That sequence of pulses identifies the circuit to be controlled. The last stage in a power up/down sequence or select sequence for track, channel, disc, drapes open/close, lights up/down etc. device select is the output of the discriminator circuitry that takes the data stream and directs the switching of a given function through a microprocessor.

But every output from a remote control or power up/down command is a short duration pulse that tells the switching circuit to energize and then de-energize.