System and method for controlling device location determination

• US 9,026,141 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: de Clercq, Stephan, Chambers, Christopher A., Scott, Wayne, Yuh, Allen, Arling, Paul D., Lilleness, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/538,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20150065119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/134, 455/418, 455/419, 370/328, 340/4.31, 340/12.52, 345/157, 348/14.07
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/70 Device selection
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions for use in configuring a portable controlling device to control functional operations of one of a first controllable appliance located in a first environment and a second controllable appliance located in a second environment, the instructions, when executed by the portable controlling device, performing steps comprising:

accepting into the portable controlling device while in a configuration mode of the portable controlling device first user input to create a first location definition for the first environment, the first location definition being associated with a first command code set and a first user interface, displayable in a display of the portable controlling device, having a first set of user interface elements which are activable to cause the portable controlling device to use the first command code set to transmit commands for controlling functional operations of the first controllable appliance;

accepting into the portable controlling device while in the configuration mode of the portable controlling device second user input to create a second location definition for the second environment, the second location definition being associated with a second command code set and a second user interface, displayable in the display of the portable controlling device, having a first set of user interface elements which are activable to cause the portable controlling device to use the second command code set to transmit commands for controlling functional operations of the second controllable appliance;

associating within the portable controlling device while in the configuration mode of the portable device a first identifying characteristic of a signal receivable from a first device within the first environment with the first location definition and a second identifying characteristic of a signal receivable from a second device within the second environment with the second location definition;

receiving into the portable controlling device while in an operating mode of the portable controlling device a signal transmitted by at least one of the device within the first environment and the device within the second environment;

determining if the signal received from the at least one of the device within the first environment and the device within the second environment has the first identifying characteristic or the second identifying characteristic; and

when it is determined that the signal received from the at least one of the device within the first environment and the device within the second environment has the first identifying characteristic causing the portable controlling device to be provisioned with the first location definition and, when it is determined that the signal received from the at least one of the device within the first environment and the device within the second environment has the second identifying characteristic causing the portable controlling device to be provisioned with the second location definition whereupon the portable controlling device will be configured to control functional operations of one of the first controllable appliance located in the first environment and the second controllable appliance located in a second environment.

2. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second set of user interface elements comprise user interface elements which are activable to cause the portable controlling device to use the respective first and second command code sets to cause the respective first and second controllable appliances to tune to a one of a plurality of respective first and second favorite channels that have been separately defined for the respective first and second environments.

3. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first location definition is associated with a third command code set and the first user interface has a second set of user interface elements which are activable to cause the portable controlling device to use the third command code set to transmit commands for controlling functional operations of a third controllable appliance located in the first environment.

4. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the first user interface has at least one macro user interface element which is activatble to cause the portable controlling device to use the first command code set and the third command code set to transmit commands for controlling the functional operations of the first controllable appliance and the third controllable appliance located in the first environment.

5. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 4, wherein the second location definition is associated with a fourth command code set and the second user interface has a second set of user interface elements which are activable to cause the portable controlling device to use the fourth command code set to transmit commands for controlling functional operations of a fourth controllable appliance located in the second environment.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the second user interface has at least one macro user interface element which is activatble to cause the portable controlling device to use the second command code set and the fourth command code set to transmit commands for controlling the functional operations of the second controllable appliance and the fourth controllable appliance located in the first environment.

7. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first identifying characteristic comprises a first digital code modulated on the signal transmitted by the device within the first environment and the second identifying characteristic comprises a second digital code distinct from the first digital code modulated on the signal transmitted by the device within the second environment.

8. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first identifying characteristic comprises a first transmission protocol used in the signal transmitted by the device within the first environment and the second identifying characteristic comprises a second transmission protocol distinct from the first transmission protocol used in the signal transmitted by the device within the second environment.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 8, wherein the first transmission protocol comprises an infrared transmission protocol and the second transmission protocol comprises a radio frequency transmission protocol.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 8, wherein the first transmission protocol comprises a first infrared transmission protocol and the second transmission protocol comprises a second infrared transmission protocol.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first identifying characteristic comprises a first transmission signal strength of the signal transmitted by the device within the first environment and the second identifying characteristic comprises a second transmission signal strength distinct from the first transmission signal strength of the signal transmitted by the device within the second environment.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instruction cause the portable controlling device to transmit a request to have at least one of the first device in the first environment and the second device in the second environment transmit the signal for reception by the portable controlling device.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the portable controlling device to transmit the request in response to a sensed movement of the portable controlling device.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the portable controlling device to transmit the request in response to a sensed activation of a user input element of the portable controlling device.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first identifying characteristic comprises a first data indicative of an identity of the device within the first environment and the second identifying characteristic comprises a second data indicative of an identity of the device within the second environment.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the first data comprises a MAC address of the device within the first environment and the second data comprises a MAC address of the device within the second environment.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable controlling device comprises one of:

a remote control, a portable phone, a wireless capable PDA, a tablet PC, a Smart Display, and a home appliance.