System and method for automatically setting up a universal remote control

• US 20030141987A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,046,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a remote control to command the operation of appliances, to capture demographic data, and to provide services, such as automated warranty registration, instructions, viewing guides, etc., relevant to the appliances is provided. The system includes a database and associated server that are located remotely from the remote control and accessible via a network connection. Command codes, graphical user interface elements, and services are accessed and downloaded to the remote control, as appropriate, using data supplied to the server that identifies the appliances and/or functional capabilities of the appliances. This data can be supplied by the appliances directly or can be obtained from other sources such as barcode labels, network devices, etc.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a remote control to command the operation of an appliance, comprising:

receiving data that functions to identify the appliance;

using the data to retrieve command codes from a database located locally with respect to the remote control;

if the appliance is determined to respond to the command codes from the locally stored database, using the retrieved, locally stored command codes in the remote control to command the operation of the appliance; and

if the appliance is determined to not respond to the command codes from the locally stored database, using the data to retrieve command codes from a database located remotely with respect to the remote control and, if the appliance is then determined to respond to the command codes retrieved from the remotely stored database, using the retrieved, remotely stored command codes in the remote control to command the operation of the appliance.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the data to retrieve from the database located remotely from the remote control graphical user interface elements corresponding to the command codes and storing the graphical user interface elements in the remote control to be used as a means to initiate transmissions of command codes to command the operation of the appliance.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal from the remote control to a personal computer including a representation of the data to retrieve the command codes from the local database.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising transmitting the signal from the personal computer to a remote server to retrieve the command codes from the remote database.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control resides on a portable display device adapted to communicate with a personal computer.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data that functions to identify the appliance comprises a device type indicator and a brand indicator.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein data to be used for commanding the operation of the target device is retained in a memory of the portable display device.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein data to be used for commanding the operation of the target device is retained in a memory of the personal computer.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the database located locally with respect to the remote control is stored in a memory of the portable display device.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the database located locally with respect to the remote control is stored in a memory of the personal computer.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal including a representation of the data from the remote control via an Internet connection to retrieve command codes from the database located remotely with respect to the remote control.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal including a representation of the data from the remote control to an intermediate gateway to retrieve command codes from the database located remotely with respect to the remote control.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the intermediate gateway is a personal computer adapted to directly communicate with the remote control.

14. A readable media having instructions for configuring a remote control to command the operation of an appliance, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving data that functions to identify the appliance;

using the data to retrieve command codes from a database located locally with respect to the remote control;

using the retrieved, locally stored command codes in the remote control to command the operation of the appliance if an indication is provided that the appliance is determined to respond to the command codes from the locally stored database; and

allowing for use of the data to retrieve command codes from a database located remotely with respect to the remote control and using the retrieved, remotely stored command codes in the remote control to command the operation of the appliance if the appliance is determined to respond to the command codes retrieved from the remotely stored database.

15. The readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising instructions for using the data to retrieve from the database located remotely from the remote control graphical user interface elements corresponding to the command codes and storing the graphical user interface elements in the remote control to be used as a means to initiate transmissions of command codes to command the operation of the appliance.

16. The readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising instructions for receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal from the remote control to a personal computer including a representation of the data to retrieve the command codes from the local database.

17. The readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions for transmitting the signal from the personal computer to a remote server to retrieve the command codes from the remote database.

18. The readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the remote control resides on a portable display device adapted to communicate with a personal computer.

19. The readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the data that functions to identify the appliance comprises a device type indicator and a brand indicator.

20. The readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein data to be used for commanding the operation of the target device is retained in a memory of the portable display device.

21. The readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein data to be used for commanding the operation of the target device is retained in a memory of the personal computer.

22. The readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the database located locally with respect to the remote control is stored in a memory of the portable display device.

23. The readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the database located locally with respect to the remote control is stored in a memory of the personal computer.

24. The readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising instructions for receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal including a representation of the data from the remote control via an Internet connection to retrieve command codes from the database located remotely with respect to the remote control.

25. The readable media as recited in claim 14, further comprising instructions for receiving the data at the remote control and transmitting a signal including a representation of the data from the remote control to an intermediate gateway to retrieve command codes from the database located remotely with respect to the remote control.

26. The readable media as recited in claim 25, wherein the intermediate gateway is a personal computer adapted to directly communicate with the remote control.