Programming a universal remote control via direct interaction

• US 9,406,221 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• 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): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/171,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.13, 340/426.14, 340/4.11, 340 1222- 1226, 341/176, 348/734
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

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 control element of the ORC may be operated with consumer-premises equipment of the MCDN, which receives a code associated with the control element. The code may be used to identify the remote-controlled device and obtain corresponding programming codes. The URC may be configured to use at least one of the programming codes to remotely control the remote-controlled device.

Claims

1. A remote control configuration method, comprising:

receiving, by a set top box including a network adapter to receive encoded multimedia content from a multimedia content distribution network server and a decoder to decode the encoded multimedia content for display on a display, a request from a user to reprogram a universal remote control for operation with a remote-controlled device, wherein the request indicates an attribute of the remote-controlled device, wherein the decoder is configured to perform at least one operation selected from;

decrypting encrypted content and decompressing compressed content;

prompting, by the set top box, the user to operate a first control element of an original remote control corresponding to the remote-controlled device;

receiving, by the set top box, a first code from the original remote control;

responsive to uniquely identifying the remote-controlled device based on the first code;

obtaining programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device; and

wirelessly programming, by the set top box, the universal remote control to use at least one of the programming codes; and

responsive to receiving, by the set top box, a particular programming code corresponding to a particular remote controlled device command, emulating the universal remote control by transmitting a particular code corresponding to the particular remote controlled device command to the remote controlled device from the set top box.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the first code to a distribution network server; and

receiving, from the distribution network server, information indicating identified remote-controlled devices that are responsive to the first code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device comprises:

retrieving programming codes from the distribution network server.

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

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

responsive to receiving a second code corresponding to a second control element from the original remote control, sending the second code to the distribution network server; and

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

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an identity of the remote-controlled device to the user; and

receiving a confirmation from the user acknowledging the identity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the attribute of the remote-controlled device comprises a device type associated with the remote-controlled device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded content comprises modulated content and wherein the decoder is configured to demodulate the modulated content.

8. A customer premises equipment device, comprising:

a processor;

a local transceiver; and

a network adapter to receive encoded multimedia content from a multimedia content distribution network server;

a decoder to decode the multimedia content for display on a display, wherein the decoder is configured to perform at least one operation selected from a group comprising;

decrypting encrypted content and decompressing compressed content; and

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

receiving, by a multimedia handling device, a request from a user to reprogram a universal remote control for operation with a remote controlled device, wherein the request indicates an attribute of the remote-controlled device;

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

receiving an original code from the original remote control;

responsive to uniquely identifying the remote-controlled device based on the original code;

obtaining programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device; and

wirelessly programming the universal remote control to;

recognize the programming codes;

transmit a first code for a particular command to control remote-controlled device via a communication link between the universal remote control and the remote-controlled device; and

transmit a second code for the particular command to control remote-controlled device via a communication link between the customer premises equipment device and the remote-controlled device.

9. The customer premises equipment device of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

sending the original code to the distribution network server; and

receiving, from the distribution network server, information indicating identified remote-controlled devices that are responsive to the original code.

10. The customer premises equipment device of claim 9, wherein receiving the programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device comprises:

retrieving programming codes from the distribution network server.

11. The customer premises equipment device of claim 9, wherein the received information indicates more than one identified remote-control device, and wherein the operations include:

sending an instruction to prompt the user to operate a secondary control element of the original remote control;

after the user operates the secondary control element, receiving a secondary code from the original remote control;

sending the secondary code to the distribution network server; and

receiving, from the distribution network server, information indicating identified remote-controlled devices that are responsive to both the original code and the secondary code.

12. The customer premises equipment device of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

sending an identity of the remote-controlled device to the user; and

receiving a confirmation from the user acknowledging the identity.

13. The customer premises equipment device of claim 8, wherein the remote controlled device attribute comprises a device type of the remote-controlled device.

14. The customer premises equipment device of claim 8, wherein the customer premises equipment device comprises a set top box.

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

receiving, by a set top box including a network adapter to receive encoded multimedia content from a multimedia content distribution network server and a decoder to decode the encoded multimedia content for display on a display, a request from a user to reprogram a universal remote control for operation with a remote controlled device, wherein the request indicates an attribute of the remote-controlled device;

prompting the user to operate a first control element of an original remote control corresponding to the remote-controlled device, wherein the decoder is configured to perform at least one operation selected from;

decrypting encrypted content and decompressing compressed content;

receiving a first code from the original remote control; and

responsive to uniquely identifying the remote-controlled device based on the first code;

obtaining programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device; and

wirelessly programming the universal remote control to;

use at least one of the programming codes; and

transmit at least one remote controlled device command via;

a communication link between the universal remote control and the remote controlled device using a direct code; and

a communication link between the set top box and the remote controlled device using an indirect code.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

sending the first code to the distribution network server; and

receiving, from the distribution network server, information indicating identified remote-controlled devices that are responsive to the first code.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein receiving the programming codes for the identified remote-controlled device comprises:

retrieving programming codes from the distribution network server.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the received information indicates more than one identified remote-control device, and wherein the operations include:

sending an instruction to prompt 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;

sending the second code to the distribution network server; and

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

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

sending an identity of the remote-controlled device to the user; and

receiving a confirmation from the user acknowledging the identity.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the remote-controlled device attribute comprises a device type corresponding to the remote-controlled device.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein prompting the user includes sending the user an instruction to operate the original remote control.