Patent ID: 7259710

Claim:
A remote control device for communicating transmission data, according to one of a plurality of communications protocols, to at least one of a plurality of predetermined apparatuses, said remote control device being initially configured to communicate said transmission data according to a first one of said communications protocols, said remote control device, comprising: a receiving means for receiving at least one portion of protocol data and an associated format function, from a second device, said portion of the protocol data describing properties of a second one of said communications protocols for communicating said transmission data with one or more of said plurality of predetermined apparatuses, said second communications protocol being substantially different from said first communications protocol; and a central processing unit for executing said format function so that the format function transforms at least a portion of said transmission data into a bit stream, using the properties of said second communications protocol defined by the portion of the protocol data, for communication of said bit stream to said at least one apparatus according to said second communications protocol.