Patent ID: 6791467
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G08C,H04L,H05B

Abstract:
A method for remote controlling of appliances by a remote controller comprising:I. In each appliance: a. providing a receiver for receiving signals from the remote controller; b. providing a transmitter for transmitting signals to the remote controller; c. providing a memory containing a set-up file, said set-up file including a functional section containing information for a remote controller regarding the various signal formats that should be sent by the remote controller in order to activate corresponding various features of the appliance and information for assigning each of said features to a button of the remote controller, and optionally an identification section containing data regarding the model identification of the appliance; d. providing decoding means for decoding signals sent by the remote controller, and accordingly either: (a) activating a feature of the appliance; or (b) transmitting at least a portion of said set-up file to the remote controller; II. In the remote controller: a. providing a plurality of buttons; b. providing a receiver for receiving signals sent from at least one appliance; c. providing a transmitter for transmitting signals to at least one appliance, each of said signals is either: (a) a signal for activating a feature of the appliance; or (b) a signal instructing the appliance to transmit at least a portion of its set-up file; d. providing a memory storage for storing at least a portion of at least one set-up file; e. periodically interrogating an existence of all appliances in a vicinity of the remote controller; f. when the signal received from an appliance is a set-up file or a portion thereof, storing the same in said memory storage of the remote controller; g. providing means in the remote controller for selecting a set-up file or a portion thereof to be an active one; and h. using the content of said active set-up file for associating each feature of the corresponding appliance with a button in the remote controller for activating that feature.