Methods and apparatus for learning remote control commands

• US 9,117,362 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• 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): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US13/610,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20120328300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.6, 340/426.36, 340/12.22, 340/4.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• 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: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals

Abstract

Described herein are various techniques for transferring command codes between multiple remote controls. A first controlled device receives a signal from a remote control associated with a second controlled device. The signal is associated with a command for the second controlled device. The first controlled device receives user input, assigning the command to a selected button of a second remote control. The first controlled device transmits a message to the second remote control. The message includes information utilized by the second remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button, allowing the second remote control to generate the command for the second controlled device.

Claims

1. A method for learning commands from a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a first remote control at a first controlled device, the signal being associated with a command for a second controlled device;

receiving user input, at the first controlled device, the user input assigning the command to a selected button of a second remote control;

transmitting a message from the first controlled device to the second remote control, the message including information utilized by the second remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the second controlled device;

receiving user input identifying the second controlled device; and

transmitting a second message from the first controlled device to an external server, the second message identifying the second controlled device, the signal and the selected button of the second remote control.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal further comprises:

receiving the signal from the first remote control through an infrared receiver of the first controlled device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal and transmitting the message further comprises:

receiving the signal from the first remote control through a radio frequency transceiver of the first controlled device; and

transmitting the message to the second remote control through the radio frequency receiver.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the signal from the first remote control through a radio frequency transceiver of the first controlled device and transmitting the message to the second remote control through the radio frequency receiver further comprises:

identifying a protocol associated with the signal;

determining whether the second remote control is configured to transmit commands encoded in the protocol; and

transmitting the message to the second remote control responsive to determining that the second remote control is configured to transmit commands encoded in the protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second user input from a third remote control associated with the first controlled device; and

transmitting a second message from the first controlled device to the third remote control, the second message including information utilized by the third remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the second controlled device.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface that receives a signal from a first remote control, the signal being associated with a command for another controlled device; and

control logic communicatively coupled to the communication interface operable to receive user inputs assigning the command to a selected button of a second remote control and identifying the controlled device;

the communication interface further operable to transmit a message to the second remote control, the message including information utilized by the second remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the controlled device; and

a network interface operable to transmit a second message to an external server, the second message identifying the controlled device, the signal and the selected button of the second remote control.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communication interface comprises an infrared receiver that receives the signal from the first remote control.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the communication interface comprises a radio frequency transceiver to transmit the message to the second remote control.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communication interface comprises a radio frequency receiver to receive the signal from the first remote control.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control logic is operable to:

identify a protocol associated with the signal;

determine whether the second remote control is configured to transmit commands encoded in the protocol; and

initiate transmission of the message to the second remote control through the radio frequency receiver responsive to determining that the second remote control is configured to transmit commands encoded in the protocol.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control logic is operable to:

receive second user input from a third remote control; and

initiate transmission of a second message to the third remote control through the communication interface, the message including information utilized by the third remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the controlled device.

12. An entertainment device comprising:

an infrared receiver that receives a signal from a first remote control associated with another controlled device, the signal being associated with a first command for the controlled device;

a wireless transceiver operable to receive second commands from a second remote control and third commands from a third remote control;

a first input interface that receives a first input stream;

a second input interface that receives a second input stream;

a first output interface communicatively coupled to the first input interface and the wireless transceiver that outputs the first input stream to a first presentation device based on the second commands;

a second output interface communicatively coupled to the second input interface and the wireless receiver that outputs the second input stream to a second presentation device based on the third commands;

control logic communicatively couple to the infrared receiver, the wireless receiver, the first and second input interfaces and the first and second output interfaces, the control logic operable to;

receive user input assigning the command to a selected button of the second remote control; and

transmit a message to the second remote control via the wireless transceiver, the message including information utilized by the second remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the controlled device.

13. The entertainment device of claim 12, wherein the controlled device comprises the first presentation device.

14. The entertainment device of claim 12, wherein the control logic receives the user input from the second remote control via the wireless transceiver.

15. The entertainment device of claim 12, wherein the control logic outputs a selection menu, for presentation by the second presentation device, the selection menu prompting a user to identify the controlled device and wherein the entertainment device stores the identification of the controlled device in association with the signal and the identification of the selected button.

16. The entertainment device of claim 15, further comprising:

a network interface operable to transmit the identification of the controlled device, the signal and the identification of the selected button to an external server.

17. The entertainment device of claim 15, wherein control logic is operable to:

receive second user input from the third remote control; and

initiate transmission of a second message to the third remote control via the wireless transceiver, the second message including information utilized by the third remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the controlled device.

18. The entertainment device of claim 15, wherein the control logic is operable to transmit a second message to the third remote control via the wireless transceiver, the second message including information utilized by the third remote control to reproduce the signal responsive to actuation of the selected button to generate the command for the controlled device.