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`
`US 20040080428Al
`
`(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication
`Rye et al.
`
`(10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0080428 Al
`Apr. 29, 2004
`(43) Pub. Date:
`
`(54) RF AUDIOVISUAL COMPONENT REMOTE
`CONTROL SYSTEM
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Oct. 25, 2002
`
`(75)
`
`inventors: David John Rye, Kent, WA (US);
`Lesley Alan Leech, Kowloon (HK)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`Marvin N. Gordon
`Suite 2015
`630 Fiftb Avenue
`New York, NY lOlll (US)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: XlO Wireless Technology, Inc.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.:
`
`10/279,614
`
`Publication C lassification
`
`Int. Cl? ........................... GOSB 19/02; G08C 19/00
`(51)
`(52) U.S. C l.
`. ................................ 340/825.69; 340/825.24
`
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A handheld remote control unit transmits binary coded rf
`address and control signals to an addressable transceiver
`where those signals are detected, decoded and processed to
`derive binary coded control signals tha 1 are coded in accor(cid:173)
`dance with the brands or manufacturers of the audiovisual
`components lhat are to be controlled along with lhe f11nction
`thai is io be thus controlled for the addressed components.
`
`310 MHz antenna~
`
`Memory for
`code lookup
`table
`
`"""
`
`RF receiver
`
`Demodulator
`
`Main Processor
`
`IR Processor
`
`"Smart" Addressable
`RF/IR Transceiver
`
`Memory tor
`address
`
`'
`Memory for
`IR code library
`
`Roku EX1007
`U.S. Patent No. 7,589,642
`
`

`

`Patent AppHcation Publication Apr. 29, 2004 Sheet 1 of 2
`
`US 2004/0080428 AI
`
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`Patent Application Publication Apr. 29, 2004 Sheet 2 of 2
`
`US 2004/0080428 Al
`
`"Dumb"
`RF Remote
`r •
`7
`
`(
`7
`
`/
`
`'
`
`Microprocessor
`
`1--
`
`Key Matrix
`
`·.
`
`'J
`
`'----
`
`/'
`.I
`
`310MHz
`Transmitter
`
`310MHz
`
`31 0 MHz ontennal'\
`
`RF recetver
`
`Demodulator
`
`Main Processor
`
`, ,
`
`"Smart" Addressable
`RF/IR Transceiver
`
`Memory for
`address
`
`()
`
`Memory tor
`IR oode library
`
`

`

`US 2004/0080428 Al
`
`Apr. 29, 2004
`
`1
`
`Rl<' AUDIOVISUAL COMPONENT REMOTE
`CO NTROL SYST EM
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001)
`
`I. Field of the Invention
`
`[0002) The present invention relates to the remote control
`of audiovisual components.
`
`[0003)
`
`II. Description of the Prior Art
`
`[0004) The presence of a horne entertainment system or
`center is rapidly becoming common in American homes as
`the qual.ity of the several audio and video components used
`in such systems bas increased while their prices have
`declined to make them more affordable to many households.
`A typical horne entertainment cenrer includes a television
`receiver, a OVO player, a cable box or converter, a control
`amplifier and tuner and a videocasseue recorder (VCR). The
`operation of these components is commonly controlled by
`the use of one or more handheld remote conrrol units, which,
`depending on the button pushed by tbe user, transmits
`binary-coded .infra-red signals which are received and
`decoded by the associated audio or visual component to, fo r
`example, turn it •·on" or "off', change the channel, or open
`or close the disc bolder in the case o( a DVO player.
