal emitted from the remote control when the media device is in the horizontally oriented position.