System and method for assistance in the set-up of a new device to operate within a current system configuration

• US 20070063046A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Louis Lippincott
• Original Assignee: Louis Lippincott
• Inventors: Lippincott, Louis
• Application Number:
  US11/233,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063046A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A method and system for assisting a user in the set-up of a new device to operate within a current system configuration are described. The method may involve identifying a new device to be added to a current system configuration, where the new device is identified via a Universal Product Code (UPC) number. Based on the current system configuration, customized set-up instructions are determined to enable the new device to operate within the current system configuration.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a new device to be added to a current system configuration, wherein the new device is identified via a Universal Product Code (UPC) number; and

based on the current system configuration, determining set-up instructions to enable the new device to operate within the current system configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPC number is obtained from a digital photograph of a UPC label associated with the new device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPC number is provided by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining set-up instructions comprises:

accessing standard set-up instructions for the new device;

determining one or more connections in the current system configuration;

determining one or more available correctors in the current system configuration; and

customizing the standard set-up instructions based on the determined one or more connections and the determined one or more available correctors in the current system configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the set-up instructions were executed properly, and if so, then adding a new device set-up to the current system configuration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPC number is used to identify the new device via a UPC database.

7. A system comprising:

a host device; and

one or more existing devices, wherein the host device and the one or more existing devices are networked together via a current system configuration, wherein the host device identifies a new device to be added to the current system configuration via a Universal Product Code (UPC) number associated with the new device, and wherein the host device determines set-up instructions to enable the new device to operate within the current system configuration.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the host device is a media center.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the UPC number is obtained from a digital photograph of a UPC label associated with the new device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the UPC number is provided by a user.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the host device determines the set-up instructions by accessing standard set-up instructions for the new device, determines one or more connections in the current system configuration, determines one or more available correctors in the current system configuration, and customizes the standard set-up instructions based on the determined one or more connections and the determined one or more available correctors in the current system configuration.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the host device determines whether the set-up instructions were executed properly, and if so, then adds a new device set-up to the current system configuration.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the UPC number is used to identify the new device via a UPC database.

14. A machine-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

identifying a new device to be added to a current system configuration, wherein the new device is identified via a Universal Product Code (UPC) number; and

based on the current system configuration, determining set-up instructions to enable the new device to operate within the current system configuration.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the UPC number is obtained from a digital photograph of a UPC label associated with the new device.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the UPC number is provided by a user.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining set-up instructions comprises:

accessing standard set-up instructions for the new device;

determining one or more connections in the current system configuration;

determining one or more available correctors in the current system configuration; and

customizing the standard set-up instructions based on the determined one or more connections and the determined one or more available correctors in the current system configuration.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the set-up instructions were executed properly, and if so, then adding a new device set-up to the current system configuration.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the UPC number is used 41 identify the new device via a UPC database.