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

• US 10,304,323 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• 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:
  US16/157,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20190114907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 340 121- 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 non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon instructions executable by a processing device of a first appliance, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device of the first appliance, cause the first appliance to perform steps comprising:

determining an identity of a second appliance that is connected to an active input port of the first appliance;

using the determined identity of the second appliance that is connected to the active input port of the first appliance to cause a one of a plurality of templates to be retrieved from a memory store associated with the first appliance, wherein each of the plurality of templates comprises a plurality of display elements and wherein each of the plurality of display elements is representative of a controllable appliance operation;

causing the retrieved one of the plurality of templates to be displayed in a display associated with the first appliance;

receiving a data that is representative of a one of the plurality of display elements;

using the received data that is representative of the one of the plurality of display elements and information indicative of the retrieved and displayed one of the plurality of templates to determine a command to be transmitted from the first appliance to a target appliance; and

transmitting to the target appliance, using a communication protocol recognizable by the target appliance, the determined command for the purpose of controlling a corresponding operation of the target appliance.

2. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory store comprises a memory device that a component part of the first appliance.

3. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory store comprises a memory device that is remotely located relative to the first appliance.

4. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the first appliance to further determine a type of the media content that is provided to the first appliance by the second appliance and to use the determined type of the media content in addition to the identity of the second appliance to cause the one of a plurality of templates to be retrieved from the memory store associated with the first appliance.

5. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the target appliance is the second appliance.

6. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the first appliance to use a discovery process to determine the identity of the second appliance.

7. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the first appliance to determine the identity of the second appliance in response to the input port of the first appliance being made active.

8. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the first appliance to determine the identity of the second appliance prior to the input port of the first appliance being made active.

9. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the data that is representative of a one of the plurality of display elements data comprises a key id that is representative of an input element of a remotely located input device that was activated.

10. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the data that is representative of the user input is received from the remotely located input device via use of a wireless communication protocol.

11. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 10, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises an infrared communication protocol.

12. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 10, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises a radio frequency communication protocol.

13. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the data that is representative of a one of the plurality of display elements data comprises data indicative of a spoken utterance of the one of the plurality of display elements.

14. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication protocol recognizable by the target appliance comprises a wired communication protocol.

15. The non-transitory computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication protocol recognizable by the target appliance comprises a wireless communication protocol.