as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication 0) Pub. No.: US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`(43) Pub. Date: Aug.4, 2005
`Woolgaretal.
`
`US 20050168658A1
`
`(54) CONTROLLING A HOME ELECTRONICS
`SYSTEM
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(76)
`
`Inventors: David J Woolgar, Horsham (GB);
`Peter P.M. Severeijns, Powell, TN
`(US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`
`SWANDRSTAL PROPERTY &
`P.O. BOX 3001
`DT
`BRIARCLIFF MANOR,NY 10510 (US)
`.
`(21) Appl. No.:
`10/510,308
`(22) PCT Filed:
`Mar.21, 2003
`
`(86) PCT No::
`
`PCT/IB03/01188
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Apr. 11, 2002
`
`(GB) one eeceeceecssecseecneeeeestense 0208317.8
`
`Tint. C07 ieee eccceeeeeseeennneeeceesnneeeeenneeeee HO4N 5/44
`(SV)
`(52) U.S. Ch. ee eeeceeecsseeeeeeeeeennneeene 348/734; 340/825.72
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An apparatus (200) arranged to control a home electronics
`System, the apparatus being managed aeecaineunit( of a
`user, the apparatus comprising a
`data processing unit
`(CPU
`(204), Program ROM (208) and RAM (210)), a first com-
`munications port (202) operable to receive a command, a
`second communications port (216) operable to receive a
`signal indicating an operative componentin the system, and
`a third communications port (218) operable to output a
`substitute command to a component
`in the system. On
`receiving a command,the data processing unit may produce
`at
`least one substitute command in dependence on the
`operative component, which substitute command is then
`communicated to a component in the system.
`
`100
`S
`
`106
`
`108
`
`Roku EX1029
`U.S. Patent No. 9,911,325
`
`
`
` Receive
`command?
`
`
`
`
`
`Sense operative
`component
`
`Adapt
`command
`
`
`Communicate
`substitute
`command
`
`Roku EX1029
`U.S. Patent No. 9,911,325
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Aug. 4,2005 Sheet 1 of 4
`
`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`100
`
`
`
` Receive
`
`command?
`
`
`104
`Sense operative
`component
`
`N
`
`106
`
`108
`
`
`
`
`Adapt
`command
`
`
`
`Communicate
`substitute
`
`command
`
`FIG.1
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Aug. 4, 2005 Sheet 2 of 4
`
`US 2005/0168658 A1
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`Patent Application Publication Aug. 4, 2005 Sheet 3 of 4
`
`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`300
`
`
`
`Component1
`Component 2
`
`302
`
`306
`
`
`
`Apparatus unit
`
`
`304
`
`400
`
`Component1
`
`404
`
`Component2
`
`408
`406
`
`402
`
`
`
`Apparatus unit
`412
`
`414~|Internet Server
`
`FIG.4
`
`410
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Aug. 4, 2005 Sheet 4 of 4
`
`US 2005/0168658 A1
`
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`

`

`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`Aug. 4, 2005
`
`CONTROLLING A HOME ELECTRONICS
`SYSTEM
`
`invention relates to a method and
`[0001] The present
`apparatus for the control of a home electronics system
`comprising a plurality of components.
`
`[0002] Home entertainment components such as TV,
`VCR, DVDandaudio receiver are sold as individual prod-
`ucts. Brands compete on the basis of features and other
`factors. Products incorporate standardised signal interfaces
`(RCA, Scart, etc.)
`to facilitate interconnection between
`brands. However, each productis essentially controlled as a
`standalone equipment with its own user interface and, usu-
`ally, dedicated remote controller. The user of a home elec-
`tronics system ends up with a host of remote controllers. To
`control a particular product, the user must locate the correct
`remote controller and remember which keys to press to
`invoke the desired function; indeed some functions require
`more than one product to be set-up, in turn requiring the use
`of more than one remote controller. Another issue is that, as
`the numberof product features increases, the tendencyis for
`manufacturers to use display based user interfaces so as to
`limit the number of keys on remote controllers; the result is
`that individual products (and their associated remote con-
`trollers) are increasingly operated using generic commands
`such as ‘menu’, ‘cursor_up’/_down/_left/_right, ‘OK’, etc.
