Programming a universal remote control

1. A method for programming a universal remote control, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) determining characteristic information based on said signal;

(c) comparing said characteristic information to a database of said universal remote control;

(d) determining a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison; and

(e) configuring said universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said matching code set, wherein said determining in said (b) includes:

(1) identifying a timing sequence based on said signal;

(2) determining a plurality of repeating characteristics of said timing sequence;

(3) associating one type of repeating characteristic as a first bit type;

(4) associating a second type of repeating characteristic as a second bit type; and

(5) representing said timing sequence as a binary string comprised of said bit types.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said (a) includes moving at least one of said source remote control and said universal remote control until a sufficiently strong signal is being received by said universal remote control.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising triggering a signal to a user of said universal remote control that said signal is sufficiently strong.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said signal includes redundant information, and wherein third type of repeating characteristic is a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said signal includes redundant information, wherein said characteristic information includes a signal lag time, and wherein said signal lag time is a time between said redundant information.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(f) performing one or more troubleshooting techniques if no matching code set is determined at said (d).

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(f) connecting to a network; and

(g) updating said database via said network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said matching code set is stored in said database of said universal remote control.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said characteristic information includes a timing sequence of a series of “on” and “off” bursts.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said characteristic information includes more than two mark-space timing pairs.

11. A method for programming a universal remote control, comprising:

(a) receiving at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) determining characteristic information based on said signal, wherein said characteristic information is taken from the group consisting of: a modulation type, a carrier frequency, a mark-space characteristic, a signal repetition characteristic and a signal lag time;

(c) comparing said characteristic information to a database of said universal remote control;

(d) determining a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison;

(e) configuring said universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said matching code set; and

(f) performing one or more troubleshooting techniques if no matching code set is determined at said (d), wherein said performing further comprises:

(1) connecting to a remote computer;

(2) transmitting said characteristic information to said remote computer and thereby allowing said remote computer to find a matching code set; and

(3) receiving said matching code set from said remote computer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said modulation type is taken from the group consisting of: constant carrier modulation (CCM), base band (BB) modulation, frequency shift keying (FSK) and complex frequency shift keying (C_FSK).

13. A computer readable medium for executing a computer method, comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(a) receive at least one signal from a source remote control;

(b) determine characteristic information based on said signal, wherein said characteristic information is taken from the group consisting of: a modulation type, a carrier frequency, a mark-space characteristic, a signal repetition characteristic and a signal lag time;

(c) compare said characteristic information to a local database;

(d) determine a matching code set for said source remote control based on said comparison;

(e) configure a universal remote control to mimic control features of said source remote control based on said matching code set;

(f) connect to a remote computer if no matching code set is determined at said (d);

(g) transmit said characteristic information to said remote computer, thereby allowing said remote computer to find a matching code set; and

(h) receive said matching code set from said remote computer.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said logic instructions include logic instructions that, if executed,

(1) identify a timing sequence based on said signal;

(2) determine said characteristic information by converting at least a portion of said timing sequence into a binary string.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said signal includes redundant information, and said logic instructions for determining characteristic information in (b) include logic instructions that, if executed, determine a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said signal lag time is a time between said redundant information.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(f) connect to a network; and

(g) update said database via said network.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said carrier frequency of said signal is constant.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said mark-space characteristic is a timing sequence of a series of “on” and “off” bursts.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said modulation type is taken from the group consisting of: constant carrier modulation (CCM), base band (BB) modulation, frequency shift keying (FSK) and complex frequency shift keying (C_FSK).

21. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said signal includes redundant information, and wherein said signal repetition characteristic is a pattern of repetition of said redundant information.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said signal lag time is a time between said redundant information.