System and method for configuring the remote control functionality of a portable device

• US 8,659,400 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D., Hayes, Patrick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US13/198,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.86, 340/12.29, 340/176, 340/4.32, 340/12.25, 340/4.42, 340/12.23, 340/13.21, 715/716, 715/748, 348/119, 348/211.6, 348/734
• US Class Current: 340/12.29
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• 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

Abstract

A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance, comprising:

retrieving at the smart device from a controllable appliance in connection with a controllable appliance discovery process invoked on the smart device data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance; and

using the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance by a remote control application resident on the smart device to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controllable appliance comprises a settop box.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control application resident on the smart device uses the data indicative of the codeset identity to select a codeset from a library of codesets stored locally in the smart device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control application resident of the smart device uses the data indicative of the codeset identity to initiate a retrieval of a codeset from a library of codesets stored in a device located remotely with respect to the smart device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the codeset identity comprises a codeset associated with the target appliance.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controllable appliance comprises an application which causes instructions to be displayed for the purpose of assisting a user in performing steps to configure the conventional universal remote control to control functional operations of the target appliance.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the instructions are caused to be displayed on a television and wherein the television comprises the target appliance.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control application is downloaded onto the smart device via a network connection.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the codeset identity is retrieved from the controllable appliance via a RF communication channel.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the smart device issues commands to control functional operations of the target appliance via an IR communications channel.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein retrieval of the data indicative of the codeset identity is automatically initiated by the smart device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote control application on the smart device uses the data indicative of the codeset identity to display on the smart device information indicative of the identity of target appliance for allowing confirmation that configuration of the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance is to proceed.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the remote control application displays a brand name and/or model number associated with the data indicative of the codeset identity.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions for configuring a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance, wherein the instructions perform steps comprising:

causing data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance to be retrieved by the smart device from a controllable device in connection with a controllable appliance discovery process invoked on the smart device wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance; and

using the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance.

15. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the data indicative of the codeset identity is used to select a codeset from a library of codesets stored locally in the smart device.

16. The computer-readable media in claim 14, wherein the data indicative of the codeset identity is used to initiate a retrieval of a codeset from a library of codesets stored in a device located remotely with respect to the smart device.

17. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the data indicative of the codeset identity comprises a codeset associated with the target appliance.

18. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein retrieval of the data indicative of the codeset identity is automatically initiated.

19. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions use the data indicative of the codeset identity to display on the smart device information indicative of the identity of target appliance for allowing confirmation that configuration of the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance is to proceed.

20. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the remote control application displays a brand name and/or model number associated with the data indicative of the codeset identity.