`Thus,
`there may be a duplication of generic commands
`across the set of remote controllers the user may possess; a
`duplication which has not been exploited.
`
`[0003] To date, the universal remote control has become a
`popular means to control a plurality of products; however,
`these have the disadvantage that the user has to rememberto
`change (product) mode in order to change control to another
`product.
`
`International patent a WO00/70578, as signed to
`[0004]
`the present applicant, discloses a system and method for
`controlling multiple home electronics devices. It describes
`the use of a single remote control (e.g. the TV remote) to
`control a device controller which in turn controls other home
`
`in response to receiving
`devices in addition to the TV;
`commands from the remote control, the device controller
`generates and transmits commandssuitable for controlling
`any of the home devices. A disadvantageof this system (and
`also of the universal remote control, discussed earlier) is the
`requirement
`to involve the user in initialisation and (as
`required, for example when adding a device to the system)
`updating procedures to ensure that commandsare correctly
`translated. This can be a significant burden for a user.
`
`It is an object of the present invention to overcome
`[0005]
`these and other disadvantages through an improved method
`and apparatus for controlling a home electronics system.
`
`In accordance with the present invention there is
`[0006]
`provided a methodfor controlling a homeelectronics system
`comprising a plurality of components,
`the method being
`managed independently of a user and invoked onreceipt of
`a command, the method comprising the steps of:
`
`[0007]
`tem;
`
`sensing an operative component in the sys-
`
`adapting the commandto produceatleast one
`[0008]
`substitute command in dependence on the operative
`component; and
`
`for each substitute command, communicating
`[0009]
`the substitute command to a componentin the sys-
`tem, which component being operable to respond to
`the substitute command.
`
`[0010] The method ofthe present invention removes from
`the user the burden of configuring the system (for example,
`initialisation and/or updating of the configuration as com-
`ponents are added to or removed from the system). The
`mechanism used to achieve this may include a received
`command recognition capability whereby commands
`addressed to the system can be correctly received, decoded
`and identified; and a system context sensing capability
`whereby the status of the homeelectronics system can be
`monitored to identify one or more presently operative com-
`ponents and detect subsequent changes as and when they
`occur,
`
`[0011] The system context may be changed using a variety
`of methods, including but not limited to manual control of
`a component by meansofits local user interface, or remote
`control by means of explicit commands.
`
`[0012] Also in accordance with the present invention there
`is provided an apparatus arranged to control a homeelec-
`tronics system, the apparatus being managed independently
`of a user, the apparatus comprising:
`
`a data processing unit, comprising a CPU,
`[0013]
`program ROM and RAM;
`
`first communications port operable to
`a
`(0014]
`receive a command;
`
`a second communications port operable to
`[0015]
`receive a signal indicating an operative componentin
`the system; and
`
`a third communications port operable to out-
`[0016]
`put a substitute command, the data processing unit
`being arranged to adapt the command to produce at
`least one substitute command in dependence on the
`operative component.
`
`[0017] The apparatus of the invention may receive any
`type of command, for example issued by the user or on
`his/her behalf. One example is a keypress on a local keypad
`of a componentin the system. For instance, whenthe overall
`system is in ‘standby’, the user may depress the ‘ON’ key on
`the local TV keypad; the apparatus of the invention may
`receive and adapt this command and in response may issue
`one or more ‘on’ commands specific to the other system
`components thereby bringing them out of standby mode in
`preparation for operation.
`
`[0018] Another type of command that might be received
`by the apparatus is a remote control command. One
`example, is an infrared remote control command associated
`with a component in the homeelectronics system. In this
`case, the apparatus might only perform a simple adaption
`whereby the commandis forwarded to the componentusing
`an appropriate medium, as available to the apparatus and
`discussed in more detail below. A further example might be
`where the user is viewing a VCR playback. He/she grasps
`the physically nearest remote control (say, a DVD remote)
`and presses the ‘stop’ command on the remote control. The
`apparatus receives this command and, using a command
`recognition capability as discussed earlier, it may recognise
`and decode the low level data encoding, for example by
`
`

`

`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`Aug. 4, 2005
`
`using a built-in decoder suitable to decode known remote
`control data protocols (for example, in the case of infrared
`including, but not
`limited to, pulse position and Philips
`RC5/6); it may then identify the command (‘DVDstop’ in
`this example), for example by reference to a built-in store
`containing data corresponding to command encoding for-
`mats. The apparatus may then sense the present operating
`status of the system (i.e. VCR Play). Based on these data, the
`apparatus could adapt
`the ‘DVD stop’ command into a
`substitute command suitable for interpretation by the rel-
`evant VCR as a ‘stop’ command.
