Apparatus and method for determining the validity of an infrared signal of a remote-control device cross-reference to related applications

Apparatus for determining the validity of an infrared signal of a remote-control device comprising

• a receiving device for receiving the infrared signal of the remote-control device, the infrared signal comprising a plurality of pulses representing data corresponding to a function of a controllable target device,
• a capacitor for measuring the discharge time associated with each pulse of the infrared signal,
• a processor for establishing a discharge sequence based on the measured discharge times,
• a memory storing a plurality of pre-determined valid discharge patterns,
• wherein the processor is configured to compare the established discharge sequence with each of the plurality of pre-determined valid discharge patterns to determine the validity of the infrared signal.

A method of storing a valid discharge sequence related to an infrared signal transmitted by a remote-control device, the infrared signal comprising a plurality of pulses representing data corresponding to a function of a controllable target device, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving the remote-control device relative to an infrared receiver;
• transmitting the infrared signal from the remote-control device to the infrared receiver to capture each pulse of the infrared signal;
• demodulating the infrared signal;
• passing the demodulated signal through a capacitor such that the capacitor charges and discharges for each pulse of the demodulated signal;
• measuring the discharge time associated with each pulse of the demodulated signal;
• and
• storing, in memory, each consecutive discharge time of the demodulated signal as a sequence of discharge times.