Locating and recognizing remote controller

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, methods, and / or computer program product aspects, and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for positioning a remote control. Example aspects operate by transmitting encoded radio frequencies to wake up nearby television remote controls and initiate the process of seeking my remote controls. A passive circuit integrated within the television remote controller receives the transmitted encoded radio frequency signal. Once awakened, the television remote controller may provide a location indicator to nearby users. Another example aspect operates by transmitting a high frequency radar to a radar transponder circuit within a television remote control such that the television remote control is visible to the radar. Once the transponder is activated, the radar may locate the television remote control relative to the television and display the position of the television remote control on the screen, on the mobile device screen, or on other locator indicator structures.

Description

Background Art Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to remote controls and, more particularly, to positioning television remote controls. Summary of the invention

[0002] Provided herein are systems, devices, articles, methods and / or computer program product aspects, and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for locating a remote control by implementing transmission signals, such as radio or radar (radio detection and ranging, hereinafter referred to as radar) frequency technology.

[0003] In an example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a transmitter located within a media device (e.g., a television) that transmits a coded radio frequency to wake up a nearby remote control (e.g., a television remote control) and initiate a "find my remote" process. For example, a passive circuit integrated within the remote control receives the transmitted coded radio frequency signal and turns on the remote control. Once awakened, the remote control can provide a location indicator to a nearby user. The location indicator can be an audible or visual indicator of the remote control's location, or both, to help the user locate the remote control.

[0004] In another example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a radar transceiver located within a media device (e.g., a television) that transmits a high-frequency radar signal to a radar transponder circuit within a remote control (e.g., a television remote control), making the remote control visible to the radar. Once the radar transponder is activated, the radar transceiver can locate the remote control relative to the television based on the returning radar echo and display the location of the remote control on a screen, a mobile device screen, or other display device.

[0005] In another example aspect, disclosed herein is a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:

[0006] activating a tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control in response to receiving a modulated radio frequency signal, wherein the tuned passive radio circuit is tuned to pass a frequency band including at least a carrier frequency of the modulated radio frequency signal;

[0007] demodulating the modulated radio frequency signal to extract the encoded radio frequency signal from the carrier frequency;

[0008] decoding the encoded radio frequency signal to generate a digital message, wherein the digital message includes a request to locate the remote control; and

[0009] In response to a request to locate the remote control, an indicator on the exterior of the remote control is generated to assist a user in finding the location of the remote control.

[0010] In an example, the modulation scheme of the modulated radio frequency signal includes any one of the following:

[0011] On-off keying (OOK);

[0012] Frequency shift keying (FSK);

[0013] Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK);

[0014] Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), or

[0015] Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).

[0016] In one example, the digital message is a graphic representation based on a request to locate the remote control.

[0017] In one example, activating a tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control further comprises the following operations:

[0018] Power from the modulated radio frequency signal is captured using a passive antenna of the tuned passive radio circuit to keep the tuned passive radio circuit in an awake state.

[0019] In one example, the indicator on the outside of the remote control includes:

[0020] An auditory indicator, wherein the auditory indicator is a sound produced by the remote control, and wherein the volume or repetition rate of the sound can be varied.

[0021] In one example, the indicator on the outside of the remote control includes:

[0022] A visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is a flashing light produced by the remote control, and wherein the intensity or repetition rate of the light can be varied.

[0023] In another example aspect, disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for finding a remote control, comprising:

[0024] detecting, by at least one computer processor, a request to locate the remote control;

[0025] In response to the request, transmitting a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) radio frequency signal in the vicinity of the television;

[0026] receiving a coded signal in a RADAR echo signal from a RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control, wherein the remote control is in the vicinity of the television;

[0027] locating the remote control based on the coded signal in the RADAR echo; and

[0028] An interface is generated that provides the location of the remote control.

[0029] In one example, the detection request includes any of the following:

[0030] Detect manually activated buttons;

[0031] Detecting the user's motion near the TV;

[0032] detecting the presence of a user near the television;

[0033] receiving the request from a mobile device; or

[0034] The request is received from a voice assistant.

[0035] In one example, the button is located on the television.

[0036] In one example, the user's presence is based on any of the following:

[0037] Camera detection;

[0038] Radar detection;

[0039] Internet of Things (IoT) camera detection;

[0040] Internet of Things (IoT) sensor detection;

[0041] Acoustic testing; or

[0042] Infrared detection.

[0043] In one example, the mobile device implements an application having an interface to select a request to locate the remote control.

[0044] In one example, the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control is a passive device in a sleep state, and the method further comprises:

[0045] The RADAR radio frequency signal activates the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control using the RADAR radio frequency signal.

[0046] In one example, wherein the coded signal in the RADAR echo is identified as being specific to a nearby remote control based on any of:

[0047] Specific carrier frequency;

[0048] Encoding information based on modulation techniques;

[0049] Remote control identifier (ID);

[0050] Media device-remote control pairing code; or

[0051] Metadata located in the header or payload.

[0052] In an example, the interface for providing the location of the remote control includes any of the following:

[0053] a display on said television;

[0054] Displays on mobile devices;

[0055] A two-dimensional (2D) graphic of the room;

[0056] Three-dimensional (3D) graphics of the room;

[0057] A graphic of the mapped room; or

[0058] A voice assistant that directs the user to the location of the remote control with instructional wording.

[0059] In another example aspect, disclosed herein is a system comprising:

[0060] one or more memories; and

[0061] at least one processor, each processor coupled to at least one of the memories and configured to perform operations comprising:

[0062] Detecting requests to locate the remote control;

[0063] In response to the request, transmitting a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) radio frequency signal in the vicinity of the television;

[0064] receiving a coded signal in a RADAR echo signal from a RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control, wherein the remote control is in the vicinity of the television;

[0065] locating the remote controller based on the coded signal in the RADAR echo;

[0066] An interface is generated that provides the location of the remote control.

[0067] In an example, the request for detecting the location of the remote control includes any of the following:

[0068] Detect manually activated buttons;

[0069] Detecting the user's motion near the TV;

[0070] detecting the presence of a user near the television;

[0071] receiving the request from a mobile device; or

[0072] The request is received from a voice assistant.

[0073] In one example, the button is located on the television.

[0074] In one example, the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote controller is a passive device in a sleep state, and the operations further include:

[0075] The RADAR radio frequency signal activates the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control using the RADAR radio frequency signal.

[0076] In one example, the coded signal in the RADAR echo is identified as being specific to a nearby remote control based on any of the following:

[0077] Specific carrier frequency;

[0078] Encoding information based on modulation techniques;

[0079] Remote control identifier (ID);

[0080] Media device-remote control pairing code; or

[0081] Metadata located in the header or payload.

[0082] In an example, the interface for providing the location of the remote control includes any of the following:

[0083] a display on said television;

[0084] Displays on mobile devices;

[0085] A two-dimensional (2D) graphic of the room;

[0086] Three-dimensional (3D) graphics of the room;

[0087] A graphic of the mapped room; or

[0088] A voice assistant that directs the user to the location of the remote control with instructional wording.

[0089] In another example aspect, disclosed herein is a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:

[0090] detecting a request to locate the remote control;

[0091] In response to the request, transmitting a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) radio frequency signal in the vicinity of the television;

[0092] receiving a coded signal in a RADAR echo signal from a RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control, wherein the remote control is in the vicinity of the television;

[0093] locating the remote controller based on the coded signal in the RADAR echo;

[0094] An interface is generated that provides the location of the remote control.

[0095] In one example, the detection request includes any of the following:

[0096] Detect manually activated buttons;

[0097] Detecting the user's motion near the TV;

[0098] detecting the presence of a user near the television;

[0099] receiving the request from a mobile device; or

[0100] The request is received from a voice assistant.

[0101] In one example, the user's presence is based on any of the following:

[0102] Camera detection;

[0103] Radar detection;

[0104] Internet of Things (IoT) camera detection;

[0105] Internet of Things (IoT) sensor detection;

[0106] Acoustic testing; or

[0107] Infrared detection.

[0108] In one example, the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote controller is a passive device in a sleep state, and the operations further include:

[0109] The RADAR radio frequency signal is used to activate the RADAR transponder integrated in the remote control.

[0110] In one example, the coded signal in the RADAR echo is identified as being specific to a nearby remote control based on any of the following:

[0111] Specific carrier frequency;

[0112] Encoding information based on modulation techniques;

[0113] Remote control identifier (ID);

[0114] Media device-remote control pairing code; or

[0115] Metadata located in the header or payload.

[0116] In an example, the interface for providing the location of the remote control includes any of the following:

[0117] a display on said television;

[0118] Displays on mobile devices;

[0119] A two-dimensional (2D) graphic of the room;

[0120] Three-dimensional (3D) graphics of the room;

[0121] A graphic of the mapped room; or

[0122] A voice assistant that directs the user to the location of the remote control with instructional wording. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0123] The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of this specification.

[0124] Figure 1 A block diagram of a multimedia environment is shown in accordance with some aspects.

[0125] Figure 2 A block diagram of a streaming media device according to some aspects is shown.

[0126] Figure 3 An example home environment is shown in which a user may wish to watch television according to some aspects.

[0127] Figure 4 Shown is the initiation of a find my remote process according to some aspects.

[0128] Figure 5 A diagram of an example system for assisting a user in locating a remote control according to some aspects is shown.

[0129] Fig. 6A and 6B An example RLC circuit configured as a bandpass filter according to some aspects is shown.

[0130] Figure 7 Example encoded communication signals according to some aspects are shown.

[0131] Figure 8 A flow chart of a method for locating a remote control via an encoded communication signal according to some aspects is shown.

[0132] Fig. 9 A remote control with a radar transponder is shown in accordance with some aspects.

[0133] Fig.10 A flow chart of a method for locating a remote control using radar signals according to some aspects is shown.

[0134] Fig.11 An example computer system is shown that can be used to implement the various aspects.

[0135] In the drawings, like reference numbers generally refer to like or similar elements. Also, generally, in the drawings, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0136] Provided herein are systems, devices, apparatus, methods, and / or computer program product aspects, and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for locating a remote control.

[0137] In an example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a transmitter located within a media device (e.g., a television) that transmits a coded radio frequency to wake up a nearby remote control (e.g., a television remote control) and initiate a "find my remote" process. For example, a passive circuit integrated within the remote control receives the transmitted coded radio frequency signal and turns on the remote control. Once awakened, the remote control can provide a location indicator to a nearby user. The location indicator can be an audible or visual indicator of the remote control's location, or both, to help the user locate the remote control.

[0138] In another example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a radar transceiver located within a media device (such as a television) that transmits a high-frequency radar signal to a radar transponder circuit within a remote control (e.g., a television remote control), making the remote control visible to the radar. Once the radar transponder is activated, the radar transceiver can locate the remote control relative to the television based on the returning radar echo and display the location of the remote control on a screen, a mobile device screen, or other display device. In the description herein, the phrases or terms "remote control," "remote control," and "television remote control" are considered interchangeable.

[0139] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used Figure 1 The multimedia environment 102 shown is implemented and / or can be a part of it. However, it should be noted that the multimedia environment 102 is used for illustration purposes only and is not limiting. As those skilled in the relevant art will understand based on the teachings contained herein, aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented using and / or can be a part of an environment other than the multimedia environment 102 and / or in addition to the multimedia environment 102. An example of the multimedia environment 102 will now be described.

[0140] Multimedia Environment

[0141] Figure 1A block diagram of a multimedia environment 102 is shown according to some aspects. In a non-limiting example, the multimedia environment 102 may refer to streaming media. However, the present disclosure is applicable to any type of media (instead of or in addition to streaming media), and any mechanism, means, protocol, method, and / or process for distributing media.

[0142] The multimedia environment 102 may include one or more media systems 104. The media system 104 may represent a family room, kitchen, backyard, home theater, school classroom, library, car, boat, bus, airplane, movie theater, stadium, auditorium, park, bar, restaurant, or any other location or space where streaming media content needs to be received and played. The user 132 may operate with the media system 104 to select and consume content.

[0143] Each media system 104 may include one or more media devices 106, each of which is coupled to one or more display devices 108. It should be noted that unless otherwise specified herein, terms such as "coupled," "connected to," "attached," "linked," "combined," and similar terms may refer to physical, electrical, magnetic, logical, and the like connections.

[0144] The media device 106 may be a streaming device, a DVD or BLU-RAY device, an audio / video playback device, a cable box, a mobile device, a voice assistant, and / or a digital video recording device, to name a few examples. In some aspects, the media device 106 may be part of, integrated with, operably coupled to, and / or connected to its corresponding display device 108 (e.g., connected to or integrated into a television) of its corresponding display device 108. The display device 108 may be a monitor, a television (TV), a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable device (such as a watch or glasses), an appliance, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and / or a projector, to name a few examples. For ease of description, various aspects may describe a media device 106 including a transmitter or a transceiver. However, the display device 108 (e.g., a television) may also include a transmitter or a transceiver component and perform any aspect disclosed herein. Alternatively, the communication device 114 may include a transmitter or a transceiver component and perform any aspect disclosed herein.

[0145] Each media device 106 may be configured to communicate with a network 118 via a communication device 114. The media device 106 may communicate with the communication device 114 via a link 116, which may include a wireless connection, such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), and / or a wired connection.

[0146] In various aspects, network 118 may include, but is not limited to, wired and / or wireless intranets, extranets, the Internet, cellular, Bluetooth, infrared and / or any other short-range, long-range, local, regional, global communication mechanisms, means, methods, protocols and / or networks, and any combination thereof.

[0147] The media system 104 may include a remote control 110 (e.g., a television remote control). The remote control 110 may be any component, part, means, and / or method for controlling the media device 106 and / or the display device 108, such as a remote control, a tablet, a laptop, a smartphone, a wearable device, an on-screen control, integrated control buttons, audio controls, or any combination thereof, to name a few examples. In one aspect, the remote control 110 wirelessly communicates with the media device 106 and / or the display device 108 using cellular, Bluetooth, infrared, etc., or any combination thereof. The remote control 110 may include a microphone 112, which will be further described below.

[0148] The multimedia environment 102 may include a plurality of content servers 120 (also referred to as content providers, channels, or sources 120). Figure 1 Only one content server 120 is shown in the figure. In practice, the multimedia environment 102 may include any number of content servers 120. Each content server 120 may be configured to communicate with the network 118.

[0149] Each content server 120 may store content 122 and metadata 124. Content 122 may include any combination of music, videos, movies, television programs, multimedia, images, still pictures, text, graphics, game applications, advertisements, program content, public service content, government content, local community content, software, and / or any other content or data object in electronic form.

[0150] In some aspects, metadata 124 includes data about content 122. For example, metadata 124 may include associated or auxiliary information indicating or relating to writers, directors, producers, composers, artists, actors, summaries, chapters, productions, history, years, trailers, alternate versions, related content, applications, and / or any other information related to or associated with content 122. Metadata 124 may also or alternatively include links to any such information related to or associated with content 122. Metadata 124 may also or alternatively include one or more indexes to content 122, such as, but not limited to, a trick mode index.

[0151] The multimedia environment 102 may include one or more system servers 126. The system servers 126 may operate to support the media devices 106 from the cloud. It should be noted that the structural and functional aspects of the system servers 126 may reside in whole or in part in the same or different system servers 126.

[0152] The media devices 106 may be present in thousands or millions of media systems 104. Thus, the media devices 106 may be suitable for crowdsourcing aspects, and thus, the system servers 126 may include one or more crowdsourcing servers 128.

[0153] For example, using information received from thousands to millions of media devices 106 in media systems 104, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 can identify similarities and overlaps between closed captioning requests issued by different users 132 watching a particular movie. Based on such information, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 can determine that turning on closed captioning can enhance the user's viewing experience at a particular portion of the movie (e.g., when the soundtrack of the movie is difficult to hear), and turning off closed captioning can improve the user's viewing experience at other portions of the movie (e.g., when displaying closed captioning obstructs key visual aspects of the movie). Therefore, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 can operate to automatically turn on and / or turn off closed captioning during future streaming of the movie.

[0154] The system server 126 may also include an audio command processing module 130. As described above, the remote control 110 may include a microphone 112. The microphone 112 may receive audio data from a user 132 (as well as other sources such as a display device 108). In some aspects, the media device 106 may be audio-responsive, and the audio data may represent spoken commands from the user 132 to control the media device 106 as well as other components in the media system 104, such as the display device 108.

[0155] In some aspects, audio data received by microphone 112 in remote control 110 is transmitted to media device 106 and then forwarded to audio command processing module 130 in system server 126. Audio command processing module 130 can operate to process and analyze the received audio data to identify the user's spoken commands. Audio command processing module 130 can then forward the spoken commands back to media device 106 for processing.

[0156] In some aspects, the audio data may alternatively or additionally be processed and analyzed by the audio command processing module 216 in the media device 106 (see Figure 2The media device 106 and the system server 126 may then collaborate to select one of the spoken commands to be processed (either the spoken command recognized by the audio command processing module 130 in the system server 126 or the spoken command recognized by the audio command processing module 216 in the media device 106).

[0157] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example media device 106 according to some aspects is shown. The media device 106 can include a stream module 202, a processing module 204, a memory / buffer 208, and a user interface module 206. As described above, the user interface module 206 can include an audio command processing module 216.

[0158] The media device 106 may also include one or more audio decoders 212 and one or more video decoders 214 .

[0159] Each audio decoder 212 can be configured to decode audio in one or more audio formats, such as, but not limited to, AAC, HE-AAC, AC3 (Dolby Digital), EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), WMA, WAV, PCM, MP3, OGG GSM, FLAC, AU, AIFF and / or VOX, to name a few examples.

[0160] Similarly, each video decoder 214 can be configured to decode video in one or more video formats, such as, but not limited to, MP4 (mp4, m4a, m4v, f4v, f4a, m4b, m4r, f4b, mov), 3GP (3gp, 3gp2, 3g2, 3gpp, 3gpp2), OGG (ogg, oga, ogv, ogx), WMV (wmv, wma, asf), WEBM, FLV, AVI, QuickTime, HDV, MXF (OP1a, OP-Atom), MPEG-TS, MPEG-2PS, MPEG-2TS, WAV, Broadcast WAV, LXF, GXF and / or VOB, to name just a few examples. Each video decoder 214 may include one or more video codecs, such as, but not limited to, H.263, H.264, H.265, AVI, HEV, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG-TS, MPEG-4, Theora, 3GP, DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO, DVCProHD, IMX, XDCAM HD, XDCAM HD422 and / or XDCAM EX, to name just a few examples.

[0161] Reference now Figure 1 and Figure 2In some aspects, the user 132 may interact with the media device 106 via, for example, the remote control 110. For example, the user 132 may interact with the user interface module 206 of the media device 106 using the remote control 110 to select content, such as movies, television programs, music, books, applications, games, etc. The streaming module 202 of the media device 106 may request the selected content from one or more content servers 120 via the network 118. The one or more content servers 120 may send the requested content to the streaming module 202. The media device 106 may send the received content to the display device 108 for playback to the user 132.

[0162] In streaming terms, as the streaming module 202 receives content from one or more content servers 120, it can transmit the content in real time or near real time to the display device 108. In non-streaming terms, the media device 106 can store the content received from one or more content servers 120 in the memory / buffer 208 for later playback on the display device 108.

[0163] Remote control locator

[0164] Figure 3 An example home environment 300 is shown where a user 132 may wish to watch television. Television 302 may be operated by remote control 110 through manual input or voice activated commands. However, remote controls can be lost in a variety of places: under couch 304, behind couch 304, inside a magazine, wrapped in a blanket, etc. Various aspects are disclosed herein to help nearby users (e.g., in the same room) find remote control 110.

[0165] In an example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a transmitter within the media device 106 that transmits a coded radio frequency to wake up a nearby remote control 110 and initiate a "find my remote" process. For example, a passive circuit integrated within the remote control 110 receives the transmitted coded radio frequency signal. Once awakened, the remote control 110 can provide a location indicator to a nearby user. The location indicator can be an audible or visual indicator of the location of the remote control 110 to help the user 132 locate the remote control.

[0166] In another example aspect, the technology disclosed herein is operated by a transceiver of a media device 106 that transmits a high frequency radar signal to a radar transponder circuit within a remote control 110, making the remote control visible to the radar. Once the transponder is activated, the radar can locate the remote control 110 relative to a display device 108 (e.g., a television) and display the location of the remote control on a screen, on a mobile device screen, or on another display device 108. In one aspect, a WiFi-enabled television remote control can be activated by a radar beacon so that the television can locate it.

[0167] Figure 4 402 startup diagram of a "find my remote" request according to various aspects disclosed herein. In these descriptions, references to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The remote control 110, display device 108 (eg, a television), and media device 106 are shown to help understand Figure 4 The process described in . Figure 4 The disclosed aspects may be applied to any "find my remote" process or system described in the various aspects disclosed herein. The described startup process may be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executed on a processing device), or a combination thereof. It should be understood that not all processes or elements are required to perform the disclosure provided herein.

[0168] In one aspect, user 132 enters room 300 and begins searching for remote control 110. For example, user 132 can manually activate button 404 located in a component of media system 104 (such as display device 108). Display device 108 can be a monitor, television (TV), computer, smart phone, tablet, wearable device (such as watch or glasses), appliance, Internet of Things (IoT) device and / or projector, just to name a few examples. Alternatively or additionally, the button can be located in media device 106. Media device 106 can be a streaming device, DVD or BLU-RAY device, audio / video playback device, cable box, TV, audio assistant and / or digital video recording device, just to name a few examples. In some aspects, media device 106 can be part of its corresponding display device 108, integrated with its corresponding display device 108, operably coupled and / or connected to its corresponding display device 108 (e.g., connected to a TV or integrated into a TV). Alternatively or additionally, the button can also be located in communication device 114. Communication device 114 can include, for example, a cable modem or a satellite television transceiver. Alternatively or additionally, the media device 106 or display device 108 software may trigger the remote control 110 search process.

[0169] In another aspect, the user 132 enters the room 300 and the transceiver within the media device 106 operates by periodically transmitting a high frequency signal (e.g., a radar, acoustic, or infrared signal) to detect the motion or presence of the user 132 in the vicinity of the transmitting device 406. Alternatively, an Internet of Things (IoT) camera may be used to detect the presence of the user or capture a specific gesture that is recognized as "find my remote." Once the user's presence is detected and a period of time has passed, or the user 132 indicates to the television that they need help finding the remote (e.g., pressing a button), the "find my remote" process 402 is initiated. Additional description of detecting user presence can be found in U.S. Patent No. 10,455,322, entitled "Remote control with presence sensor," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0170] In another aspect, the technology disclosed herein initiates a “find my remote” process via a media device 106, such as a mobile device implementing a mobile device application (App) 408. For example, a user 132 opens a “find my remote” application on their mobile device and selects a “find my remote” graphical button via a user interface (UI), such as a smartphone display, by touch or voice input.

[0171] In one aspect, the technology disclosed herein operates by implementing a media device 106 such as a voice assistant 410. The voice assistant can be a standalone communication device or integrated into any media device, such as a display device 108. A user 132 speaks the phrase "find my remote" or a similar phrase to the local voice assistant 410. In the backend voice platform system (e.g., on the system server 126), the voice assistant converts the spoken phrase into a command signal to be communicated to any "find my remote" process or system described in the various aspects disclosed herein.

[0172] Although a number of "find my remote" initiation aspects have been described so far, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any known or future method of initiating a "find my remote" command sequence may be substituted without departing from the scope of the technology described herein.

[0173] Find my remote using coded communication signals

[0174] Figure 5 An example aspect system diagram 500 for assisting a user 132 in locating a remote control 110 is shown in accordance with some aspects.

[0175] The remote control 110 may implement sleep cycles to reduce battery consumption. For example, the remote control 110 may wake up from a sleep cycle upon receiving a signal such as an input (e.g., a button press, voice activation, movement, or on a scheduled periodic basis). In various aspects, the remote control 410 may need to be woken up periodically to poll for transmitted "find my remote" signals. For example, the remote control 110 wakes up from a current sleep cycle to check whether an interrupt signal has been sent from a transmitter of the media device 106 or the display device 108, which would trigger processing of the signal to see if the received signal is a "find my remote" command or message. Alternatively or additionally, the remote control 110 may wake up from a current sleep cycle to scan for a complete signal (e.g., a communication signal having an encoding of a "find my remote" message) without relying on any interrupts.

[0176] In this example aspect, the passive elements (eg, resistors, capacitors, and inductors) are configured to form an RLC circuit (eg, see Fig. 6A and 6B ). The RLC circuit tunes (i.e., filters) the passive antenna 506 to capture the encoded communication signal (i.e., modulated RF signal) modulated on the selected carrier frequency. The captured encoded communication signal is used to wake up the TV remote control that is currently in a sleeping state and provide a "find my remote" command message. The encoded communication signal can be a single signal or can be set as multiple signals. In a first aspect, the encoded signal can include a first communication signal sent from the media device 106 or the display device 108 to indicate that the remote control is awake, followed by a second encoded communication signal that indicates that the remote control starts a "find my remote" indicator (e.g., auditory (e.g., a beep or verbal instruction) or visual (e.g., a flashing light)). In a second aspect, the encoded communication signal includes a wake-up instruction and a command message (e.g., "wake up" and "find my remote"). In one example, the encoded communication signal implements a binary ASCII message, such as "find my remote". However, without departing from the scope of this document, any patterned message that is statistically unlikely to occur randomly can be replaced.

[0177] In one aspect, the remote control 110 includes an RLC (resistor R, inductor L, and capacitor C) oscillator, also known as a "radio", with a passive antenna 506, such as but not limited to a printed circuit board (PCB) trace antenna. The channel or frequency that the radio will listen to can be based on the values ​​of these components (i.e., RLC). The RLC oscillator can tune the passive antenna 506 to receive a known frequency range or passband within the radio frequency spectrum, and can generally be referred to as a passband filter or bandpass filter (BPF) 508. The RLC oscillator can reject signals outside of this passband. The radio spectrum is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with frequencies from 3 Hz to 3000 GHz. The encoded communication signal transmitted from the media system transmitter 502 (e.g., the media device 106 transmitter) will be filtered within this selectable passband as it is received by the passive antenna 506 and then transmitted to the remote control transceiver 514. The encoded communication signal may be provided from the remote control transceiver 514 as an input to a processing module 510, such as a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a system on a chip (SoC), to read the signal and identify it as a specific state (e.g., OFF (sleep) or ON (wake up)). The state may be ON for implementing a "find my remote" process. The "find my remote" process instructions and historical state changes may be collected in a memory 512 (e.g., a RAM memory).

[0178] When the BPF 508 receives the communication signal, it wakes up (e.g., turns on power) the remote control 110 and initiates a "find my remote" process to provide an indicator of its location to a nearby user 132. For example, the indicator may be a sound or a light (or both) to attract the user 132 to the location of the remote control. For example, the processing module 510 implements a "find my remote" instruction set stored in the memory 512. The instruction set may generate one or more auditory signals (e.g., attention-grabbing sounds) that are amplified and instantiated (e.g., transmitted by a speaker) by an onboard circuit (not shown) on the remote control 110, or generate visual signals (e.g., bright lights) that are amplified and instantiated (e.g., flashing light emitting diodes (LEDs)) by an onboard circuit (not shown) on the remote control 110. These indicators may vary in repetition frequency, intensity, and / or amplitude (e.g., rhythmic changes, higher volume, brighter flashes, etc.) to guide the user 132 to the location of the remote control.

[0179] This aspect may be implemented as a standalone system within the remote control 110 or, as shown, advantageously integrated into an existing remote control transceiver 502 which handles common remote control functions via communication signals received / transmitted by an active antenna 504 .

