SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE
First Claim
1. A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of a first appliance, comprising:
- retrieving from a second appliance through use of a physical and logical interconnection with the second appliance data indicative of at least a type for the second appliance;
using the data indicative of at least a type for the second appliance to determine a remaining possible type for the first appliance wherein the remaining possible type for the first appliance is exclusive of the type for the second appliance;
using at least the determined remaining possible type for the first appliance to locate within a database, having a plurality of appliance records wherein each of the plurality of appliance records within the database is cross-referenced to an appliance of an appliance type and a codeset for use in configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of an appliance, at least one of the plurality of records; and
using a codeset cross-referenced to one of the located at least one of the plurality of records to configure the controlling device to command functional operations of the first appliance.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance.
8 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of a first appliance, comprising:
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retrieving from a second appliance through use of a physical and logical interconnection with the second appliance data indicative of at least a type for the second appliance; using the data indicative of at least a type for the second appliance to determine a remaining possible type for the first appliance wherein the remaining possible type for the first appliance is exclusive of the type for the second appliance; using at least the determined remaining possible type for the first appliance to locate within a database, having a plurality of appliance records wherein each of the plurality of appliance records within the database is cross-referenced to an appliance of an appliance type and a codeset for use in configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of an appliance, at least one of the plurality of records; and using a codeset cross-referenced to one of the located at least one of the plurality of records to configure the controlling device to command functional operations of the first appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for use in commanding functional operations of a first appliance of a home entertainment system, comprising:
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a controlling device; and a server device in communication with the controlling device via a network; wherein the server device is associated with a database having a plurality of appliance records wherein each of the plurality of appliance records within the database is cross-referenced to an appliance of an appliance type and a codeset for use in configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of an appliance; wherein the server device is programmed to use data indicative of at least a type for a second appliance of the home entertainment system to identify one or more of the plurality of records within the database as having a codeset appropriate for use in configuring the controlling device to command functional operations of the first appliance and to provide to the controlling device via the network at least one of the codeset or a pointer to the codeset stored in the memory of the controlling device that is cross-referenced to the identified one or more of the plurality of records with the database; and wherein the controlling device is programmed to use the at least one of the codeset or the pointer to the codeset stored in the memory of the controlling device received from the server device via the network to configure itself to control functional operations of the first appliance. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification