NZ717717B2 - Remote control device and controller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote control device (10), comprising one or more command buttons, each of which, when operated, directly or indirectly generates a command signal. The device includes a determination module (20) for determining a button-held-time parameter associated with the operation of a command button; and a transmitting module (16) that is configured to transmit the button-held-time parameter in association with the command signal. ration of a command button; and a transmitting module (16) that is configured to transmit the button-held-time parameter in association with the command signal.

Description

Remote control device and controller Field of the invention The invention relates to d Signet transmission, and more specifically to a, remote control device that is suitable for transmitting command signals to a controller, such as a. garage door controller. The invention also relates to a controller, such as a garage door controller, that includes a receiver and processing means for processing command s received from a remote control, device.

Background to the invention Any discussion of documents acts. materials) devices, articles and the like in this specification is included solely for the purpose of ing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any of these matters formed part. of the prior art base or were common. general knowledge in: the ti eld relevant to the present ion as it existed in Australia or elsewhere before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Remote l devices for garage door controllers have been in use thr many years. Such devices are lly handheld. units and e one or more buttons for issuing ds and, in some cases, adjusting various controller settings. Remote control devices further include processing circuitry for sensing button pushes. and a. transmitter for generating a suitable transmission signal nlyan inferred signnL or alternatively a radio frequency/j Bluetooth or WlFI signal) to communicate to the controller information regarding the button pushed. The garage door controller includes a er that receives the transmission signal and processes the button. information transmitted therein. The controller‘s response to the button push is dependent both on the identity of the button (where the device has a plurality of buttons). and the function assigned to the button, as well as the controller's current mode of operation. [0004'] For security (6331501133: signal transmissions from, remote control devices for garage door controllers are encoded. with a unique code that identities the transmitter and permits the transmitter to communicate withthe er. The er must be Specifically coded before being used for the first time and then each time it is to he used with a new transmitter. Atypical coding process involves placing the er in a ’code-set state', in. which state the receiver accepts any transmission that it detects. A specified remote control function is assigned to the transmitter button‘s unique code which is stored in the controller‘s local memory as a ‘permitted’ transmitter; whose transmissions are to be ed and actioned.

The et state is typically entered by pushing a button (or similar devicej on. the receiver (for an. 'ttttended code set state“), or by pushing a, button on the remote. control that has been assigned in a previous coding operation as activating a code set state (for a 'remote code set State').

When the receiver is in a code-set state (and thus receiving all detected transmissions), there is a. risk of the receiver being unable to distinguish between transmissions received from the intended transmitter (ie the transmitter being coded) and those ed from a foreign transmitter that. is wholly unrelated to the coding operation.

The risk. is d in some receivers by imposing a requirement that two transmissions must be detected before any action is taken in response to the receipt of the transmission.

Although this does reduce the iikelihoodof an imperfect coding ofa correct transtnitten it does not eliminate the possibility of an incorrect transmitter being coded, should that unintended transmitter be ed twice during the code setting period.

Coding, an ect transmitter to a receiver can be very inconveniene especially when the transmitter cannot easily be deleted from the receiver’s mom 013’. In these circumstances? it is usually necessary for the user to delete all transmitters from the. receiver’s memory and to re-eode the correct transmitter or itters.

Transmitters that. are to be coded can be placed in a special state that allows a. codeset transmission to be communicated. to the receiver. However, equipping remote controls with the neces sary onality to enter the special state is not generally desirable, clue to the requirements for additional circuitry for mode switches, indicators and power control. It also requires additional steps to be undertaken by the user during the code set, procedure. For these reasons, such measures are relatively rarely implemented. it is known to use selected buttons on remote control. transmitters to e' a receiver's output. The arrangement is often useda for example to turn on and of? remote control lights or to turn 0N and OFF various modes of ion. Typically, the remote l output s state in sequence. each time a transmitter button assigned to the remote control fitnction is d, Hov‘vevera a problem arises when the user is unable to determine the current state of the remote eontrol's output and thus does not know whether the output is turned ON or OFF. The user is therefore unable to t the result of the next press of the transmitter button. One solution is to assign ON and OFF commands to- two ent buttons on the remote control: however the approach necessarily entails a reduction in the number of devices that can be controlled, or the number of functions that can be implemented.

