Remote control automatic appliance activation
First Claim
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1. A method for remotely activating an appliance, the appliance responding to an activation signal conforming to one of a plurality of radio frequency activation schemes, the method comprising:
- positioning a sensor proximate to the appliance, whereby the sensor can determine whether or not the appliance is activated;
automatically transmitting a sequence of different activation signals, each activation signal in the sequence conforming to one of the plurality of radio frequency activation schemes;
receiving at least one signal from the sensor indicating appliance activation;
determining which of the plurality of radio frequency activation schemes resulted in transmitting an activation signal in the sequence of activation signals that activated the appliance based on the at least one received sensor signal; and
associating data representing the determined activation scheme with a programmable remote control transmitter activation input.
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Abstract
A programmable remote control automatically learns characteristics necessary to generate an appliance activation signal. A sensor is positioned proximate to the appliance. A sequence of different activation signals is transmitted. A determination as to which signal activated the appliance is made based on a received sensor signal. Data representing the determined activation scheme is associated with an activation input.
167 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for remotely activating an appliance, the appliance responding to an activation signal conforming to one of a plurality of radio frequency activation schemes, the method comprising:
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positioning a sensor proximate to the appliance, whereby the sensor can determine whether or not the appliance is activated;
automatically transmitting a sequence of different activation signals, each activation signal in the sequence conforming to one of the plurality of radio frequency activation schemes;
receiving at least one signal from the sensor indicating appliance activation;
determining which of the plurality of radio frequency activation schemes resulted in transmitting an activation signal in the sequence of activation signals that activated the appliance based on the at least one received sensor signal; and
associating data representing the determined activation scheme with a programmable remote control transmitter activation input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for operating a remotely controlled appliance, the appliance responding to a radio frequency activation signal exhibiting characteristics of one of a plurality of activation schemes, the system comprising:
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a sensor operative to generate at least one sensor signal in response to the appliance;
a transmitter operative to transmit radio frequency activation signals, each transmitted activation signal based on one of the plurality of activation schemes;
memory operative to hold data representing one of the plurality of activation schemes; and
control logic in communication with the sensor, the transmitter and the memory, the control logic controlling the transmitter to transmit a sequence of different activation signals, each activation signal in the sequence based on one of the plurality of activation schemes, the control logic storing data into the memory based on receiving the at least one sensor signal, the data indicating one of the plurality of activation schemes which activated the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A programmable appliance remote control comprising:
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a controller operative in a learn mode and an operate mode, the controller in learn mode generating transmitter control signals for transmitting each of a sequence of different activation signals, each activation signal in the sequence having characteristics based on one of a plurality of activation schemes, the controller storing data representative of one activation scheme based on receiving a sensor signal, the controller in operate mode generating transmitter control signals based on the stored data in response to receiving an activation input signal;
a transmitter generating and transmitting an activation signal based on transmitter control signals received from the controller;
a user interface generating the activation input signal in response to user input; and
a sensor generating the sensor signal in response to a controllable appliance. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification