Graphical user interface and data transfer methods in a controlling device

• US 10,254,937 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hilbrink, Marcel, Xu, Rex, Alvarado, Cesar, Arling, Paul D., Hayes, Patrick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar R
• Application Number:
  US15/832,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20180095642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A smart device is provided with a main remote control application that may be configured using information. The main remote control application may present images of original remote controls corresponding to devices which are controllable by the configured main remote control application. In connection with a presented image of an original remote control, the display may present icons that are representative of a subset of the buttons of the original remote control. The user interface also allows a user to select amongst the images of the original remote controls to change which appliances are to be controlled via the user interface. A pop-up remote control widget may also be provided which may be invoked without switching to the main remote control application provisioned on the smart device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processing device of a first smart device having a first remote control application installed thereon, perform steps comprising:

receiving into the first smart device a first data, wherein the first data provided to the first smart device is used by the first remote control application to configure the first remote control application to use at least a first command code set to transmit commands to at least a first intended target appliance;

receiving into the first smart device a second data, wherein the second data provided to the first smart device is used by the first remote control application to assign to one or more input elements displayable in a display of the first smart device by the first remote control application one or more commands selected from the at least the first command code set; and

in response to a predetermined input being provided to the first smart device, causing the first remote control application to use the first data and the second data to display a machine readable code in the display of the first smart device, wherein the displayed machine readable code is usable by a second remote control application installed on a second smart device to recreate in the second remote control application the command code set configuration and the input element assignment of the first remote control application installed on the first smart device.

2. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the machine readable code comprises a quick response (“

QR”

) code.

3. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the first data comprises data indicative of at least a brand and type of the at least the first intended target appliance.

4. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the first data comprises an identifier for the at least the first command code set.

5. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the second data comprises user entered data provided to program an activity macro command sequence for use by the first remote control application installed on the first smart device.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the second data comprises user entered data provided to program a favorite channels listing of the first remote control application installed on the first smart device.