[0180] One technical improvement in this regard is the addition of a low power, low bandwidth communication channel from the host (e.g., media device 106) to the remote control 110. Another technical improvement in this regard is the ability to trigger a passive circuit that receives a "find my remote" communication signal without first using a local power source (e.g., a battery), thereby reducing battery consumption.

[0181] Fig. 6A and 6B An example RLC circuit configured as a bandpass filter 508 according to some aspects is shown. An RLC circuit is a circuit consisting of a resistor (R), an inductor (L), and a capacitor (C) connected in series or in parallel. The name of the circuit is derived from the letters used to represent the components of the circuit, where the order of the components may vary. The circuit forms a resonator of current and resonates in a manner similar to an LC circuit. The introduction of resistor R increases the attenuation of these oscillations, which is also called damping. The resistor also reduces the peak resonant frequency. As described herein, radio receivers (e.g., remote control transceiver 514) use them to tune to a selected narrow frequency range from ambient radio waves. In this regard, the circuit is often referred to as a tuned circuit. The tuning application of instant technology is an example of bandpass filtering.

[0182] The resonance effect can be used for filtering; the rapid change in impedance near resonance can be used to pass signals close to the resonant frequency. A key parameter in filter design is bandwidth. Bandwidth is measured between the cutoff frequencies and is most commonly defined as the frequency at which the power through the circuit drops to half of the value passed at resonance. There are two half-power frequencies, one above the resonant frequency and one below the resonant frequency.

[0183] In filtering applications, the resistor R becomes the load on which the filter operates. The value of the damping factor is selected based on the desired bandwidth of the filter. For wider bandwidths, larger damping factor values ​​are required (and vice versa). These three components give the designer three degrees of freedom. Two of them are needed to set the bandwidth and resonant frequency.

[0184] like Fig. 6A By placing a series LC circuit in series with the load resistor as shown, or as Figure 6B As shown, by placing a parallel LC circuit in parallel with a load resistor R, a bandpass filter (e.g., BPF 508) can be formed with an RLC circuit. Other bandpass configurations are considered to be within the scope of the technology disclosed herein. In addition, although a passive antenna 506 is shown to reduce power requirements, it can be replaced with an active antenna without departing from the scope of the technology disclosed herein, such as Figure 5 An active antenna 504 is shown.

[0185] In this regard, the RLC circuit forms a simple radio that can be connected to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) pin (not shown), and a PCB trace antenna (e.g., passive antenna 506) is integrated into an existing remote control circuit board. The RLC circuit output signal will be amplified (e.g., by a low noise amplifier (LNA)) and then passed through an envelope detector (not shown). The envelope detector can be used to demodulate a previously received modulated signal by removing all high frequency components of the signal. In some aspects of the embodiment, the circuit is configured with a diode D in series with the load. The sampling frequency of the diode D may not be as fast as the carrier frequency, so the carrier sine wave is first rectified to obtain the modulated signal. As shown, the circuit can be configured as a low pass filter to filter out the carrier frequency and the remaining signal fed to the ADC pin.

[0186] Figure 7 An example encoded communication signal according to some aspects is shown. The encoded communication signal can be generated by defining a message string (e.g., binary) that reflects the message to be sent to the remote control 110. Although represented as "Find My Remote" in ASCII code, it can be any variation that the remote control can decode using low-power or passive circuits. For example, without departing from the scope of the technology described herein, the message may be "wake up", "wake up", "FMR" (find my remote control), "find", etc. Alternatively or additionally, the encoded communication signal can be encrypted for secure communication.

[0187] In various aspects, the message string can then be modulated by the media system transmitter 502 to generate a communication signal. The modulation scheme can be any modulation scheme, including but not limited to analog modulation, digital modulation, pulse modulation, and spread spectrum methods. These examples include but are not limited to OOK, FSK (frequency shift keying), BPSK (binary phase shift keying), amplitude shift keying (ASK), WiFi, etc. In various aspects, the modulation scheme is simple and requires lower power than traditional modulation schemes. Complex modulation schemes, complex coding or security schemes with high data rates are not preferred in the passive circuits disclosed herein, but are not considered to be outside the scope of the technology disclosed herein. However, modulation schemes that transmit multiple bits simultaneously or use different / multiple frequencies are not necessary for implementing the aspects disclosed herein (e.g., quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)).

[0188] In one example aspect, on-off keying (OOK) may be used to communicate from a host (eg, media device 106 ) to remote control 110 . Figure 7The 2.4 GHz carrier is shown modulated on and off to send the message "Find My Remote" in ASCII. In this example, the transmitter (eg, media system transmitter 502) would modulate the message string using OOK modulation based on a selectable OOK sequence, carrier frequency, data rate, and sampling rate.

[0189] When the passive RLC circuit (e.g., BPF 508) receives the encoded communication signal, it wakes up (e.g., turns on power) the remote control and initiates a finding process to provide an indicator of the location to a nearby user 132. For example, the indicator may be a sound or a light (or both) to attract the user 132 to the location of the remote control.

[0190] The passive antenna 506 receives the OOK communication signal and is tuned to receive the OOK communication signal within a frequency band (i.e., a passband). The RLC circuit rejects signals outside of the passband. The RLC circuit transmits the received OOK signal to the remote control's built-in transceiver 514 for demodulation using known demodulation techniques based on the previously defined OOK sequence, carrier frequency, data rate, and sampling rate. The demodulated OOK communication signal is then decoded to detect the original transmitted message string, such as "Find my remote".

[0191] In one aspect, transmission of the OOK communication signal is repeated to provide multiple opportunities for successful reception at the remote control 110. The processing module 510 can perform demodulation and decoding functions. After successfully decoding the message string, the processing module 510 can ignore additional received OOK communication signals until a period of time has passed. For example, the processing module can initiate an audible or optical attention sequence and ignore any repeated OOK communication signals until another "find my remote" request initiates a new cycle.

[0192] Figure 8 1 is a flow chart of a method 800 for assisting a user 132 in finding a remote control 110 via an encoded communication signal according to one aspect. The method 800 can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executed on a processing device), or a combination of hardware and software. It should be understood that not all steps may be required to perform the disclosure provided herein. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that some steps may be performed simultaneously or in parallel. Figure 8 The order shown in the figure is different from the order in which it is executed.

[0193] Method 800 will refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 However, method 800 is not limited to these example aspects.

[0194] In step 802, the media system transmitter 502 (e.g., a transmitter within the media device 106) generates a "find my remote" initiation command sequence on behalf of the user 132 to search for the remote control 110. Figure 4 Any of the processes, variations or equivalents described may be implemented as a trigger to initiate the process. For example, user 132 presses button 404 or selects a "find my remote" command on a user's mobile phone with an application (app) 408 via a UI (e.g., an application programming interface (API)).

