System and method for automatically setting up a universal remote control

• US 9,257,037 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Conway, James N. Jr., Lilleness, Robert P., Arling, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin
• Application Number:
  US14/690,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20150243161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.25, 340/12.28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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 system and method for configuring a remote control to command the operation of appliances, to capture demographic data, and to provide services, such as automated warranty registration, instructions, viewing guides, etc., relevant to the appliances is provided. The system includes a database and associated server that are located remotely from the remote control and accessible via a network connection. Command codes, graphical user interface elements, and services are accessed and downloaded to the remote control, as appropriate, using data supplied to the server that identifies the appliances and/or functional capabilities of the appliances. This data can be supplied by the appliances directly or can be obtained from other sources such as barcode labels, network devices, etc.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions for use in configuring a controlling device to command the operation of an appliance, the instructions, when executed by a processing device of the controlling device, cause the controlling device to perform steps comprising:

obtaining data that functions to identify the appliance;

providing the data that functions to identify the appliance to a device having Internet connectivity;

causing the device having Internet connectivity to further communicate, via a wide area communication link, the data that functions to identify the appliance to an Internet server device having access to a database of control codes for commanding the operation of a plurality of appliances of different types and different manufacturers whereupon the Internet server device will be caused to return to the device having Internet connectivity, via the wide area communication link, one or more control codes wherein the one or more control codes are selected from the database of control codes as a function of the data that functions to identify the appliance;

receiving from the device having Internet connectivity the one or more control codes that were caused to be returned to the device having Internet connectivity by the Internet server device; and

storing the one or more control codes received from the device having Internet connectivity in a memory of the controlling device whereby the one or more control codes are available for use in commanding the operation of the appliance.

2. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the device having Internet connectivity comprises a device external to the controlling device and wherein the instructions cause a transmitter of the controlling device in communication with the processing device of the controlling device to communicate the data that functions to identify the appliance to the device external to the controlling device and an instruction that causes the device external to the controlling device connectivity to further communicate the data that functions to identify the appliance to the Internet server device.

3. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the device having Internet connectivity comprises a device internal to the controlling device and wherein the instructions cause the processing device of the controlling device to communicate the data that functions to identify the appliance to the device internal to the controlling device and to instruct the device internal to the controlling device to further communicate the data that functions to identify the appliance to the Internet server device.

4. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the data that functions to identify the appliance to be obtained from the appliance.

5. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions use user interactions with one or more input elements of the controlling device to obtain the data that functions to identify the appliance.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions use a bar code reading device of the controlling device to obtain the data the functions to identify the appliance.

7. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions obtain from a personal computing device in communication with the controlling device the data that functions to identify the appliance.

8. The non-transitory, computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions obtain from a cable converter box in communication with the controlling device the data that functions to identify the appliance.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data that identifies the appliance comprises data indicative of at least a brand and type for the appliance.