Programming a universal remote control via direct interaction with an original remote control

• US 8,629,798 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• 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: Belz, Steven M., Pratt, James
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LINH V
• Application Number:
  US12/617,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 341/75, 341/76, 341/175, 341/176, 340/12.22, 340/12.23, 340/4.31, 340/12.25, 340/12.26, 340/12.51, 340/12.54, 340/825.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for programming a universal remote control (URC) to operate with a remote-controlled device is disclosed. A user may be instructed to operate a control element of an original remote control (ORC) of the remote-controlled device. The ORC may be operated directly with the URC, which may so receive a programming code from the ORC. The programming code may be used by the URC to determine an identity of the remote-controlled device and/or the ORC. Based on the identity, the URC may obtain corresponding programming codes for the remote-controlled device. The URC may be configured to use at least one of the programming codes to remotely control the remote-controlled device.

Claims

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

receiving input from a user for initiating programming of the universal remote control;

after the user operates a first control element of an original remote control corresponding to a remote-controlled device, receiving, at the universal remote control, a first code directly from the original remote control;

identifying, as an identified device, one of the original remote control and the remote-controlled device based on the first code;

displaying an identity of the identified device to the user;

sending a request, indicating the identified device, for programming codes;

retrieving programming codes for the identified device; and

configuring the universal remote control to operate the remote-controlled device by programming the universal remote control to use at least one of the programming codes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the identified device includes:

receiving, from a database, information indicating a list of remote-controlled devices that are responsive to the first code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote-controlled device is uniquely identified with the list.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information received indicates more than one identified remote-control device, the method further comprising:

after the user operates a second control element of the original remote control, receiving a second code from the original remote control; and

receiving, from the database, information indicating identified remote-controlled devices that are responsive to both the first code and the second code.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein retrieving the programming codes includes:

retrieving programming codes from the database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation from the user acknowledging the identity displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a prompt to the user to operate the first control element.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the universal remote control is programmed using a wireless communication link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the universal remote control is configured to operate with client-premises equipment associated with a multimedia content distribution network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a command to control the remote-controlled device, wherein the command is associated with one of the programming codes.

11. A universal remote control for use within a client configuration of a multimedia content distribution network, the universal remote control comprising:

a processor;

a remote control interface; and

computer readable storage media accessible to the processor, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

prompting a user to operate a first control element of an original remote control corresponding to a remote-controlled device;

after the user operates the first control element, receiving a first code directly from the original remote control at the remote control interface;

displaying an identity of one of the remote controlled device and the original remote control as the identified device to the user;

sending a request, indicating the identified device, for programming codes;

retrieving programming codes for the remote-controlled device; and

programming the universal remote control to use at least one of the programming codes.

12. The universal remote control of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

initiating programming of the universal remote control in response to user input prior to said prompting.

13. The universal remote control of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

prompting the user to operate a second control element of the original remote control;

after the user operates the second control element, receiving a second code from the original remote control at the remote control interface; and

in response to querying the database with the first code and the second code, retrieving programming codes for the remote-controlled device.

14. The universal remote control of claim 13, wherein prompting the user to operate the second control element occurs in response to receiving an indication of more than one remote-controlled device that corresponds to the first code.

15. The universal remote control of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

sending, via the remote control interface, a command to control the remote-controlled device, wherein the command is associated with at least one of the programming codes.

16. The universal remote control of claim 11, wherein the storage media further includes the database.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

transitioning the universal remote control to a programming state in response to user input;

in response to a user operating a first control element of an original remote control associated with a remote-controlled device, receiving, at the universal remote control, a first code directly from the original remote control;

identifying, as the identified device, one of the remote-controlled device and the original remote control using the first code;

displaying an identity of the remote controlled device or the original remote control to the user;

sending a request, indicating the identified device, for programming codes;

retrieving programming codes for at least one of the remote-controlled device and the original remote control from a database; and

programming the universal remote control to operate the remote-controlled device using at least one of the programming codes.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations include:

sending, from the universal remote control, a command to control the remote-controlled device, wherein the command is associated with at least one of the programming codes.

19. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations include:

responding to the user operating a second control element of the original remote control by receiving a second code from the original remote control;

sending a request to the database to identify the remote-controlled device, the request including the first code and the second code; and

in response to sending the request, receiving an identity of the remote-controlled device or the original remote control.