Another limitation ofexisting remote control devices is their failure to allow a user to communicate a clear intention to e a particular remote control function. For example, in the context of a remote l device for a. garage door controller, it is. nt that a user’s ion of the remote control to close the garage door should require a greater demonstration of intent in comparison to other operations, such as to open the garage door. This is because the censequences ofen accidental push of the remote control button causing the door to close are potentially more hazardous to persons in the vicinity of the door than the consequences of an unintended door opening, [00.1 1] A r limitation of existing remote control devices is that they cease signal transmissions as soon as the relevant button is released. Although some remote control devices are configured to te a ission that is y underwayj. no indication is sent to the receiver that the button has been ed. When the er processes transmissions in a. way so as to generate an output that mimics the transmitter button press, the receiver must allow for missed transmissions due to possible interference. Failing to account for interference will result in the output turning off briefly when a. transmission is not received and then on again when, reception is reinstated. A known method of accounting for interference is to implement a timeout feature, whereby the receiver does not turn the output offuntil no transmissions have been, received for a prescribed period? referred to as a ”timeout period, However, timeouts have their own limitations. in that, in the absence of interference, the receiver maintains an output for a. time longer than is required.

United States Patent No. 6,795,0ll describes a remote control device fora television with a ‘help‘ features that provides information about the button that has been pushed. The. feature is triggered by holding clown the button for a very short period of time, or alternatively for a longer than usual. period of time. In. these scenarios, instead of the remote control actioning the pushed. button, the system communicates help infomiation to the user, either from the remote l device itsetf or from the controlled device (eg. displaying on the television screen).

The present invention aims to provide an alternative approach to addressing one or more of the deficiencies of existing remote control devices, receivers and. control systems discussod abo‘Ve.

Summary of the invention In broad terms, the invention provides a remote control device, comprising one or more command buttons, each h, when operated, directly or indirectly generates a command signal, a nination module for determining a button-held parameter associated with the ion of a d button, and a. transmitter module red to transmit the button-held parameter in. association with the command signal. The button.— held parameter may be representative of a time the button is held or pressed, or may be representative of the state of the button (commonly, whether the button is being pressed or not).

More ularly, according to a titer aspect of the present invention there is provided a remote control device, comprising: one or more command s, each of which, when operated, directly or indirectly generates a command signal; a. detemiination module for determining a ri—heldmtime parameter associated with the operation Off} command button; and a transmitter in odule that is configured to transmit the button—held—time parameter in association with the command signal.

The remote control device ing to the invention includes means for determining a button-held—time parameter associated with the operation of one or more of the device‘s command button. Button~held~time parameters, such as the length of time that a button is held antifor the number of times the button is pushed, during .a d time interval, can be suitably determiner} by the detennination . The determination module can be conveniently equipped. to make determinations- of other categories of button—held-time parameter.

In this. specification and claims, the word ‘hutten‘ and 'buttnn press’ and similar are to be construed as embracing other forms of selective user centre-l activaticn. Fer example, the n‘ may he a , joystick or other mechanical Operator; Whose selective movement intn a. certain pcsition provides the required ‘prcssing‘, the amount of time it is held in that icn indicating the ‘huttomheld—ti.me‘., Alternatively, the ’burtcn‘ may be a virtual button on a control tcuch screen, and pressing that button may invclve the user clicking that virtual button, with a helrl time indicated by the length (if time the user holds his or her finger en the huttcn. Alternatively, the ‘buttcn' may be a swipe field on a. touch screen, with the user swi ping his or her finger along the swipe field providing the required 'pressing' cf the "button. Again, a held. time can be indicated, by the length of time the user holds his 01' her finger 0n the swipe field.

The hutton-held-time parameter may be a value modified after a prescribed time interval for which a button is held Preferably the value is a count, tially incremented on regular intervals The hutton-held—time parameter is transmitted in a er associated with a controlled device (fer example a garage door controller), at which the parameter is used to determine the command that the controlled device is to execute.

Embodiments of the invention in which the controlled device is a garage deer Controller are at less risk of having an incurrect remote centre! coded thereto. This is due to the ccntrcller being able to use the butten-held—time parameter to discern. a clear intention on the part of a user of the remote central device to activate a critical ndw such as a d to code the device to the ccntrnllen or to close the garage door that is assueiated with the control} er.

Preferably the determination module is r configured to ine a button— held inclicater indicating whether the ccmmand button has been released; In particularly red embodiments, the transmitter is further cenfigured to rielay transmission of the butten‘held‘time parameter on the basis of the state ofthe buttonaheld indicator. For example, the transmitter module may be configured. only to transmit the button—held—time parameter if the button—held indi cater indicates that the batten. has been released.

