# US 2012/0075082 A1 · System for learning control codes of a remote controller

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- Number: US 2012/0075082 A1
- Document ID: US20120075082A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/890,034
- Filed: 2010-09-24
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-24
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Fletcher Rothkopf; Stephen Brian Lynch; Adam Mittleman; Phil Hobson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120075082A1

## CPC

- G08C 19/28: using pulse code
- G08C 17/02: using a radio link
- G08C 23/04: using light waves, e.g. infrared
- H04B 10/1149: {Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information}
- H04N 23/66: Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
- G08C 2201/20: Binding and programming of remote control devices
- G08C 2201/30: User interface
- G08C 2201/92: Universal remote control
- G08C 2201/93: Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
- G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

One embodiment of an electronic device configured for supplying control codes to a programmable device may include a first receiver configured to receive a first command signal from a remote control device, a processing device coupled to the first receiver, and a transmitter configured to transmit a second command signal to a programmable device. The transmitter may be coupled to the processing device. The electronic device may further include a storage device coupled to the processing device. The storage device may be configured to store one or more control codes associated with the first command signal. The processing device may be configured to determine if the one or more control codes associated with the first command signal are stored on the storage device, and to transmit the second command signal to the programmable device via the transmitter if the processing device determines that the one or more control codes are stored on the storage device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device configured for supplying control codes to a programmable device, the electronic device comprising:
a first receiver configured to receive a first command signal from a remote control device;
a processing device coupled to the first receiver;
a transmitter configured to transmit a second command signal to a programmable device, the transmitter coupled to the processing device; and
a storage device coupled to the processing device, the storage device configured to store one or more control codes associated with the first command signal;
wherein the processing device is configured to determine if the one or more control codes associated with the first command signal are stored on the storage device, and to transmit the second command signal to the programmable device via the transmitter if the processing device determines that the one or more control codes are stored on the storage device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the second command signal over a wired connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if the processing device determines that the one or more control codes are not stored on the storage device, the processing device is configured to process the first command signal to obtain identifying information corresponding to the remote control device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the identifying information comprises a manufacturer and a model of the remote control device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the electronic device is a laptop.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the electronic device is further configured transmit the identifying information to a remote server.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a second receiver configured to receive one or more control codes from the server.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processing device is further configured to store the one or more control codes on the storage device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the programmable device is a wireless communication device.

### Claim 10

A method for operating a programmable device configured for learning one or more control codes of a remote control device, comprising:
receiving an infrared command signal from the remote control device;
capturing infrared data from the infrared command signal using a camera; and
processing the captured infrared command signal to derive identifying information regarding the remote control device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
establishing a connection with a server configured to process the identifying information to obtain a control code of the infrared command signal; and
transmitting the identifying information to the server.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying information comprises a manufacturer and a model of the remote control device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a control code from the server and storing the control code on a storage device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a command signal comprising the control code to a controlled device.

### Claim 15

A camera for capturing an infrared component of an infrared command signal, comprising:
an image sensor configured to sense an infrared command signal; and
a processing device coupled to the image sensor, the processing device configured to process the captured infrared command signal to derive identifying information regarding the remote control device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The camera of claim 15, wherein the image sensor comprises a grid including one or more infrared-sensitive pixels; and
an infrared-blocking filter configured to at least partially block infrared radiation from at least one of the one or more pixels.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The camera of claim 16, wherein the grid includes a central portion comprising one or more central pixels and an edge portion comprising one or more edge pixels, the edge portion at least partially surrounds the central portion, and the infrared-blocking filter is configured to at least partially block infrared radiation from the one or more central pixels of the central portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The camera of claim 15, wherein the identifying information includes a manufacturer and a model of the remote control device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The camera of claim 15, wherein the camera is a video camera.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The camera of claim 15, wherein the camera is configured to capture one or more still images.
