Reconfiguring remote controls for different devices in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10404801-B2
Application number	US-201113292028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2011
Priority date	Nov 8, 2011
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A control device transmits a first type of signal and a second type of signal as part of transmitting an instruction. An electronic device receives the first signal and determines the control device is paired with another device. The electronic device displays a notification indicating such as well as a prompt requesting confirmation to pair the control device. Upon receiving an affirmative response, the electronic device notifies the other device, which transmits unpairing information to the control device. The control device then unpairs from the other device. The other device also transmits pairing information to the control device via the electronic device and the control device utilizes the information to pair with the electronic device. In some implementations, the other device may receive a request to locate the control device. In response, the other device displays that the control device has been paired with the electronic device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for reconfiguring remote control devices for different electronic devices in a network, the method comprising:
receiving a first signal of a first type at a first electronic device of a network of a plurality of electronic devices wherein the first signal is transmitted by a remote control device as part of transmitting a first plurality of signals, including the first signal and a second signal of a second type that are transmitted, to the first electronic device of the network of the plurality of electronic devices that is paired with the remote control device, the first plurality of signals instructs the first electronic device to perform at least one operation;
receiving a notification at the first electronic device from a second electronic device of the network of the plurality of electronic device that the remote control device will be paired with the second electronic device wherein the second electronic device received the second signal of the second type and identified the first electronic device by looking up at least one identifier included in the second signal of the second type in at least one database shared by the first electronic device and the second electronic device, the second electronic device having received a confirmation in response to a prompt to pair the remote control device with the second electronic device;
in response to the notification, transmitting at least one message from the first electronic device to the remote control device instructing the remote control device to unpair from the first electronic device;
transmitting information to pair the remote control device with the second electronic device from the first electronic device to the remote control device;
receiving a request at the first electronic device to locate the remote control device;
determining that the first electronic device last communicated regarding the remote control device when transmitting the information to pair the remote control device with the second electronic device; and
in response to determining that the first electronic device last communicated regarding the remote control device when transmitting the information to pair the remote control device with the second electronic device, transmitting at least one message from the first electronic device to at least one display device indicating that the remote control device was paired with the second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said operation of transmitting information to pair the remote control device with the second electronic device from the first electronic device to the remote control device further comprises transmitting the information from the first electronic device to the remote control device via the second electronic device.

3. A system for reconfiguring remote control devices for different electronic devices in a network, comprising:
a first electronic device of a network of a plurality of electronic devices, comprising:
at least one communication component comprising at least one receiving component of a first type and at least one receiving component of a second type; and
at least one processing unit;

wherein the at least one processing unit:
receives a first signal of a first type via the at least one communication component wherein the first signal is transmitted by a remote control device as part of transmitting a first plurality of signals, including the first signal and a second signal of a second type that are transmitted, to a second electronic device of the network of the plurality of electronic devices that is paired with the remote control device that instructs the second electronic device to perform at least one operation;
in response to receiving the first signal of the first type, looks up at least one identifier included in the first signal of the first type in at least one database shared by the first electronic device and the second electronic device;
determines, in response to looking up the at least one identifier, that the remote control device is paired with the second electronic device;
transmits at least one prompt via the at least one communication component to at least one display device requesting confirmation to pair the remote control device with the first electronic device;
upon receipt of the confirmation from the remote control device, transmits a notification via the at least one communication component to the second electronic device that the remote control device will be paired with the first electronic device;
pairs the remote control device with the first electronic device
receives a request to locate the remote control device;
determines that the first electronic device last communicated regarding the remote control device when transmitting information to pair the remote control device with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and
in response to determining that the first electronic device last communicated regarding the remote control device when transmitting information to pair the remote control device with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device, transmits at least one message to the at least one display device indicating that the remote control device was paired with at least one of the first electronic device and second electronic device.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising the second electronic device comprising at least one second device communication component and at least one second device processing unit wherein the at least one second device processing unit:
receives the second signal of the second type and the notification via the at least one second device communication component,
transmits at least one message to the remote control device instructing the remote control device to unpair from the second electronic device, and
transmits information to pair the remote control device with the first electronic device to the remote control device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one second device processing unit transmits the information to the remote control device via the first electronic device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processing unit pairs the remote control device with the first electronic device by transmitting the information received from the second electronic device to the remote control device via the at least one communication component along with at least one command code for at least one component associated with the first electronic device.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one prompt includes at least one indicator indicating that the remote control device is paired with the second electronic device.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing unit receives a second plurality of signals, including a third signal of the first type and a fourth signal of the second type, from the remote control device via the at least one communication component wherein the second plurality of signals instructs the first electronic device to perform at least one operation.

9. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processing unit determines that the remote control device is paired with the second electronic device by determining that an electronic device of the network of the plurality of electronic devices other than the first electronic device received the second signal of the second type.

10. A remote control device, comprising:
at least one communication component comprising at least one transmitting component of a first type and at least one transmitting component of a second type; and
at least one processing unit that is communicably coupled to

Assignees

• Martch Henry Gregg
• Dish Tech Llc

Inventors

• Martch Henry Gregg

Classifications

• H04W4/30

  Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes · CPC title

• G08C2201/20

  Binding and programming of remote control devices · CPC title

• G08C23/04

  using light waves, e.g. infrared · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title