State-based remote control system

• US 20050030196A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chopin Acquisition Company, Inc., Logitech International SA
• Original Assignee: Chopin Acquisition Company, Inc., Logitech International SA
• Inventors: Henry, Justin M., Harris, Glen McLean
• Granted Patent: US 8,026,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204

Abstract

A state-based remote control system for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task. The state-based remote control system includes a housing, a keypad in communication with an electronic system contained within the housing, and a communication device in communication with the electronic system for communicating with external electronic devices. The electronic system monitors the buttons selected by a user to determine the state of all external electronic devices that are to be controlled. When the user selects a task (e.g. watch television), the electronic system automatically determines the actions required to achieve the desired task based upon the current state of the external electronic devices. After the task has been fulfilled, the electronic system updates the data to reflect the modified state of the external electronic devices.

Claims

1-16. -16. cancelled.

17. A remote control, comprising:

a remote control capable of storing, calculating and updating a current state data relating to a plurality of external electronic devices; and

wherein said current state data is calculated based upon at least one action or at least one task performed by said remote control prior to a next action or a next task.

18. The remote control of claim 17, wherein said remote control is capable of performing at least one action or at least one task based upon a desired state data as compared to said current state data.

19. The remote control of claim 17, wherein said remote control only modifies a state of a plurality of external electronic devices that have a current state that does not equal a desired state.

20. The remote control of claim 17, wherein said remote control is capable of bidirectional communications with a plurality of external electronic devices.

21. The remote control of claim 17, wherein said remote control is capable of only transmitting data to a plurality of external electronic devices.

22. The remote control of claim 17, wherein said remote control is programmable.

23. A remote control, comprising:

at least one electronic circuit for storing, calculating and updating a current state data relating to a plurality of electronic devices; and

wherein said current state data is calculated based upon at least one action or at least one task performed by said at least one electronic circuit prior to a next action or a next task.

24. The remote control of claim 23, wherein said at least one electronic circuit is capable of performing at least one action or at least one task based upon a desired state data as compared to said current state data.

25. The remote control of claim 23, wherein said at least one electronic circuit only modifies a state of a plurality of electronic devices that have a current state that does not equal a desired state.

26. The remote control of claim 23, wherein said at least one electronic circuit is capable of bidirectional communications with a plurality of external electronic devices.

27. The remote control of claim 23, wherein said at least one electronic circuit is capable of only transmitting data to a plurality of external electronic devices.

28. The remote control of claim 23, wherein said at least one electronic circuit is programmable.

29. A method of operating a remote control for controlling a plurality of electronic devices, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a current state data of said plurality of electronic devices;

receiving an action request or a task request with respect to at least one of said plurality of electronic devices;

performing said action request or said task request; and

modifying said current state data to reflect a new state of said plurality of electronic devices based upon said action request or said task request prior to a next action request or a next task request.

30. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises asking a series of questions regarding a current state of each of said plurality of electronic devices.

31. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises asking at least one question regarding a current state of at least one of said plurality electronic devices.

32. The method of operating a remote control of claim 31, including the step of responding to said at least one question by a user.

33. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, including the step of asking at least one question regarding a current state of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices.

34. The method of operating a remote control of claim 33, including the step of modifying said current state data based upon a response to said at least one question.

35. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, wherein said step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a predetermined current state.

36. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a power on state.

37. The method of operating a remote control of claim 29, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a power off state.

38. A method of operating a remote control for controlling a plurality of electronic devices, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an action request or a task request with respect to at least one of said plurality of electronic devices;

performing said action request or said task request; and

modifying a current state data to reflect a new state of said plurality of electronic devices based upon said action request or said task request prior to a next action request or a next task request.

39. A method of operating a remote control, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a current state data of a plurality of electronic devices;

receiving an action request or a task request with respect to at least one of said plurality of electronic devices, wherein said action request or said task request has a desired state data stored within said remote control;

determining which of said plurality of electronic devices require a modification to their respective state in order to achieve said desired state data;

modifying at least one of said plurality of electronic devices to conform to said desired state data; and

updating said current state data to reflect a new state of said plurality of electronic devices prior to a next task or a next action.

40. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein the step of determining which of said plurality of electronic devices require a modification to their respective state comprises comparing said current state data with said desired state data.

41. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, including the step of displaying a menu upon a display of said remote control containing at least one action request or at least one task that are dependent upon a state of said plurality of electronic devices.

42. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises asking a series of questions regarding a current state of each of said plurality of electronic devices.

43. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises asking at least one question regarding a current state of at least one of said plurality electronic devices.

44. The method of operating a remote control of claim 43, including the step of responding to said at least one question.

45. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, including the step of asking at least one question regarding a current state of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices.

46. The method of operating a remote control of claim 45, including the step of modifying said current state data based upon a response to said at least one question.

47. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein said step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a predetermined current state.

48. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a power on state.

49. The method of operating a remote control of claim 39, wherein the step of determining said current state data comprises assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a power off state.

50. A method of operating a remote control for controlling a plurality of electronic devices, said method comprising the steps of:

performing an action request or a task request; and

modifying a current state data to reflect a new state of said plurality of electronic devices based upon said action request or said task request prior to a next action request or a next task request.

51. The method of operating a remote control of claim 50, including the step of asking at least one question regarding a current state of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices.

52. The method of operating a remote control of claim 51, including the step of modifying said current state data based upon a response to said at least one question.

53. A method of programming a remote control, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one question communicated through a remote control to a user relating to a current state of at least one electronic device;

receiving at least one response to said at least one question from said user communicated to said remote control; and

determining a current state data of said at least one electronic device by said remote control based upon said at least one response.

54. A method of programming a remote control with a current state data of a plurality of electronic devices, said method comprising the step of:

assuming said plurality of electronic devices are in a predetermined current state.

55. The method of programming a remote control of claim 54, wherein said predetermined current state equals a power on state.

56. The method of programming a remote control of claim 54, wherein said predetermined current state equals a power off state.