`In this example the
`received command may utilise a different data encoding
`methodrelative to the substitute command. The substitute
`
`command maythen be sent to a system component, in this
`case the relevant VCR, via, any suitable means including,
`but not
`limited to, wired (for example Project50, D2B,
`TEEE1394/HAVi, USB, RS232, or similar),
`infrared (for
`example pulse position, RC5/6) or radio (for example Blue-
`tooth, ZigBee, HomeRF, WiFi, IEEE802.11, HiperLAN);
`for example,
`the adapted command might be sent as a
`suitably encoded infrared ‘stop’ command to the VCR,
`thereby emulating the infrared remote controller of the VCR.
`
`<A yet further type of command is one received
`[0019]
`from an external wired bus (including, but not limited to,
`USB, Scart, IEEE1394/HAVi), a wired network (including,
`but not limited to, Ethernet, RS232, PSTN, ISDN, ADSL) or
`a wireless network (infrared including, but not limited to,
`pulse position, RC5/6 and radio including,but not limited to,
`Bluetooth. ZigBee, HomeRF, WiFi, TEEE802.11, Hiper-
`LAN).
`
`[0020] Commands and other data may be exchanged with
`an Internet server via a modem. One example is where the
`apparatus arranges to automatically download data from an
`Internet server in response to detecting a new componentin
`the system. To ensure operation with new command codes
`defined in future products, the apparatus might be remotely
`programmed, for example via an Internet server, on detect-
`ing a new component in the system, without involving the
`user. Such updating might be achieved by the apparatus
`sending to the Internet server a representation of a received
`command associated with the new system component,
`which command the apparatus cannot decode. The Internet
`server could then respond with data comprising a set of
`commands corresponding to the component, which set could
`then be downloaded and stored by the apparatus for use in
`decoding future recetved commands.
`
`Itcan readily be noted that the apparatus may adapt
`[0021]
`the received commands at a variety of levels including
`simple transfer (that
`is, without code conversion) of a
`command from one medium to another (for example from
`IR to wired); alternatively, or in addition, the command may
`be converted from one data protocol to another data protocol
`(for example from RC5 to Project50). Moreover,
`the
`received commands mayalso be generic in that they are not
`able, per se, to address (command) a specific component
`until adapted by the apparatus, examples include ‘play-
`**stop’,
`‘cursor<direction>’,
`‘OK’, etc.; such commands
`could, for example, emanate from a special proprietary
`remote control or other user device.
`
`addition of an apparatus unit connected to the components of
`the system by any suitable means, for example using a Scart
`interface. In general, an apparatus unit may utilise one or
`moreinterfaces to receive commands, to sense an operative
`component
`in the system and to send commands. The
`apparatus unit might be integrated within a componentof the
`system. Preferably, such a component would be a TV
`receiver.
`
`In any of the above scenarios the apparatus unit
`[0023]
`may sense an operative component by analysing the char-
`acteristics of its A/V signal output. For example, it is well
`known in the art that video playback from VCRs exhibits
`specific attributes such as the end-of-field head-switching
`transient and also synchronisationjitter. The apparatus unit
`could detect such attributes and thereby deduce that a VCR
`component was presently operative as a source in the
`system. Other sources mayalso exhibit particularattributes,
`for example an analogue video source derived from a tuner
`as opposed to a DVD player might perhaps be distinguished
`by the absence of VBI teletext in the latter case. However,
`the above distinctionsare all implicit indicators and thus can
`be prone to interpretation error possibly resulting in a
`non-robust functioning of the system. It is of course pre-
`ferred that an explicit schemeis used to indicate the opera-
`tive component within the system. One technique might be
`to use a dedicated identification methodology comprising
`meansto indicate to the apparatus an operative component.
