Apparatus, systems and methods for pairing a controlled device with an RF remote control using an RFID tag

A radio frequency identification (RFID) pairing system, comprising:

• an RFID tag;
• a first RFID tag reader in a controlled media device configured to detect a presence of the RFID tag when the RFID tag is in a first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader;
• a radio frequency (RF) remote control identifiable by a unique identifier communicated by the RFID tag, wherein the RFID to resides in or is affixed to the RF remote control, wherein the RF remote control is configured to operate the controlled media device by communicating a first plurality of RF signals that are received by the controlled media device, and wherein the RF remote control is configured to operate a media content presentation device by communicating a second plurality of RF signals that are received by the media content presentation device, wherein the second plurality of RF signals are different from the first plurality of RF signals;
• wherein the media content presentation device is concurrently operated with the controlled media device to present broadcasted media content;
• the controlled media device, wherein the controlled media device is configured to automatically initiate at least one of a pairing process and a de-pairing process in response to the first RFID tag reader detecting presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone, and wherein the controlled media device is configured to receive the broadcasted media content;
• and
• the media content presentation device, wherein the media content presentation device is configured to automatically initiate at least one of the pairing process and the de-pairing process in response to the second RFID tag reader detecting presence of the RFID tag in the second interrogation zone, and wherein the media content presentation device is configured to present the broadcasted media content received from the controlled media device,
• wherein upon completion of the pairing process, the controlled media device becomes configured to operate in accordance with at least one command of the first plurality of RF signals in a subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control,
• wherein upon completion of the pairing process, the media content presentation device becomes configured to operate in accordance with at least one command of the second plurality of RF signals in the subsequently received RF signal by the RF remote control during presentation of the broadcasted media content received from the controlled media device,
• wherein upon completion of the de-pairing process with the controlled media device, the controlled media device becomes configured to not operate in accordance with the at least one command in the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control, and
• wherein upon completion of the de-pairing process with the media content presentation device, the media content presentation device becomes configured to not operate in accordance with the at least one command in the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control.