The bunch-held indicator may be a single hit; indicating either ‘butten held' er ‘buttcn clear‘.

The feature of the buttonaheld indicator provides accurate and timely information to the receiver with respect to when a. button has been ed. The receiver is thus able. to respond immediately upon receipt ofthe information. In the ah sence of the button—held indicator, the receiver must be designed to rely on. failure to receive transmissions for a prescribed time interval as the only tor th at the button had been released. As discussed above, the lack of receipt. of a. transmission could actually be due to interference thimally, the transmitter module is configured to continue itting s for a period oftime after the button—held indicator indicates that the transmitter button has been released.

According to a second aspect ot‘the present invention there is provided a controller comprising: a receiver module for receiving and decoding signals transmitted from a. remote control. device, the signals including one or more commands and one or more button—heldetitne parameters; and an actuator module ,operativei-y connected to the receiver module the actuator module being configured to implement selected functions on a lled device wherein the on selections are in side on the basis of the received cornmand(s) and button-held-ti n1 e—parameteris).

The received signals may further include a button-held indicator indicating whether a command button of the remote control device used to generate the commandts) has been released, the function selected by said actuator module being selected or modified on the basis of the button—held tor, Transmissions with an ultimate button—held—time parameter (ie, the ’maximum time .reached' parameter; if the parameter is a regularly incremented count? this will be the highest count value of a received sequence) may he received with and without the’button- held indicator being set. This affords a check that the ultimate value received is indeed the ultimate value intended, as ined, by the remote control device. This accounts for receiver erence which may otherwise have interrupted the transmission.

According to r aspect ofthe present invention there is provided a controller system compii sing, a remote l and a controller according to the first and second aspects of the invention.

The present invention takes a wholly different approach to the remote control System described in US 6391011. In particuian the activator module described in U S 6,795,011 is located in the transmitter, rather than the receiver The decision as to which function is to be cemm‘anded is made by the transmitter and not by the receivers In contrasg a controller according to the present invention receives command signals and button-heId—time parameters and makes decisions concerning function selections on the basis of both items of information.

Another distinction over the system bed in US 6,?95‘,Ol t arises from the fact that the transmitter described in US 6,795,011 is unabie to generate transmissions until it has determined whether a BUTTON or HELP function is required. This is because, if issions were sent while a :8 UTTON/THELP determination Was ay, it would result in the transmission of the BUTTON function until the HELP function was activated after the required button hold time. in praotice, this would not prevent operation of the BUTTUN ion, as the receiver would have to respond to all ons it es It .is not able to Change its nse based on button hold time as it does not include a help mode activator . The transmitter C1083 not send time information that progresses from transmission to transmission, as. provided in accordance with the present invention Even if the HELP function required a shorter triggering time, it wouid still not prevent operation of the BUFFQN on ifeontinuous transmissions are generated, as lly the HELP function would be activated by the reoeivertor transmitter) and their after’the required button hold time, the BUTTON function would be activated.

Brief description of the drawings Embodiments of the present. invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the anying drawings, in which: Figure: 1 is a schematic iilustration ot‘a remote control deviee- according to an embodiment of the t invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic iilustration of a. garage door controiler ing to an. embodirnent of the present invention.

Detailed description of the drawings Turning to Figure 1,, a remote control device 10 is illustrated, for use in transmitting commands to a garage door opener. The: operatiOns of temOte mntrol device are directed by processor 1.] to execute a programmed operating procedure. Suitable software rcutines for implementing the operating procedure are stored in devi (:6 memory The exterior appearance of remote control device 10 is not illustrated, but can be of any suitable form and incl udes a. plurality ol‘command buttons (not shown). The s are pushed in order to Send commands to a garage door ller 5:0 (Figure '2) such as to opem’cl-ose the garage door that is controlled by controller 50. As described in greater detail. below, remote control device l0 is also selectively used to adjust various settings of garage door controller 50.

Remote control device 10 includes circuitry 12. for detecting button pushes and generating suitable signals that are indicative of the identity of the particular button that was pushed. These button-identifying signals are provided to a transmitting module 16, at. which the signals are modulated onto a suitable carrier signal for transmission in the form of digital packets to ller 50. The carrier signal is, sent by way a transmitter '18 and can be of any suitable form, including. infrared, radio frequency Bluetooth and WIFI.