`
`[0005)
`In many, if not most, of these borne entertainment
`sysrerns, the individual components are manufacrured by
`different manufacturers. For example, a home entertainment
`center may include a TV receiver made by Sony, a DVD
`player made by Toshiba and a control amplifier made by
`Oenon, each having a unique binary control code that
`conrrols its operat ion. To operate these components by
`remote control, the user must either use a different brand(cid:173)
`specific remote control unit for each manufacturer's com(cid:173)
`ponent, which is sold with that componenl, or purchase and
`program a so-called "universal" remote control that can be
`pre-programmed by the user to store the operating binary
`conrrol codes associated with the several brands of the
`audiovisual components. These universa.l remote control
`units emit infrared signals that are coded in accordance with
`the stored codes specific to the several brands of audiovisual
`components tbar are to be controlled, and are thus able to
`replace the multiple brand-specific remote control units with
`a single u oiL
`
`[0006) Most currently available handheld remote control
`units arc provided with a plurality of pushbutton switches
`tbar allow the user to enter cocrrol signal.s manually. Encod(cid:173)
`ing circuitry in the unit, in response to the actuation of the
`particular control switch, produces binary coded electrical
`signals that uniquely identi.fy the particular manually entered
`command. An infrared light emitter in the unit is driven to
`emit infrared light signals binary coded in correspondence to
`rbc encoded commands and 10 the brand of the audiovisual
`component to which the coded control signals are directed.
`
`[0007) The audiovisual cornponeot whose operation is to
`be remotely coo trolled is typically provided with an infrared
`detector that receives tbe coded infrared coot col or command
`signal from the band-held remote control, and converts the
`received coded command signal to an electrical signal to
`which the remorely controlled audiovisual component
`responds by executing the corresponding command, e.g.,
`increase volume or cbaogc cbaonel.
`
`issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,288,
`[0008]
`recently
`In
`assigocd ro the assignee of the present applicarion, I disclose
`a "virtual" remote comrol unit whose image is displayed on
`a PC monitor. Tbe user by touching or clicking onto the
`appropriate areas of the image of the remote control uni t
`selects a desi red control function, e.g., TV ·'off" or "one". An
`interface connected to ao 1/ 0 porr o[ the PC transmits a
`corresponding binary coded RF signal to a receiver at which
`tbc transmitted, coded signal is decoded aod converted 10 a
`correspondingly coded in[rared signaL
`
`[0009) The control or command codes for the various
`brands of audiovisual components in Lhe user's system are
`stored in a code library included in lhe receiver. Thus, for
`example, when the PC interface transmits an RF signal
`corresponding to "VCR Play" rhe receiver looks up in the
`receiver code library the code (or the user's brand o( VCR
`aod then transmits an infrared coded signal for "Play" for
`that brand of VCR This system, although reliable and
`effective, docs, however, require the usc of a PC and
`accompanying addjtional software as well as the interface,
`which adds to tbe cost and complexity of the system.
`
`[0010) U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,359 is of interest in irs disclo(cid:173)
`sure of a system for extending the effective operational range
`of an infrared remote conrrol system. The disclosed system
`includes a first repeater !bat receives binary coded infrared
`commands from a remote control uoil. The first repeater
`generates a corresponding RF signal representative of the
`received infrared signals. Those coded RF signals are
`received by a second repealer, which, io respoose, generates
`and transmits a corresponding coded infrared signal to the
`controlled component. U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,044 is of interest
`in its disclosure of an RF remo te control system in which the
`infrared commands are modulated onto an RF carrier that is
`received at a receiver in which the commands are detected
`and the RF signal is converted to a corresponding coded
`infrared signal that is transmitted to tbe audiovisual com(cid:173)
`ponent.
`
`[0011) The remote comrol system described in U.S. Pat.
`No. 5,383,044 requires the use of a special RF remote and
`does not work with the user's existing infrared remote
`conrrol. A further disadvantage of borh of these prior pat(cid:173)
`ented remote control systems is thai if the user owns more
`than one audiovisual component of the same brand, the user
`cannot use multiple receivers since the remote conrrol would
`incorrectly and accidcmally conrrol rbe operarion of borh of
`tbcse audiovisual components. For example, most television
`receivers respond 10 a '·toggle function" for ON-OFF, thai is,
`the same command code is transmitted (rom the remote
`conrrol to turn it "on" or "off'. Thus, for example, if the user
`has two identical relevision receivers in different rooms and
`one of them is "on" and the other is "oft~', the use of either
`of these patented remo te conrrols to turn ''on" a television
`that was "ofl'' would improperly also turn "on" the other
`television that was "olf'.
