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CL 9

CL 9 was an American company founded in 1985 by , the co-founder of . The company is best known for developing , the world's first programmable control, which was released in 1987 and featured infrared learning capabilities, an LCD screen, and macro programming via a . CL 9 ceased operations in 1988 after selling its assets due to slow market adoption and competition.

Overview

Founding and Key Personnel

CL 9 was founded in in , by after his departure from Apple Inc., where he had served as co-founder and lead hardware designer. Wozniak's motivation stemmed from his frustration with the proliferation of multiple remote controls for home entertainment devices, prompting him to pursue a unified solution that simplified user interaction with . As the founder and primary visionary, Wozniak guided the company's early direction, supported by initial funding of more than $2 million from investors, including $1 million from his personal resources.

Company Operations

CL 9 was headquartered in , where it operated as a consumer electronics startup from 1985 to 1988. The company emerged during the mid-1980s boom in , a period marked by rapid adoption of home entertainment technologies such as VCRs and multi-device setups that spurred demand for integrated control solutions. The of CL 9 centered on research, development, and marketing of devices, positioning the startup to address the growing complexity of household electronics in the nascent home theater market. With limited staff consisting of a small team of engineers and support personnel, the company prioritized innovative approaches to device integration while managing constrained resources typical of early-stage ventures. Operations relied on focused prototyping and preparation for market entry, reflecting the resource-light structure of startups in that era. Steve Wozniak, as founder, guided the company's operational direction, drawing on his engineering expertise to steer daily activities and strategic decisions.

History

Early Development

The development of CL 9's flagship product, the CORE universal remote control, began in 1985 shortly after left Apple Computer, where he had co-founded the company and designed its early hardware. established CL 9 in , with the initial goal of creating a single device to consolidate control over multiple home entertainment components, such as televisions, VCRs, and audio systems, addressing the growing complexity of household setups in the mid-1980s. Drawing briefly on his expertise in microprocessor-based hardware from the , conceived the core concept and developed a custom programming language to enable programmable, multi-device operation. Initial prototyping efforts centered on integrating infrared (IR) signal processing to "learn" and replicate commands from existing remotes, but early models encountered significant technical hurdles in reliably receiving and decoding these signals. To overcome this, the team hired consultants to design specialized circuits, ultimately opting for a simpler phototransistor-based for improved over more complex alternatives. The design incorporated a dual-processor architecture, featuring an 8-bit microprocessor—familiar from Wozniak's Apple work—for handling intensive tasks like signal learning and storage, paired with a 4-bit processor for lighter functions, though synchronizing the two proved challenging during testing. External collaboration for the product's aesthetics involved , a firm known for work, which was tasked with creating plastic casings and models to ensure ergonomic appeal. However, this partnership faced interference from , who, upon discovering a CL 9 at Frog's offices, reacted strongly by throwing it against a wall and demanding the firm cease work, falsely claiming Apple "owned" Frog Design; this delay forced CL 9 to seek alternative design solutions and slowed progress into 1986. Despite these setbacks, prototyping advanced through 1986, supported by initial investments of around $2-3 million from venture firms, laying the groundwork for a device capable of managing up to 15 entertainment components.

Intellectual Property Challenges

CL 9 encountered significant intellectual property considerations during the development of its universal remote control, focusing on patent protection for the core technological innovations to safeguard against imitation in the burgeoning consumer electronics sector. In October 1988, the company filed a patent application for its remote control system, which was granted as US Patent 4,918,439 on April 17, 1990, to inventors Steve Wozniak and Charles H. Van Dusen, with CL 9 Inc. listed as the assignee. This patent detailed a programmable device capable of learning and emulating infrared codes from existing appliance remotes, enabling compatibility across multiple brands of televisions, VCRs, stereos, and other devices through stored code libraries and learned signals. The patented system incorporated a 6502 microprocessor to manage code storage in dual memories—one for preloaded brand-specific codes and another for user-learned sequences—facilitating features like macro commands for automated control of multiple appliances. This emphasis on patenting the learning mechanism and universal emulation addressed potential vulnerabilities in a market where rapid innovation by competitors, such as early universal remote manufacturers, threatened to replicate similar functionalities without licensing. The filing occurred parallel to prototype refinement, ensuring that protection aligned with the evolving design and helped delineate the scope of exclusive rights for the programmable aspects. However, maintenance of this proved challenging post-issuance; the lapsed on April 17, 2002, due to nonpayment of required fees under 37 CFR 1.362, effectively ending enforceable protection after just over 12 years despite an expected term of 17 years from issuance for pre-1995 . This early expiration limited CL 9's ability to enforce rights against subsequent entrants in the universal remote space, highlighting the financial pressures on a small startup navigating upkeep amid product . The strategic timing of the filing amid development underscored the company's proactive approach to , though it could not fully mitigate broader copying risks once protection waned.

Launch and Market Reception

The CL 9 company launched the CORE control in 1987, positioning it as a groundbreaking device for consolidating control over multiple home entertainment systems into a single unit. Marketed as the world's first programmable , it aimed to simplify the management of televisions, VCRs, and other infrared-compatible appliances, appealing to the growing complexity of household electronics in the late . Priced at approximately $300, the CORE was made available primarily through specialty retailers , targeting tech-savvy early adopters and hobbyists rather than mainstream consumers. This premium positioning reflected its advanced features but also limited its accessibility in an era when average remote controls cost far less. Initial market reception highlighted the device's innovative potential, earning praise from technology enthusiasts for its ability to learn and replicate signals from existing remotes, thereby offering broad without needing device-specific codes. However, critics and users noted drawbacks including the high price tag and a complex programming interface that demanded technical knowledge, creating a steep unsuitable for average households. As a result, sales remained modest, confined to a niche audience amid competition from simpler, preprogrammed remotes that better addressed everyday needs like replacing lost originals. Promotional efforts leveraged the involvement of founder , whose reputation from Apple helped generate buzz through product demonstrations emphasizing the remote's versatility in handling diverse devices. Despite this, the CORE's specialized appeal contributed to underwhelming commercial success, underscoring the challenges of introducing advanced before widespread demand for such integration emerged.

