Remote control system

• US 9,380,248 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Wisniewski, John, Young, Kristopher, Wright, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/243,987
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 340/12.25, 340/12.26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• 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 21/42204 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 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices

Abstract

An example system includes a remote control and a host device. The remote control is configured to communication through a first communication interface and a second communication interface. The host device is configured to retrieve command information from a remote computer through a third communication interface, and responsive to one or more requests from the remote control, to transfer the command information to the remote control through the first communication interface, the remote control configured to control a plurality of remote devices through the second communication interface, using the command information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a remote control configured to transmit one or more radio frequency (RF) packets to a first communication interface; and

a host device configured to transfer command information to the remote control through the first communication interface in response to the one or more RF packets including one or more requests from the remote control, the one or more requests identifying one or more devices, wherein the host device is configured to identify and select the command information including one or more command codes from a remote library based on the one or more devices identified by the one or more requests, the one or more command codes being specific to the one or more devices identified by the one or more requests, wherein the host device is configured to receive an input indicating that the command information specific to the one or more devices is not stored in the remote library, wherein the host device is further configured to generate the command information and transmit the command information to the remote control via the first communication interface responsive, at least in part, to receiving the input,

wherein the remote control is configured to control a plurality of remote devices, using the command information, through a second communication interface, and wherein the host device is configured to retrieve the command information from a remote computer through a third communication interface prior to the transfer of the command information to the remote control through the first communication interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device comprises a local memory to store the retrieved command information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third communication interface includes a cable television interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to update a firmware of the remote control through the first communication interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communication interface comprises an infrared (IR) interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to retrieve the command information from the remote computer responsive to the one or more requests from the remote control and wherein the command information comprises one or more command codes and signaling protocols used by the remote control to control the plurality of remote devices.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the command information includes one or more infrared (IR) command codes and signaling protocols.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to analyze signals received from a remote control transmitter associated with another remote device, generate further command information based on the analysis, and transfer the further command information to the remote control through the first communication interface, the remote control configured to control the further remote device through the second communication interface, using the further command information.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, through a first communication link, one or more radio frequency (RF) packets including a selection of a device to be controlled by a remote control, the remote control to use command information to control the selected device through a second communication link;

receiving an input identifying whether the command information is stored in a remote database;

selecting, at a host device, the command information including one or more command codes from the remote database based on the selection of the device received from the remote control, the selecting being responsive to determining that the command information is stored in the remote database, the one or more command codes being associated with the device identified by the selection, and the selecting being responsive to the receiving of the one or more RF packets including the selection of the device, the command information being received from the remote database through a third communication link;

generating the command information responsive to determining that the command information is not stored in the remote database;

transferring the command information to the remote control using the first communication link;

receiving, through the third communication link, an upgrade to a firmware of the remote control; and

transferring the upgrade to the remote control over the first communication link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving of the command information includes receiving the command information responsive to the selection of the device to be controlled by the remote control, wherein the command information comprises one or more command codes and signaling protocols used by the remote control to control the selected device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving updates to the command information from the remote database and transferring the received updates to the command information to the remote control through the first communication link.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication link comprises a radio frequency (RF) link.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the second communication link comprises an infrared (IR) link.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining further command information associated with another device to be controlled by the remote control, the determining of the further command information comprising;

receiving signals from a remote control transmitter associated with the other device;

analyzing characteristics of the signals; and

transferring the further command information to the remote control through the first communication link.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving of the signals from the remote control transmitter is responsive to instructing a user to cause the remote control transmitter to transmit the signals.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining of the further command information comprises generating the further command information based on the analyzed characteristics of the signal, the analyzed characteristics including at least one of a carrier frequency of the signals and a type of modulation of the signals.

18. A remote control comprising:

a first communication interface to be communicatively coupled with a host, the first communication interface configured to wirelessly transmit one or more radio frequency (RF) packets including one or more requests from the remote control to the host to select from the host a first device to be remotely controlled, wirelessly receive a first command code from the host responsive to the selection, the first command code being selected and retrieved by the host from a remote library based on the selection of the first device and in response to the one or more RF packets, and in response to the host determining that the first command code is stored in the remote library, the first command code being generated and transmitted via the first communication interface by the host in response to the first command code not being stored in the remote library,

the first command code being configured to remotely control the first device, wirelessly select from the host a second device to be remotely controlled, and wirelessly receive a second command code from the host responsive to the selection, the second command code being selected and retrieved by the host from the remote library based on the selection of the second device, the second command code being configured to remotely control the second device; and

a second communication interface to be communicatively coupled with the first device and the second device, the second communication interface configured to wirelessly control the first remotely controlled device using the first command code, and wirelessly control the second remotely controlled device using the second command code.

19. The remote control of claim 18, wherein the first communication interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

20. The remote control of claim 18, wherein the second communication interface comprises an infrared (IR) transmitter.