`
`SUMMARY OF "mE INVENTION
`
`[0012)
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a
`remole control system for use in controll ing the operalioo of
`a multi-brand audiovisual componenr system that is cost(cid:173)
`effective and reliable.
`
`

`

`US 2004/0080428 Al
`
`Apr. 29, 2004
`
`2
`
`It is a more general object of the present invention
`[0013)
`to provide a remo te co!llrol system of the type described that
`avoids the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art
`remote control systems.
`
`It is another object of the present invention to
`[0014)
`provide a remote control system of the type described, which
`can address a receiver and is thus able to individually control
`multiple audiovisual components of the same brand and
`model located in different rooms of the user's home.
`
`In accordance with the present iovcotioo, an
`[0015)
`" actual" remote control, rather than the ·'virtual" remote
`control disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,288, transmits
`coded RF binary signals to an add ressable transreceiver
`where the s ignals are decoded to derive binary coded control
`signals and processed to code those signals in accordance
`with the manufacturer or brand of the audiovisual compo(cid:173)
`nent that is to be remotely controlled by the coded control
`signals. The remote control system of this invention thus
`represents an improvemeot over that disclosed in U.S. Pat.
`No. 6,397,288 since it does not require the use o[ a PC and
`the software required to create the "'virta" remote.
`
`[0016) To this end, the addressable transceiver includes a
`memory for TR code library that stores the remote control
`codes for the commercial brands of audiovisual components,
`and a lookup table that stores tbe remote control codes for
`all the audiovisual components in the user's home. ll1e
`library and lookup table are connected to a microprocessor
`in which the brand or product codes arc combined with the
`received binary coded control signals. The thus processed
`and modified coded control signals are converted to corre(cid:173)
`sponding coded infrared control signals which are transmit(cid:173)
`ted to the selected audiovisual component.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0017) To the accomplishment of the above and such
`further objects as may hereinafter appear, the present inven(cid:173)
`tion is directed to an RF remote control system substantially
`as defi ned in the appended claims and as described in the
`following detailed specification of a preferred embodiment
`thereof as considered with the accompanying drawings in
`which:
`
`[0018) F fG. 1 is an elevation of a hand-held remote
`control unit which may be used in the remote control system
`of the invention;
`
`[0019) F[G . 2 is a schematic block diagram of the remote
`control unit of FIG . 1; and
`
`[0020) FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a trans(cid:173)
`ceiver that can be used in the remote control system of the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRLPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`[0021] Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG.
`1 an example of a band-held remote control unit generally
`designated 10 that may be used in the remote control system
`of the present invention. As therein shown, unit 10 includes
`a housing or case 12 which contains the integrated circuits
`and other components of the unit, as is conventional. As is
`aL'iO conventional, unit 10 includes an array of pushbuuons
`14, wbich, when pres.sed down by the user, actuate the
`
`internal circuitry contained in unit 10 to produce the appro(cid:173)
`priate binary coded commands or control s ignals that are
`transmitted from unit 10 to control selectively the audiovi(cid:173)
`sual component, for example, to turn a DVD player .. on" or
`raise the volume.
`
`[0022] As shown in the schematic diagram of the remote
`contro l unit10 depicted in FIG. 2, the unit 10 includes a key
`matrix 18, which, in a known manner, in response to the user
`operation of one of tbe pushbuttons 14 produces a memory
`address signal that is applied to a microprocessor 20 in
`which is stored a plurality of binary control codes corre(cid:173)
`sponding to the various functions of the audiovisual com(cid:173)
`ponents that are to be controlled by the operation of uni t10.
`The binary control codes stored in the microprocessor 20 are
`generic codes io that they are not specific for any particular
`brand or model of audiovisual product. The bin ary coded
`signal generated by the microprocessor 2 0, in response to the
`user operation of ooe of the pushbunoos 14, is applied to a
`modulator-transmiller 22 in which the microprocessor out(cid:173)
`put binary coded control signal is modulated onto a radio(cid:173)
`frequency carrier of e.g., 310 MHz. T hat radio-frequency
`binary coded signal is transmilled by an antenna 24 included
`in unit10 to an addressable transceiver generally designated
`30, illustrated schematically in FIG . 3 .
