Remote control device and method for interacting with a controlled appliance via the BLE standard

A method for controlling interactions between a remote control device and a controlled appliance, the method comprising:

• upon determination by a processing unit of the remote control device that a first condition is met;
• setting an RF communication interface of the remote control device in a standby mode where the power supplied by a battery of the remote control device to the RF communication interface is limited to a minimal value;
• upon determination by the processing unit that a second condition is met, the second condition consisting of a determination by the processing unit that an environmental characteristic value measured by a sensing module of the remote control device needs to be transmitted, transmitting at least one RF advertising signal via the RF communication interface;
• receiving by the processing unit via the RF communication interface a connection request from the controlled appliance;
• establishing by the processing unit a connection between the remote control device and the controlled appliance through the RF communication interface;
• and
• exchanging by the processing unit data with the controlled appliance via the RF communication interface, the exchange of data comprising transmitting to the controlled appliance the environmental characteristic value measured by the sensing module of the remote control device.

A non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions executable by a processing unit of a remote control device, the execution of the instructions by the processing unit of the remote control device providing for controlling interactions between the remote control device and a controlled appliance by:

• upon determination by the processing unit that a first condition is met, setting an RF communication interface of the remote control device in a standby mode where the power supplied by a battery of the remote control device to the RF communication interface is limited to a minimal value;
• upon determination by the processing unit that a second condition is met, the second condition consisting of a determination by the processing unit that an environmental characteristic value measured by a sensing module of the remote control device needs to be transmitted, transmitting at least one RF advertising signal via the RF communication interface;
• receiving by the processing unit via the RF communication interface a connection request from the controlled appliance;
• establishing by the processing unit a connection between the remote control device and the controlled appliance through the RF communication interface;
• and
• exchanging by the processing unit data with the controlled appliance via the RF communication interface, the exchange of data comprising transmitting to the controlled appliance the environmental characteristic value measured by the sensing module of the remote control device.

A computing device comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) communication interface;
• a power supply for powering at least the RF communication interface;
• and
• a processing unit for:
• upon determination of a first condition being met, setting the RF communication interface in a standby mode where the power supplied by the power supply to the RF communication interface is limited to a minimal value;
• upon determination of a second condition being met, the second condition consisting of a determination by the processing unit that an environmental characteristic value measured by a sensing module of the computing device needs to be transmitted, transmitting at least one RF advertising signal via the RF communication interface;
• receiving via the RF communication interface a connection request from a controlled appliance;
• establishing a connection between the computing device and the controlled appliance through the RF communication interface;
• and
• exchanging data with the controlled appliance via the RF communication interface, the exchange of data comprising transmitting to the controlled appliance the environmental characteristic value measured by the sensing module of the remote control device.