Digital interconnect of entertainment equipment in the home

• US 8,558,676 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Johns, Gregory L., Conway, James N. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US12/716,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.28, 340/4.3, 340/4.32, 340/10.5, 340/12.23, 340/12.25, 340/12.3, 340/12.53, 340/12.54, 341/176, 348/734, 398/106, 398/107, 398/112
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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

Abstract

A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of at least one controllable appliance. The method includes the steps of receiving at the controlling device from the at least one controllable appliance, via a first communication channel, data indicative of an identity of the at least one controllable appliance and using the data indicative of the identity of the at least one controllable appliance to configure the controlling device whereby, in response to activation of one or more command keys of the controlling device, the controlling device will be caused to transmit to the at least one controlling device, via a second communication channel, those commands selected from a library of commands that are appropriate for commanding functional operations of the at least one controllable device.

Claims

1. A method for using a controlling device to command functional operations of a controllable appliance, comprising:

causing an adaptor to issue a communication to the controllable appliance wherein the adaptor identifies itself to the controllable appliance as a device having control capabilities which are unsupported by the adaptor;

receiving at the controlling device from the controllable appliance, via a first communication channel in which the controllable appliance is indirectly communicatively coupled to the controlling device via the adaptor acting as a conduit between the controlling device and the controllable appliance, a control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor; and

using the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor to configure the controlling device whereby, in response to activation of one or more command keys of the controlling device, the controlling device will be caused to transmit to the controllable appliance, via a second communication channel in which the controlling device is directly communicatively coupled to the controllable appliance, those commands selected from a library of commands that are appropriate for commanding functional operations of the controllable appliance.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the adaptor is communicatively coupled to the controllable appliance via a wired communication channel and wherein the adaptor is communicatively coupled to the controlling device via a wireless communication channel.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the wired communication channel comprises a bus.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the adaptor comprises a set top box.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second communication channel comprises a wireless communication channel between the controlling device and the controllable appliance.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the wireless communication channel comprises an IR communication channel.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the second communication channel comprises a wireless communication channel between the controlling device and the at least one controllable appliance.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the wireless communication channel comprises an IR communication channel.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the library of commands are stored in a memory of the controlling device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor comprises data indicative of a type of the controllable appliance.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor comprises data indicative of a manufacturer of the controllable appliance.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor is used to configure a graphical user interface of the controlling device, the graphical user interface comprising the one or more command keys.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor is exclusive of remote control command codes.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor comprises data representative of functional capabilities of the controllable appliance.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the controllable appliance is a display device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the controllable appliance comprises a television.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor is used to configure a graphical user interface of the controlling device.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the control capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor comprises an identity of the manufacturer of the controllable appliance.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

causing the adaptor to issue a communication to the controllable appliance wherein the adaptor identifies itself to the controllable appliance as a device having display capabilities which are unsupported by the adaptor;

receiving at the controlling device from the controllable appliance, via the first communication channel in which the controllable appliance is indirectly communicatively coupled to the controlling device via the adaptor acting as a conduit between the controlling device and the controllable appliance, a display capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor; and

using the display capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor to effect a display of information on a display of the controlling device.

20. A method for using a controlling device to command functional operations of a controllable appliance, comprising:

causing an adaptor to issue a communication to the controllable appliance wherein the adaptor identifies itself to the controllable appliance as a device having display capabilities which are unsupported by the adaptor;

receiving at the controlling device from the controllable appliance, via a communication channel in which the controllable appliance is indirectly communicatively coupled to the controlling device via the adaptor acting as a conduit between the controlling device and the controllable appliance, a display capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor; and

using the display capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor to effect a display of information on a display of the controlling device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the display capabilities related communication intended for the adaptor causes the controlling device to display a graphical user interface for commanding functional operations of the controllable device.