Configurable controlling device and associated configuration upload and download system and method

• US 20060288300A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Yuh, Han-Sheng, Chambers, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• 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 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A configurable controlling device and associated editor program that allows a consumer to modify on a personal computer for downloading to the controlling device configuration data which is used to cause the controlling device to perform a function, such as to transmit a command to an appliance, to change the user interface page being displayed, etc. A central server facility is provided through which the managed exchange of configuration data between the editor program and remotely-located controlling devices may be performed.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving data indicative of a configuration of a target controlling device, comprising:

receiving at a server device an upload request for retrieving the configuration of the target controlling device; and

causing the server device to instruct the target controlling device to upload to the server device data indicative of the configuration of the target controlling device in response to the target controlling device establishing contact with the server device at a time subsequent to the server device receiving the upload request.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising receiving at the server device the data indicative of the configuration of the target controlling device and transferring the data indicative of the configuration of the target controlling device to a configuration editing system.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising modifying the data indicative of the configuration of the target controlling device to place the data indicative of the configuration of the target controlling device into a format usable by the editing system.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising receiving at the server device from the configuration editing system data indicative of an edited version of the configuration of the target controlling device and storing in a database associated with the server device the data indicative of the edited version of the configuration of the target controlling device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising causing the server device to download from the database for use in the target controlling device the data indicative of the edited version of the configuration of the target controlling device in response to the target controlling device establishing contact with the server device at a time subsequent to the server device receiving the data indicative of the edited version of the configuration of the target controlling device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the upload request specifies an address associated with the target controlling device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising maintaining the upload request in a predetermined storage area of a database associated with the server device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the predetermined storage area of the database corresponds to a uniquely identified installer.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising uploading to the server device data indicative of a configuration of the target controlling device that is currently being utilized by the controlling device in response to the target controlling device establishing contact with the server device at the time subsequent to the server computer receiving the upload request.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising uploading to the server device data indicative of usage of the target controlling device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein data indicative of usage of the target controlling device comprises data indicative of activities commanded using the target controlling device.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein data indicative of usage of the target controlling device comprises data indicative of activations of one or more command keys of the target controlling device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration of the controlling device comprises a graphical user interface of the controlling device which is interacted with to cause the target controlling device to transmit commands to one or more controllable appliances.

14. A system for managing distribution of a controlling device configuration data, comprising:

a program for use on a first computing device to enable modification of the controlling device configuration data; and

a Web server in communication with the first computing device having an associated database for storing a request for causing a retrieval of the controlling device configuration data from a target controlling device for provision to the first computing device and for storing data associated with a modified controlling device configuration data provided by the first computing device resulting from use of the program with the configuration data retrieved from the target controlling device;

wherein the Web server further has programming which functions to allow for identification of a target for the request and an origin of and a target for the data associated with the modified controlling device configuration data stored within the database.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the data which functions to identify the target for the request and the target for the data associated with the modified controlling device configuration data comprises a MAC address of the controlling device.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the data associated with the modified controlling device configuration data functions to define a display having icons which icons, when activated on a controlling device, cause the controlling device to perform one or more functions including transmitting a command to an appliance and changing the display.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the request and the uploaded data associated with the modified controlling device configuration data is stored in an area of the database designated for use by an originator of the modified controlling device configuration data and wherein the area of the database functions to identify the origin of data associated with the modified controlling device configuration data.