STB connects remote to web site for customized code downloads

• US 7,562,128 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Home Control Singapore Pte Ltd. (Morgan Stanley)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dubil, Thomas James, Ekkel, Frederik, Caris, Franciscus Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/653,784
• Time in Patent Office: 3,238 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/203, 709217-218, 709226-229, 709/250, 700/1, 706/95, 455/304, 348/164, 348/172, 348/14.05, 348/734, 340/825, 345/720, 345/40, 345/11, 379/74, 398/106, 369 24- 25
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A set top box (STB) is marketed together with a programmable remote. The remote has a dedicated button to connect the STB to a specific server on the Internet. The consumer can notify the server of his/her other CE equipment, which he/she desires to be controllable through the same remote as the one that came with the STB. The server downloads to the STB data representative of the relevant control codes. The STB is provided with means to program the remote with these codes. In return the server has obtained detailed and accurate information about this consumer'"'"'s equipment. A reliable customer base can thus be built for streamlining Help Desk operations.

Claims

1. A system for automatically programming a remote control to control multiple consumer electronic (CE) devices, comprising:

a client-side set-top box (STB) that connects to the Internet;

a server-side dedicated server that connects to the Internet and communicates thereby with the STB;

a remote control in wireless communication with the STB and having a dedicated programming button that, when depressed, initiates a connection over the internet, via the STB, with the dedicated server; and

a user interface on which remote control programming instructions are presented to a user of the remote control;

wherein the user enters information related to identified CE devices that the user wishes to control via the remote, the information is transmitted wirelessly to the STB, which transmits the information to the dedicated server via the Internet;

wherein STB receives control codes via the Internet for the identified CE devices and transmits the control codes wirelessly to the remote control;

wherein the remote control programs itself to control the identified CE devices using the control codes; and

wherein the remote control is pre-programmed to communicate with the STB.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated server transmits menu information to the STB, which is presented to the user via the user interface, and which includes configuration options that can be selected by the user.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the dedicated server transmits a graphical display of the remote control to the STB, which presents the Graphical display to the user via the user interface.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the user associates multiple control codes with a single button on the graphical representation of the remote control.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the user performs control code-to-button associations prior to transmission of the control codes to the remote control.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the remote control programs itself to cause at least one function to be performed at each of a plurality of CE devices when the button is depressed, the plurality of CE devices corresponding to the respective control codes associated with the button.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the dedicated server provides suggestions related to remote control configuration as a function of menu selections made by the user.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the server suggests the specific button by highlighting the button on the graphical representation of the remote control presented on the user interface, via the STB.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the remote control programs itself, upon user acceptance of the suggested button, to cause execution of the multiple activities at respective CE devices when the button is depressed, the plurality of CE devices corresponding to the respective control codes associated with the button.

10. The system according to claim 3, wherein the dedicated server provides suggestions related to remote control configuration as a function of menu selections made by the user.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the dedicated server suggests a specific button assignment for multiple control codes in response to user selection of a menu option indicating that the user desire a single action at the remote control to cause the execution of multiple activities at multiple CE devices.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the dedicated server suggests the specific button by highlighting the button on the graphical representation of the remote control presented on the user interface, via the STB.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the remote control programs itself, upon user acceptance of the suggested button, to cause execution of the multiple activities at respective CE devices when the button is depressed, the plurality of CE devices corresponding to the respective control codes associated with the button.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the dedicated server suggests a specific button assignment for multiple control codes in response to user selection of a menu option indicating that the user desire a single action at the remote control to cause the execution of multiple activities at multiple CE devices.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated server generates and stores a user profile based on information entered by the user through the remote control.

16. A method of programming a user'"'"'s remote control device for use with a plurality of consumer electronics (CE) devices, comprising:

connecting an Internet-connectable CE device to a dedicated server via the Internet in response to the user activating the remote control device;

requesting, by the dedicated server via the Internet-connectable CE device, alphanumeric information from the user corresponding to the user'"'"'s CE devices, wherein the dedicated server request is made to the Internet-connectable CE device responsive to activation of the remote control device;

supplying, from the user to the dedicated server, via the Internet-connectable CE device, the requested alphanumeric information, corresponding to the user'"'"'s CE devices;

performing a query at the dedicated server based on the alphanumeric information supplied by the user, to match the alphanumeric information supplied by the user to alphanumeric information stored in a data repository, wherein the data repository relates types, versions and brands of CE devices to their respective control codes;

providing a menu to the user for customizing the programming of the remote control device;

downloading, from the dedicated server to the Internet-connectable CE device, data representative of at least one control code, wherein the data matches the alphanumeric information supplied by the user for use with at least one of the user'"'"'s CE devices;

downloading, from the dedicated server to the Internet-connectable CE device, user interface data regarding the remote control device and using the network connectable CE device for the programming of the remote control device according to the user interface data;

transmitting a wireless signal including the data representative of at least one control code from the Internet-connectable CE device to the remote control device for the programming thereof;

providing a display with a graphical representation of the remote control device for use in the programming of the remote control device; and

programming the user'"'"'s remote control device according to the downloaded data representative of at least one control code, via the Internet-connectable CE device;

wherein the menu allows the user to specify whether certain operations provided by the downloaded data are desired, and allows the user to program a single action on the remote control device to cause the execution of multiple activities on the user'"'"'s CE devices; and

wherein the user interface data provides information regarding features that support user interaction with the remote control device.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including providing from the dedicated server a suggestion related to assigning a button on the remote control device to cause the execution of the multiple activities on the user'"'"'s CE devices.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the dedicated server suggests the button assignment by highlighting a button on the graphical representation of the remote control device on the display.

19. The method according to claim 16, further including generating a user profile from user selections from the menu, and employing the user profile during a customer service event.

20. A method for automatically programming a remote control to control multiple consumer electronic (CE) devices, comprising:

establishing an Internet connection between a client-side set-top box (STB) and a server-side dedicated server;

establishing a wireless connection between a remote control and the STB;

providing a user interface on which remote control programming instructions are presented to a user of the remote control;

prompting the user to enter information, via the remote control, related to CE devices that the user identifies a desire to control via the remote;

wirelessly transmitting the entered information to the STB;

transmitting the entered information from the STB to the dedicated server via the Internet;

querying the dedicated server to identify control codes for the identified CE devices;

receiving control codes at the STB via the Internet for the identified CE devices;

suggesting assignment of multiple control codes to a single button on the remote control;

prompting the user to accept the suggested assignment or to indicate a different assignment of multiple control codes to a single button on the remote control;

wirelessly transmitting the control codes to the remote control; and

programming the remote control associate the assigned control codes with the single button;

wherein suggesting assignment of multiple control codes to the single button comprises highlighting the single button on a graphical representation of the remote control on a user interface coupled to the STB; and

wherein the remote control is pre-programmed to communicate with the STB.