`Such schemes howeverare not very attractive commercially,
`in that they may tie a user to purchasing components of a
`specific brand and/or possibly make obsolete the user’s
`existing equipment. It is therefore preferable to utilise an
`existing digital data scheme identifying an operative com-
`ponent, the apparatus is then able to sense the operative
`component by decoding the digital data. Suitable examples
`include, but are not limited to, Project5O and JEEE1394/
`HAVi. In a preferred embodiment, the system components
`and apparatus unit are interconnected using Project50. In
`this case, the apparatus unit maybe able to explicitly sense
`a componentoperative in the system, for example by moni-
`toring and interpreting the Project50 messagetraffic between
`components of the system. In addition, Project50 may also
`be used to deliver and send commandsto/from the apparatus
`unit, as discussed earlier.
`
`features and advantages will now be
`[0024] Further
`described, by way of example only, with reference to the
`accompanying drawings in which:
`
`FIG.1 is a flow diagram of a method according to
`[0025]
`the invention;
`
`FIG.2 is a schematic representation of an embodi-
`[0026]
`ment of the apparatus unit;
`
`[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a first
`embodiment of a home electronics system;
`
`[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a second
`embodimentof a home electronics system; and
`
`[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a third
`embodiment of a homeelectronics system comprising an
`apparatus, unit integrated within a component.
`
`[0022] A homeelectronics system may comprise a plural-
`ity of components and an apparatus unit embodying the
`invention. An existing system might be upgraded by the
`
`[0030] Within the following description of embodiments
`of the present invention, the term ‘homeelectronics system’
`refers to any system comprising a collection of A/V com-
`
`

`

`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`Aug. 4, 2005
`
`limited to, TV, VCR, DVD
`including, but not
`ponents,
`player, recordable DVD, AV receiver and other components
`including, but not limited to, security system components
`(sensors, actuators, etc.), personal computers, PC peripher-
`als, home appliances, information appliances and the like.
`The term ‘Project50’ refers to versions, as defined from time
`to time, of the IEC AV-Linkspecification for signalling using
`Pinl0 of a Scart connection. At the time of filing of the
`present application, the DMIspecification is emerging; it is
`to be noted that all references herein to the term ‘Project50’
`include the definition of ‘Project50’ as incorporated in the
`DMI specification or any other subsequent formats,
`in
`addition to the aforementioned AV-Link specification. The
`term ‘operative component’ means a component within the
`home electronics system which is, for example playing
`media or is the most recently controlled component.
`[0031] FIG. 1 showsa flow diagram of a method accord-
`ing to the invention. The method is generally indicated at
`100. Test 102 checks for a received command; when a
`commandis received, the method senses 104 an operative
`component and, in dependence of the sensed component,
`adapts 106 the commandinto a substitute command which
`is then communicated 108 to a component of the system.
`The method then loops backto test 102.
`[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an
`embodiment of the apparatus unit. The apparatus unit is
`shown generally at 200. A command signal is received at
`port 202. The command signal may include, but is not
`limited to, a data message conveyed to the apparatus unit by
`wired or wireless means. The invention is compatible with
`any commandsignal coding format including proprietary as
`well as the various industry standard formats (including, but
`not limited to, pulse position, ZigBee-PURL, Philips RC5/6
`bi-phase coding and Project50 messages). The apparatus
`unit comprises a data processing unit (comprising CPU 204,
`optional user interface 206, program ROM 208, RAM 210
`all interconnected by bus 212 in standard fashion, as is
`known to those skilled in the art). Preferably,
`the data
`processing unit (under software program control) decodes
`the received command signal and identifies the received
`command message, for example by comparison with data
`held in store 214; the identified message may be temporarily
`stored in RAM 210. A system status information signal is
`applied at port 216. This may be an information signal which
`implies the identity of an operative component in the sys-
`tem; alternatively,
`the information signal may, explicitly
`identify an operative component. Either way, the data pro-
`cessing unit processes the signal (under software program
`control) to determine the identity of an operative compo-
`nent; this identity may be temporarily stored in RAM 210.
