System and method for adaptive programming of a remote control

• US 8,509,400 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Liu, Godwin, Rigley, Mark, Wheeler, Stephen, Henry, Justin M., Harris, Glen McLean
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/408,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20070037522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,672 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/102.01, 379/102.03, 379/102.04, 379/110.01, 725/100, 725/114, 725/131.39, 340/539.1, 340/815.4, 340/825.22, 340/825.37, 340/826.69, 455/68, 323/371
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0205 not using a model or a simulator of the controlled system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18

Abstract

A method and system for adaptively configuring a remote control includes analyzing a log of events, maintained by the remote control, which indicate how the remote control and the devices it controls are used by a user. Once the analysis is performed, the system and method can suggest alternative configurations of the remote control to the user. The range and type of alternative configurations is not particularly limited and can include changing which devices are employed for various user activities and/or how those activities are performed, the placement and hierarchy of commands in a menu tree and/or troubleshooting and set up configurations. The analysis can be performed either partially or totally within the remote control, or at, or in conjunction with, a service to which the remote control connects through a network.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control operable to log and store user initiated events relating to the control of devices with the remote control, the remote control operating in accordance with a configuration data set stored in the remote control;

a device database storing identifications of devices to be controlled by the remote control and the command sets for those devices;

an analysis module operable to analyze the log of events stored by the remote control to identify one or more patterns of interest in the logged use of the remote control by the user; and

a configuration utility operable with the device database and the analysis module to create a configuration data set to operate the remote control in accordance with at least one identified pattern of interest.

2. The remote control system of claim 1 where, in response to the results produced by the analysis module, the configuration utility conducts an interactive dialog with the user as to whether they would like a suggested change in the operation of the remote control to be implemented and the configuration utility will only effect the change if the user responds accordingly.

3. The remote control of claim 2 wherein the remote control is operable to connect to a network and wherein the device database is located at a location to which the remote control connects through the network.

4. The remote control of claim 3 wherein the configuration utility and the analysis module are located at a location to which the remote control connects through the network.

5. The remote control system of claim 4 wherein the interactive dialog with the user is effected via a web page displayed to the user.

6. The remote control system of claim 2 wherein the interactive dialog with the user is effected via the display and keypad of the remote control.

7. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the patterns of interest result from logged and stored events from a troubleshooting program previously loaded into the remote control and the configuration utility is responsive to one or more identified patterns of interest to change the configuration data set of the remote control to correct an identified error in a previous version of the configuration data set.

8. The remote control of claim 1 wherein the configuration utility and the analysis module are located in the remote control.

9. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the device database is located in the remote control.

10. The remote control system of claim 9, wherein the configuration utility and the analysis module are located in the remote control.

11. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the configuration data set created by the configuration utility is configured to be stored in the device database, and is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

12. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the log is configured to be stored in the device database, and is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

13. A method of adaptively configuring a remote control to operate at least one device, comprising the steps of:

(i) identifying to a configuration utility the at least one device to be controlled by the remote control;

(ii) retrieving from a database of command sets for devices, the command set and capabilities of the identified at least one device;

(iii) creating a configuration data set for operating the remote control to control the device using the retrieved command set and transferring that configuration data set to the remote control;

(iv) using the remote control to operate the at least one device and storing a log of each event relating to the control of the device;

(v) at intervals, analyzing the stored log of events to identify at least one pattern of interest indicating how the user of the remote control operates the device;

(vi) altering the configuration data set in response to the at least one identified pattern of interest; and

(vii) downloading the altered configuration data set to the remote control to alter how the remote control operates the at least one device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of, prior to altering the configuration of the configuration data set, prompting the user as to whether they desire the identified change to be made and only effecting the alteration of the configuration data set if the user indicates their acceptance of the change.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein steps (iv) through (vii) are re-performed at intervals.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising, storing the created configuration data set in the device database, wherein the created configuration data set is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising, storing the log in the device database, wherein the log is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of altering the configuration data set comprises:

sending the at least one pattern of interest to the device database; and

providing an altered configuration database from the device database to the remote control.

19. A remote control system comprising:

first and second remote controls, wherein the first remote control and/or the second remote control is configured to log and store information for user initiated events relating to commands transmitted from the first remote control to the second remote control, and the first remote control and second remote control are configured to operate in accordance with configuration data stored in these remote controls;

a device database configured to store identifications of devices to be controlled by the remote controls and the command sets for those devices;

an analysis module configured to analyze the log of user initiated events to identify one or more patterns of use in the log of use initiated events; and

a configuration utility operable with the device database and the analysis module to create a configuration data set to operate the first remote control and the second remote control in accordance with at least one identified pattern of interest.