`
`[0023) As therein shown, transceiver 30 receives the
`binary coded address and function control rf signal from tbe
`remote control unit 10. In overview, tbose signals arc
`converted in transceiver 30 to corresponding binary coded
`infrared (IR) signals, which are then transmilted over-the-air
`to the selected audiovisual component to control its opera(cid:173)
`tion. To this end, as shown in FIG. 3, transceiver 30 includes
`an rf antenna 32 whose output is connected to the input of
`an rf receiver 34. The output of receiver 34 is coupled to an
`input of a demodulator 36, the output of which is applied to
`an input of a main microprocessor 38. An address memory
`40 is connected to another input of microprocessor 38.
`Memory 40 stores the addresses of the transceiver 30 (?) as
`well as the addresses of tbc various audiovisual components
`whose operation is to be remotely controlled in response to
`the binary coded rf signals received at transceiver 30 from
`tbe remote control unit10. The transceiver's maio processor
`38 looks up its address in memory 40 and compares it to the
`address code received from unit10 to check that the received
`command code is intended for this particular transceiver.
`
`If an address match is detected in microproces.sor
`[0024)
`38 its output is applied to one input of an infrared (IR)
`processor 42, which receives at another input the contents of
`a universai !R code Library memory 44. Memory 44 contains
`the remo te control codes for all brands, e.g., Sony and
`Zenith, and models of commercially available audiovis\Jal
`components. For example, if the audiovisual component is a
`television receiver identified on the user's remote control
`unit as TV 1 is a Sony and a second television receiver in the
`borne identified as TV 2 is a Zenith, memory 44 would store
`the Sony remote control code for TV 1 and the Zenith remote
`control code for TV 2. (DAVE, WHERE AND HOW ARE
`TVl AND TV 2 IDENTIFIED HERE?) IR microproces.sor
`42 also receives an input from a memory 46 for the code
`lookup table. Tbe remote control codes stored in memory 46,
`which are derived from code library memory 44 th rough the
`microprocessor 42, may be periodicaJiy supplemented or
`Olherwise modified by the user when a new audiovisual
`component is acquired or a currently owned component is
`
`

`

`US 2004/0080428 Al
`
`Apr. 29, 2004
`
`3
`
`discarded. IR processor 42 looks up the received control
`code, e.g., "VCR Play", from the TR code library 44.
`[0025] The output of the lR microprocessor 42 is applied
`to an m. emitter 48, which provides appropriately binary
`coded drive signals to an LED 50, which, in response,
`transmits correspondingly coded lR control signals to the
`selected or addressed audiovisual component, as desired. fn
`an otherwise known manner, that component uniquely
`responds to the received TR coded address and control signal
`that contains its unique product remote control code.
`In the operation of the transceiver 30 of FIG. 3. the
`[0026]
`binary coded rf control and address signals arc received at
`antenna 32 and receiver 34 and then decoded or demodu(cid:173)
`lated in demodula tor 3 6 to remove the 310 MHz component
`(rom it. The binary output signal of demodulator 36 are
`applied to the main microprocessor 38 where the binary
`address portion of the signal is compared to the product
`address codes obtained from the address memory 40 to
`check that the function control code is intended for tbis
`particular addressable transceiver. In the event the received
`address signal ma tches one of the stored addresses, a signal
`is generated which is applied to the m. microprocessor 42.
`IR processor 42 converts the input control signal so
`[0027]
`that it is compatible with the operating binary code for the
`selected audiovisual component whose IR remote control
`code is obtained from the look-up table 46. That is, if tbe
`control operation that is to be performed is to Play the VCR,
`the IR processor 42 looks up tbc "VCR-Play" code from the
`code library 44 for the user's particular brand of VCR. That
`control code for "VCR-Play" is selected in IR processor 42
`and is then applied to IR emitter 48 to, in turn, cause LED
`50 to transmit to the addressed or selected VCR, in the
`example given, the selected control signal in the form of an
`IR binary signal tha t is compatible with the user's brand and
`model of VCR.
