Methods and apparatus to learn and share remote commands

• US 9,952,576 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Griffiths, Neil, Jarvis, Simon, Lehnert, Hilmar, Ramos, Aurelio Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKI, MUNEAR T
• Application Number:
  US13/653,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 340 42, 340 43, 340 432, 340 433, 341176
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/04 Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2615 Audio, video, tv, consumer electronics device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to learn and share remote commands are disclosed. An example method to configure a playback device to be controlled by a remote control includes receiving by the playback device a first code for a first command from the remote control. The example method includes identifying by the playback device a second code for a second command based on the received first code. The example method includes receiving by the playback device the second code from the remote control. The example method includes executing the second command by the playback device.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the playback device to perform a method comprising;

receiving a first code from a first remote control via a first interface;

sending a first message via a second interface to a cloud-based code database, wherein the first message comprises an indication of the first code;

receiving a response message from the cloud-based code database via the second interface, the response message indicating that the cloud-based code database does not have a command set for the first remote control that sent the first code;

in response to receiving the response message from the cloud-based code database, prompting a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control;

receiving a first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface, the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands;

storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device; and

sending a second message to the cloud-based code database via the second interface, the second message comprising the first set of one or more codes and corresponding first set of one or more commands.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device, configuring the playback device to execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the first remote control via the first interface.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein prompting a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

4. The playback device of claim 1, wherein prompting a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more commands comprises one or more of a volume up, volume down, mute, power on, and power off command.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a third message to a second playback device via the second interface, the third message comprising the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second code from a second remote control via the first interface;

sending a fourth message via the second interface to the cloud-based code database, wherein the fourth message comprises an indication of the second code;

receiving a fifth message from the cloud-based code database via the second interface, wherein the fifth message indicates (i) a second command corresponding to the second code and (ii) a third command corresponding to a third code, wherein the second command and the third command are associated with the second remote control; and

after receiving the fifth message from the cloud-based code database, sending the second and third codes and the corresponding second and third commands associated with the second remote control to a second playback device via the second interface.

8. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises a sound bar for a video device.

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving one of the first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface; and

in response to receiving the one of the first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface, executing the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes, wherein executing the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes comprises sending a signal to a third playback device to implement the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes.

10. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device, the playback device configuring a second playback device to execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the first remote control.

21. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is one of an infrared interface, a radio frequency interface, and a Bluetooth™

interface.

22. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the second interface is one of a wired Internet interface, a wireless Internet interface, a local area network interface, a 3G interface, or a 4G interface.

11. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a playback device, cause the playback device to at least:

receive a first code from a first remote control via a first interface of the playback device;

send a first message via a second interface on the playback device to a cloud-based code database, wherein the first message comprises an indication of the first code;

receive a response message from the cloud-based code database via the second interface, the response message indicating that the cloud-based code database does not have a command set for the first remote control that sent the first code;

in response to receiving the response message from the cloud-based code database, prompt a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control;

receive a first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface, the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands;

store the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device; and

send a second message to the cloud-based code database via the second interface, the second message comprising the first set of one or more codes and corresponding first set of one or more commands.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the playback device, cause the playback device to at least, after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device, configure the playback device to execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the first remote control via the first interface.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein prompting a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control comprises prompting the user via audio instructions played via the playback device.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein prompting a user to enter a first set of one or more commands via the first remote control comprises prompting the user via visual instructions.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first set of one or more commands comprises one or more of a volume up, volume down, mute, power on, and power off command.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the playback device, cause the playback device to at least send a third message to a second playback device via the second interface, the third message comprising the first set of one or more codes and the corresponding first set of one or more commands.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the playback device, cause the playback device to at least:

receive a second code from a second remote control via the first interface;

send a fourth message via the second interface to the cloud-based code database, wherein the fourth message comprises an indication of the second code;

receive a fifth message from the cloud-based code database via the second interface, wherein the fifth message indicates (i) a second command corresponding to the second code and (ii) a third command corresponding to a third code, wherein the second command and the third command are associated with the second remote control; and

after receiving the fifth message from the cloud-based code database, send the second and third codes and the corresponding second and third commands associated with the second remote control to a second playback device via the second interface.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the playback device comprises a sound bar for a video device.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the playback device, cause the playback device to at least:

receive one of the first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface; and

in response to receiving the one of the first set of one or more codes from the first remote control via the first interface, execute the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes, wherein executing the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes comprises sending a signal to a third playback device to implement the command corresponding to the one of the first set of one or more codes.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the playback device, cause the playback device to at least:

after storing the first set of one or more codes corresponding to the first set of one or more commands in the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory of the playback device, configure a second playback device to execute each of the first set of one or more commands in response to receiving each of the first set of one or more corresponding codes from the first remote control.