Company Sale

In 1988, CL 9 was acquired by an undisclosed buyer through the sale of its business, technology, and patents. Founder stepped away from the company following the transaction to pursue teaching and other ventures. The CORE remote control's pioneering programmable features played a role in drawing buyer interest despite the product's commercial challenges. The sale stemmed from mounting financial pressures, as sales of remained limited amid competition from cheaper, simpler remote controls produced by major firms. Development and operational expenses had surpassed the company's initial funding, which exceeded $2 million—including $1 million from Wozniak himself—sustained over its brief existence from 1985 to 1988. Post-sale, CL 9's assets, including , were transferred to the buyer, and the company ended its operations. Wozniak shifted his focus to , teaching to elementary and students for several years.

Products

CORE Remote Control Design

The CORE remote control is a handheld device engineered for controlling multiple components from a single unit. It incorporates an LCD display to facilitate menu navigation and programming, complemented by a and function buttons for selecting devices and executing commands. This layout supports intuitive operation during setup and use, with the overall suited for comfortable handheld manipulation. The employs a menu-driven approach, enabling users to program the remote by capturing signals from original device remotes through a learning process. The device features 16 generic, unlabeled keys that can be assigned to various functions across 16 programmable pages, allowing for 256 unique codes and customization for different entertainment setups without predefined icons or labels for specific categories like TVs or VCRs. The device includes a serial interface for connection to a computer, allowing advanced programming and updates. Key innovative elements include programming, which permits a single key press to trigger a sequence of commands—such as powering on a TV, VCR, and adjusting volume—for streamlined home entertainment control. Additionally, buttons can be reprogrammed , and the system supports functions to automate operations at specified times. demonstrates universal compatibility with a wide range of consumer electronics by learning and replicating their infrared signal patterns.

Technical Specifications

The CORE remote employs a 4-bit and an 8-bit 6502-based to manage execution and IR code processing. It incorporates for storing the core and battery-backed to retain learned IR codes, ensuring persistence even during power loss. The infrared subsystem includes a and transmitter enabling the capture and replay of device-specific signals, with compatibility for prevalent protocols such as and formats prevalent in . Power is supplied by 4 cells (6 V), complemented by an internal backup battery for retention; the unit measures approximately 7.5 × 2.75 × 1 inches and weighs under 1 pound. The learning mechanism, central to its universality, is protected under U.S. No. 4,918,439.

Legacy

Successor Company and Products

Following the sale of CL 9 in 1988, its technology and intellectual property were acquired by , a company formed by former CL 9 employees to continue development of the remote control. , established in 1991 in , rebranded and relaunched the product as the PIC-100 Programmable Infrared Controller, a learning universal remote that retained the original learning functionality for capturing and replicating device codes. The PIC-100, introduced in 1991, supported control of up to 15 devices including TVs, VCRs, and audio systems, with added features like macro programming for multi-step commands and a for computer-based setup, building directly on CL 9's patents. In the mid-1990s, evolved the line with the PIC-200 model, which expanded device compatibility to include cable boxes and satellite receivers while improving programming ease and memory capacity for more codes. This iteration maintained the core learning capability but enhanced reliability through updated and broader support. Celadon marketed the series through the late and into the early , incorporating CL 9's original until patents began expiring around 2005, after which the technology influenced subsequent designs. By the early , facing advances in technology, Celadon discontinued the PIC line and transitioned to an OEM/ODM model, producing custom , RF, and wired remotes for various manufacturers, though specifics on final ownership of the original IP remain limited in . As of 2025, Celadon remains active, focusing on custom solutions for various industries.

Impact on Universal Remotes

CL 9's CORE remote pioneered infrared (IR) code learning technology, allowing it to capture and replicate signals from existing device-specific remotes, a feature that set a technological precedent for subsequent universal remotes. This innovation, introduced in , enabled control of multiple home electronics like TVs, VCRs, and from a single device, influencing designs in products such as Logitech's series, which adopted similar learning and macro programming capabilities for activity-based control. Similarly, models in the late 1980s and 1990s built on these programmable concepts to simplify multi-device management. The viability of programmable universal remotes demonstrated by CL 9 contributed to an industry shift away from proprietary, device-specific controls toward consolidated solutions by the early . Prior to this, consumers often juggled multiple remotes per brand, but CL 9's emphasis on programmability highlighted the potential for , accelerating adoption by manufacturers like , which patented an IR learning system in 1986 (US Patent 4,623,887), and , which introduced a code-based in 1985. This transition reduced clutter in home entertainment setups and paved the way for more integrated control systems. Steve Wozniak's involvement in CL 9 underscored the accessibility of advanced technology for everyday consumers, reflecting his ethos from the personal computing era of empowering users to manage complex gadgets intuitively. The CORE's design, motivated by Wozniak's own frustration with proliferating remotes, inspired broader interest in , laying conceptual groundwork for modern smart home ecosystems where devices integrate via voice assistants like . Despite its innovations, CL 9's short operational lifespan—from 1985 to 1988—highlighted significant challenges for startups in the sector, including high development costs and user resistance to complex programming interfaces. The company ceased operations without direct commercial successors, though its foundational learning and macro features persist in contemporary remotes. The technology was briefly repurposed as the PIC-100 for equipment control.

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