System and method for upgrading the remote control functionality of a device

• US 20060200538A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Conway, James N. Jr., Yuh, Han-Sheng, Wang, Weidong William
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system and method for upgrading remote control application resident on a device. To this end, a markup language file is created. The markup language file has a representation of information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance. The markup language file may be executed, on the device or an intermediate client with which the device is synchronized, to upload the representation of the information to a remote server. At the remote server, the uploaded information is used to automatically display user-selectable, downloadable data files relevant to the control of the appliance. Downloaded data files, which may include command codes and/or graphical user interface elements, may be used within the device to upgrade the ability of the remote control application to communicate with the appliance. The information uploaded to the server may also be used to generate demographic data regarding consumer preferences.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading a remote control application resident on a device, comprising:

storing in a markup language file a representation of information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance;

executing the markup language file to upload to a remote server the representation of the information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance; and

using at the server the uploaded representation of the information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance to automatically display user-selectable, downloadable data files relevant to the appliance which data files may be used to upgrade the remote control application resident on the device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing the markup language file in memory on the device, synchronizing the markup language file with a personal computer, and executing the markup language file on the personal computer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the downloadable data files contain command codes for use in transmitting control commands from the device to the appliance.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the downloadable data files contain graphical user interface elements for use in displaying command keys on the device, the command keys being activatable to cause the transmission of control commands to the appliance.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing at the remote server the representation of the information used to setup the remote control application and using the stored information to generate demographic data.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising requiring a user to register with the remote server before allowing access to the downloadable data, storing at the remote server information provided as part of registration, using the registration information in combination with the information uploaded from the remote control application to generate the demographic data.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a PDA.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a Webtablet.

9. A method of defining a future release of a command library, comprising:

receiving at a Web site requests to download an upgrade to a previously installed command library to thereby provide a controlling device with a capability to command a function of an appliance which function of the appliance was incapable of being commanded by the controlling device using the previously installed command library; and

using statistics derived from information associated with the requests received at the Web site to determine if the future release of a command library is to include the capability.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises information relevant to the controlling device to be upgraded.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises demographic information.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the demographic information comprises a geographical designator.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises information relevant to the function to be commanded.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises information relevant to the appliance.

15. A method of defining a future release of a command library, comprising:

receiving at a Web site requests to download an upgrade to a previously installed command library to thereby provide a controlling device with a capability to command functions of an appliance which appliance was incapable of being commanded by the controlling device using the previously installed command library; and

using statistics derived from information associated with the requests received at the Web site to determine if the future release of a command library is to include the capability.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises information relevant to the controlling device to be upgraded.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises demographic information.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the demographic information comprises a geographical designator.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the information associated with the requests comprises information relevant to the appliance.