Using HDMI-CEC to identify a codeset

• US 9,350,850 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UEI Cayman Incorporated (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pope, Steven M., Chock, Raymond O., Sheridan, Norman G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Carlos Ortiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton, Jennifer L
• Application Number:
  US12/148,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,958 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 340/4.3, 340/4.32, 340/12.22, 340/12.28, 340/12.5, 348/164, 348/734, 348/E5.096
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• 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 21/42204 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control

Abstract

A home entertainment device eliminates the need to use multiple remote'"'"'s. The device is connected (by wired and/or wireless links) to electronic consumer devices (ECDs) to be controlled. A user uses a portable display device to view pages served by the device, and thereby to communicate with the device and indirectly control the ECDs. In a first aspect, a HDMI-CEC communication is used to identify a codeset from a codeset database. In a second aspect, the codeset of a remote is identified by serving pictures of remotes to the user. The user selects a picture and the system looks up its codeset. In a third aspect, keys on an illustration of a remote are dragged and dropped to create a new custom remote. In a fourth aspect, the user supplies a digital photograph of a remote. The system performs optical recognition and identifies the type of remote and its codeset.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) using a single line bus communication to transmit audio and video commands and control functions to an electronic consumer device to identify an IR codeset (Infrared Codeset) for the ECD from a database of IR codesets and to identify an image for a control device for the ECD from a database of images; and

(b) causing the image for the control device for the ECD to be displayed on an input screen of a remote control device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) involves receiving the single line bus communication onto a function device from the ECD, the function device communicating across the Internet to a remote device that stores the database of IR codesets, and receiving from the remote device an identification of the IR codeset for the ECD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) involves receiving the single line bus communication onto a function device from the ECD, wherein the database of IR codesets is stored in the function device, and wherein the function device identifies the IR codeset for the ECD from the database of IR codesets.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

(c) using identification information obtained in (a) to enable a remote control device to transmit operational signals using the IR codeset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) involves receiving the single line bus communication onto a function device from the ECD, wherein the database of IR codesets is stored in the function device, and wherein the function device identifies the IR codeset for the ECD from the database of IR codesets.

5. A method comprising:

(a) using a single line bus communication to transmit audio and video commands and control functions to an electronic consumer device to identify an IR codeset (Infrared Codeset) for the ECD from a database of IR codesets and to identify an image for a control device for the ECD from a database of images;

(b) causing the image for the control device for the ECD to be displayed, and

(c) causing the remote control device to use the IR codeset to transmit operational signals to the ECD in response to user interactions with the image displayed on the input screen of the remote control device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein (a) involves receiving the single line bus communication onto a function device from the ECD, the function device communicating across the Internet to a remote device that stores the database of IR codesets, and receiving from the remote device an identification of the IR codeset for the ECD.