Patent ID: 12211374

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG.1is a diagram of a system1in accordance with one novel aspect. System1includes a universal remote control (URC) device2, a personal computer (PC)3and several electronic consumer devices including: a VCR/DVD player4, a set-top box5, an audio home-theatre system6, and a television7. URC2emits operational signals8from an IR transmitter20to control electronic consumer devices. URC2includes a microcontroller21, memory22, and an RCA jack24. Memory22contains a codeset database23. (For additional information including examples of a codeset database and the content of a codeset and related information on how to use a codeset to generate an IR operational signal, see: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/777,023, entitled “Interactive Web-Based Codeset Selection and Development Tool”, by Lee et al., filed Feb. 20, 2004 (the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference)). PC3is coupled to a monitor having a display screen30. PC3is also coupled to a storage medium (for instance, a DVD disc as illustrated)36. PC3is of typical PC construction and includes a CPU31, memory32, a network interface33, a storage device (for instance, a DVD driver as illustrated)34, and an audio OUT RCA jack35. PC3is connected to a network (for instance, the internet as illustrated)38. PC3receives digital images39from internet38through a network connection. PC3also transmits codeset information43to URC2through an audio cable40. Audio cable40has two RCA plugs41and42. RCA plug41is plugged into RCA jack24of URC2, and RCA plug42is plugged into RCA jack35of PC3.

FIG.1illustrates a method of using PC3to program URC2to control a particular brand and make of electronic consumer device. A user inserts DVD optical disc36into DVD driver34of PC3. DVD disc36contains an image-selection routine37that is executable on CPU31of PC3. PC3loads image-selection routine37from DVD disc36. CPU31then executes image-selection routine37and displays a user interface40on display screen30. The user then uses either a mouse or a keyboard or other user input device to interact with user interface40and to make selections.

FIG.2is a flow chart of a method of programming URC2illustrated inFIG.1.FIG.3andFIG.3Aare examples of screen displays of user interface40that are involved in the method ofFIG.2. In the example ofFIG.3, CPU31executes image-selection routine37and displays a first selection menu of user interface40on display screen30(step51ofFIG.2). The first selection menu allows the user to select a device type from a list of device types such as TV, VCR, DVD, and cable set-top box. The first selection menu also allows the user to select a brand name from a list of manufacturers such as Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips and more. The user can select the “next” option to go to next page for more brand n me selections, or select the “prev” option to go back to the previous page. As illustrated inFIG.3, if the user wants to program URC2to control a SAMSUNG DVD device, then the user selects device type DVD and brand name SAMSUNG.

After the user selects device type DVD and brand name SAMSUNG, a second selection menu of user interface40is displayed on display screen30(step52ofFIG.2). In the example ofFIG.3A, the second selection menu displays photographs of all DVD devices that are manufactured by SAMSUNG. The user uses the user interface to select a photograph of the SAMSUNG DVD device to be controlled. The user browses through all the photographs by selecting the “prev” and “next” options. As illustrated inFIG.3A, the user picks model HD841. The photograph of SAMSUNG DVD model HD841is then enlarged for further verification. If the photograph of HD841looks the same as the SAMSUNG DVD device to be controlled by URC2, then the user confirms the selection of DVD HD841by selecting the “yes” option (step53ofFIG.2).

In the example ofFIG.3A, the images displayed in the second selection menu are photographs of the electronic consumer devices to be controlled by URC2. In another example, the second selection menu displays photographs of the remote control devices that control the corresponding electronic consumer devices. As illustrated inFIG.4andFIG.4A, after the user first selects device type VCR and brand name SAMSUNG from the first selection menu, the second selection menu displays photographs of all remote control devices that are used to control SAMSUNG VCR devices. This method is especially useful when the device type is TV. Televisions have similar appearances among different models. On the other hand, the appearances of remote control devices that control different models of televisions are usually different. Therefore, it may be easier for the user to pick and choose a particular brand and make of television by looking at the photographs of corresponding remote control devices of televisions.

