Method of multi-device control

Abstract

The application relates to the field of device control, and provides a multi-device control method to simplify operation steps and improve compatibility with new and old devices. The target device is determined through alignment detection, and manual selection is not required, so that the operation is more convenient. The state of the remote controller is automatically adjusted based on the control instruction map issued by the target device, the compatibility with the iterative change of the control instruction of the new device or the old device is stronger, and the remote controller does not need to be previously built-in with the control instruction of each device, so that the cost increase caused by the requirement of the storage space is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of equipment control, specifically a method for controlling multiple devices. Background Technology

[0002] Because the control methods of different smart home appliances such as TVs, set-top boxes, and air conditioners are incompatible and inconsistent, each device needs to be controlled by a dedicated remote control. This results in a large number of remote controls in the home and complicated and cumbersome operation. For example, when using a set-top box to connect to a TV to watch live programs, a TV remote control is needed to turn the TV on and off, switch HDMI signal sources, adjust the volume, adjust the picture quality, etc.; at the same time, a set-top box remote control is also needed to turn the set-top box on and off, switch channels, adjust the volume, etc. To solve the above problems, common solutions include two types: (1) Universal infrared remote control solution, which designs more buttons on an infrared remote control or reuses buttons so that it can send infrared key codes corresponding to different operations of different devices. (2) Universal infrared remote control APP solution, which installs an APP that integrates infrared key codes corresponding to different operations of various devices on a mobile phone with infrared function, and controls the mobile phone to send infrared key codes corresponding to the operation by operating the APP. Both of the above existing solutions are designed for devices with infrared receiving capabilities and cannot be applied to devices that do not support infrared receiving. Furthermore, if the infrared light is blocked, the device will not operate properly. Due to these limitations, the universal infrared remote control solution has a limited number of devices and buttons that it can control, and its factory settings are fixed and do not support upgrades. The universal infrared remote control app solution requires manual device selection before use, which is inconvenient. Additionally, when a new device is added or the control key codes for an older device change, the app must be upgraded first, preventing real-time compatibility. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To simplify operation procedures and improve compatibility with both new and old equipment, this application provides a method for controlling multiple devices.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is:

[0005] Methods for controlling multiple devices include:

[0006] Step 1: The remote control and the device to be controlled obtain each other's Bluetooth MAC address and store it;

[0007] Step 2: The remote control and the device to be controlled, which has stored the Bluetooth MAC address, perform a pairing test. The device to be controlled that successfully performs the pairing test is the target device.

[0008] Step 3: The target device sends its own control command map to the remote controller. The control command map includes at least: device type, operation name and control value corresponding to the operation name.

[0009] Step 4: After receiving the control command map, the remote control switches its own status to the status corresponding to the target device.

[0010] Step 5: The user inputs their control intention for the target device via the remote control;

[0011] Step 6: The remote control generates specific control commands according to the user's control intention and the control command map issued by the target device, and sends out Bluetooth broadcast data through the Bluetooth broadcast channel in accordance with the agreed command format;

[0012] Step 7: After receiving the Bluetooth broadcast data, all devices to be controlled will parse it according to the agreed format. If the parsing verification is successful, the control command will be executed; if the parsing fails, the data will be discarded and no response will be made.

[0013] Furthermore, in step 1, the remote control and the device to be controlled obtain each other's Bluetooth MAC address through Bluetooth pairing data interaction, UWB data interaction, or NFC data interaction.

[0014] Furthermore, step 2 determines whether the remote control and the device to be controlled are aligned by judging the distance and angle between them.

[0015] Furthermore, step 2 also includes determining whether the alignment time exceeds a threshold. If it exceeds the threshold, proceed to the next step; otherwise, no action is taken.

[0016] Furthermore, in step 4, the local state of the remote control includes the touchscreen UI and the format of the data to be sent.

[0017] Furthermore, in step 4, after the remote controller receives the control command map, it also includes verifying the control command map. If the verification is successful, the local device status is switched to the status corresponding to the target device; if the verification fails, no action is taken.

[0018] Furthermore, in step 5, the user inputs their intention to control the target device via physical buttons, a touchscreen, or a microphone.

