Interactive appliance remote controller, system and method
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsRonald W. Borgstahl, Jeffrey Martin Harris, Ernest Earl Woodward
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Abstract
In a personal area network, a method for programming an appliance by a controller. The method includes steps of a) determining (358), by the controller (300), that the appliance (324) is included in the personal area network; b) determining (328), by the controller (300), that the appliance (324) is in data communication with the controller (300); and c) when the appliance (324) is in data communication with the controller (300), performing substeps of: i) requesting downloading (330) of a command set for controlling the appliance (324); ii) receiving (332) the command set for controlling the appliance (324); and iii) programming (401) the command set into a memory of the controller.
Claims14
In a personal area network, a method for programming an appliance by a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) determining, by said controller, through a self-initiated process that said appliance is included in said personal area network, where said self-initiated process includes transmitting an identification code of said controller;
- b) determining that said appliance and said controller are compatible with each other by establishing a data communication link;
- and
- c) when said appliance is in data communication with said controller, said controller performing the substeps of:
- i) requesting downloading of a command set for controlling said appliance;
- ii) receiving said command set for controlling said appliance;
- and
- iii) programming said command set into a memory of said controller.
In a personal area network, a method for programming an appliance by a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- sending a self-initiated message by said controller for determining that an appliance unknown to said controller is within said personal area network and capable of establishing data communications with said controller;
- adding said unknown appliance to a list of appliances known to said controller;
- and
- storing said list including said unknown appliance in a memory within said controller.
In a personal area network, a method for programming an appliance by a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a self-initiated message by a controller, where self-initiated message includes an identification code of said controller;
- responding to said message from said controller by an appliance transmitting a response message to said controller;
- and
- transmitting identification information of said appliance in said response message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.