UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROLLER WITH APPLIANCE IDENTIFICATION

摘要

A remote control that broadcasts signals over a broader directional path than it receives signals from. In operation, the remote control first is directed towards a particular device. In response to user input, the remote control device broadcasts a wakeup signal that solicits transmission of identifying signals from each device within a broadcast area. The remote control device then awaits receipt of the identifying signal for the particular device. Since the remote control only receives signals over a relatively narrow directional path, the remote ontrol only will receiv tthe identification signal from the particular device that it is directed towards even though there may be more than one device in the broadcast area. After the identification signal of the particular device is received, the remote control may then transmit a control signal to the particular device. The control signal is at least partially determined from the received identifying signal.