SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIDGET-ASSISTED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20180040238A1
• Filed: 10/17/2017
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Haughawout, Joseph Lee, Hatambeiki, Arsham, Ogaz, Paul, Kohanek, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 10,026,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances provides an interactive instruction set and associated programming which is downloadable to a controllable appliance having an associated display, such as an Internet enabled television. The programming is accessible by the controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions from the interactive instruction set to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for setting up the controlling device to communicate commands to another controllable device (e.g., a DVD, VCR, DVR, etc).

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive instructions to a user to set up a controlling device used to command a controllable appliance, the method comprising:

provisioning to a first appliance having an associated display programming for displaying on the display a plurality of menus usable to identify to the programming a one of a plurality of controllable appliances and for displaying on the display a sequence of instructions for setting up the controlling device to command operations of the one of a plurality of controllable appliances;

receiving at the first appliance from the controlling device a plurality of communications, wherein the plurality of communications are used to navigate the plurality of menus and wherein a last one of the plurality of communications received by the first appliance indicates to the programming that the one of the plurality of controllable appliances has been identified; and

causing the programming to display in the display the sequence of instructions for setting up the controlling device to command operations of the one the plurality of appliances;

wherein the programming causes the sequence of instructions for setting up the controlling device to command operations of the one of the plurality of appliance to be displayed on the display after the last one of the plurality of communications for navigating the plurality of menus has been received by the first appliance

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming is provisioned to the first appliance by being pre-installed on the first appliance at a time of manufacture.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming is provisioned to the first appliance by being downloaded to the first appliance from a second appliance.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the programming is provisioned to the first appliance by being downloaded to the first appliance via the Internet.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising downloading to the first appliance via the Internet data usable by the programming to display the sequence of instructions for setting up the controlling device to command operations of the one of the plurality of controllable appliances.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of menus comprise alphanumeric indicators which are selectable via the plurality of communications received by the first appliance from the controlling device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the alphanumeric indicators are used to indicate to the programming one or more of a brand and model of the one of the plurality of controllable appliances.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the programming functions to auto-complete one or more of the brand and model of the one controllable appliance of the plurality of controllable appliances in response to a partial completion of the one or more of the brand and model via the communications.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sequence of instructions comprises a key entry sequence which is to be provided to the controlling device to thereby set up the controlling device to command operations of the one of the plurality of controllable appliances.