Patent Application
20130293359
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of remotes controls used to control one or more processing devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Remote controls are used in a large variety of applications. For example, remote controls are used to control televisions, set-top boxes, DVD players, stereo systems, gaming devices, garage doors, and a myriad of other applications. Oftentimes a single remote control is used to control multiple devices. In such cases, a user typically must manually press selected buttons first on the remote or enter a control code in order to use the remote control to control any given device. For example, a remote control that comes with a set-top box may often be programmed to control a television, a DVD player, a stereo system, or other electronic devices. However, to control such devices a user typically must manually input, in a particular sequence, a control code for each device to be controlled. This can be a cumbersome process, especially if the remote control runs out of batteries and it must be reprogrammed. Also, when a user of the remote exchanges an old device with a new device he must again enter a code in order to program the remote control to control the new device.
One embodiment is a method of controlling a processing device. A control device transmits an interrogation signal from an RFID reader. One or more RFID tags, each coupled to a respective processing device, transmit an identification code in response to the interrogation signal. Each identification code identifies the processing device with which the respective RFID tag is associated. After receiving the identification codes the control device transmits control signals to the processing devices. The control signals include commands to be executed by the processing devices. The processing devices respond to the control signals when the proper code is included in the control signals.
In one embodiment the control signals include the identification code of the processing device to be controlled. In one embodiment the control signals include a control code associated with the identification code.
In one embodiment a remote control transmits the identification codes to a set top box. The set top box provides the control codes associated with the identification codes. The remote control then uses the control codes to control the processing devices.
One embodiment is a remote control that includes an RFID reader. The RFID reader transmits an interrogation signal and receives an identification code from an RFID tag associated with a processing device. The remote control utilizes the identification code to transmit control signals to the processing device in order to control the processing device. The RFID reader can receive identification codes from multiple RFID tags each associated with a respective processing device. The remote control can then control the processing devices as desired by a user.
The RFID reader 32 of the control unit 30 is configured to emit an RFID interrogation signal. The RFID tag 26 of the processing unit 22 receives the interrogation signal from the RFID reader 32 and in response transmits an identification code to the RFID reader 32. The identification code transmitted by the RFID tag 26 includes specific information about the processing unit 22. The identification code can include information identifying the type of device of processing unit 22, a particular make, model, and year of manufacture of the processing unit 22. In one example the processing unit 22 includes the tuner, receiver in channel selection circuitry of a D.T.U., Blu-Ray player, DVD player, radio, set-top box or similar entertainment system. The maker of the entertainment system, along with the particular model and control information of the processing information is provided. The identification code may also include a control code. The control code can be used to control the processing unit 22 by transmitting control signals to the receiver 24 of the processing unit 22.
The RFID reader 32 receives the identification code transmitted by the RFID tag 26 of the processing unit 22. The control unit 30 stores the identification code in memory. The control unit 30 can store all or a portion of the identification code received by the RFID reader 32. Using the identification code received from the RFID tag 26, the control unit 30 can now transmit control signals to the processing unit 22. The control signals can include a portion of the identification code from the RFID tag 26. The receiver 24 receives the control signals accompanied by the identification code and the processing unit 22 accepts the control signals and executes the commands within the control signals.
Each RFID tag 26a-26e includes an identification code identifying the processing device 22a-22e to which it is attached. The identification code can include information regarding the type of device, the manufacturer of the device, the particular model of the device, the year of manufacture of the device, and any other pertinent information. The RFID tag 24a of the television 22a can include an identification code that identifies that the television 22a was manufactured by a particular manufacturer, for example, Sony, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, or any other television manufacturer, as well as the particular model number and year of manufacture of the television 22a. It can also include other identification codes for the system it is coupled to, such as the particular processor inside the system, the version of software code inside the processor, the year it was made, the communication protocol for that processor or system and other information beneficial to the unique communication with the remote. The RFID tags 26b-26e of the other processing devices 22b-22e also include identification codes including the type of information described in relation to the identification code of the television 22a.
When the user of the system 20 desires to control any of the processing devices 22a-22e of the system 20, the user can input a command to the remote control 30. The remote control 30 then sends an interrogation signal from the RFID reader 32. The interrogation signal from the RFID reader 32 is received by each of the RFID tags 26a-26e of the processing devices 22a-22e. Each of the RFID tags 26a-26e responds to the interrogation signal by transmitting its respective identification code. The RFID reader 32 receives each of the identification codes. The remote control 30 then processes the identification codes received from the RFID tags 26a-26e and stores them in memory. The remote control 30 registers that there is a television 22a, a set-top box 22b, a stereo system 22c, a DVD player 22d, and a game console 22e within its range of control.
The remote control 30 can control the processing devices 22a-22e after the remote control 30 has obtained control codes for each of the devices 22a-22e. The control code for each device 22a-22e can be obtained based on the information received in the identification code from the respective RFID tags 26a-26e. In one embodiment, the remote control 30 stores in memory a database of control codes for each type of processing device 22a-22e according to the manufacturer and model number of each processing device 22a-22e. For example, the remote control 30 stores in its control code database a plurality of control codes for different kinds of televisions, set-top boxes, stereo systems, DVD players, game consoles, or other kinds of processing devices. In general, each model of television will have a particular control code associated with that model. A remote control 30 that is configured to control a television 22a will transmit control signals including the control code from the transceiver 28 to the television 22a. If the control signals include the correct control code, or are preceded by the control code, then the television 22a will execute the commands contained in the control commands. Commands sent with a faulty control code will not be executed properly, or may not be executed at all. Therefore, upon receiving the identification code from the RFID tag 26a of the television 22a, the remote control 30 can retrieve from the control code database the proper control code for the television 22a. The remote control 30 is then configured to control the television 22a. Likewise the remote control 30, upon receiving the identification codes from the RFID tags 26b-26e of the processing devices 22b-22e, can retrieve the proper control codes for each processing device 22b-22e from the control code database stored in the memory of the remote control 30. A user of the remote control 30 can select a particular device 22a-22e which he or she desires to control by pressing an appropriate selection button on the remote control 30. The remote control 30, having already obtained the proper control code for the selected device 22a-22e, can then control the selected device 22a-22e. The user can then switch between the various devices 22a-22e by inputting the appropriate selection to the remote control 30.
A user of the system 20 can therefore easily gain control of each of the processing devices 22a-22e by causing the remote control 30 to issue a single interrogation signal from the RFID reader 32. This can happen by pressing a single button on the remote control 30 a single time, or in any other suitable way by pressing one or more buttons. The user need not manually retrieve control codes for each of the processing devices 22a-22e and then enter them into the remote control 30 in order to control each of the processing devices 22a-22e as was done in past systems.
In one embodiment, the remote control 30 has been previously paired with the set-top box 22b. Thus, when the remote control 30 issues the interrogation signal from the RFID reader 32 and receives the identification codes from the RFID tags 26a and 26c-26e, the remote control can send the identification codes to the set-top box 22b. The set-top box 22b can store in memory a control code database like the control code database described as being stored in the remote control 30 previously. The set-top box 22b therefore receives the identification codes from the remote control 30 and retrieves from the control code database the control codes for the processing devices 22a and 22c-22e. The set-top box 22b transmits the control codes to the remote control 30. The remote control 30 stores in memory the control codes associated with the processing devices 22a and 22c-22e.
Alternatively, neither the remote control 32 nor the set-top box 22b contains a control code database stored in memory. Rather, upon receiving the identification codes from the RFID tags 26a and 26c-26e, the remote control 30 transmits the identification codes to the set-top box 22b and the set-top box 22b transmits the identification codes to a remote server or central database that contains a control code database. The server or central database transmits to the set-top box 22b the control codes associated with the identification codes stored in the RFID tags 26a and 26c-26e.
