Programmable universal remote control unit and method of programming same
A universal remote control unit stores signal formatting data which includes an indication of the category of device to which the signal formatting data corresponds. During programming of the universal remote control unit, the user provides a numerical entry which corresponds to the signal formatting data stored in the memory. The universal remote control unit automatically stores the code entered by the user at the appropriate memory location corresponding to the category of device by analyzing the signal format data to which the code corresponds.
1. A method of programming a universal remote control unit comprising the steps of:
initiating, by a user, a programming mode;
entering, by a user, characters corresponding to at least a portion of the name of a manufacturer of a device to be controlled by the remote control unit;
identifying, from the characters, a signal formatting data entry, which includes signal formatting data, stored in a memory device in the remote control unit, which signal formatting data includes data determinative of a device type; and
associating a device type in the remote control unit with the signal formatting data entry based upon the device type data, such that when one or more of a device type key associated with a device type is subsequently depressed, subsequent commands sent by the remote control unit have the format specified by the signal formatting data, and when a command key uniquely associated with the device type is depressed, commands sent by the remote control unit have the format specified by the signal formatting data.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
generating a signal for transmission to the device to be controlled based on signal format information in the identified signal formatting data entry.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating comprises:
storing information regarding the identified signal formatting data entry in a memory location associated with the device type key.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating comprises:
generating and transmitting a signal to the device to be controlled based on signal format information in the identified signal formatting data entry; and
storing information regarding the identified signal formatting data entry in a memory location associated with the device type key if the device responds to the transmitted signal.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device type is one of a cable set-top box, a television, a VCR, DVD, an audio component or a computer.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
entering, by a user, a code associated with the manufacturer of the device to be controlled by the remote control unit.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
identifying a code associated with the manufacturer of a device to be controlled by the remote control unit.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein, based upon the characters entered by the user, the universal remote control unit identifies codes associated with the manufacturer of the device to be controlled.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit is entered by the user.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit is identified by the universal remote control unit.
11. A method of programming a universal remote control unit comprising the steps of:
initiating, by a user, a programming mode;
entering, by a user, characters corresponding to at least a portion of the name of a manufacturer of a device to be controlled by the remote control unit;
identifying, from the characters, a signal formatting data entry, which includes signal formatting data, stored in a memory device in the remote control unit, which signal formatting data includes data determinative of a device type; and
associating a device type in the remote control unit with the signal formatting data entry based upon the device type data.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:
generating a signal for transmission to the device to be controlled based on signal format information in the identified signal formatting data entry.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of associating comprises:
storing information regarding the identified signal formatting data entry in a memory location associated with the device type.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of associating comprises:
generating and transmitting a signal to the device to be controlled based on signal format information in the identified signal formatting data entry; and
storing information regarding the identified signal formatting data entry in a memory location associated with the device type if the device responds to the transmitted signal.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the device type is one of a cable set-top box, a television, a VCR, DVD, an audio component or a computer.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
entering, by a user, a code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
identifying a code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein, based upon the characters entered by the user, the universal remote control unit identifies codes associated with the manufacturer of the device to be controlled.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit is entered by the user.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the code associated with the manufacturer to be controlled by the remote control unit is identified by the universal remote control unit.
21. A universal remote control unit for remotely controlling a plurality of devices, each having at least one of a plurality of types, comprising:
a memory;
a plurality of signal formatting data entries stored at respective locations in the memory, each entry comprising type information identifying a type of device, a manufacturer, and signal format information specifying signal formats of commands for controlling at least one of the plurality of devices of that type;
a transmitter;
input means; and
a processor capable of accessing the signal formatting data entries in the memory and capable of controlling the transmitter to transmit signals in conformance with the signal format information in the signal formatting data entries in response to actuation of the input means,
wherein the input means enables a user to input at least one character in the name of the manufacturer to select the signal formatting data entries associated with the manufacturer.
22. The universal remote control unit according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one character input by the user can be used to derive a memory location wherein the identified signal formmatting data entry is stored.
23. The universal remote control unit according to claim 21 , wherein the memory further stores the at least one character input by the user.
24. The universal remote control unit according to claim 21 , wherein the memory comprises a read only memory and a random access memory and the plurally of signal formatting data entries are stored in read only memory and at least one of the characters input by the user is stored in the random access memory.