New Wireless Technology Transforms the Remote

• New remote control devices that use radio frequency rather than infrared to communicate are under development and making their way to market. The new devices overcome limitations of the IR-based devices and could greatly expand the functionality of the traditional remote control.
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• New devices that use radio frequency (RF) rather than infrared (IR) to communicate are under development and making their way to market. The new devices overcome limitations of the IR-based devices and could greatly expand the functionality of the traditional remote control.
  Major consumer electronics manufacturers and cable systems operations have thrown their support behind the Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics (RF4CE) specifications designed to control a wide range of products including home entertainment devices, garage door openers, keyless entry systems, and many more. The effort is shepherded by the ZigBee Alliance, an open, non-profit association whose members work together to develop standards for low-power wireless networking.
  
  Remote control devices using RF4CE technology could be used as a dashboard that monitors all types of systems in the home. (Source: GreenPeak Technologies)
  ZigBee RF4CE would replace currently used proprietary RF remote control protocols with a set of specifications that offers multi-vendor interoperability. (That’s in contrast to today’s technology where “universal” remote controls require the use of code tables to perform the same simple functions on different vendors’ devices.)
  Switching from IR remote controls to devices based on ZigBee RF4CE offers a number of benefits for the user and opens up the possibility of many new applications for the technology.
  To start, the RF devices do not need a clear line of sight to operate. This could be leveraged to, for example, move set top boxes into a closet for a more aesthetically pleasing viewing room setting.
  A more practical benefit is that the two-way communications capability of RF4CE can support new applications. “Today’s one-way only systems can’t even do simple things,” said wireless data industry pioneer Cees Links, Founder & CEO, GreenPeak Technologies. He noted that one highlydesirable application would be to have a “Find Me” button on a TV or set top box that, once pressed, would cause the remote device to make a sound so the viewer could easily locate it.
  More sophisticated applications that offer interactive participation could also be built using the two-way communications capabilities. For instance, a show sponsor might pose a question to viewers and transmit a reward coupon to the remote device if the viewer answers the question. Programmers and systems operators might use the capability to send a reminder that a favorite TV show is coming on in five minutes, deliver an ad, or provide real-time news or time and temperature information on the device.
  The interoperability afforded by RF4CE (combined with the two-way communications capability) allows a remote control to work with more systems in a house. Specifically, the technology can be used as the basis for home automation. Leveraging the open RF standard, the remote could be used for climate control, to turn lights throughout the house on and off, and to open or close curtains.
  Information from other systems that monitor the environment or detect motion could be passed to an RF4CE remote. In this way, the remote becomes a dashboard for the home informing the occupant of the status of systems or if there are any problems.
  One additional interesting aspect to the RF4CE technology is its low power consumption. Remote control devices based on RF4CE can operate without the need for a battery replacement. That makes life easier for the home owner and it means the device itself can be sealed. Links noted that this helps the systems operators, too, since low battery power is at the root of the bulk of support call problems.