Transmitting module 16' continues to generate and send command packets at regular als (eg. 100nm intervals) while button circuitry 12 indicates that the button is pressed (and beyond w as discussed below). [003 5] itting module 16 executes encoding es to encode the signals in acccrdance with signal received frcrn button .eireuitry ‘12? either before or after their modulation onto the carrier.

Remote control device l0 includes a determination module 20 that. includes suitable circuitry for detectingthe length of time that a button is pushed. This button—held time parameter is ed in. memory 14 and ed to transmitting module 1.6 to enable the parameter to be transmitted along with the button-identifying signal.

The transmitter therefore sends a —herldetime narsmeter within each of its transmission data packets.

Determination module 20 causes the’buttonéheldetirne parameter to be initialised in memory 1.4 to a value of 0 when the transmitter button is first d and button try 12‘ activated The value of the parameter is then incremented at a suitable rate until the transmitter button is released,» As will. be clear to the skilled readers, the value ot‘the parameter may diverge from the receiver 52's perception, of butten-held-time (being the time pened for which a. button- identifying signal is ed). An equivalence of values assumes that the receiver receives all transmissions from a transmitter. Howeven this does not always occur, fer example, in circumstances (if marginal reception (for e due to interference), transmissions from a itter may not be received by the receiver (fer example for the first one second of a transmission). Consequently? the receiver .reception time ation will be 1 second less than the actual time the button has been held (it; as recorded by timing circuitry of detenriination module 20).

The unit oftime selected f0r recording the button ~11eld-time ter is System— dependent, but it. can, be any suitable increment of time that changes front transmission to transmission.

In additinn tn transmitting the button-held-tinie ter, transmitting module 16 transmits a button-held indicator (in the form of a status bit) which indicates Whether the button which initiated the transmissions is being held.

Transmitting module it: continues tn generate transmissions whichinclude the above information for a pericd of time after the button is released. These post—release transmissions include: - button-held indicator set to 'clear’ (lei indicating button has been released); and - button-held-time parameter set to the maximum time d before the button was released.

The. duration of post-release transmissions is system-dependent and can also be modified based on the button—held—time parameter reached. These transmissiuns ensure that the receiver determines that the user has ed the transmitter liuttcn, rather than the er assuming that the button has been. released when it no longer receives transmissions. This is turn provides a more accurate picture of the ion nf‘remcrte control device 10, as an absence of transmissions may be due to receiver interference rather than as a result of the button being released.

When a command is being send, ore. every time a packet is sent (fer example every looms), the same data. is sent, except for an» changes in the button —l1eld- time parameter and the buttoneheld indicator. in a further embodiment, the invention may be implemented without the transmission ot‘a button-held-time parameter, but including only the button-held indicator (in addition to the command data and other payload).

Remote control device I G is ly equipped with a transmitter status indicator LED 2’2 or other indicating meane. The operation of indicator LED 22 is under the control of sor l1. LED indicator 22. is programmed to visually indicate to the user when the button-held-time parameter reaches certain system-defined values. When such a value is reached, receipt by controller 50 causes it to petition a modified response. Th ese Visual indications allow the user of remote control device '10 to know (for example). that a. button has been held for a ent length of time to plane controller SQ into a inodifi ed ional state. An exampleofa visual indication performed by indicator LED 22 is the LEI) commencing flashing after the button has been held for a predetermined period of time. [004?] ller 50 e 2') es a. receiver module 52 for receiving, demodulating and decoding signal transmissions received from remote control device 10.

Controller 50 also includes a processor 54 for executing; suitable programmed operating software routines that are stored. in a memory 56. The operating software of controller 50 controls, amongst other things, an actuator 58, that is- in turn operatively connected to a garage door opener 60. The output of receiver 52/54 therefore determines whether actuator 58 is operated. The s ge door opener (it) and its, operation do not form part: of the present. invention and will thus not be described further herein, Such devices are known to the skilled reader.

Receiver module 52 monitors the received button—held—time parameter and button—held indicator fields that are included in signal issions received from remote control device 10) Received signal transmissions also include an indication of the particular button on remote control device 10 that was piished. The receiver receives this infonnation Within the transmitter button’s transmisaion data and modifies its response to the transmitter button’s unique code (ie, its output) based upon the field contents and the remote control function assigned to the transmitter button.

