US 8,712,352 B2Granted

System and method for controlling device location determination

AssigneeUniversal Electronics Inc.

InventorsStephan de Clerq, Christopher Chambers, Wayne Scott, Allen Yuh, Paul D. Arling, Robert Lilleness

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

accepting user input into a portable controlling device indicative of an operation to be performed by a one or more of a plurality of appliances to be controlled;
determining a current location of the portable controlling device relative to the one or more of the plurality of appliances to be controlled;
causing the portable controlling device to dynamically select as a function of the determined location of the portable controlling device relative to the one or more of the plurality of appliances to be controlled a one of a plurality of communication protocols for use by the portable controlling device in transmitting one or more commands to the one or more of the plurality of appliances to be controlled, wherein the one or more commands to be transmitted are selected as being appropriate for causing performance of the operation indicated by the user input accepted into the portable controlling device by the one or more of the plurality of appliances to be controlled;
and
causing the portable controlling device to transmit to the one or more of the plurality of appliances to be controlled the selected one or more commands using the selected one of the plurality of communication protocols;
wherein the plurality of communication protocols comprises a plurality of different wireless communication protocols.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/396,178Filed 14 Feb 2012 · continuation
Priority: 4 Nov 2003
Published: US 2012/0146761 A114 Jun 2012
Granted: 29 Apr 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

G08C 19/00
Electric signal transmission systems
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
G08C 17/02
Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link: using a radio link
G08C 23/04
Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems: using light waves, e.g. infrared

Family

Application60/517,558Us provisional application · filed 4 Nov 2003
Application10/978,971Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Nov 2004
Application12/020,747Parent of this division · filed 28 Jan 2008
Application13/004,529Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Jan 2011
US 2012/0146761 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Jun 2012
US 8,059,621 B2Parent of this division
Application13/004,529Parent of this division
US 7,363,028 B2Parent of this continuation
Application12/020,747Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0094610 A1Published application
US 2008/0137631 A1Published application
US 2011/0102131 A1Published application
US 8,180,373 B2Related patent
US 8,712,352 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.