Remote control configuration using a remote control profile

• US 9,659,487 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Low, Wing Kong, Harley, Jonah A., Fletcher, Daniel R., Tan, Liquan
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US15/163,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1228
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface

Abstract

Utilizing remote control profile information for configuration of a remote control device. A media processing device may store a remote control profile, locally or on a server accessible via a wide area network, which may include information for configuring a remote control device to utilize one or more wireless remote control commands for controlling the media processing device. The media processing device may also detect one or more wireless remote control commands for controlling one or more other electronic devices and update the remote control profile to include information for configuring a remote control device to utilize those commands. It may be determined to configure a remote control device according to the remote control profile based at least in part on proximity of the remote control device to the media processing device. The remote control device may then be configured according to the remote control profile.

Claims

1. A method for a media processing device to configure a remote control device, the method comprising:

at the media processing device;

detecting a remote control device in proximity to the media processing device;

in response to detecting the remote control device in proximity to the media processing device, pairing the remote control device with the media processing device;

determining that the media processing device has been paired with the remote control device; and

transmitting, in response to the pairing, a remote control profile to the remote control device, wherein the remote control profile comprises one or more commands configured to enable the remote control device to control the media processing device, and wherein the remote control profile is stored by a server accessible via a wide area network (WAN).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control device comprises a user equipment device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control profile, further comprises one or more additional commands configured to enable the remote control device to control one or more additional electronic devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after transmitting the remote control profile to the remote control device, the remote control device is configured to control the media processing device as well as one or more additional electronic devices without further configuration by the media processing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the media processing device:

detecting one or more additional electronic devices;

updating the remote control profile for the remote control device to control the one or more additional electronic devices; and

transmitting the updated remote control profile to the remote control device to configure the remote control device to control the media processing device and the one or more additional electronic devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control profile is also stored locally on the media processing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the remote control device in proximity to the media processing device comprises receiving a user indication to initiate pairing of the media processing device with the remote control device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the remote control device in proximity to the media processing device comprises determining a signal strength indicator of the remote control device exceeding a predetermined threshold.

9. A media processing device, comprising:

wireless communication circuitry, comprising one or more antennas configured for wireless communication;

a processing element operably coupled to the wireless communication circuitry;

wherein the wireless communication circuitry and the processing element are configured to;

detect a remote control device in proximity to the media processing device;

in response to detecting the remote control device in proximity to the media processing device, pair the remote control device with the media processing device;

determine that the media processing device has been paired with the remote control device; and

transmit, in response to the pairing, a remote control profile to the remote control device, wherein the remote control profile comprises one or more commands configured to enable the remote control device to control the media processing device, and wherein the remote control profile further comprises one or more additional commands configured to enable the remote control device to control one or more additional electronic devices.

10. The media processing device of claim 9, wherein the remote control device comprises a user equipment device.

11. The media processing device of claim 9, wherein the processing element is further configured to:

detect the one or more additional electronic devices; and

update the remote control profile for the remote control device to control the one or more additional electronic devices;

wherein said transmitting the remote control profile comprises transmitting the updated remote control profile, wherein the updated remote control profile enables the remote control device to control the media processing device and the one or more additional electronic′

, devices.

12. The media processing device of claim 9, wherein the remote control profile is stored locally on the media processing device.

13. The media processing device of claim 9, wherein detecting the remote control device in proximity to the media processing device comprises determining a signal strength indicator of the remote control device exceeding a predetermined threshold.

18. The media processing device of claim 9, wherein the remote control profile is stored by a server accessible via a wide area network (WAN).

14. A remote control device, comprising:

wireless communication circuitry, comprising one or more antennas configured for wireless communication;

a processing element operably coupled to the wireless communication circuitry;

wherein the wireless communication circuitry and the processing element are configured to;

receive an indication to pair the remote control device with a media processing device, wherein the indication is based at least in part on proximity of the remote control device to the media processing device;

in response to the indication, pair with the media processing device;

determine that the remote control device has been paired with the media processing device;

receive, in response to the pairing, a remote control profile to configure the remote control device;

configure the remote control device according to the remote control profile, wherein configuring the remote control device comprises configuring the remote control device with one or more commands to control the media processing device, and wherein configuring the remote control device according to the remote control profile further configures the remote control device with one or more additional commands to control one or more additional electronic devices.

15. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the remote control device comprises a user equipment device.

16. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein receiving the remote control profile is performed via a wide area network (WAN) and wherein receiving the remote control profile and configuring the remote control device is performed without interaction with the media processing device.

17. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein receiving the remote control profile is performed via the media processing device.

19. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the remote control profile is stored by a server accessible via a wide area network (WAN).

20. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein the remote control profile comprises the one or more additional commands in response to detecting the one or more additional electronic devices.