System and method for setting up a universal remote control

• US 20070296552A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick, Huang, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 9,412,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204

Abstract

A system and method for using an RFID tag to automatically setup and configure a universal remote control to command appliances of various types and various manufacturers.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

packaging for an appliance, the packaging having a machine readable tag storing standardized information that functions to identify at least the appliance and manufacturer of the appliance; and

a universal remote control having a transmission circuit for communicating commands to the appliance, a device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag of the packaging, and a setup program that uses data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag to cause select commands to be mapped to select command keys of the universal remote control whereby the universal remote control is set up such that subsequent activation of one or more of the select command keys of the universal remote control causes the universal remote control to issue via the transmission circuit one or more of the select commands to thereby command operation of the appliance.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the machine readable tag comprises an RFID label and the device of the universal remote control dedicated to obtaining data from a machine readable tag comprises a device dedicated to the purpose of obtaining data from the RFID label.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the setup program functions to select the select commands from a library of commands locally stored on the universal remote control.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, comprising a server device in communication with the universal remote control, the server device being used to access a library of commands stored remotely from the universal remote control and to download the select commands to the universal remote control.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, comprising an intermediate device by which the server device is placed into communication with the universal remote control.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the intermediate device comprises a cable set top box.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the intermediate device comprises a personal computer.

9. The system as recite in claim 1, wherein the setup procedure further uses data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging to automatically assign the appliance to a select operational mode of the universal remote control whereupon, in response to the universal remote control being placed into the select operational mode, the universal remote control is set up such that subsequent activation of one or more of the select command keys of the universal remote control causes the universal remote control to issue via the transmission circuit one or more of the select commands to thereby command operation of the appliance.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, comprising a server device in communication with the universal remote control, the server device receiving from the universal remote control at least a portion of data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag and using such data to automatically register the appliance within a warranty registration database.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, comprising an intermediate device by which the server device is placed into communication with the universal remote control.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the intermediate device comprises a cable set top box.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the intermediate device comprises a personal computer.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising providing at least a portion of data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag to a server device in communication with the universal remote control whereupon the server device uses received data to automatically register the appliance within a warranty registration database.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, comprising using an intermediate device to place the universal remote control into communication with the server device.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the intermediate device comprises a cable set top box.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the intermediate device comprises a personal computer.

4. (canceled)

14. A method for configuring a universal remote control to communicate commands to an appliance, comprising:

causing a device of the universal remote control dedicated to obtaining data from a machine readable tag to obtain data from a machine readable tag placed upon packaging for the appliance wherein the machine readable tag placed upon packaging for the appliance has stored standardized information that functions to identify at least the appliance and manufacturer of the appliance; and

using data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag to cause select commands to be mapped to select command keys of the universal remote control whereby the universal remote control is set up such that subsequent activation of one or more of the select command keys of the universal remote control causes the universal remote control to issue via a transmission circuit of the universal remote control one or more of the select commands to thereby command operation of the appliance.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the machine readable tag comprises an RFID label and the device of the universal remote control dedicated to obtaining data from a machine readable tag comprises a device dedicated to the purpose of obtaining data from the RFID label.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag is used to select commands from a library of commands locally stored on the universal remote control.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging via the device dedicated to obtaining data from the machine readable tag is used to select commands from a library of commands stored remotely from the universal remote control which are then downloaded into the universal remote control.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising accessing the library of commands and downloading the select commands to the universal remote control via a server device in communication with the universal remote control.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, comprising using an intermediate device to place the universal remote control into communication with the server device.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the intermediate device comprises a cable set top box.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the intermediate device comprises a personal computer.

22. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising using data obtained from the machine readable tag of the packaging to automatically assign the appliance to a select operational mode of the universal remote control whereupon, in response to the universal remote control being placed into the select operational mode, the universal remote control is set up such that subsequent activation of one or more of the select command keys of the universal remote control causes the universal remote control to issue via the transmission circuit one or more of the select commands to thereby command operation of the appliance.