System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control

• US 8,525,938 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Haughawout, Joseph Lee, Hayes, Patrick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US13/026,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/552, 348/14.05, 348/14.04, 348/114, 340/815.6, 340/825.75, 340/426.13, 340/426.14, 725/80, 725/81
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• 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 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• 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 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s).

Claims

1. A method for configuring a controlling device having a plurality of keys, the method comprising:

receiving into the controlling device via an actuation of one or more of the plurality of keys a configuration input where the configuration input is used to configure the controlling device to assign commands to one or more function keys of the plurality of function keys such that, upon a subsequent activation of the one or more function keys of the plurality of keys, the controlling device will be caused to transmit one or more of the commands assigned thereto to command functional operations of at least one intended target controllable appliance;

transmitting from the controlling device to a receiving device a representation of the configuration input that was received via actuation of the one or more of the plurality of keys for the purpose of initially configuring the controlling device; and

using at the receiving device the transmitted representation of the configuration input to cause an echoing on a display device associated with the receiving device of the one or more of the plurality of keys actuated to provide the configuration input.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration input is received into the controlling device whilst the controlling device is in a configuration mode.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit one or more commands to command functional operations of at least one intended target controllable appliance whilst the controlling device is in a device controlling mode.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of keys actuated to provide the configuration input comprises those of the plurality of keys having numeric labels.

5. A system, comprising:

a controlling device having a plurality of keys including a plurality of function keys and a memory in which is stored a library of commands wherein the controlling device is adapted to receive via an actuation of one or more of the plurality of keys a configuration input where the configuration input is used to configure the controlling device to assign commands from the library of commands stored in the memory to one or more function keys of the plurality of function keys such that, upon a subsequent activation of the one or more function keys of the plurality of keys, the controlling device will be caused to transmit one or more of the commands assigned thereto to command functional operations of at least one intended target controllable appliance and wherein the controlling device is adapted to transmit a representation of the configuration input that was received via actuation of the one or more of the plurality of keys for the purpose of initially configuring the controlling device; and

a receiving device adapted to receive from the controlling device the transmitted representation of the configuration input and to use the received representation of the configuration input to cause an echoing on a display device associated with the receiving device of the one or more of the plurality of keys actuated to provide the configuration input.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the configuration input is received into the controlling device whilst the controlling device is in a configuration mode.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the controlling device is caused to transmit one or more commands to command functional operations of at least one intended target controllable appliance whilst the controlling device is in a device controlling mode.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the one or more of the plurality of keys actuated to provide the configuration input comprises those of the plurality of keys having numeric labels.