SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION

• US 20110102131A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: de Clerq, Stephan, Lilleness, Robert, Arling, Paul D., Yuh, Allen, Scott, Wayne, Chambers, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/4.31
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/70 Device selection
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.

Claims

1. In an environment including a plurality of appliances, a method comprising:

accepting user input into a portable controlling device indicative of an operation to be performed by one of more of the plurality of appliances;

determining the current location of the portable controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment;

selecting from a database of commands available to the portable controlling device one or more commands to be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of appliances as a function of the determined location of the portable controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment and the user input; and

transmitting the selected one or commands to cause one or more of the plurality of appliances to perform the operation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

receiving at the portable controlling device at least one signal containing a unique identifying characteristic that is representative of the current location of the portable controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment;

selecting from a database accessible to the portable controlling device a one of a plurality of location definitions that has been preassociated with the unique identifying characteristic in the received at least one signal; and

using the selected location definition in the step of selecting from the database of commands available to the portable controlling device one or more commands to be transmitted to one or more of the plurality of appliances.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

simultaneously receiving at the portable controlling device from each of a plurality of different signaling devices a wireless signal wherein the simultaneously received wireless signals function to provide a unique wireless signal fingerprint in each of a plurality of different locations of the portable controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment; and

using a unique wireless signal fingerprint received from the plurality of signaling devices to determine the current location of the portable controlling device relative to the plurality of appliances in the environment.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of different signaling devices comprise a wireless access point having a network address.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the unique wireless signal fingerprints comprises at least one of a network ID, access point name, and appliance address associated with the wireless signal received from each of the plurality of different signaling devices.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the unique wireless signal fingerprints comprises a least a signal strength associated with the wireless signal received from each of the plurality of different signaling devices.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable controlling device comprises at least one of:

a remote control, a portable phone, a wireless capable PDA, a tablet PC, a Smart Display, and a home appliance.