There are thousands of electronic consumer devices and remote control devices available on the market. Each device is represented by a digital photograph which is stored as a digital image file. In the example ofFIG.1, digital images39represent the digital image files of all electronic consumer devices and remote control devices. A digital image file may, for example, be a JPEG file. As a result, the size of digital images39is quite large. The content of digital images39also changes rapidly as manufacturers continue to make new devices and to phase out obsolete old ones. In one example, digital images39are stored in DVD disc36and are then uploaded by CPU31through DVD driver34when the second selection menu is displayed on display screen30. However, it is more cost effective to maintain and update digital images39in a central location such as an internet site. When the user selects a particular type and brand of electronic consumer devices from the first selection menu, PC3sends a request to download all digital image files of the selected type and brand of electronic consumer devices from the internet site. The downloaded digital photographs are then displayed on the second selection menu.

For some popular electronic device types and brands, there may be many pages of digital photographs to be displayed. For instance, there may be dozens of different models of televisions are manufactured by Toshiba. It is therefore time consuming for the user to browse through all the pages of the second selection menu and select the right photograph. One way of improving the second selection menu is to prioritize each photograph based on market popularity of the corresponding device and to display the photograph in the order of its priority. Market popularity of a device is measured by number of unit sales, consumer rating, and other factors. The most popular models of the electronic consumer devices are then displayed first in the front page, thereby reducing the amount of time generally required by a user to select the proper digital photograph.

After the user confirms the selection of SAMSUNG DVD HD841, PC3sends (step54ofFIG.2) codeset information43of the selected electronic consumer device HD841to URC2. Codeset information43may be in various forms. In one example, codeset information43is a three-digit codeset identifier corresponding to SAMSUNG DVD HD841, URC2receives (step55ofFIG.2) the codeset identifier from PC3. Microcontroller21of URC2then programs URC2to use a codeset corresponding to the received three-digital codeset identifier. After URC2has been programmed to use the correct codeset stored in codeset database23, URC2is then able to send appropriate operational signals to control SAMSUNG DVD HD841.

In another example, codeset information43is the actual codeset of SAMSUNG DVD HD841. Instead of sending the codeset identifier, PC3sends the actual codeset of SAMSUNG DVD HD841to URC2. In this example, URC2does not need to store the entire codeset database23in memory22. Instead, URC2receives the codeset from PC3and is programmed to use the codeset to control DVD HD841. The advantage of this method is that it saves memory space and reduces the cost of URC2; URC2only needs to have enough memory to store one or a small number of codeset, as opposed to an entire database of codesets.

The above illustrated method is convenient because URC2is programmed automatically after the user selects the photograph of the electronic consumer device or its corresponding remote control device. However, a typical hand held remote control device is only capable of one-way transmission, i.e., it only emits operational signals to control electronic consumer devices. In order to receive codeset information43automatically, URC2has to be able to do two-way communication. In the example ofFIG.1, RCA jack24is included in URC2. PC3sends out codeset information43onto RCA jack35. URC2then receives codeset information43from RCA jack24through audio cable30. Aside from an audio connection, serial communication or wireless communication may also be used between URC2and PC3. Regardless of the type of communication, extra cost is required for URC2to receive codeset information43.

This extra cost in receiving codeset information43is eliminated in the following example. As illustrated inFIG.2, after the user confirms the selection of the image of SAMSUNG DVD HD841(step53), PC3displays a three digit codeset identifier of HD841on display screen30(step54A ofFIG.2). The User manually programs URC2by entering the displayed codeset identifier into URC2(step55A ofFIG.2). URC2is then programmed to control SAMSUNG HD841using the codeset corresponding to the displayed codeset identifier. Although the user is still involved in manually programming URC2, no extra cost is required to transmit the codeset identifier to URC2.

FIG.5is a diagram of a system101in accordance with one novel aspect. System101includes a universal remote control (URC)102, a set-top box103, a DVD player104, an audio home-theatre system105, and a TV106. Set-top box103includes a processor112, memory113, a RCA jack115, and a key interface117. Memory113includes an image-selection routine114. Set-top box103is either a satellite set-top box or a cable set-top box, A satellite set-top box communicates to a satellite140through a satellite dish141. A cable set-top box communicates to a central cable station142through a cable network. Set-top box103is controlled by a set-top remote control device107. Remote control device107emits operational signals121from IR transmitter120to control set-top box103. DVD player104includes an audio OUT RCA jack116. DVD player104is controlled by a DVD remote control device108. Remote control device108emits operational signals123from IR transmitter122to control DVD player104. URC102includes a microcontroller130, memory131, and an audio IN RCA jack133. Memory131includes a codeset database132. URC102emits operational signals125from IR transmitter124and is programmed to control a particular brand and make of electronic consumer device.

