System and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure

• US 20080225184A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SONY CORPORATION AND SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert, Richman, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• 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 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• 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 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

A system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure includes a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source and a television that is configured to reproduce the electronic programming. A remote control device controls various functionalities of the television over an RC-TV communications link. The remote control configuration procedure is coordinated by the television and a configuration server to allow the remote control device to also control various functionalities of the settop box over an RC-STB communication link. The television and the configuration server support a user-friendly interactive procedure to automatically determine and provide certain settop-box control information for adding appropriate settop-box control functions to the remote control device during the remote control configuration procedure.

Claims

1. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source;

a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming; and

a remote control that controls said television over an RC-TV communications link, said television coordinating a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said television accessing STB control information for adding settop-box control functions to said remote control during said configuration procedure.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a configuration server that said television interacts with to identify and obtain said STB control information.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said television communicates with said configuration server over an Internet network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said settop box is alternately implemented as a cable-television settop box or a satellite-television settop box.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said configuration procedure is initiated in response to a configuration trigger event that alternately includes an initial setup procedure for said television or a replacement installation of said settop box.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said television automatically transmits a network login communication, including an IP address, to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale for said television based upon said IP address.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said configuration server accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon said specific locale of said television, said configuration server notifying said television regarding said one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon vendor information from said vendor lookup table.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said television displays a vendor identification question about said one or more probable vendors to allow a system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual vendor of said settop box.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question for which said system user may respond either “

yes”

or “

no.”

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said television confirms said actual vendor of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing an STB-model lookup table to determine STB model information for possible settop boxes supported in said specific locale by said actual vendor, said configuration server then uploading said STB model information to said television.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said STB model information includes model numbers and/or digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images or said model numbers displayed on said television.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said television displays said STB model information, said television also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said television confirms said actual model of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a control-information lookup table to determine STB control information for said actual model of said settop box.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said STB control information includes specific settop-box control codes to support adding said settop-box control functions to said remote control.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said configuration server uploads said STB control information to said television, said television responsively providing said STB control information to said remote control.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing Near-Field Communication techniques.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said remote control utilizes said STB control information to update remote control functionalities of said remote control to support controlling both said settop box and said television.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said television generates an RC GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed.

21. A method for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

receiving electronic programming from a program source by utilizing a settop box;

reproducing said electronic programming with a television;

controlling said television with a remote control over an RC-TV communications link; and

performing a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said television accessing STB control information for adding settop-box control functions to said remote control during said configuration procedure.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising a configuration server that said television interacts with to identify and obtain said STB control information, said configuration server including a configuration database that is continually updated with current configuration information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said television communicates with said configuration server over an Internet network.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said settop box is alternately implemented as a cable-television settop box or a satellite-television settop box.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said configuration procedure is initiated in response to a configuration trigger event that alternately includes an initial setup procedure for said television or a replacement installation of said settop box.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein said television automatically transmits a network login communication, including an IP address, to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale for said television based upon said IP address.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said configuration server accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon said specific locale of said television, said configuration server notifying said television regarding said one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon vendor information from said vendor lookup table.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said television displays a vendor identification question about said one or more probable vendors to allow a system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual vendor of said settop box.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question for which said system user may respond either “

yes”

or “

no.”

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said television confirms said actual vendor of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing an STB-model lookup table to determine STB model information for possible settop boxes supported in said specific locale by said actual vendor, said configuration server then uploading said STB model information to said television.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said STB model information includes model numbers and digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images or said model numbers displayed on said television.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said television displays said STB model information, said television also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said television confirms said actual model of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a control-information lookup table to determine STB control information for said actual model of said settop box.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said STB control information includes specific settop-box control codes to support adding said settop-box control functions to said remote control.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said configuration server uploads said STB control information to said television, said television responsively providing said STB control information to said remote control.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing Near-Field Communication techniques.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein said remote control utilizes said STB control information to update remote control functionalities of said remote control to support controlling both said settop box and said television.

39. The method of claim 21 wherein said television generates an RC function GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing infrared transmissions over said RC-TV communications link.

42. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control send electronic information to said television by utilizing infrared transmissions over said RC-TV communications link.

43. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control sends electronic information to said television by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link.

44. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control send information to said television by utilizing Near-Field Communications techniques over said RC-TV communications link.

45. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control sends information to said settop box over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions.

46. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control sends information to said settop box over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing infrared transmissions.

47. The system of claim 28 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by selecting either a yes selection button or a no selection button displayed on said television.

48. The system of claim 28 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by using a touch screen on said remote control to select either a yes selection button or a no selection button displayed on said remote control.

49. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control generates an RC GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed.

51. The method of claim 30 wherein said STB model information includes model numbers and digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images or said model numbers displayed on said television and/or a display screen of said remote control.

52. The method of claim 30 wherein said television and/or said remote control displays said STB model information, said television and/or said remote control also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box.

53. The method of claim 35 wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing infrared transmission techniques.

54. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote control generates an RC function GUI on an RC display screen for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed.

55. The method of claim 21 wherein said settop box sends information to said remote control over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions.

56. The method of claim 21 wherein said settop box sends information to said remote control over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing infrared transmissions.

57. The method of claim 28 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by using arrow keys on said remote control.

58. The method of claim 21 wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing a display screen of said television.

59. The method of claim 21 wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing a display screen of said remote control.

60. The method of claim 21 wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing display screens of both said television and said remote control.

61. The method of claim 21 wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing display screens of said television and/or said remote control.

62. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

means for receiving electronic programming from a program source;

means for reproducing said electronic programming; and

means for controlling said means for reproducing over an RC-TV communications link; and

means for performing a configuration procedure to allow said means for controlling to also control said means for receiving over an RC-STB communication link, said means for reproducing accessing STB control information for adding settop-box control functions to said means for controlling during said configuration procedure.

63. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:

means for receiving electronic programming from a program source;

means for reproducing said electronic programming; and

means for controlling said means for reproducing; and

means for configuring said means for controlling to also control said means for receiving.

64. A system for effectively controlling a television system, comprising:

a cable-television settop box that receives electronic programming from a cable-network program source;

a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming upon a display screen;

a configuration server that stores STB control information for said cable-television settop box; and

a remote control that controls said television over a wireless RC-TV communications link, said television and said configuration server coordinating a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said television accessing said STB control information from said configuration server for adding settop-box control functions to said remote control, said television providing a graphical-user-interface for identifying a correct version of said STB control information, and for visually indicating said settop-box control functions on an displayed image of said remote control.

65. A system for effectively controlling a television system, comprising:

a satellite-television settop box that receives electronic programming from a satellite-network program source;

a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming upon a display screen;

a configuration server that stores STB control information for said satellite-television settop box; and

a remote control that controls said television over a wireless RC-TV communications link, said television and said configuration server coordinating a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said television accessing said STB control information from said configuration server for adding settop-box control functions to said remote control, said television providing a graphical-user-interface for identifying a correct version of said STB control information, and for visually indicating said settop-box control functions on an displayed image of said remote control.