In one embodiment, the set-top box 22b contains a control code database stored in memory. The set-top box 22b, upon receiving the identification codes from the remote control 30, searches its control code database for the control codes associated with the identification codes. If the control codes are located, these are sent to the remote control 30. If the set-top box 22b cannot locate the appropriate control codes in the control code database, then the set-top box 22b can transmit the identification codes to the remote server or central database as described previously. The remote server or central database can then supply the proper control codes to the set-top box 22b. The set-top box 22b may update its control code database from time to time automatically, by requesting new control codes from the remote server or central database. The set-top box 22b can communicate with the remote server by a wired Internet access point or by wirelessly transmitting identification codes or an update request to a satellite with which it is in communication. The remote control 30 can obtain control codes to control the processing devices 22a-22e by any of the techniques described previously or by any other suitable techniques. Such other suitable techniques fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
In one embodiment, the transceiver 28 of the remote control 30 transmits the control commands in an RF frequency band. Processing devices such as the processing devices 22a-22e, which can be controlled by a remote control 30, commonly receive control signals in the RF frequency band. However, some processing devices may also receive control signals in other frequency bands. The transceiver 28 of the remote control 30 can be an RF transceiver, an infrared transceiver, or a transceiver utilizing any other suitable frequency band to transmit control signals to processing devices 22a-22e. The receivers 24a-24e of the processing devices 22a-22e can receive signals in an RF frequency band, or in an infrared frequency band, or in any other suitable frequency band.
The processing devices 22a-22e described in relation to
In one embodiment, the identification codes stored by the RFID tags 26a-26e include the control codes for the devices 22a-22e. The remote control 30, upon receiving the identification codes from the processing devices 22a-22e, can extract from the identification codes the control codes associated with the the processing devices 22a-22e. The remote control 30 can then issue control signals to the respective processing devices 22a-22e, including the proper control codes. The identification code may be encrypted or contain a hash that includes the control code.
In one embodiment, a processing device 22 is a set-top box previously paired to a remote control 30. The receiver 24 of the processing device 22, receives a signal from the remote control 30 including one or more identification codes obtained from RFID tags 26a and 26c-26e associated with other processing devices 22a and 22c-22e as described previously. The microcontroller 40 receives the identification codes from the receiver 24 and, in one embodiment, retrieves from a control code database stored in the memory 42 the proper control codes associated with the identification codes received from the remote control 30. The microcontroller 40 then causes the receiver 24 which, in such an embodiment, is a transceiver to transmit the control codes associated with the identification codes to the remote control 30. The remote control 30 can then control the other processing devices as described previously. Alternatively, the microcontroller 40 transmits to a remote server or central database a request for the control codes associated with the identification codes received from the remote control 30. The microcontroller 40 causes the receiver 24 to transmit to the remote control 30 the control codes received from the remote server or central database. Alternatively, the memory 42 can include a control code database as described previously. The microcontroller 40 can request from the remote server or central database periodic updates to the control code database stored in the memory 42.
The RFID tag 26 shown in
The antenna coil 44 is a conductive coil which is energized by receiving signals in a particular frequency band. After being energized by receiving a signal in the particular frequency band, the antenna coil 44 then radiates energy in the same frequency band or in a different frequency band according to the design of the RFID tag 26. The RFID tag 26 can be produced by any conventional method for making an RFID tag. Such methods for manufacturing an RFID tag are well known in the art and will not be described here.
At 108, the RFID reader 32 of the control device 30 receives the identification code from the RFID tag 26 of the processing device 22a. At 110, the control device 30 transmits a request for the control code associated with the identification code of the processing device 22a. The request is received by a second processing device 22b which then retrieves the control code from a database or from a remote server or central database. The second processing device 22b then transmits the control code associated with the identification code to the control device 30.
At 112, the control device 30 receives the control code associated with the identification code from the processing device 22b. At 114, the control device 30 transmits control signals to the first processing device 22a, including the control code. The first processing device 22a executes the commands contained in the control signals because the control signals include the proper control code.
While the present disclosure describes particular processing devices 22, and components of the processing devices 22, and of the control device 30, other suitable embodiments can be used instead of those particular alternatives described herein. All such suitable alternatives, including different components of the processing devices 22 and the control device 30, as well as different techniques for obtaining a control code or transmitting control signals, including a control code, the identification code, or a component of the control code or identification code, can be used. All such techniques, components, and structures fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.
These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
