Programming a universal remote control via physical connection

• US 8,624,713 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Vleck, Paul, Edwards, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, HOWARD L
• Application Number:
  US12/539,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20110037635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 340/12.22, 340/12.23, 340/12.25, 340/12.26, 340/12.28
• US Class Current: 340/12.25
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A method and system for programming a universal remote control (URC) to operate with a remote-controlled device is disclosed. A connection to the remote-controlled device may be established. In response, the remote-controlled device may send device information. The device information may include programming codes for programming the URC to control the remote-controlled device. The device information may also be used to query a server to obtain the programming codes.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a universal remote control, the method comprising:

receiving, by a multimedia handling device, via a local bus interface, device information from a remote-controlled device wherein the device information includes an identifier of the remote-controlled device;

sending to a server, by the multimedia handling device via an access network interface, a request for programming codes associated with the identifier;

displaying, by the multimedia handling device, a confirmation indicating that a programming mode for the universal remote control is active;

programming, based on the programming codes received, the universal remote control via a wireless communication link to control the remote-controlled device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the request includes the identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the local bus interface is a digital audio and video local bus interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by the multimedia handling device, a confirmation indicating that the universal remote control has been successfully configured with a programming code for the remote-controlled device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the multimedia handling device, a first device command associated with a first device function from the universal remote control via the wireless communication link; and

sending, by the multimedia handling device via the local bus interface, a second device command associated with the first device function to the remote-controlled device to cause the remote-controlled device to execute the first device function.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first device command differs from the second device command.

7. A customer premises equipment device, comprising:

a processor;

a wireless transceiver;

a local device interface including a bidirectional control channel;

a network adapter; and

memory media accessible to the processor, including program instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via the local device interface, device information from a remote-controlled device wherein the device information includes an identifier of the remote-controlled device;

sending to a server, via the network adapter, a request for programming codes associated with the identifier;

programming, via the wireless transceiver, a universal remote control, based on the programming codes received, to control the remote-controlled device;

receiving, from the universal remote control via the wireless transceiver, a first device command associated with a first device function; and

sending, via the local device interface, a second device command associated with the first device function to the remote-controlled device to cause the remote-controlled device to execute the first device function.

8. The customer premises equipment device of claim 7, wherein the request includes the identifier.

9. The customer premises equipment device of claim 7, wherein the local device interface comprises a digital audio and video local bus interface.

10. The customer premises equipment device of claim 7, wherein the operations include:

displaying a confirmation indicating that a programming mode for the universal remote control is active.

11. The customer premises equipment device of claim 7, wherein the first device command differs from the second device command.

12. The customer premises equipment device of claim 7, wherein customer premises equipment device comprises a multimedia handling device.

13. The customer premises equipment device of claim 12, wherein the multimedia handling device comprises a set top box.

14. A computer readable memory device, including processor executable program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a local device interface, device information from a remote-controlled device wherein the device information includes an identifier of the remote-controlled device;

sending to a server, via a network adapter, a request for programming codes associated with the identifier;

programming, via a wireless transceiver, a universal remote control, based on the programming codes received, to control the remote-controlled device;

receiving, from the universal remote control via the wireless transceiver, a first device command associated with a first device function; and

sending, via the local device interface, a second device command associated with the first device function to the remote-controlled device to cause the remote-controlled device to execute the first device function.

15. The computer readable memory device of claim 14, wherein the request includes the identifier.

16. The computer readable memory device of claim 14, wherein the local device interface comprises a digital audio and video local bus interface.

17. The computer readable memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations include:

displaying a confirmation indicating that a programming mode for the universal remote control is active.

18. The computer readable memory device of claim 14, wherein the first device command differs from the second device command.