[0195] In step 804, the remote control 110 receives an encoded communication signal from the media system transmitter 502. The encoded communication signal can be a single signal or arranged as multiple signals. In a first aspect, the encoded signal can include a first communication signal sent from the media device 106 indicating that the remote control is awake, and a second encoded communication signal following the first communication signal, the second encoded communication signal instructing the remote control 110 to start a "find my remote" indicator, the indicator being, for example, an auditory indicator (e.g., a beep) and / or a visual indicator (e.g., a flash). In a second aspect, the encoded communication signal includes a wake-up instruction as well as a command message (e.g., "wake up" and "find my remote control"). In one example, the encoded communication signal implements a binary ASCII message, such as "find my remote control". However, without departing from the scope of this document, any graphical message that is statistically unlikely to occur randomly can be substituted.

[0196] In step 806, the remote control 110 processes the encoded communication signal to wake up. For example, the processing module 510 processes the encoded communication signal to "turn on" the remote control 110. In one aspect, the remote control 110 can wake up periodically to poll for a "find my remote" signal. In another aspect, the remote control 110, after waking up from the current sleep cycle, can check whether the radio circuit has generated an interrupt, which will trigger processing of the encoded communication signal to see if it is a "find my remote" signal. Alternatively, or in addition, the remote control 110 wakes up completely from the current sleep cycle to scan for a complete signal (i.e., an encoded communication signal with a "find my remote" message) without relying on any interrupts.

[0197] In step 808, the remote control 110 processes the encoded communication signal to initiate a "find my remote" command sequence. For example, the processing module 510 demodulates and decodes the received encoded communication signal and then executes a "find my remote" instruction set stored in the memory 512. The instruction set can generate any of an auditory signal (e.g., a loud sound) that is amplified and instantiated by an onboard circuit (not shown) on the remote control 110 (e.g., transmitted through a speaker) or a visual signal (e.g., a bright light) that is amplified and instantiated by an onboard circuit (not shown) on the remote control 110 (e.g., a flashing LED). The repetition rate and / or amplitude of these indicators can vary (e.g., a change in rhythm, a higher volume or brighter flashes, etc.).

[0198] In step 810, the remote control 110 may repeat the "find my remote" instruction set until input from the user 132 is detected, such as moving the remote control 110, pressing a button, or activating voice. For example, an instruction set that generates a sound to attract attention may be repeated. After a short period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) without detecting input from the user 132, the remote control 110 may stop the "find my remote" process until another start cycle is received.

[0199] In step 812, the remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle. In a first example aspect, the remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle in response to not detecting input from the user 132 for a selectable period of time. In a second example aspect, the remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle in response to not detecting "additional" input from the user 132 for a selectable period of time.

[0200] Use radar to find my remote

[0201] Fig. 9 A remote control 110 with a radar transponder 900 is shown according to some aspects. In one example aspect, a radar transceiver 901 (e.g., a radar transmitter / receiver within a media device 106) operates by transmitting a high frequency radar signal to detect the presence of a remote control 110 in the vicinity (e.g., in the same room or a nearby room). However, the remote control 110 is typically too small to be seen by the radar itself, and thus the remote control 100 is typically not detectable. In this aspect, the radar transponder 900 located within the remote control 110 is activated by the transmitted radar signal 914 and is configured to transmit coded information back to the radar source (e.g., the radar transceiver 901) via a returning radar echo signal 916. Thus, the radar transponder makes the remote control visible to the radar. This allows the radar transceiver to locate the remote control 110 and provide an indication to the user 132 of the location of the remote control 110 relative to the television or the room in which the remote control 110 is located (described in more detail below).

[0202] Radar is a radiolocation system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (ranging), angle (azimuth), and radial velocity of an object relative to a station. A radar system consists of a transmitter that generates electromagnetic waves in the radio or microwave domain, a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna (usually the same antenna is used for both transmission and reception), a receiver, and a processor to determine the properties of the object. The radio waves (pulsed or continuous) from the transmitter are reflected by the object and return to the receiver, providing information about the object's location.

[0203] The remote control 110 may implement sleep cycles to reduce battery consumption. For example, the remote control 110 may wake up from a sleep cycle upon receiving a signal, input (e.g., a button press, voice activation, motion detection, or periodically on a schedule). In some aspects, the television remote control must periodically wake up to poll for the transmitted radar signal 914.

[0204] In this example aspect, the passive components (resistor R, capacitor C, and inductor L) can be configured (tuned) as BPF 908 to pass the radar frequency received by passive antenna 906 (e.g., PCB trace antenna). Existing transceiver circuit (e.g., remote control transceiver 902) is configured with BPF 908 and passive antenna 906 to form an RLC radar transponder (radar transponder 900). In one aspect, the transmitted radar signal 914 received by passive antenna 906 (e.g., PCB trace antenna) can provide power to radar transponder 900 to put radar transponder 900 in a wake-up cycle (i.e., power on). Alternatively, or in addition, power can be derived from a battery located within remote control 110.

[0205] like Fig. 9 As shown, the radar transponder 900 is shown sharing components of the universal remote control 110, such as the existing remote control transceiver 902 and the active antenna 904. However, the radar transponder 900 may be implemented as a separate component integrated into the remote control 110. In addition, while inward signal passive components (e.g., the passive antenna 906 and the BPF 908) are shown, one or more of these components may be replaced with active components without departing from the scope of the technology disclosed herein.

[0206] The radar transponder 900 can be activated to wake up from the current sleep state. The activated radar transponder 900 processes the incident radar signal 914 to generate a returned radar echo signal 916 with coded information. For example, the memory 912 stores the incident radar signal 914, and the processing module 910 encodes the information in the stored radar signal into a radar echo signal. The radar echo signal can be transmitted by the active antenna 904. In one aspect, the returned radar echo signal 916 includes coded information based on the modulation technology. The coded information may include, but is not limited to, a remote control identifier (ID), a TV-remote control pairing code, an infrared (IR) control code for volume and power control, metadata located in a header or payload (e.g., in a digital modulated signal), etc. The possible delay in the remote response time due to processing may appear as an increase in distance. In some embodiments, the response time of the returned echo signal 916 can be corrected by calibration with an expected processing time (e.g., a known constant) to provide a more accurate distance reading.

[0207] The source radar transceiver 901 located within the media device 106 will receive the returned radar echo signal 916 and will identify the remote control 110, calculate the direction, distance and angle of the returned radar echo signal 916, and based on these parameters calculate the position of the remote control 110 relative to the source radar transceiver 901 or the TV.

[0208] In one aspect, the position of the located remote control 110 can be displayed directly on the screen of the display device 108 (e.g., a television). In one aspect, the room is represented by a simple square, rectangular, or cube graphic, and the relative positions of the television and remote control are presented within the graphic (e.g., a 2D or 3D graphic). In another aspect, one or more components of the media system 104 can first use radar or other object detection mechanisms (e.g., known acoustic or image-based object detection systems or Internet of Things (IoT) transceivers or sensors) to generate a mapping of the room and its objects (e.g., furniture). Once the mapping is complete, the position of the remote control 110 can be displayed on a graphical image of the mapped room and objects, also in 2D or 3D. Alternatively, or in addition, the position can be displayed on a mobile device display using any of the above-mentioned graphical methods. Alternatively, a lidar system can be implemented to map the room. Lidar (standing for light detection and ranging) is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of pulsed lasers to measure range (variable distance).

