Systems and Methods for Managing Pairing of Remote Control Devices with a Plurality of Media Content Processing Devices

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a remote control device configured to control media content processing devices with non-infrared-based (“non-IR-based”) wireless communication signals, an infrared token (“IR token”) that identifies the remote control device as being paired with a first media content processing device included in a plurality of media content processing devices, the IR token configured to be transmitted by the remote control device within an infrared signal (“IR signal”) each time the remote control device transmits a non-IR-based wireless communication signal;
• attempting, by the remote control device after being paired with the first media content processing device, to control a second media content processing device by transmitting the IR signal including the IR token together with the non-IR based wireless communication signal to the second media content processing device;
• and
• receiving, by the remote control device in response to the transmitting of the IR signal to the second media content processing device, an updated IR token that identifies the remote control device as being re-paired with the second media content processing device in place of the first media content processing device.

A system comprising:

• at least one physical computing device that
• pairs a remote control device with a first media content processing device included in a plurality of media content processing devices, the remote control device configured to control media content processing devices with non-infrared-based (“non-IR-based”) wireless communication signals, the pairing comprising providing the remote control device with an infrared token (“IR token”) that identifies the remote control device as being paired with the first media content processing device and that is to be transmitted by the remote control device within an infrared signal (“IR signal”) each time the remote control device transmits a non-IR-based wireless communication signal;
• detects, after the pairing of the remote control device with the first media content processing device, that a second media content processing device included in the plurality of media content processing devices receives the IR signal transmitted from the remote control device together with the non-IR based wireless communication signal;
• determines that the remote control device is not paired with the second media content processing device by determining that the IR signal received by the second media content processing device includes the IR token that identifies the remote control device as being paired with the first media content processing device;
• and
• re-pairs, in response to the determination, the remote control device with the second media content processing device in place of the first media content processing device.