FIG.5illustrates a method of using DVD player104or set-top box103to program URC102, as compared to the use of PC3inFIG.1. In the example of using DVD player104, a user inserts DVD optical disc111into DVD player104. DVD player104plays DVD optical disc111and displays user interface110on TV106. The user then uses DVD remote control device108to select a particular brand and make of electronic consumer device. In the example ofFIG.5, digital images143represent digital image files of all electronic consumer devices and remote control devices. Digital images143are uploaded from DVD optical disc111and are displayed on the second selection menu, as illustrated inFIG.4. After the user confirms the selection of SAMSUNG DVD HD841, codeset information153is then transmitted to URC102. In the example ofFIG.5, codeset information153is transmitted through an audio cable150from DVD player104to URC102. Audio cable150has two RCA plugs151and152, which are plugged into RCA jack133of URC102and RCA jack116of DVD player104URC102receives codeset information153and is then programmed to control SAMSUNG DVD HD841using the correct codeset. Alternatively, a codeset identifier—of SAMSUNG HD841is displayed on TV106, and the user programs URC102by entering the codeset identifier into URC102.

In the example of using a set-top box103, the method of configuring URC102is the same as described above with two differences. First, image-selection routine114is stored inside set-top box103. Processor112executes image-selection routine114and displays user interface110on TV106(sometimes TV106contains a built-in set-top box103). The user then uses remote control107to make selections. In some situation, set-top box103contains a key interface117, and the user used key interface117to make selections; Second, digital images143are not uploaded from a DVD disc. If set-top box103is a satellite set-top box, then digital images143are received from satellite140through satellite dish141. If set-top box103is a cable set-top box, then digital images143are received from a central cable station142through a cable network. Therefore, this method eliminates the need of providing local storage of all the digital images or of an extra DVD disc for the user to configure URC102.

URC102is not necessary a hand held remote control device. In one example, URC102is embedded inside set-top box103. URC102is programmed the same way as illustrated above. The only difference is that codeset information153is internally transmitted to URC102within set-top box103. After URC102has been programmed to control a particular electronic consumer device, set top box103acts like an IR blaster to send out operational signals to control that particular electronic consumer device.

In one advantageous aspect, microcontroller130of URC102includes an on-chip analog-to-digital converter. The analog-to-digital converter is provided in the integrated circuit design of microcontroller130for use in other high-volume microcontroller applications (non-remote control device applications) of the microcontroller integrated circuit design. An analog input terminal of the microcontroller integrated circuit that is coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter is coupled to RCA jack133without substantial other interfacing circuitry between the microcontroller integrated circuit and the RCA jack. The analog-to-digital converter receives the signal on RCA jack133, digitizes it, and the processor within microcontroller130analyzes the digitized information and recovers codeset information153. Accordingly, the only significant cost that is added to the prior manufacturing cost of universal remote control102is the cost of providing the relatively inexpensive RCA jack133. RCA audio OUT jacks are already customarily supplied on DVD players and set top boxes and home theatre systems and therefore do not represent an added cost to the typical user. The RCA jack and cable mechanism of communicating codeset information therefore is a very inexpensive way of providing the user with a new ability to download codeset information automatically into a remote control device.

Furthermore, the illustrated method of programming a universal remote control device is not limited to outputting codeset information. In the example ofFIG.5, besides codeset information, other device information including device description and device behavior characteristics can also be transmitted from set-top box103to URC102. Device description contains device brand, model, year of manufacturer and other related details of the device. Device behavior characteristics contain operational behavior of the device such as whether the device requires “ENTER” key after DIGIT entry for channel selection, and how long it will take from receiving POWER signal to the completion of power on process.

Although certain specific exemplary embodiments are described above in order to illustrate the invention, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.