[0019] Furthermore, in step 6, the agreed instruction format is: remote control Bluetooth MAC address + target device Bluetooth MAC address + target device device type + control instruction number + control instruction + verification code.

[0020] Further, step 7 is as follows: the device to be controlled determines the parsed remote control Bluetooth MAC address, target device Bluetooth MAC address and device type: whether the remote control Bluetooth MAC address is the same as the stored remote control Bluetooth MAC address, whether the target device Bluetooth MAC address is the same as the Bluetooth MAC address of this device, and whether the device type is the same as the device type of this device;

[0021] If any one of them is different, the data is discarded; if they are all the same, it is determined whether the number of this control instruction is the same as the number of the last executed instruction on this device. If they are the same, the instruction is discarded; if they are different, the corresponding action is executed according to this control instruction.

[0022] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: this application determines the target device through alignment detection, eliminating the need for manual selection and making operation simpler; the remote control automatically adjusts its own state based on the control command map issued by the target device, which has stronger compatibility with the iterative changes of control commands for new or old devices, and the remote control does not need to have the control commands of each device pre-built, avoiding the increased cost caused by the requirement for storage space. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for controlling multiple devices. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the method for controlling multiple devices includes:

[0026] 1) The remote control first exchanges and saves the Bluetooth MAC addresses of all devices to be controlled by Bluetooth pairing, UWB reading, NFC reading, etc.

[0027] 2) The remote control and all devices to be controlled are measured in real time via UWB to detect when a "aligned" state is reached, meaning the distance and angle between the remote control and the target device are within the set range. The device in the "aligned" state is the target device. To avoid misalignment, a threshold can be set. When the distance and angle between the remote control and the target device are within the set range for a period of time that reaches the threshold, it is considered to be in the "aligned" state. In addition to UWB-based alignment detection, other methods such as infrared detection can also be used; no restrictions are placed here.

[0028] 3) The target device interacts via UWB and sends its own control command map. Each device to be controlled stores its own "control command map" file, which includes at least three pieces of information: device type, operation name, and the corresponding control value. Device type, such as TV, air conditioner, set-top box, etc., is identified by different device type values. Operation name, such as volume+, fan speed+, etc.; the corresponding control value, for example, volume+ for a TV corresponds to a one-byte key value; fan speed+ for an air conditioner corresponds to a five-byte key value.

[0029] Examples of control command maps are shown in Table 1-3:

[0030] Table 1. Television Control Command Map

[0031]

[0032] Table 2 Set-top box control command map

[0033]

[0034] Table 3 Air Conditioning Control Command Map

[0035]

[0036] 4) After receiving the control command map via UWB, the remote control switches its own state to the state corresponding to the target device. This state includes the touchscreen UI display and the format of the data to be sent. To ensure the correctness of the control command map, the remote control can also verify it upon receipt. Only if verification is successful will the remote control switch its own state. If verification fails, the received data is considered invalid and will not be processed. A verification failure message can also be sent to the user, prompting them to re-align and obtain the control command map again. If the re-obtained control command map fails to verify, a fault report is submitted.

[0037] 5) Users confirm their intention to operate the target device through input methods such as physical buttons on the remote control, touch screen, and microphone.

[0038] 6) After receiving the user's input intent, the remote control generates specific control commands according to the control command map issued by the target device, and sends out a scannable non-directional broadcast ADV_IND through the Bluetooth broadcast channel.

[0039] 7) All devices to be controlled continuously perform Bluetooth scanning via the built-in Bluetooth function. Upon receiving the scannable non-directional broadcast ADV_IND from 6), they send a scan request PDU (SCAN_REQ) to request additional information.

[0040] 8) After receiving the SCAN_REQ from 7), the remote control determines that the sending Bluetooth address is the Bluetooth address exchanged in 1), and the receiving Bluetooth address is its own Bluetooth MAC address, then replies with a SCAN_RSPPDU. The SCAN_RSPPDU contains data in a pre-defined protocol format. In this embodiment, the format is: remote control Bluetooth MAC address + target device Bluetooth MAC address + target device device type value + current control command number + current control command + checksum. The current control command number increments by 1 each time the user inputs an intent, cycling from 1 to FF. Other pre-defined formats can be used as needed, and are not restricted here. Examples of the command formats in this embodiment are shown in Table 4.