`
`[0028] A more specific example of this operation to con(cid:173)
`trol the channel select and volume control of an RCA TV
`receiver and tbc play fu nction for a Toshiba VCR is as
`follows:
`
`(0029] Send an RF code to address the transceiver 30
`
`(0030] Send an RF code for a RCA TV, code 013.
`
`[0031] Send an RF code fo r pushbullon # 1 (power).
`
`[0032] Send an RF code for pushbullon # 2 (Channel
`up).
`[0033] Send an RF code for pushbullon # 3 (Volume
`up).
`
`(0034] Send an RF code for a Toshiba VCR, code
`145.
`
`[0035] Send an RF code for pushbutton # 1 (power).
`
`(0036] Seod an RF code fo r pushbutton #4 (play).
`
`(0037] Send an RF code to unaddress the transceiver
`30.
`
`[0038] Transceiver 30 knows, for example, that code 013
`identifies an RCA TV and that code 145 identifies a Toshiba
`VCR; all of these product codes are stored io its code library
`44. Thus when traosceiver 30 receives an RF bioary coded
`signal from the remo te unit 10 to turn oo the user's model
`
`of the RCA TV, it recognizes and then sends the correct IR
`binary coded signal to turn that particular TV receiver "on".
`
`It will be appreciated from the foregoing descrip(cid:173)
`[0039]
`tion of a presently preferred embodiment that the remote
`control system of the present invention allows for the
`convenient and reliable remote control of the operation of a
`multiplicity of audiovisual components of the same or o(
`differeot brands in the user's home. It will be further
`appreciated that whereas the remote control system of the
`invention bas been described hereinabove with respect to
`that embodiment, modifications therein and thereto may be
`made without necessarily departiog from the spi.rit aod scope
`of the invention.
`
`What is claimed is:
`1. A remote control system for controlling the operatioo of
`a plurality of different audiovisual components, said system
`comprising a handheld remote control unit including meaos
`for producing and transmitting, in response to the user's
`operation of one or more pushbuttons on said unit, a series
`of binary coded, radio-frequency (Rf) control and address
`signals, and a transceiver separate from said remote cootrol
`unit, said traosceiver comprising means for detecting aod
`decoding said binary coded RF signals transmi tted thereto
`by said remote cootrol unit and mcaos operatively connected
`to said detecting means for processing said decoded control
`s ignal, thereby to modify said decoded control signal to
`make said signal compatible with tbe brand of tbe audiovi(cid:173)
`sual compooent whose operation is to be controlled by said
`binary coded control signal, and means operatively con(cid:173)
`nected to said signal processing means for traosmi tted the
`thus modified control signal to the addressed audiovisual
`component.
`2. The system of claim 1, in which said processiog meaos
`includes a first memory storing a plurality of control codes
`for a corresponding plural ity of brands of audiovisual com(cid:173)
`ponents, the operation of which are to be coo trolled by said
`bioary coded control signals.
`3. The system of claim 2, in which said processing means
`further comprises a second memory for storing the universal
`remote control codes for commercially :available audiovisual
`components and a first processor having an input operatively
`conoected to said first memory.
`4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a second
`processor operatively connected to said first processor aod
`infrared (IR) transmitting means operatively connected to ao
`output of said second processor.
`5. Tbe system of claim 4, further comprising a second
`memory including a code lookup table and a third memory
`including an lR code library, said second and third memories
`beiog operatively conoected to said second processor.
`6. The system of claim 1, in which said remote control
`unit transmits a binary coded signal modulated oo a 310
`MHz carrier.
`7. The system of claim l, in which said transceiver is
`addressable and includes means for detecting the receipt of
`its address signal from said remote control unit.
`8. The system of claim 7, in which said address signal
`detecting means includes a microprocessor and a memory
`storing the transceiver address code operatively conoected to
`said microprocessor.
`
`* * * * *
`
`