Back to results
US 8,941,784 B2Granted
Easy RF remote control pairing for networked set top boxes
AssigneeEchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
InventorsNathan Hale, Adam Schafer, Jeremy Mickelsen, David Innes, William Reams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A television service provider system includes a first set top box, a second set top box, and a remote control. The remote control transmits an infrared pairing signal which is only received by one of the set top boxes. The receiving set top box pairs itself to the remote control. The non receiving set top box is not paired to the remote control. The remote control then transmits control signals to operate the receiving set top box. The control signals are received by both set top boxes, but are executed only by the set top box that is paired to the remote control.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- transmitting a pairing signal in an infrared frequency band from a remote control;
- transmitting command signals from the remote control in a radio frequency band;
- receiving the pairing signal in a first set top box;
- unpairing the remote control from a second set top box in response to reception of the pairing signal by the first set top box by causing the first set top box to transmit a signal to the second set top box, the second set top box configured upon receipt of the signal to no longer execute command signals received by the second set top box from the remote control in the radio frequency band;
- and
- pairing the remote control to the first set top box in response to reception of the pairing signal by the first set top box by causing the first set top box to execute command signals received from the remote control in the radio frequency band.
3 more elements
A set top box comprising:
- an infrared signal receiver configured to receive an infrared pairing signal from a remote control;
- a processing circuit configured to process the pairing signal and to pair the set top box to the remote control;
- and
- a radio frequency signal receiver configured to receive radio frequency control signals from the remote control, the processing circuit configured to allow the control signals to control the set top box when the set top box is paired to the remote control, and to transmit an unpairing signal to a second set top box upon reception of the pairing signal, the unpairing signal configured to unpair the second set top box from the remote control.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- a remote control having:
- an infrared transmitter configured to transmit an infrared pairing signal;
- and
- a radio frequency transmitter configured to transmit a control signal;
- a first set top box including:
- a first infrared receiver configured to receive the pairing signal;
- and
- a first radio frequency receiver configured to receive the control signal;
- a second set top box having:
- a second infrared receiver configured to receive the pairing signal;
- and
- a second radio frequency receiver configured to receive the control signal, the first set top box configured to pair the remote control to the first set top box and to transmit an unpairing signal to the second set top box that unpairs the remote control from the second set top box upon reception of the pairing signal by the first set top box, the first set top box being further configured to be controlled by the control signal when the remote control is paired to the first set top box.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- transmitting a pairing signal from a control unit, the pairing signal being in an infrared frequency band;
- receiving the pairing signal in a first processing unit;
- pairing the control unit to the first processing unit upon reception of the pairing signal by the first processing unit;
- transmitting an unpairing signal from a first processing unit to a second processing unit upon reception of the pairing signal by the first processing unit;
- unpairing the control unit from the second processing unit upon reception of the unpairing signal by the second processing unit;
- and
- transmitting a control signal from the control unit, the control signal being in a radio frequency band, the first processing unit being configured to be controlled by the control signal when the control unit is paired to the first processing unit, the second processing unit being configured to be controlled by the control signal while the second processing unit is paired to the control unit and to not be controlled by the control signal while the second processing unit is not paired to the control unit.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.