`With knowledge of the identity of an operative component
`and of the received command message, the data processing
`unit may arrange for a substitute command to be produced
`and sent from the apparatus to a componentin the system via
`send commanddata port 218. The data processing unit may
`generate further commands intended for additional compo-
`nents in the system. This facilitates a macro type feature
`whereby, a set of components might be automatically con-
`figured in responseto the recetved command. An example is
`where a ‘stop’ commandis received when a DVD player is
`presently ‘playing’; in response the apparatus might issue
`two commands: one to instruct the DVD player ((DVD-
`_stop’) and a second to display a menu (‘display_DVD-
`_menu’), thereby reducing the numberof operations the user
`
`has to perform. Macros may be pre-defined and built-in to
`the apparatus to operate various types and combinations of
`components in a homeelectronics system.
`
`[0033] Each port of the apparatus may utilise additional
`circuitry in order to interface to wired and/or wireless media
`as discussed earlier; such circuitry is well known to the
`skilled person and, by way of, example, an embodimentis
`described below with respect to FIG. 5.
`
`[0034] Concerning the system status information signal
`input at port 216. This signal might be an analogue video
`signal sourced by an operative component in the system.
`Characteristics of the signal might be checked by the data
`processing unit, individually or in combination, to deduce
`the identity of the operative component. For example, a
`VCRvideo output may be characterised by synchronisation
`jitter and/or the head-switching transient near the end of a
`field interval; either or both these characteristics might be
`analysed to deduce that the present playout is from a VCR.
`In the case of a DVD analogue video output, this signal
`might be considered to very closely resemble an analogue
`broadcast signal(received via terrestrial, cable or satellite);
`a distinguishing feature of DVD playout might be charac-
`terised by the absence of VBI signals such as teletext, VPS
`and/or broadcaster insertion test signals (for example ‘stair-
`case’, or ‘pulse and bar’). These characteristics may be
`tested to deduce the playout is from a DVD player.
`
`[0035] Alternatively the system status information signal
`applied at port 216 may comprise digital data. To minimise
`processing overheadin the apparatus, a preferred method is
`one in which the system status information signal includes
`an easily decodable identifier indicating an operative com-
`ponent. It will be apparent to the skilled person that many
`suitable schemes may be devised; however, new or propri-
`etary schemes may not be quickly or commercially accepted
`in the market and moreover will be incompatible with the
`existing populationof(so called ‘legacy’) components in the
`field. A preferred method is where the system status infor-
`mation signal is Project50. The data processing unit may
`monitor and analyse Project50 traffic available at port 216 to
`explicitly determine an operative componentin the system.
`This has the advantage that an existing, rather than new,
`signalling scheme maybeutilised and that legacy Project50-
`enabled components already in the field may also be
`included. For non-Project50-enabled products, the implicit
`deduction methods described earlier may be used, thereby
`ensuring that any home electronics system is compatible
`with the method of the invention.
`
`[0036] As discussed, the data processing unit may gener-
`ate commands to send to components in the system in
`response to the receipt of a command. It may employ a
`variety of strategies in order to identify and associate a
`command encoding suitable for a specific componentin the
`system. Onestrategy is for the data processing unit to send
`a command repeatedly to a component, each repeat using a
`different command encoding in turn until
`it senses the
`componentsuccessfully responding to the command; where-
`upon it may store the relevant encoding type associated with
`the componentin the store 214. Another strategy is for the
`data processing unit to monitor remote control commands
`sent by the user to a component; the data processing unit
`may receive and identify the command and associate it with
`a component by sensing the response of a componentto the
`
`

`

`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`Aug. 4, 2005
`
`FIG.4 is a schematic representation of an embodi-
`[0040]
`ment of a home electronics system comprising wireless
`connections between the components and the apparatus. The
`system is shown generally at 400. The system comprises a
`first component 402 together with radio antenna 404, a
`second component 406 and radio antenna 408 and an
`apparatus 410 and radio antenna 412. The components may
`be of any type. As indicated, the interconnection may be any
`suitable radio means; alternatively, other wireless means
`such as infrared may be used. The figure also shows the
`apparatus connected to an Internet Server 414 by means of
`a 2-way data link 416, the link being wiredor wireless, using
`means knownin theart.