An example code setting ion that utilises remote control device 10 will now be deseribed. During a. code- g operation, controller 50 will only accept remote centrol devioe "l 0's unique code after the received aheld—time parameter reaches a specifi ed. value (such as 2 seconds) and. the button Flield indicator indicates that. the button has been released, It will be understood that such an operation greatly reduces the risk of occurrence of an incon‘ect coding. This risk reduction arises from the fact that the - held~time parameter provides a reliable indicator that the user has held the transmitter button for the required time, and the button—held indicator indicates: that the button has been released In this way, the use of the button—held indicator ensures that. the button has ly been released, rather than interruption of reception between remote control device and. controller 50 (6. due to interference) being incorrectly interpreted as indicating button release.

Alternatively, or in addition, controller 50 can be red by way of suitable software routines in memory 55 to implement the tbllowing onal thnctionality in, order to improve the code g process: ° The first transmission received by controller 30 has a button-'held-time ter that indicates the button has just been pressed This prevents a transmitter being coded when the button was y pressed prior to the receiver being ready for code setting: This is implemented. by ng that the first button—heldtime parameter is a ecunt <‘ 2, ie. to confirm that the first packet "has been received. a Each successive transmission received by controller 50 indicates: an adjusted button-held—time parameter, such as an increased count (except for transmissions in which the button-held indicator indicates that. the button has been ed), This ensures that transmissions are being ted from a single continuous ion of the transmitter button and not from multiple activations in which transmissions containing a button —held indicator indicating the button has been released. are not received.

- Transmissions are received for each of the possible button-held—tiine- parameter values between the first received ission being received and the final transmission required for coding. This ensures that the transmitter is generating the correct buttonsheld-titne parameter values.

° Transmissions with the greatest button—held—time parameter value (highest count value) are received with and Without the button-held tor being set“ in other words a ‘clear‘ signal (button—held indicator indicating that the button has been released) is received with a button—flteld~time parameter matching the previous received value. This provides a check that the transmitter is generating valid bottom held indicator states, - The last received button-held—time parameter has incremented by at least two counts since the first packet was received. [0.051] In on, the code set method may require that transmissions are received from two consecutive button presses before controller 50 will accept, remote control device 10‘s unique code. This further reduces the risk of coding to an unwanted remote control .

This is achieved by checking ng serial numbers, matcihing button identity, and incrementing rolling code counters. The first button press may be required to satisfy the above transmission requirements, while the packets received from the second button press may simply satisfy that the first button«held~tirne parameter is a count < 2, ie. to confirm that the first packet has been received.

Remote control device 10 and controller 50 are particularly suited to performing the ded’ code set procedure discussed above, which involves the user following; prompts displayed on a status indicator 62 (such as atouch ), In the case of ‘.remote‘ code set procedures, where stems indicator 62 may not be observable by the user, the user is nevertheless still able to determine when the ission has been accepted by controller Si}, by observing the length of time the transmitter button has been held, or through use ofLED status indicator ‘22.

Further, the button—held feature of this invention may be used when using,r the transmitter during an installation phase in order to set door limits... When driving the door to the ons that the ler is to set as the open and closed limits, the reception of the a release state transmission is used as a positive indiCation to the garage door comreller that the motor is to he stopped. This provides a more responsive system than hitherto possible".

The required hutton—he’ld—time is a, configurable system g andmay » atleast in part be denendent on Whether other hutton—held-time responses are ented.

Typically the required b‘utton—held—time is significantly greater than that required for normal operation, but not so long as to be inconvenient to the user, However, overall, use of remote control device 10 and receiver 530 permits a shorter'hold-time requirement that would ise be achievable due to the reduced risk. ofcoding an incorrect transmitter.

As an exampl e, the concept inay he used. by a garage door owner selecting ’Vaotttion Mode’ for their garage door opener, which. has the effect of g out all but. one master itten so does not allow the opener to be operated until the owner returns and {inactivates Valenti on Mode. A particular remote control button is coded to switch the opener to Vacation Mode. with the receiver requiring reception of a d signal and a button—held—time parameter corresponding to the relevant. button being held for '2 s in order to enter \e’aeation Mode (to avoid rtent activation of this .

To deactivate Vacant-tn htl'ode, no such hutton.—held«tin1e ter is required, the user Simply needs to press the relevant button.