20. A method for configuring a first remote control and a second remote control to operate a set of electronic devices, comprising the steps of:

identifying to a configuration utility the set of electronic devices configured to be controlled by the first and second remote control;

retrieving from a database of command sets a command set for the set of electronic devices;

transmitting from the first remote control to the second remote control a set of commands included the retrieved command set;

storing in the first remote control and/or the second remote control a log of commands issued by the first remote control and/or the second remote control;

at select intervals, analyzing the log of commands to identify at least one pattern of use of the first remote control and/or the second remote control;

altering the command set in response to the at least one identified pattern of use; and

transmitting the altered command set to the first remote control and/or the second remote control to alter how these remote controls operate the set of devices.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

requesting the user to indicate whether the user wants the first remote control and/or the second remote control to receive and use the altered command set; and

effecting use of the altered command set in the first remote control and/or the second remote control if the user indicates acceptance of the request.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising, storing the altered command set in the device database, wherein the altered command set is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising, storing the log in the device database, wherein the log is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

24. A remote control comprising:

a processor configured to operate in accordance with a configuration data set to control a set of devices, and to generate a log of user-initiated events, which are for the control of a set of devices;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store the log of user-initiated events; and

an analysis module coupled to the processor and the memory, and configured to analyze the log of user-initiated events stored in the memory for one or more patterns of interest, wherein the processor is configured to execute a configuration utility operable to create an amended configuration data set, which include commands for the remote control to execute the pattern of interest to control the set of devices.

25. The remote control of claim 24, further comprising a device database configured to store command sets for the set of devices, wherein the configuration utility is configured to retrieve the commands sets from the device database to generate the amended configuration data set.

26. The remote control of claim 24, further comprising communicating with a device database configured to store command sets for the set of devices, wherein the configuration utility is configured to retrieve the commands sets from the database to generate the amended configuration data set, and wherein the device database is configured to be at location at which the processor connects to the device database through a network.

27. The remote control of claim 24, wherein the pattern of interest includes a time-based pattern, a use-based pattern, or a source-based pattern.

28. The remote control of claim 24, wherein the amended configuration data set is configured for use by the processor to display a soft button on a display of the remote control, and wherein activation of the soft button causes the processor to execute the pattern of interest to control the set of devices.

29. The remote control of claim 28, wherein the soft button is for a button in a sub-menu, and the soft button is in a main menu.

30. The remote control of claim 24, wherein the device database is configured to store the amended configuration data set, which is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

31. The remote control of claim 24, wherein the device database is configured to store the log, which is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

32. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control configured to operate in accordance with a configuration data set to control a set of devices, and to generate a log of user-initiated events, which are for the control of a set of devices;

a memory module configured to store the log of user-initiated events;

an analysis module configured to receive the log of user-initiated events and analyze the log of user-initiated events for a pattern of interest;

a configuration utility operable to create an amended configuration data set based on the pattern of interest, wherein the amended configuration data set includes commands for the remote control to execute the pattern of interest to control the set of devices.

33. The remote control system of claim 32, further comprising a database configured to store identifications for the set of devices and the command sets for the set of devices, wherein the configuration utility is configured to retrieve the commands sets from the device database to generate the amended configuration data set.

34. The remote control system of claim 33, wherein the device database is configured to be at location at which the remote control connects to the device database through a network.

35. The remote control system of claim 32, wherein the analysis module and the configuration utility are included in the remote control.

36. The remote control system of claim 32, wherein the pattern of interest includes a time-based pattern, a use-based pattern, or a source-based pattern.

37. The remote control system of claim 32, wherein the amended configuration data set is configured for use by the remote control to display a soft button on a display of the remote control, and wherein activation of the soft button causes the remote control to execute the pattern of interest to control the set of devices.

38. The remote control system of claim 37, wherein the soft button is for a button in a sub-menu, and the soft button is in a main menu displayed on the display.

39. The remote control system of claim 32, wherein the device database is configured to store the amended configuration data set, which is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.

40. The remote control system of claim 32, wherein the device database is configured to store the log, which is configured to be available via the device database to a plurality of remote controls operated by a plurality of users.