Apparatus, system and method for using a universal controlling device for displaying a graphical user element in a display device

• US 10,127,807 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2018
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Xu, Rex, Perez, Jesus, Gallegos, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T
• Application Number:
  US15/986,002
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• Field of Search: 340 125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method is described for controlling one or more consumer electronic devices that is performed by a smart device in cooperation with a universal controlling device. The smart device causes a particular consumer electronic device template to be displayed to a user in response to receiving an indication of a particular key that was touched by the user on the universal controlling device. The template comprises one or more graphical elements, each for performing a particular operation in association with the particular consumer electronic device. The smart device then causes an action to be performed when the user selects one of the graphical elements by pressing one of the keys on the universal controlling device.

Claims

1. A method for using a smart device that is a component in a media content rendering system, comprised of a plurality of consumer electronic devices, to control an operation of a target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices, comprising:

determining an identity of a one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices that is acting as a source of a media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system;

using the identity of the one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices that is acting as the source of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system to cause a one of a plurality of consumer electronic device templates to be retrieved from a memory store associated with the smart device, wherein each of the plurality of consumer electronic device templates comprises a set of graphical user interface elements each of which is representative of an operation of at least one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices that is controllable via use of the smart device;

causing the one of the plurality of consumer electronic device templates to be displayed in a one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices having display capabilities;

receiving from a remotely located input device a communication having a key id that is representative of an input element of the input device that was activated by a user;

using the received key id and information indicative of the one of the plurality of consumer electronic device templates that is being displayed to determine the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices and the operation of the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic device that is to be controlled by the smart device; and

transmitting to the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices using a communication protocol recognizable by the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices a command to control the determined operation of the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory store comprises a memory device that a component part of the smart device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory store comprises a memory device that is remotely located relative to the smart device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a type of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system and using the determined type of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system in addition to the identity of the one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices that is acting as the source of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system to cause the one of a plurality of consumer electronic device templates to be retrieved from the memory store associated with the smart device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the source of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system is the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a discovery process to determine the source of the media content that is currently being rendered by the media content rendering system.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the key id is received from the input device via use of a wireless communication protocol.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises an infrared communication protocol.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises a radio frequency communication protocol.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication protocol recognizable by the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices comprises a wired communication protocol.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication protocol recognizable by the target one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices comprises a wireless communication protocol.