System and method for effectively implementing a charging base for a remote control device

• US 8,610,834 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert, Read, Christopher, Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman, Mustafizur
• Application Number:
  US11/701,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/730, 348/725, 348/211.6, 348/211.7, 725/140, 725/132, 725/152, 725/39, 725/50, 725/81, 725/82, 725/117, 725/147, 361/679.41, 710/303, 710/304, 340/538.15
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A system and method for effectively implementing a charging base for a remote control includes a television device that is controlled by the remote control over a wireless RC-TV communications link. The charging base recharges a battery of the remote control when the remote control is docked to the charging base. In addition, the remote control may be docked to the charging base for bi-directionally communicating with the television and other external entities over a wireless base-TV communications link. Furthermore, various compatible peripheral devices may also recharge their batteries and bi-directionally communicate with the television and the external entities over the base-TV communications link while the peripheral devices are docked to the charging base.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an electronic system, the system comprising:

a remote control operable to control operations of a television (TV) over a communication link; and

a charging base operable to generate a recharge power source to recharge a battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base,

wherein said charging base is operable to serve as a communication interface for one or more peripheral devices to bi-directionally communicate with said television over a wireless base-TV communication link when said one or more peripheral devices are physically docked to said charging base, and

wherein said wireless base-TV communication link allows said charging base to be freely positioned with respect to said television.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless infrared communication path between said remote control and said television.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless radio frequency communication path between said remote control and said television.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control docks to said charging base through a dataport/charger interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said remote control bi-directionally communicates with said television over said wireless communication link while said remote control is docked to said charging base through said dataport/charger interface, wherein said recharge power source is provided to said battery through said dataport/charger interface when said remote control is docked to said charging base.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control downloads electronic information over said wireless communication link, through said charging base, from one or more of:

said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said electronic information comprises electronic program guide information that is displayed on a display of said remote control.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication link operates using high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said wireless communication link operates using said high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques in frequency range of 100 megabits-per-second.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said charging base is a portable device freely positioned within an operating location of said television,

wherein a system user selectively locates said charging base adjacent to a customary viewing location of said television to utilize said charging base without leaving said customary viewing location.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said peripheral devices are operable to bi-directionally communicate with said television and other external entities over said wireless base-TV communication link while said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said peripheral devices comprise one or more of:

a video camera, a digital still camera, a personal computer device, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, and a cellular telephone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said charging base is coupled to an AC power source to provide a continuous source of recharging power for recharging said remote control and said peripheral devices.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said charging base comprises a peripheral dataport/charger interface for docking said peripheral devices to said charging base, wherein a dataport/charger interface for said peripheral devices is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a peripheral recharge power source is provided to recharge peripheral batteries of said peripheral devices through said peripheral dataport/charger interface when said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said peripheral devices upload content information to said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communication link when coupled to said charging base.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said peripheral devices download content information from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communication link when coupled to said charging base.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said peripheral devices upload and download content information to and from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communication link when coupled to said charging base, wherein said content information comprises entertainment programming, video data, still image data, text data, software program instructions, graphics, movies, and electronic program guides.

20. A method for controlling an electronic system, the method comprising:

controlling operations of a television (TV) over communication link using a remote control; and

generating a recharge power source from a charging base to recharge battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base,

wherein said charging base is operable to serve as a communication interface for one or more peripheral devices to bi-directionally communicate with said television over a wireless base-TV communication link when said one or more peripheral devices are physically docked to said charging base,

wherein said wireless base-TV communication link allows said charging base to be freely positioned with respect to said television.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless infrared communication path between said remote control and said television.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless radio frequency communication path between said remote control and said television.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said remote control docks to said charging base through dataport/charger interface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said remote control bi-directionally communicates with said television over said wireless communication link while said remote control is docked to said charging base through said dataport/charger interface, wherein said recharge power source is provided to said battery through said dataport/charger interface when said remote control is docked to said charging base.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said dataport/charger interface is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said remote control downloads electronic information over said wireless base-TV communication link, through said charging base, from one or more of:

said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said electronic information comprises electronic program guide information that is displayed on a display of said remote control.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said wireless communication link operates using high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said wireless communication link operates using said high-speed wireless radio-frequency transmission techniques in a frequency range of about 100 megabits-per-second.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein said charging base is a portable device freely positioned within an operating location of said television, wherein a system user selectively locates said charging base adjacent to a customary viewing location of said television to utilize said charging base without leaving said customary viewing location.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising peripheral devices that bi-directionally communicate with said television and other external entities over said wireless communication link while said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said peripheral devices comprise one or more of:

a video camera, a digital still camera, a personal computer device, a personal digital assistant, an audio player, and a cellular telephone.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said charging base is coupled to an AC power source to provide a continuous source of recharging power for recharging said remote control and said peripheral devices.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said charging base comprises a peripheral dataport/charger interface for docking said peripheral devices to said charging base, wherein a dataport/charger interface for said peripheral devices is implemented according to a Universal Serial Bus standard to facilitate compatibility with other electronic devices.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein a peripheral recharge power source is provided to recharge peripheral batteries of said peripheral devices through said peripheral dataport/charger interface when said peripheral devices are docked to said charging base.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein said peripheral devices upload content information to said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communications link while coupled to said charging base.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein said peripheral devices download content information from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communication link when coupled to said charging base.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein said peripheral devices upload and download content information to and from said television, a remote storage device, and an Internet server over said wireless base-TV communication link when coupled to said charging base, wherein said content information comprises entertainment programming, video data, still image data, text data, software program instructions, graphics, movies, and electronic program guides.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein said electronic information comprises video content information that is displayed on a liquid-crystal display of said remote control.

40. A system for controlling an electronic system, the system comprising:

a television (TV) for displaying image data on a television display screen;

a remote control for controlling operations of said TV over a communication link; and

a charging base for generating an RC recharge power source to recharge battery of said remote control,

wherein said charging base is operable to serve as a communication interface for one or more peripheral devices to bi-directionally communicate with said TV over a wireless base-TV communication link when said one or more peripheral devices are physically docked to said charging base,

wherein said wireless base-TV communication link allows said charging base to be freely positioned with respect to said TV.

41. A system for controlling an electronic system, the system comprising:

a remotely-controllable device;

a remote control operable to control operations of said remotely-controllable device; and

a charging base operable to generate a recharge power source to recharge said remote control,

wherein said charging base is operable to serve as a communication interface for one or more peripheral devices to communicate directly with said remotely-controllable device over a wireless base-TV communication link when said one or more peripheral devices are physically docked to said charging base,

wherein said wireless base-TV communication link allows said charging base to be freely positioned with respect to said remotely-controllable device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said remotely-controllable device comprises a television set-top box.

43. A system for charging a remote control device, the system comprising:

a remote control operable to control operations of a television (TV) over an RC-TV communication link;

a charging base operable to generate an RC recharge power source to recharge an RC battery of said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base,

wherein said charging base is operable to serve as a communication interface for said remote control to bi-directionally communicate with said television over a wireless base-TV communication link to download electronic program guide data from said television into said remote control when said remote control is docked to said charging base,

wherein said wireless base-TV communications link allows said charging base to be freely positioned with respect to said television; and

a peripheral device dockable to said charging base for recharging a peripheral battery of said peripheral device, and

wherein said peripheral device is operable to upload and download content information over said wireless base-TV communication link when docked to said charging base.