Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100134318 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - A user provides to an image recognition system an image that is intended to be used to identify one or more appliances that are to be controlled by a universal controlling device. The image recognition system has access to a database of images that have been cross-referenced to appliances and configuration information for those appliances. The image recognition system uses the provided image to identify one or more appliances to be controlled using the universal controlling device and, accordingly, the configuration information for those one or more appliances so identified. The configuration information may then be provided to a user for manual provision to the universal controlling device or be provided in a form for downloading into the universal controlling device, whether directly or via an intermediate device. The configuration information may also be provided to an intermediate device which has programming for use in connection with a process of configuring the universal controlling device. | 06-03-2010 |
20100207778 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMPLIFIED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc.) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s). | 08-19-2010 |
20100281066 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - A method for configuring a universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. A system having an associated database of original equipment remote control images that are cross-referenced to configuration information for a respective plurality of appliances receives identification data that specifies at least a brand and type of an appliance. The system uses the received identification data to discern one or more images from the associated database as being a match for the received identification data. The one or more images from the associated database that were discerned as being a match for the received identification data are then displayed to allow for the selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the selected one or more of the displayed plurality of images is used to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to the one or more target appliances. | 11-04-2010 |
20110018693 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - Data indicative of topography of an object of interest is received at a recognition system having an associated database in which is stored topography data for a plurality of reference objects each of which is cross-referenced to configuration information for a universal controlling device. The reference system uses the received data and the topography data for the plurality of reference objects to discern one or more reference objects as being a match for the object of interest. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the one or more reference objects discerned by the recognition system as being a match for the object of interest is then used to configure the universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. | 01-27-2011 |
20110093814 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - A method for configuring a universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. A system having an associated database of original equipment remote control images that are cross-referenced to configuration information for a respective plurality of appliances receives identification data that specifies at least a brand and type of an appliance. The system uses the received identification data to discern one or more images from the associated database as being a match for the received identification data. The one or more images from the associated database that were discerned as being a match for the received identification data are then displayed to allow for the selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the selected one or more of the displayed plurality of images is used to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to the one or more target appliances. | 04-21-2011 |
20110102158 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIDGET-ASSISTED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances provides an interactive instruction set and associated programming which is downloadable to a controllable appliance having an associated display, such as an Internet enabled television. The programming is accessible by the controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions from the interactive instruction set to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for setting up the controlling device to communicate commands to another controllable device (e.g., a DVD, VCR, DVR, etc). | 05-05-2011 |
20110133906 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMPLIFIED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s). | 06-09-2011 |
20120076347 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - Data indicative of topography of an object of interest is received at a recognition system having an associated database in which is stored topography data for a plurality of reference objects each of which is cross-referenced to configuration information for a universal controlling device. The reference system uses the received data and the topography data for the plurality of reference objects to discern one or more reference objects as being a match for the object of interest. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the one or more reference objects discerned by the recognition system as being a match for the object of interest is then used to configure the universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. | 03-29-2012 |
20120194325 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMPLIFIED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s). | 08-02-2012 |
20140028922 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SIMPLIFIED SETUP OF A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s). | 01-30-2014 |