Remote control device 10 and ller 50 can be conveniently used to address the issue of toggle operation discussed above. Specifically, the issue can. he addressed by controller 50 processing the .—held~time parameter and buttonrheld indicator and performing a. modified. response based thereon Suitable processing steps and modified responses include: - Receiver 57254 compares the button-'held—time parameter to a predetermined value (sue-h as 2‘ seconds). If the time is less than 2 seconds then the receiver outputis turned 0N, otherwise if the button held time ter exceeds 2 secondsfl the receiver output is turned OFF.

- As described above, except that receiver 52/54 does not operate its output until either the hutton-held-tinie parameter reaches '2 seconds; in which ease it is turned OFF, or if the button-held indicator indicates the button has been released and. the button-held—time parameter is less than 2 seconds? then the output is turned ON These processing steps and modified. responses can also be conveniently used to activate or deactivate various modes of operation supported by controller St) or garage door opener 60. [005 8] Another advantageous use for remote control device It} and controller 50 is to indicate a user’s desired intentimn for enampte, to entree eoetroller 50' to close a garage door. In this scenario controller 50 can respond to an 'open‘ command from remote control device 10 on receipt of any riate signal (is. any hutton-held-time parameter associated with the assigned button), but does not respond to a *elose" command from remote control device 10 until the button.—held-time parameter reaches a prescribed minimum value (for example ‘2 seconds).

A modified form of this embodiment involves receiver 52/54 activating different commands based on. the duration of the received button-iield-‘time parameter. As. an e, when the door is in a part—open position, operation of a door command button for less than a Specifi ed time (for e 2 seconds) opens the door; whereas operation for greater than the specitied time” eioses the doori, As the transmitting niodulelo generates transmissions after the button is reieased with the button-held indicator clear (ie‘. the transmissions include the flag indicating that the button has been released), receiver 52 is able to detect the button release without having to rely on a timeout. feature (as required in the pri or art, which also has to compensate for receiver interference), to turn. the output off.

Each transmission generated by transmitting module in es roiling code encryption. to protect the ts of the transmitted packet. Also included within each transmitted packet (in addition to the button-'held-time parameter and button—held indicator) are: ' Unique seriai number of transmitting module 16 ' ty of button being pressed - Rolling code ce counter ' d Other data items can be included as required, for security or other purposes.

Modifications: and improvements to the invention wiil be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the. scope of this invention Further, it. is to be understood that, hout the description and claims of this specification, if" and where the word ‘eomprise’ appears (and variations of the word, such as *‘conipiising’ and ‘comprisefi; this is not intended to e other additives, componenta integers or steps. 1002988077 15

Claims (12)

Claims 1.

1. A remote control device, comprising: one or more command buttons, each of which, when operated, ly or indirectly generates a command signal; a determination module for determining the length of time a command button is held to provide a button-held-time parameter; and a itter module that is configured to transmit the -held-time parameter in association with the d signal.

2. A remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the button-held- time parameter held is a value modified after a prescribed time interval.

3. A remote control device according to claim 2, wherein the value is a count, sequentially incremented on regular als.

4. A remote control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination module is further configured to determine a button-held indicator indicating whether the command button has been released.

5. A remote l device according to claim 4, wherein the transmitter module is configured to it the button-held indicator in association with the command signal.

6. A remote control device ing to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the transmitter module is further configured to delay transmission of the button-held-time parameter on the basis of the state of the button-held indicator.

7. A remote control device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the transmitter module is further configured only to transmit the button-held-time parameter if the button-held indicator tes that the command button has been released.

8. A remote control device according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the buttonheld indicator is a single bit, indicating either ‘button-held’ or ‘button clear’. 1002988077 16

9. A remote control device according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the transmitter module is further configured to continue transmitting signals for a period of time after the button- held tor indicates that the command button has been released.

10. A controller comprising: a receiver module for receiving and decoding signals transmitted from a remote control device, the signals including one or more commands and one or more button-held-time parameters, wherein the one or more button-held-time parameters identifies the length of time a command button is held; and an actuator module operatively connected to the receiver module, the actuator module being configured to implement selected functions on a lled device, wherein the function selections are made on the basis of the received command(s) and -held-time-parameter(s).

11. A controller according to claim 10, wherein the received signals further include a -held indicator ting whether a command button of the remote control device used to generate command(s) has been released, the on ed by said actuator module being selected or modified on the basis of the button-held indicator.

12. A controller system sing a remote control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a controller according to claim 10 or claim 11, the two able to be communicatively coupled. 8 utton try Module 50