CONFIGURATION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONFIGURING ONE OR MORE DEVICES HAVING HIDDEN CONFIGURATION SETTINGS

• US 20120072951A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guest-tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guest-tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
• Inventors: King, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• 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 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A configuration apparatus includes a user interface allowing a user to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices. A command module is coupled to the user interface for dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device. The sequence of commands includes commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device. A communication module is coupled to the command module for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.

Claims

1. A configuration apparatus comprising:

a user interface allowing a user to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices;

a command module coupled to the user interface for dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device, the sequence of commands including commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device, wherein a user interface of the target configurable device does not indicate a way to enter the hidden service-configuration menu; and

a communication module coupled to the command module for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.

2. The configuration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device via an external controller.

3. The configuration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the command module is for looking up in a database a script according to at least a type of the target configurable device, and dynamically converting the script to the sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device by adjusting variables in the script.

4. The configuration apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the database further includes information regarding a plurality of locations and available configurable devices at each location; and

the user interface of the configuration apparatus is further for allowing the user to specify a target location, and allowing the user to choose the target configurable device by selecting one of the available configurable devices at the target location.

5. The configuration apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a network module being coupled to the command module and a network;

wherein the database is on a server coupled to the network, and the command module accesses the database through the network; and

the database further includes information corresponding to a configuration state of each of the plurality of configurable devices.

6. The configuration apparatus of claim 5, wherein the command module is further for automatically choosing the target configurable device according to the configuration state of the target configurable device in the database.

7. The configuration apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the command module is further for automatically determining possible target configurable devices that require configuration according to the information in the database; and

the user interface of the configuration apparatus is further for indicating the possible target configurable devices to the user and allowing the user to select one of the possible target configurable devices as the target configurable device.

8. The configuration apparatus of claim 5, wherein the command module is further for updating the configuration state of the target configurable device in the database after transmitting the sequence of commands.

9. The configuration apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after transmitting the sequence of commands, the command module is further for communicating with a controller being coupled to the target configurable device to confirm that the target configurable device was successfully configured.

10. The configuration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configurable devices are guest-facing audio/visual (AV) entertainment devices located in guest rooms of a hotel.

11. A method of configuring one or more devices having hidden configuration settings, the method comprising:

allowing a user of a configuration device to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices;

dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device, the sequence of commands including commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device for which a user interface of the target configurable device does not indicate a way to enter; and

transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

looking up in a database a script according to at least a type of the target configurable device, and

dynamically converting the script to the sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device by adjusting variables in the script.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing the user to specify a target location; and

allowing the user to choose the target configurable device by selecting one of an available configurable devices at the target location;

wherein the database further includes information regarding a plurality of locations and available configurable devices at each location.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

accessing the database through a network;

wherein the database further includes information corresponding to a configuration state of each of the plurality of configurable devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command module is further for automatically choosing the target configurable device according to the configuration state of the target configurable device in the database.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically determining possible target configurable devices that require configuration according to the information in the database;

indicating the possible target configurable devices to the user; and

allowing the user to select one of the possible target configurable device as the target configurable device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising updating the configuration state of the target configurable device in the database after transmitting the sequence of commands.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising, after transmitting the sequence of commands, communicating with a controller being coupled to the target configurable device to confirm that the target configurable device was successfully configured.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the configurable devices are guest-facing audio/visual (AV) entertainment devices located in guest rooms of a hotel.

20. A configuration apparatus comprising:

a user interface allowing a user to initiate configuration of at least a target configurable device selected from a plurality of configurable devices;

means for dynamically generating a sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device, the sequence of commands including commands for entering a hidden service-configuration menu of the target configurable device, wherein a user interface of the target configurable device does not indicate a way to enter the hidden service-configuration menu; and

a communication module for transmitting the sequence of commands to the target configurable device.

21. The configuration apparatus of claim 20, wherein dynamically generating the sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device comprises looking up in a database a script according to at least a type of the target configurable device and dynamically converting the script to the sequence of commands required to configure the target configurable device by adjusting variables in the script.