[0209] One technical improvement in this aspect is the ability to trigger a passive circuit to make the remote control 110 visible to the radar. Another technical improvement in this aspect is the addition of a low-power, low-bandwidth communication channel from a host (e.g., media device 106) to the remote control 110. Another technical improvement in this aspect is the ability to trigger a passive circuit to make the remote control 110 visible to the radar without first using a local power source (e.g., a battery), thereby reducing battery consumption.

[0210] In an alternative WiFi-enabled TV aspect, the technology disclosed herein operates by the media device 106 communicating with the remote control 110 to activate an integrated radar beacon (e.g., a repeated communication signal) so that the TV radar transceiver can locate the integrated radar beacon. The method is applicable to systems using a WiFi-enabled TV remote control.

[0211] In another alternative aspect, remote control 110 may include an active beacon that may be periodically activated and subsequently detected by radar transceiver 901. The active beacon may draw power from an onboard battery.

[0212] Fig.10 1 is a flow chart of a method 1000 for locating a remote control 110 using a radar according to aspects. The method 1000 may be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executed on a processing device), or a combination of hardware and software. It should be understood that not all steps may be required to perform the disclosure provided herein. In addition, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that some steps may be performed simultaneously or in parallel. Fig.10 The order shown in the figure is different from the order in which it is executed.

[0213] Method 1000 will refer to Figure 1 , Figure 4 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 However, method 1000 is not limited to these example aspects.

[0214] In step 1002, the media device 106 or the display device 108 receives a startup command sequence on behalf of the user 132 searching for the remote control 110. Figure 4 Any process, variant or equivalent described can be implemented as a start trigger.For example, user 132 selects the command to "find my remote" on the user's mobile phone with application (app) 408 through a UI (e.g., application programming interface (API)).

[0215] In step 1004, radar transceiver 901 (eg, located within media device 106) generates and transmits a radar signal in response to receiving an initiation command sequence on behalf of user 132 searching for remote control 110. For example, radar transceiver 901 transmits a radar communication signal.

[0216] In step 1006, remote control 110 receives transmitted radar signal 914 from radar transceiver 901. Transmitted radar signal 914 may be a single signal or arranged as multiple signals (eg, a repeating signal).

[0217] In step 1008, the received transmitted radar signal 914 activates the sleeping radar transponder 900, which then enters a wake-up cycle. For example, energy from the transmitted radar signal 914 is converted by the passive antenna 906 into energy to activate or turn on the radar transponder for a period of time, for example, long enough to generate and transmit a returning radar echo signal 916.

[0218] In step 1010, remote control 110 transmits an encoded version of received transmitted radar signal 914 as return radar echo signal 916. For example, processing module 910 implements a transponder instruction set stored in memory 912. The instruction set may encode received transmitted radar signal 914 using the remote control identification information and transmit the encoded radar signal as return radar echo signal 916, or may store the encoded radar signal as a sample to be returned as a repeated signal or in a future wake-up cycle.

[0219] In step 1012, the radar transceiver 901 monitors the various returned radar echo signals to detect the returned radar echo signal 916 from the remote control 110 and determine the location of the remote control 110. For example, the radar transceiver 901 located in the media device 106 will receive the returned radar echo signal 916 and will identify the remote control 110, calculate the direction, distance and angle of the returned radar echo signal 916, and calculate the location of the remote control 110 relative to the source radar transceiver 901 or the television based on these parameters.

[0220] In one aspect, the remote control radar return signal 916 is identified by a specific carrier frequency or coded information based on the modulation technique. The coded information may include, but is not limited to, a remote control identifier (ID), infrared (IR) control codes for volume and power control, media device-remote control pairing codes, metadata within a header or payload in a digital modulated signal, etc.

[0221] In step 1014, the display device 108 or a mobile device with an application (app) 408 displays the location of the remote control 110. In one aspect, the room is represented by a simple square, rectangular, or cube graphic, and the location of the remote control relative to the television is presented within the graphic (e.g., in 2D or 3D form). In another aspect, the media system can first use radar or other object detection mechanisms (e.g., known acoustic or image-based object detection systems) to generate a mapping of the room and its objects (e.g., furniture). Once the mapping is complete, the location of the remote control 110 can be displayed on a graphical image of the mapped room and objects, also in 2D or 3D form.

[0222] In step 1016, remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle. In a first example aspect, remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle in response to not detecting input from user 132 for a selectable period of time. In a second example aspect, remote control 110 initiates a sleep cycle in response to not detecting additional input from user 132 for a selectable period of time. In some aspects, remote control 110 entering a sleep cycle places radar transponder 900 in a sleep cycle. Alternatively, radar transponder 900 may enter a sleep cycle upon transmitting a returning radar echo signal 916 or after completing a selectable number of repeated transmissions.

[0223] Alternative aspects may include implementation using active antennas or active remote control 110, complex modulation schemes, Wi-Fi capabilities, Bluetooth, or acoustic signals generated using a microphone receiver located within remote control 110, to name a few. In the case of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, the chip processes the received communication signals.

[0224] In various aspects, a secure protocol (eg, a secret (number)) may be used to encrypt / decrypt transmitted / received communication signals.

[0225] Example Computer System

[0226] For example, one or more well-known computer systems (such as Fig.11 The computer system 1100 shown in the figure can be used to implement various aspects. For example, a combination or sub-combination of the computer system 1100 can be used to implement the media device 106. In addition or alternatively, for example, one or more computer systems 1100 and combinations and sub-combinations thereof can be used to implement any aspect discussed herein.

[0227] Computer system 1100 may include one or more processors (also referred to as central processing units or CPUs), such as processor 1104. Processor 1104 may be connected to a communication infrastructure or bus 1106.

[0228] The computer system 1100 may also include one or more user input / output devices 1103 such as a monitor, a keyboard, and a pointing device, which may communicate with the communication infrastructure 1106 via one or more user input / output interfaces 1102 .

[0229] One or more processors 1104 may be a graphics processing unit (GPU). In one aspect, a GPU may be a processor of electronic circuits specifically designed to process mathematically intensive applications. A GPU may have a parallel structure that can efficiently process large blocks of data in parallel, such as mathematically intensive data commonly found in computer graphics applications, images, videos, etc.

[0230] The computer system 1100 may also include a main memory or primary storage 1108, such as a random access memory (RAM). The main memory 1108 may include one or more levels of cache. The main memory 1108 may store control logic (ie, computer software) and / or data.

[0231] The computer system 1100 may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memories 1111. The secondary storage 1111 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 1112 and / or a removable storage device or drive 1114. The removable storage drive 1114 may be a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, an optical disk drive, an optical storage device, a tape backup device, and / or any other storage device / drive.

[0232] Removable storage drive 1114 can interact with removable storage unit 1118. Removable storage unit 1118 may include a computer usable or readable storage device having computer software (control logic) and / or data stored thereon. Removable storage unit 1118 may be a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, a compact disk, a DVD, an optical storage disk, and / or any other computer data storage device. Removable storage drive 1114 can read from and / or write to removable storage unit 1118.

