Interactive web-based codeset selection and development tool

• US 8,174,411 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UEI Cayman Incorporated (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jonathan, Miramontes, Oscar C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY III, EDWIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/096,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 341/23, 341/173, 341/176, 340/4.3, 340/4.31, 340/4.32, 340/12.23, 340/12.24, 340/12.25, 340/12.28, 340/13.21, 340/12.22, 340/12.5, 340/12.52, 340/12.53, 340/13.24, 340/13.25, 340/4.33, 340/12.26, 348/735, 398/106, 398/111, 398/112, 717/171, 715/749, 715/760, 715/864, 709/219, 709/221, 700/65, 700/83, 700/84, 726/126
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices

Abstract

A system, such as a web server, in communication with the database, includes a configurator application for providing data from the database to a consumer to thereby allow the consumer to configure a controlling device whereupon the controlling device will be adapted to command functional operations of one or more appliances and a builder application for providing data from the database to a developer to thereby allow the developer to develop one or more codesets to be provisioned to a controlling device to thereby allow the controlling device to be adapted to command functional operations of one or more appliances.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a database storing a plurality of codesets;

a web server in communication with the database, the web server having instructions stored on a non-transient computer readable media, wherein the instructions provide;

a configurator application for providing one or more codesets from the database to a consumer to thereby allow the consumer to configure a controlling device whereupon the controlling device will be adapted to use the one or more provided codesets to command functional operations of one or more appliances; and

a builder application for providing data related to one or more codesets from the database to a developer to thereby allow the developer to develop one or more codesets to be provisioned to a controlling device whereupon the controlling device will be adapted to command functional operations of one or more appliances and for preventing the developer from copying codesets from the database in a format in which the codesets are stored in the database.

2. A method for distributing codeset data from a centralized database, comprising:

receiving a designation of a selection criterion from a client device;

using the selection criteria to select from the centralized database at least one codeset; and

determining if the client device is associated with one of controlling device or a controlling device development tool whereby, when the client device is determined to be associated with the controlling device, the selected at least one codeset is transmitted to the client device for provisioning to the controlling device whereupon the controlling device will be adapted to use the selected at least one codeset to generate operational signals to control functions of an electronic consumer device that correspond to the selection criterion and, when the client device is determined to be associated with the controlling device development tool, copying of the at least one codeset in a format in which the at least one codeset is stored in the centralized database is inhibited and data related to the at least one codeset is instead provided to the client device for use in developing with the controlling device development tool a codeset library, usable by a microcontroller, to be included within a controlling device whereupon the controlling device will be adapted to generate operational signals to control functions of an electronic consumer device that correspond to the selection criterion.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the codeset library developed via use of the controlling device development tool is installed on the controlling device at a time of manufacture of the controlling device.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the client device associated with the controlling device comprises an electronic consumer device in communication with the controlling device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the electronic consumer device in communication with the controlling device comprises a set-top box.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the electronic consumer device causes a display of options for receiving the designation of the selection criterion.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the designation of the selection criterion comprises an indication of a type and brand of an electronic consumer device.

8. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the client device associated with the controlling device development tool comprises a computing device.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the computing device is caused to display options for receiving the designation of the selection criterion.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the designation of the selection criterion comprises an indication of a type and brand of an electronic consumer device.

11. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data related to the at least one codeset provided to the client device associated with the controlling device development tool comprises a plurality of strings of timing information associated with the at least one codeset.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the controlling device development tool further utilizes a signal engine to customize a manner in which timing information is used to generate operational signals and a compiler for compiling the signal engine whereupon the compiled signal engine is usable by the microcontroller with the data related to the at least one codeset to cause generation of operational signals to control functions of an electronic consumer device that correspond to the selection criterion.

13. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data related to the at least one codeset provided to the client device associated with the controlling device development tool comprises an encrypted script containing embedded codeset information.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the controlling device development tool further utilizes a script interpreter to interpret the script to generate a string of timing information and a signal engine which uses the string of timing information to cause generation of operational signals to control functions of an electronic consumer device that correspond to the selection criterion.