`
`[0039] The interconnection means 308 may comprise any
`suitable bus or networking means (wired or wireless) or any
`combination thereof. Wired schemesinclude, but not limited
`to, RS232, USB, Ethernet, Project50,
`[EEE1394/HAVi.
`Wireless schemes include, but not limited to, Bluetooth,
`TEEE802.11, ZigBee, HomeRF, WiFi, other low powerradio
`(e.g. 868 MHz, 915 MHz), IrDA,infrared remote control.
`With reference to the example of FIG. 2 concerning inter-
`facing the apparatus, any of the above interconnection
`means may be used in any combination to receive com-
`mands,to sense a presently operative componentor to send
`a command to a component;as is readily identifiable by the
`skilled person. FIG. 3 shows the apparatus being logically
`distinct from the components of the system. In practice, the
`apparatus may reside externally to the components or may
`be integrated within a component.
`
`command. Thesestrategies may be especially effective when
`component response is sensed by monitoring Project50
`messages. The above strategies are useful where the com-
`mands are sent from the apparatus via infrared or radio.
`However, sending commands from the apparatus using
`infrared or radio has practical limitations of line-of-sight
`and/or range; in addition such commands mustbe targeted
`at a specific component and this may cause problems for
`example wherethere are identical components in the system
`and infrared/radio command encoding schemes do not
`accommodate such duplicate components. A preferred
`embodimentis where commandsare sent via a system level
`protocol rather than componentlevel protocol, such that a
`particular component is uniquely identified within the sys-
`tem, regardless of the number, type or brand of components
`in the system. As discussed earlier, a custom remote control
`can be used to apply system level commandsto the appa-
`ratus; similarly, the apparatus can also send commands(via
`a suitable medium) to specific components of the system
`using system level commands. A preferred embodimentis to
`send commands
`to components of
`the system using
`Project50. An alternative preferred embodiments is to send
`commands to components using IEEE1394/HAVi.
`[0037]
`In order to achieve the goal of ensuring zero
`involvement by the user in initialising and/or updating the
`apparatus, a preferred embodiment may arrange to decode
`and identify infrared remote control commandsofall major
`CE brands and specific component types (TV, VCR,etc.)
`within those brands. In addition, the apparatus may also be
`arranged to decode and identify commandsreceived via
`other media such as wired or
`radio;
`in particular via
`Project50 or JEEE1394/HAVi. In another configuration, the
`[0041] FIG.5is a schematic representation of an embodi-
`apparatus mayalternatively or additionally include decoding
`ment of a homeelectronics system comprising an apparatus
`and identification of generic remote control commands
`unit integrated within a component. The homeelectronics
`associated with a custom, remote controller supplied with
`system is shown generally at 500. The system comprises a
`the apparatus. Such a custom remote control might include
`first component 502 (as denoted by the dashed outline) and
`generic function keys such as ‘menu’, ‘cursor’ (up/down/
`a second component 504 connected to the first component
`left/right), ‘OK’, etc. It is noted that, unlike prior art solu-
`by interconnection means 506. The first component 502
`tions,
`the user is not required at any time (i.e. at initial
`comprises an apparatus unit 508, an infrared receiver 510,
`installation or at any subsequent occasion, for example when
`drivers 512 and sundry other functions 514, said functions
`adding a new componentto the system) to identify to the
`being unrelated to the present invention. Infrared commands
`apparatus any configuration information whatsoever (for
`516 are sent to the component 502. These are received and
`example the identities of the components in the system
`demodulated by the infrared receiver 510 and forwarded 518
`and/or the commandsthey use). A further advantage over the
`to the received commandsignalport (see FIG.2, 202)of the
`prior art is that a user may on any occasion operate the
`apparatus unit 508. Although interconnection means 506 can
`system using any remote control available to hand which
`comprise any suitable wired or wireless method as discussed
`contains the required function key(s).