[0233] Secondary storage 1111 may include other means, devices, components, tools, or other methods for allowing computer system 1100 to access computer programs and / or other instructions and / or data. For example, such means, devices, components, tools, or other methods may include a removable storage unit 1122 and an interface 1120. Examples of removable storage unit 1122 and interface 1120 may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as an interface in a video game device), a removable storage chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and an associated slot, a memory stick and a USB or other port, a memory card and an associated memory card slot, and / or any other removable storage unit and associated interface.

[0234] The computer system 1100 may also include a communication or network interface 1124. The communication interface 1124 may enable the computer system 1100 to communicate and interact with any combination of external devices, external networks, external entities, etc. (singly and collectively referenced by reference numeral 1128). For example, the communication interface 1124 may allow the computer system 1100 to communicate with an external or remote device 1128 via a communication path 1126, which may be wired and / or wireless (or a combination of both) and may include any combination of a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, etc. Control logic and / or data may be transmitted to and from the computer system 1100 via the communication path 1126.

[0235] The computer system 1100 may also be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop workstation, a laptop or notebook computer, a netbook, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a smart watch or other wearable device, an appliance, part of the IoT, and / or an embedded system, to name a few non-limiting examples, or any combination thereof.

[0236] Computer system 1100 can be a client or server, accessing or hosting any applications and / or data through any delivery paradigm (including but not limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions); local or on-premises software ("on-premises" cloud-based solutions); "as a service" model (e.g., content as a service (CaaS), digital content as a service (DCaaS), software as a service (SaaS), hosted software as a service (MSaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service (DaaS), framework as a service (FaaS), backend as a service (BaaS), mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), etc.); and / or a hybrid model including any combination of the foregoing examples or other services or delivery paradigms.

[0237] Any suitable data structures, file formats, and schemas in the computer system 1100 may be obtained from standards including, but not limited to, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Yet Another Markup Language (YAML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User Interface Language (XUL), or any other functionally similar representation standards, alone or in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formats, or schemas may be used alone or in combination with known or open standards.

[0238] In some aspects, a tangible, non-transitory device or article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-usable or readable medium having control logic (software) stored thereon may also be referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This includes, but is not limited to, computer system 1100, main memory 1108, auxiliary memory 1111, and removable storage units 1118 and 1122, and tangible articles of manufacture embodying any combination of the foregoing. When such control logic is executed by one or more data processing devices (e.g., computer system 1100 or one or more processors 1104), the control logic may cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0239] Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art how to use the Fig.11 The aspects of the present disclosure may be made and used with data processing devices, computer systems, and / or computer architectures other than those shown. In particular, the aspects may operate with software, hardware, and / or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

[0240] in conclusion

[0241] It should be understood that the detailed description section (but not any other section) is intended to be used to interpret the claims. Other sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments contemplated by the inventor, and therefore, other sections are not intended to limit the present disclosure or the appended claims in any way.

[0242] Although the present disclosure describes exemplary aspects of exemplary fields and applications, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Other aspects and modifications thereof are also possible and fall within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, without limiting the generality of this paragraph, the various aspects are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware, and / or entities shown in the drawings and / or described herein. In addition, aspects (whether or not explicitly described herein) have important utility for fields and applications beyond the examples described herein.

[0243] Aspects are described herein with the aid of functional building blocks that illustrate implementations of specified functions and their relationships. For ease of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks are arbitrarily defined herein. Alternative boundaries may be defined as long as the specified functions and relationships (or their equivalents) are appropriately performed. In addition, alternative aspects may be capable of performing functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc., in a different order than described herein.

[0244] "One aspect", "aspect", "example aspect" or similar phrases mentioned herein indicate that the aspects may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each aspect does not necessarily include specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same aspect. In addition, when describing specific features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with aspects, those skilled in the relevant art will incorporate such features, structures or characteristics into other aspects, regardless of whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein. In addition, some aspects may be described using the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily synonymous with each other. For example, some aspects may be described using the terms "connected" and / or "coupled" to illustrate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. However, the term "coupled" may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0245] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for finding a remote control, comprising: activating a tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control in response to receiving a modulated radio frequency signal, wherein the tuned passive radio circuit is tuned to pass a frequency band including at least a carrier frequency of the modulated radio frequency signal; demodulating, by at least one computer processor, the modulated radio frequency signal to extract an encoded radio frequency signal from the carrier frequency; decoding the encoded radio frequency signal to generate a digital message, wherein the digital message includes a request to locate the remote control; and In response to a request to locate the remote control, an indicator on the exterior of the remote control is generated to assist a user in finding the location of the remote control.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein: The modulation scheme of the modulated radio frequency signal includes any one of the following: On-off keying (OOK); Frequency shift keying (FSK); Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK); Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), or Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein: The digital message is a graphic representation of a request to locate the remote control.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein: The passive radio circuitry for activating the tuning integrated into the remote control comprises: Power from the modulated radio frequency signal is captured using a passive antenna of the tuned passive radio circuit to keep the tuned passive radio circuit in an awake state.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein: The indicator on the outside of the remote controller includes: An auditory indicator, wherein the auditory indicator is a sound produced by the remote control, and wherein the volume or repetition rate of the sound can be varied.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: The indicator on the outside of the remote controller includes: A visual indicator, wherein the visual indicator is a flashing light produced by the remote control, and wherein the intensity or repetition rate of the light can be varied.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein: Receiving a modulated RF signal is based on either: A button for manual activation; Movement of the user near the TV; A user is present near the television; Requests from mobile devices; TV software; Media device software; or Requests from voice assistants.

8. A system comprising: one or more memories; and at least one processor, each processor coupled to at least one of the memories and configured to perform operations comprising: activating a tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control in response to receiving a modulated radio frequency signal, wherein the tuned passive radio circuit is tuned to pass a frequency band including at least a carrier frequency of the modulated radio frequency signal; demodulating the modulated radio frequency signal to extract the encoded radio frequency signal from the carrier frequency; decoding the encoded radio frequency signal to generate a digital message, wherein the digital message includes a request to locate the remote control; and In response to a request to locate the remote control, an indicator on the exterior of the remote control is generated to assist a user in finding the location of the remote control.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control includes a band pass filter (BPF) comprising a resistance, inductance and capacitance (RLC) circuit tuned by selecting individual R, L and C component values.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein: The RLC circuit operates with a transceiver of the remote control.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The tuned passive radio circuit integrated within the remote control also includes a passive printed circuit board (PCB) trace antenna to receive the modulated radio frequency signal.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The modulation scheme of the modulated radio frequency signal includes any one of the following: On-off keying (OOK); Frequency shift keying (FSK); Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK); Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), or Wireless Fidelity (WiFi).

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The digital message is a graphic representation of a request to locate the remote control.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The passive radio circuitry for activating the tuning integrated into the remote control comprises: Power from the modulated radio frequency signal is captured using a passive antenna of the tuned passive radio circuit to keep the tuned passive radio circuit in an awake state.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform the method of claims 1-7.

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