Automatic updates to a remote control device

• US 9,424,738 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Mukesh, Logan, Jonathan, Gharaat, Amir, Lee, Richard, Hsu, Roger, Ponjatowski, Robert, Lee, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US13/420,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20120178371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/12.23, 348/734, 341/176
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• 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 2201/40 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: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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

Abstract

A method includes detecting that a particular media device is communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices; in response to detecting that the particular media device is communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices: automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to a remote control device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting that a particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices, the one or more media devices being controlled by a remote control device;

in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, a media device in the set of media devices performing;

automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to the remote control device;

automatically detecting a user interface stored on the particular media device;

transmitting the user interface to the remote control device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each device in the set of media devices is communicatively coupled with at least one other device in the set of media devices, and the step of detecting is responsive to the particular media device establishing a communication channel with the one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control operating codes are sent to the remote control device via Bluetooth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically sending the one or more operating codes is further in response to the remote control device periodically polling at least one media device in the set of media devices for remote operating codes for remotely controlling any device that has been newly communicatively coupled to the set of devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, physical buttons on the remote control device are reconfigured to operate features associated with the particular media device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a media device in the set of media devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting one or more new features associated with the particular media device;

responsive to detecting the one or more new features, automatically configuring the remote control device for selecting the one or more new features.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the particular media device or by one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the remote control device at least in part by:

the remote control device polling the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises the remote control device requesting remote operating codes, from the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices, for selecting the one or more new features.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises sending, by the particular media device or at least one device in the set of media devices, remote operating codes for selecting the one or more new features.

12. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of steps comprising:

detecting that a particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices, the one or more media devices being controlled by a remote control device;

in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, a media device in the set of media devices performing;

automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to the remote control device;

automatically detecting a user interface stored on the particular media device;

transmitting the user interface to the remote control device.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein each device in the set of media devices is communicatively coupled with at least one other device in the set of media devices, and the step of detecting is responsive to the particular media device establishing a communication channel with the one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the remote control operating codes are sent to the remote control device via Bluetooth.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein automatically sending the one or more operating codes is further in response to the remote control device periodically polling at least one media device in the set of media devices for remote operating codes for remotely controlling any device that has been newly communicatively coupled to the set of devices.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, physical buttons on the remote control device are reconfigured to operate features associated with the particular media device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method is performed by a media device in the set of media devices.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause performance of steps comprising:

detecting one or more new features associated with the particular media device;

responsive to detecting the one or more new features, automatically configuring the remote control device for selecting the one or more new features.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the particular media device or by one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the remote control device at least in part by:

the remote control device polling the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises the remote control device requesting remote operating codes, from the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices, for selecting the one or more new features.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises sending, by the particular media device or at least one device in the set of media devices, remote operating codes for selecting the one or more new features.

23. An apparatus comprising:

one or more subsystems, implemented at least partially in hardware, that perform the steps of;

detecting that a particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to one or more media devices in a set of media devices, the one or more media devices being controlled by a remote control device;

in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, a media device in the set of media devices performing;

automatically sending one or more remote operating codes, for remotely controlling the particular media device, to the remote control device;

automatically detecting a user interface stored on the particular media device;

transmitting the user interface to the remote control device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein each device in the set of media devices is communicatively coupled with at least one other device in the set of media devices, and the step of detecting is responsive to the particular media device establishing a communication channel with the one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the remote control operating codes are sent to the remote control device via Bluetooth.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein automatically sending the one or more operating codes is further in response to the remote control device periodically polling at least one media device in the set of media devices for remote operating codes for remotely controlling any device that has been newly communicatively coupled to the set of devices.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein in response to detecting that the particular media device is newly communicatively coupled to the one or more media devices in the set of media devices, physical buttons on the remote control device are reconfigured to operate features associated with the particular media device.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the method is performed by a media device in the set of media devices.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that performs the steps of:

detecting one or more new features associated with the particular media device;

responsive to detecting the one or more new features, automatically configuring the remote control device for selecting the one or more new features.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the particular media device or by one or more media devices in the set of media devices.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the detecting the one or more new features is performed by the remote control device at least in part by:

the remote control device polling the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises the remote control device requesting remote operating codes, from the particular media device or at least one media device in the set of media devices, for selecting the one or more new features.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein automatically configuring the remote control device comprises sending, by the particular media device or at least one device in the set of media devices, remote operating codes for selecting the one or more new features.