# US 6,720,904 B1 · Remote control with LED capabilities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,720,904 B1 - Document ID: US6720904B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 10/223,261 - Filed: 2002-08-19 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 1987-10-14 - Assignees: Universal Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Paul V. Darbee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6720904B1 ## CPC - H04B 10/114: Indoor or close-range type systems - G08C 19/28: using pulse code - G08C 23/04: using light waves, e.g. infrared - H03J 1/0025: {in a remote control unit (remote control tuning in general H03J9/00)} - H04B 1/202: {by remote control} - H04B 10/116: Visible light communication - H04N 5/44: Receiver circuitry {for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards} (H04N5/14 takes precedence) - H04N 21/42221: {Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]} - H04N 21/42225: {characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control} - G08C 2201/20: Binding and programming of remote control devices - G08C 2201/21: Programming remote control devices via third means - G08C 2201/33: Remote control using macros, scripts - G08C 2201/92: Universal remote control - H01H 9/0235: {specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus} - H01H 2009/189: {with a tactile symbol or indication, e.g. for blind people} - H01H 2221/056: Modular conception - H03J 2200/24: Remote control device with display showing programme content - H04B: TRANSMISSION - 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) - H03J: TUNING RESONANT CIRCUITS; SELECTING RESONANT CIRCUITS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A universal remote control comprising a keyboard having a plurality of pushbuttons including a macro pushbutton and a library of codes and data for use in transmitting operating commands to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers. Instructions within the remote control are used to match the universal remote control to a plurality of different home appliances of different manufacturers such that selected codes and data from the library are used to transmit operating commands to the matched home appliances in response to activation of selected pushbuttons of the keyboard. The instructions are also used to assign to the macro pushbutton a subset of the selected codes and data from the library whereafter activation of the macro pushbutton causes the universal remote control to use the subset of selected codes and data from the library to transmit operating commands to one or more of the matched home appliances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A remote control comprising: a central processing unit; a plurality of command keys coupled to the central processing unit; a transmitter coupled to the central processing unit for transmitting commands to a remotely controllable device in response to activation of one or more of the command keys; a first light emitting diode coupled to the central processing unit which emits a visible light having a first color; and a second light emitting diode coupled to the central processing unit which emits a visible light having a second color; wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are individually operable to emit light in either the first color or the second color and wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are operable in combination to emit light in a third color to thereby allow the remote control to communicate state information to a user by way of color. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second colors are primary colors and the third color is a secondary color. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The remote control as recited in claim 2, wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and the third color is yellow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable to communicate to a user a state of an attempt to setup the remote control to transmit commands to the remotely controllable device in response to activation of one or more of the command keys. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are located in a single light emitting diode package. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The remote control as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable to communicate to a user a code representative of the remotely controllable device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The remote control as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second light emitting diodes are selectively operable in response to activations of command keys used to input the code representative of the remotely controllable device.