System and method for reconfiguration of an entertainment system controlling device

• US 9,826,266 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D., Hayes, Patrick H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/167,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20140146241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

An entertainment device initiates a configuration process of a controlling device in response to a change in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one of a plurality devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source and at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device.

Claims

1. An entertainment device, comprising:

a processing device; and

a non-transitory, computer readable media having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processing device, cause the entertainment device to monitor at least one of an input port and an output port of the entertainment device to determine if a second device that is different than a first device has replaced the first device in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one device is connected to at least one input port of the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source for the entertainment device and/or at least one device is connected to at least one output port of the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device and, when it is determined that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration, to transmit a command to a controlling device to cause the controlling device to automatically enter into a controlling device configuration process in which the controlling device will configure itself with a command code set appropriate for use in issuing command communications to control functional operations of the second device.

2. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein, in connection with the entertainment device transmitting a command to the controlling device to cause the controlling device to automatically enter into a controlling device configuration process, the instructions cause the entertainment device to monitor the at least one of the input port and the output port of the entertainment device to determine if the second device has been placed into a desired state and, when it is determined that the second device has been placed into the desired state, to transmit a command to the controlling device to cause the controlling device to exit the configuration process whereupon the controlling device will use a command set having a command that caused the second device to be placed into the desired state as the command code set appropriate for use in issuing command communications to control functional operations of the second device.

3. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein a detected change in input signals that are being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

4. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein a detected change in cables that are used to coupled the second device and the first device to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

5. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein a detected change in device identifier data that is being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

6. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein a detected change in device capability data that is being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

7. The entertainment device as recited in claim 1, wherein a detected change in transmission bit rates that are being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

8. A method for using an entertainment device to cause a controlling device to configure itself to issue commands for controlling functional operations of an intended target device, the method comprising:

causing the entertainment device to monitor at least one of an input port and an output port of the entertainment device to determine if a second device that is different than a first device has replaced the first device in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one device is connected to at least one input port of the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source for the entertainment device and/or at least one device is connected to at least one output port of the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device; and

when it is determined that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration, causing the entertainment device to transmit a command to the controlling device to cause the controlling device to automatically enter into a controlling device configuration process in which the controlling device will configure itself with a command code set appropriate for use in issuing command communications to control functional operations of the second device as the intended target device.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the controlling device configuration process comprises the controlling device transmitting to the second device a command from one or more of a plurality of command sets where the transmitted command is intended to place the second device into a desired state and wherein the controlling device configuration process is exited by the controlling device when the controlling device receives a notification that the second device has entered into the desired state as a result of a transmitted command whereupon the controlling device will configure itself to use the one of the plurality of command sets that includes the transmitted command that resulted in the second device entering into the desired state when the controlling device is thereafter placed into a mode for controlling functional operations of the second device as the intended target device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the entertainment device monitors the state of the second device and transmits a command to the controlling device to cause the controlling device to exit the controlling device configuration process when the entertainment device determines that the second device has entered into the desired state.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a detected change in input signals that are being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a detected change in cables that are used to coupled the second device and the first device to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a detected change in device identifier data that is being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a detected change in device capability data that is being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein a detected change in transmission bit rates that are being provided to the at least one of the input port and output port of the entertainment device by the second device and the first device is used by the entertainment device to determine that a second device has replaced the first device in the audio visual entertainment system configuration.