Ready-to-use media center systems through custom preconfiguration

• US 8,234,629 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Barajas, Gaston M., Dandekar, Shree A., Gupta, Abhinav
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): UNG, LANNY N
• Application Number:
  US11/830,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 717/121, 717/174
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system which enable preconfiguration of an information handling system to function as a media hub. In certain embodiments, during the preconfiguration a customer can select media services such as television services (e.g., Cable TV or Dish Network Service provider) and an information handling system manufacturer can then preconfigure the information handling system during a factory install process for the selected television provider. Additionally, the preconfiguration process can load media guides onto the preconfigured information handing systems during the factory install process. Additionally, in certain embodiments, if a remote control for a receiver is found, then the remote control settings can be preinstalled onto the information handling system. When a user receives the preconfigured information handling system, all that is necessary to setup the system is to couple an IR emitter to the receiver.

Claims

1. A system for enabling configuration of a media center enabled (MCE) information handling system comprising:

a configurator executing on a computer system, the configurator configuring the MCE information handing system with options selected according to user input; and

,

a media preconfiguration module executing on the computer system, the media preconfiguration module preconfiguring media control functions of the MCE information handling system according to user input media information during fabrication of the information handling system, the user input media information comprising a make and model of a remote control to be used with the MCE information handling system; and

wherein

the make and model of the remote control is used to determine remote codes, a default infrared IR speed of the remote control and to program the remote control for the other media devices that will interact with the MCE information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the user input media information comprises at least one of a make and model of a display device that will be coupled to the MCE information handing system, a make and model of home theater equipment to be used with the MCE information handing system and a physical location of where the MCE information handling system will be used.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein:

the make and model of a device is used to determine whether a display device coupled to the information handling system is a television, a built-in display, a flat panel display, a projection monitor and to determine a default aspect ratio of the display.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein:

the make and model of the home theater equipment allows the MCE information handling system to be configured with an appropriate speaker arrangement.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein:

the physical location information is used to determine a location from where a correct media guide can be downloaded for the user.

6. A method for enabling configuration of a media center enabled (MCE) information handling system comprising:

configuring the MCE information handing system with options selected according to user input;

preconfiguring media control functions of the MCE information handling system according to user input media information; and

,

installing the media control functions onto the MCE information handling system during fabrication of the MCE information handling system, the user input media information comprising a make and model of a remote control to be used with the MCE information handling system; and

wherein

the make and model of the remote control is used to determine remote codes, a default infrared IR speed of the remote control and to program the remote control for the other media devices that will interact with the MCE information handling system.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the user input media information comprises at least one of a make and model of a display device that will be coupled to the MCE information handing system, a make and model of home theater equipment to be used with the MCE information handing system and a physical location of where the MCE information handling system will be used.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the make and model of a device is used to determine whether a display device coupled to the information handling system is a television, a built-in display, a flat panel display, a projection monitor and to determine a default aspect ratio of the display.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the make and model of the home theater equipment allows the MCE information handling system to be configured with an appropriate speaker arrangement.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the physical location information is used to determine a location from where a correct media guide can be downloaded for the user.

11. A media center enabled (MCE) information handling system comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising instructions for

configuring media control functions of the MCE information handling system according to user input media information, the instructions for configuring media control functions being stored on the memory during fabrication of the MCE information handling system, the user input media information comprising a make and model of a remote control to be used with the MCE information handling system; and

wherein

the make and model of the remote control is used to determine remote codes, a default infrared IR speed of the remote control and to program the remote control for the other media devices that will interact with the MCE information handling system.

12. The MCE information handling system of claim 11 wherein:

the user input media information comprises at least one of a make and model of a display device that will be coupled to the MCE information handing system, a make and model of home theater equipment to be used with the MCE information handing system and a physical location of where the MCE information handling system will be used.

13. The MCE information handling system of claim 12 wherein:

the make and model of a device is used to determine whether a display device coupled to the information handling system is a television, a built-in display, a flat panel display, a projection monitor and to determine a default aspect ratio of the display.

14. The MCE information handling system of claim 12 wherein:

the make and model of the home theater equipment allows the MCE information handling system to be configured with an appropriate speaker arrangement.

15. The MCE information handling system of claim 12 wherein:

the physical location information is used to determine a location from where a correct media guide can be downloaded for the user.