User-assisted programmable appliance control

A method of activating an appliance, the appliance controlled by a radio frequency activation signal, the method comprising:

• if a user indicates that the appliance is activated by a rolling code activation signal, transmitting a sequence of different rolling code activation signals, each rolling code activation signal in the sequence of rolling code activation signals separated from a next rolling code activation signal in the sequence of rolling code activation signals by a preset amount of time, the sequence of rolling code activation signals transmitted until the user indicates a successful rolling code transmission, then storing data representing a rolling code scheme used to generate the successful rolling code transmission;
• if the user indicates that the appliance is activated by a fixed code activation signal, using a fixed code word to generate and transmit each of a sequence of different fixed code activation signals, each fixed code activation signal in the sequence of activation signals separated from a next fixed code activation signal in the sequence of fixed code activation signals by the preset amount of time, the sequence of fixed code activation signals transmitted until the user indicates a successful fixed code transmission, then storing data representing the fixed code word and a fixed code scheme used to generate the successful fixed code transmission;
• and
• in response to an activation input, generating and transmitting an activation signal based on stored data.

A method of programming a programmable remote control, the remote control programmable to one of a plurality of appliance activation schemes, the method comprising:

• receiving user type input specifying activation signal type;
• if the user type input specifies variable code type, automatically transmitting variable code activation signals spaced apart by a preset amount of time until receiving user success input indicating a target appliance has been activated;
• if the user type input specifies fixed code type, receiving user fixed code input providing a fixed code and automatically transmitting fixed code activation signals spaced apart by the preset amount of time until receiving user success input indicating the target appliance has been activated;
• and
• storing information specifying an activation signal for activating the target appliance based on the received user success input;
• wherein the preset amount of time is sufficiently long enough to permit a user to generate the user success input.