System and method for interactive appliance control

• US 9,357,252 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Kohanek, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US14/531,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• 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 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42218 for mapping a matrix of displayed objects on the screen to the numerical key-matrix of the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A controlling device interacts dynamically with a plurality of appliances using state information known to a master appliance. The master appliance conveys to the controlling device the state information and the controlling device uses the state information to dynamically configure itself to command functional operations of one or more of the plurality of appliances. The master appliance also causes a graphical representation of the current configuration of the controlling device to be displayed on a display device that is associated with the master appliance.

Claims

1. A method for providing proactive appliance control in a system comprised of a master routing device, a controllable appliance in communication with the master routing device, and a controlling device configurable to transmit command communications, the method comprising:

causing the controlling device to be provisioned with a first command code set appropriate for commanding functional operations of the controllable appliance;

in response to an activation of a one of a plurality of command input elements of the controlling device, causing the controlling device to issue to the controllable appliance, via use of a first transmission system of the controlling device, a corresponding command from the first command code set and to issue to the master routing device, via use of a second transmission system of the controlling device, a communication having data that identifies the one of the plurality of command input elements that was activated;

in response to an activation of a predetermined input element of the controlling device, causing the controlling device to issue to the master routing device, via use of the second transmission system of the controlling device, a communication having data indicative of the predetermined input element having been activated;

in response to the master routing device receiving the communication having data indicative of the predetermined input element having been activated, causing the master routing device to issue to the controlling device a response communication; and

in response to the controlling device receiving the response communication, causing the controlling device to prevent an issuance of a corresponding command from the first command code set, via the first transmission system of the controlling device, in response to a subsequent activation of a one of the plurality of command input elements of the controlling device while causing the controlling device to continue in issuing to the master routing device, via use of the second transmission system of the controlling device, a communication having data that identifies the one of the plurality of command input elements that was subsequently activated.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a communication received from the master routing device causes the controlling device to be provisioned with the first command code set.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the master routing device is caused to issue the communication to the controlling device in response to receiving from the controlling device a communication, issued via use of the second transmission system of the controlling device, having data that identifies that an input selection command input element of the controlling device is the one of the plurality of command input elements that was activated.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first transmission system comprises an infrared transmission system and the second transmission system comprises a radio frequency transmission system.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, in response to the master routing device receiving from the controlling device a communication, issued via use of the second transmission system of the controlling device subsequent to the master routing device receiving the communication having data indicative of the predetermined input element having been activated, having data that identifies that an input selection command input element of the controlling device is the one of the plurality of command input elements that was activated, causing the master routing device to issue a further communication to the controlling device and causing the controlling device to respond to the further communication by provisioning to the controlling device with a further command code set appropriate for commanding functional operations of a further controllable appliance whereupon, in response to a subsequent activation of a one of the plurality of command input elements of the controlling device, the controlling device is caused to issue to the further controllable appliance, via use of a first transmission system of the controlling device, a corresponding command from the further command code set and to issue to the master routing device, via use of a second transmission system of the controlling device, a communication having data that identifies the one of plurality of command input element that was subsequently activated.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the first transmission system comprises an infrared transmission system and the second transmission system comprises a radio frequency transmission system.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the predetermined input element comprises a “

home”

input element of the controlling device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the “

home”

input element comprises a hard key.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the “

home”

input element comprises a soft key.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined input element comprises a “

home”

input element of the controlling device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the “

home”

input element comprises a hard key.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the “

home”

input element comprises a soft key.