`earlier, a preferred embodiment for the present example
`[0038]
`FIG.3 is a schematic representation of an embodi-
`utilises Project50 carried over Scart. The drivers 512 suit-
`ment of a homeelectronics system comprising a separate
`ably interface the Project50 bus to the system status signal
`port (see FIG. 2, 216) and the send commanddataport (see
`apparatus unit. The home electronics system is shown gen-
`FIG. 2, 218) of the apparatus unit. The apparatus unit
`erally at 300. The system comprises a first component 302,
`decodes and identifies the received (IR) command, senses
`a second component 306 and an apparatus unit 304 all
`the presently operative component (via Project50) and in
`connected via an interconnection means 308. Components in
`response may issue one or more substitute commands (via
`the system can be of any type including, but not limited to,
`Project50) using the method discussed earlier. Component
`TV, VCR, DVD player, DVD recorder, laserdisc player,
`audio receiver. A home electronics system may comprise
`502 may be a TV receiver or similar central component; the
`any number or combination of components. In operation, a
`advantage being that the user normally interacts with such a
`system comprises at least one component acting as a sink
`componentintuitively and by using the remote control of the
`component (that is a component receiving content from
`component. For such an adapted TV or similar component,
`another component) and at least one componentacting as a
`commercial advantages include the fact that the apparatus
`source component (that is a component sending content to
`can be implemented by a relatively simple software upgrade
`since the infrared receiver 510, drivers 512 and the Scart
`another component). A typical system usually includes an
`AV presentation (sink) component or components,
`for
`connector (for clarity, not shown in FIG.5) already exist in
`example a TV, audio amplifier, etc.
`typical TV implementations.
`
`

`

`US 2005/0168658 Al
`
`Aug. 4, 2005
`
`[0042] Alternatively the present example utilises Con-
`sumer Electronics Control (CEC) messages carried over the
`High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). The drivers
`512 suitably interface the CEC bus to the system status
`signal port (see FIG. 2, 216) and the send command data
`port (see FIG. 2, 218) of the apparatus unit. The apparatus
`unit decodes and identifies the received (IR) command,
`senses the presently operative component (via CEC) and in
`response may issue one or more substitute commands(via
`CEC) using the method discussed earlier. Component 502
`may be a TV receiver, display device or similar central
`component.
`
`[0043] The foregoing implementations are presented by
`way of example only and represent a selection of a range of
`implementations that can readily be identified by a person
`skilled in the art to exploit the advantages of the present
`invention.
`
`Inthe description above and with reference to FIG.
`[0044]
`2, an apparatus 200 arranged to control a homeelectronics
`system, the apparatus being managed independently of a
`user, the apparatus comprising a data processing unit (CPU
`204, Program ROM 208 and RAM 210), a first communi-
`cations port 202 operable to receive a command, a second
`communications port 216 operable to receive a signal indi-
`cating an operative component in the system, and a third
`communications port 218 operable to output a substitute
`command to a component in the system. On receiving a
`command,the data processing unit may produceat least one
`substitute command in dependence on the operative com-
`ponent, which substitute command is then communicated to
`a component in the system.
`
`1. A method for controlling a home electronics system
`comprising a plurality of components,
`the method being
`managed independently of a user and invoked onreceipt of
`a command, the method comprising the steps of:
`
`sensing an operative componentin the system;
`
`adapting the command to produceat least one substitute
`command in dependence on the operative component;
`and
`
`for each substitute command, communicating the substi-
`tute command to a component in the system, which
`component being operable to respond to the substitute
`command.
`
`2. An apparatus arranged to control a homeelectronics
`system according to the method of claim 1, the apparatus
`being managed independently of a user, the apparatus com-
`prising:
`
`a data processing unit, comprising a CPU, program ROM
`and RAM;
`
`a first communications port operable to receive a com-
`mand;
`
`a second communicationsport operable to receive a signal
`indicating an operative component in the system; and
`
`a third communications port operable to output a substi-
`tute command,
`
`the
`the data processing unit being arranged to adapt
`command to produceat least one substitute command
`in dependence on the operative component.
`
`3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the data
`processing unit comprises a store, wh