[0041] Table 4 Instruction Format

[0042]

[0043] 9) All devices to be controlled receive the SCAN_RSPPDU sent by the controller via the Bluetooth broadcast channel in step 8) via their built-in Bluetooth function. The received SCAN_RSPPDU is parsed according to the agreed format: whether the "Remote Control Bluetooth MAC Address" matches the stored remote control Bluetooth MAC address; whether the "Target Device Bluetooth MAC Address" matches the device's Bluetooth MAC address; and whether the "Device Type" value matches the device type. If any item does not match, the data is discarded and no response is made. If all items match, it is then determined whether the parsed control command number is the same as the number of the previously executed command. If they are the same, the command is discarded; otherwise, the corresponding action is performed based on the parsed control command.

[0044] The target device is identified by aligning the remote control with the device to be controlled, and the command requirements of the target device are obtained instantly. There is no need to pre-install control commands for each device, saving storage space. When a new device is added, simply add the Bluetooth MAC addresses of both the remote control and the corresponding device to control the new device, making it more convenient. When the control commands of older devices change, the control command map they send will also be automatically updated, so no additional operation is required when using the remote control, making it simple to use. Throughout the entire process, the position of the device and remote control is only required when identifying the target device; there are no positional requirements when controlling the device at other times, making the remote control usable in a wider range of spaces.

Claims

1. A method for controlling multiple devices, characterized in that, include: Step 1: The remote control and the device to be controlled obtain each other's Bluetooth MAC address and store it; Step 2: The remote control and the device to be controlled, which has stored the Bluetooth MAC address, perform a pairing test. The device to be controlled that successfully performs the pairing test is the target device. Step 3: The target device sends its own control command map to the remote controller. The control command map includes at least: device type, operation name and control value corresponding to the operation name. Step 4: After receiving the control command map, the remote control switches its own status to the status corresponding to the target device. Step 5: The user inputs their control intention for the target device via the remote control; Step 6: The remote control generates specific control commands according to the user's control intention and the control command map issued by the target device, and sends out Bluetooth broadcast data through the Bluetooth broadcast channel in accordance with the agreed command format; Step 7: After receiving the Bluetooth broadcast data, all devices to be controlled will parse it according to the agreed format. If the parsing verification is successful, the control command will be executed; if the parsing fails, the data will be discarded and no response will be made.

2. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 1, the remote control and the device to be controlled obtain each other's Bluetooth MAC address through Bluetooth pairing data interaction, UWB data interaction or NFC data interaction.

3. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step 2 determines whether the remote control and the device to be controlled are aligned by judging the distance and angle between them.

4. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 3, characterized in that, Step 2 also includes determining whether the alignment time exceeds a threshold. If it exceeds the threshold, proceed to the next step; otherwise, do nothing.

5. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4, the local status of the remote control includes the touch screen UI and the format of the data to be sent.

6. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4, after the remote controller receives the control command map, it also verifies the control command map. If the verification is successful, the local device status is switched to the status corresponding to the target device; if the verification fails, no action is taken.

7. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 5, the user inputs their control intentions for the target device via physical buttons, a touchscreen, or a microphone.

8. The method for controlling multiple devices according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, In step 6, the agreed instruction format is: remote control Bluetooth MAC address + target device Bluetooth MAC address + target device device type + control instruction number + control instruction + verification code.

9. The method for controlling multiple devices according to claim 8, characterized in that, Step 7 is as follows: The device to be controlled determines the parsed remote control Bluetooth MAC address, target device Bluetooth MAC address and device type: whether the remote control Bluetooth MAC address is the same as the stored remote control Bluetooth MAC address, whether the target device Bluetooth MAC address is the same as the Bluetooth MAC address of this device, and whether the device type is the same as the device type of this device. If any one of them is different, the data is discarded; if they are all the same, it is determined whether the number of this control instruction is the same as the number of the last executed instruction on this device. If they are the same, the instruction is discarded; if they are different, the corresponding action is executed according to this control instruction.

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