LIRC is a package that allows you to decode and send infra-red signals
of many (but not all) commonly used remote controls.

The most important part of LIRC is the lircd daemon that will decode
IR signals received by the device drivers and provide the information
on a socket. It will also accept commands for IR signals to be sent if
the hardware supports this. The second daemon program called lircmd
will connect to lircd and translate the decoded IR signals to mouse
movements. You can e.g. configure X to use your remote control as an
input device.

The user space applications will allow you to control your computer
with your remote control. You can send X events to applications, start
programs and much more on just one button press. The possible
applications are obvious: Infra-red mouse, remote control for your TV
tuner card or CD-ROM, shutdown by remote, program your VCR and/or
satellite tuner with your computer, etc.

WWW: http://www.lirc.org/