Remotely configured media device

• US 8,396,948 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marriott, Greg, Hodge, Andrew Bert
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US13/296,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120124157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/208, 709/217, 709/220, 709/206, 709/223, 709/227, 709/232, 700/94
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/084 Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1091 Interfacing with client-server systems or between P2P systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 Some peer nodes performing special functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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

Improved techniques for controlling operation of a portable electronic device are disclosed. Portable electronic devices which interact with a host electronic device can have their operational settings (e.g., configurations or preferences) remotely controlled. As a result, a host electronic device can offer a more sophisticated user interface and portable electronic devices need less local user interface features because these operational settings can be remotely controlled. The remotely-controlled (i.e., host controlled) operational settings are transferred to the portable electronic devices, whereby the portable electronic devices can thereafter operate in accordance with such settings.

Claims

1. A method for remotely providing operational settings from a host device to a client device, the host device having a display, the method comprising:

determining, at the host device, operational settings supported by the client device;

enabling, at the host device, display screens that correspond only to operational settings supported by the client device, wherein the display screens present user interfaces presenting a list of selectable operational settings for the client device, wherein the client device lacks an interface for altering the operational settings, wherein the list of selectable operational settings comprise only those operational settings determined to be supported by the client media device;

receiving a user selection of at least one operational setting for the client device;

establishing a communication link between the host device and the client device by the host device;

sending the operational settings from the host device to the client device over the communication channel, the operational settings causing the client device to persistently run using the user-selected operational setting, until the host device is subsequently utilized to alter the user-selected operational setting; and

terminating the communication link by the host device once the host device has determined that the client device is persistently running using the user selected operational setting sent over the communication channel such that the client device operates in accordance with the user selectable operational setting independent of the host device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving client device information from the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client device information pertains to software features available at the client device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the client media device information pertains to hardware features available at the client device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the client media device information includes a type indication for the client device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one operational setting is a sound check setting.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one operational setting is a clicker setting.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one operational setting is a language setting.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one operational setting is a menu configuration setting.