Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080201753 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAVING AND RECALLING STATE DATA FOR MEDIA AND HOME APPLIANCES - A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. | 08-21-2008 |
20080201754 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAVING AND RECALLING STATE DATA FOR MEDIA AND HOME APPLIANCES - A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. | 08-21-2008 |
20090002219 | TWO WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AN APPLIANCE AND A REMOTE CONTROL - A method for storing and using information received from a controllable appliance in a controlling device. In response to a detected activation of a key of the controlling device the controlling device transmits a request signal to the controlled appliance for the purpose of retrieving from the controlled appliance data associated with a media tuning state of the controlled appliance, such as a tuned-to channel, CD or DVD track being played, or the like, The controlling device receives from the controlled appliance the media tuning state data and stores the media tuning state data in memory. The media tuning state data stored in the memory of the controlling device may then be used to transmit from the controlling device to the controlled appliance a media tuning command to cause the controlled appliance to replicate the previously captured media tuning state. | 01-01-2009 |
20090079594 | MEDIA RETURN SYSTEM - A remote control stores a sequence of key strokes in memory for as long as a predetermined key of a plurality of keys of the remote control is held down. The stored sequence of key strokes may then be repeated, for example, upon release of the predetermined key or upon further activation and release of the predetermined key. | 03-26-2009 |
20090102984 | MEDIA RETURN SYSTEM - A remote control provides a return to channel feature for use with a media device adapted to play media but not itself equipped with a return to channel feature. The remote control stores a primary channel in memory and is programmed such that, in direct response to a first input being manually provided to a remote control, a timer in the remote control is caused to commence a timing of a predetermined interval such that, in response to expiration of the predetermined interval timed by the timer, the remote control is caused to transmit a command signal corresponding to the primary channel stored in memory to the media device. | 04-23-2009 |
20100180307 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVELY CONTROLLING THE RECORDING OF PROGRAM MATERIAL USING A PROGRAM GUIDE - In response to the establishment of a communication connection between an appliance capable of effecting a recording of a program and a portable device capable of displaying to a user in a display of the portable device a program guide including a listing for the program the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program receives data indicative of a request to record the program that is stored in a memory of the portable device via user interaction with the program guide prior to establishment of the communication connection and the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program then functions to record the program in accordance with the received data indicative of the request to record the program. | 07-15-2010 |
20110033167 | MEDIA RETURN SYSTEM - A system includes a consumer electronic device adapted to render a media content and a hand-held, portable device having a touch screen display, a transmitter, a receiver, and a processing unit. The processing unit of the hand-held, portable device uses data related to the media content received via the receiver to cause command icons related to rendering of the media content to be defined and displayed in the touch screen display and to cause the transmitter to transmit one or more commands for controlling a functional operation related to rendering of the media content by the consumer electronic device in response to a user interaction with one or more of the command icons caused to displayed in the touch screen display. | 02-10-2011 |
20110074591 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - An entertainment device is used to notify a user of 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 and/or to notify a user of a perceived problem in a configuration of a controlling device used to control functional operations of the audio visual entertainment system. | 03-31-2011 |
20110075052 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACTIVITY BASED CONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM - A command value corresponding to an activity key of a controlling device is associated with a configuration of an entertainment device in which at least one of a plurality of devices is selected as an audio visual input source device for the entertainment device and at least one of the plurality of devices is selected as an audio visual output destination device for the entertainment device. When the entertainment device receives from the controlling device a signal which includes the command value corresponding to the activity key of the controlling device, the entertainment device accesses and uses the configuration associated with the command value corresponding to the activity key of the controlling device. | 03-31-2011 |
20110102131 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION - A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information. | 05-05-2011 |
20110126135 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH A CONTROL ENVIRONMENT - A system and methods for facilitation of user interactions with an electronic device. A number of user interface methods are described and may be used alone or in combination with one another to present an enhanced interface to a user. A method of providing user interaction using a compact status indicator is described. A method for providing a virtual scroll wheel to a user for interaction with content sets is described. A method for allowing a user to dynamically modify a scalable user interface is described. A method for providing gesture based input to a user via a virtual gesture pad is described. A method of providing an interactive graphic search query interface is described. A method for indicating and selecting available content type is described. | 05-26-2011 |
20110157476 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAVING AND RECALLING STATE DATA FOR MEDIA AND HOME APPLIANCES - A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. | 06-30-2011 |
20110228046 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING CONFIGURATION OF A CONTROLLING DEVICE VIA A 3D SYNC SIGNAL - A controlling device is configures to control functional operations of an appliance by using a 3D sync signal transmitted to synchronize a wearable 3D viewing apparatus with a device adapted to render 3D media to select from a library of command codes a command code set appropriate for controlling functional operations of the appliance. The command codes within the command code set selected from the library of command codes are assigned to respective keys of the controlling device whereupon a subsequent activation of one or more of the respective keys of the controlling device will cause the controlling device to issue a command transmission via use of one or more of the command codes within the command code set selected from the library of command codes to thereby control one or more functional operations of the appliance. | 09-22-2011 |
20110289113 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A server device receives identity data retrieved from an appliance through use of a physical and logical interconnection referenced to a standard. The identity data is used at the server device to identify within a database having a plurality of appliance records, each of which is cross-referenced to an appliance, an appliance record having data in one or more record fields which matches the identity data retrieved from the appliance. A codeset identifier associated with the identified appliance record is then used to select from a plurality of codesets a codeset for use in configuring the portable device to command functional operations of the appliance. | 11-24-2011 |
20120086563 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLIANCE CONTROL VIA A NETWORK - A first remote control application is configured to cause a smart device to transmit at least one command for controlling at least one functional operation of a controllable appliance in response to a user interface element of the smart device being activated while a second remote control application of a bridge device is configured to cause the bridge device to transmit at least one command for controlling at least one functional operation of the controllable appliance in response to receiving at the bridge device the at least one command transmitted from the smart device. The at least one command is transmitted from the smart device using a first transmission protocol and the at least one command is transmitted from the bridge device using a transmission protocol recognized by the controllable appliance. | 04-12-2012 |
20120146761 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION - A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information. | 06-14-2012 |
20120200400 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 08-09-2012 |
20120210268 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND DATA TRANSFER METHODS IN A CONTROLLING DEVICE - A smart device is provided with a main remote control application that may be configured using information obtained from a QR code. The main remote control application may present images of original remote controls corresponding to devices which are controllable by the configured main remote control application. In connection with a presented image of an original remote control, the display may present icons that are representative of a subset of the buttons of the original remote control. The user interface also allows a user to select amongst the images of the original remote controls to change which appliances are to be controlled via the user interface. A pop-up remote control widget may also be provided which may be invoked without switching to the main remote control application provisioned on the smart device. | 08-16-2012 |
20130107131 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED APPLIANCE CONTROL | 05-02-2013 |
20130176440 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - An entertainment device is used to notify a user of 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 and/or to notify a user of a perceived problem in a configuration of a controlling device used to control functional operations of the audio visual entertainment system. | 07-11-2013 |
20130198785 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAVING AND RECALLING STATE DATA FOR MEDIA AND HOME APPLIANCES - A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. | 08-01-2013 |
20130219438 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAVING AND RECALLING STATE DATA FOR MEDIA AND HOME APPLIANCES - A set of media playback and device settings data from each home appliance of a first set of home appliances is stored on a central server and/or sent to a remote control device upon initiation of a suspend command by a user. The stored media and devices states may be used at a later time to control the first set of home appliances, or a user may, after relocating to a second set of home appliances, initiate a resume state command whereupon media playback and device settings data from the central server and/or remote control device controls each home appliance in the second set of home appliances to bring about the same or substantially similar media and device states as in the first set of home appliances. | 08-22-2013 |
20130249679 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED APPLIANCE CONTROL - A device receives a request from a controlling device, such as a remote control, smart phone, or the like, where the request is intended to have one or more target devices perform one or more functional operations. The device responds to the request by applying the optimum methodology to propagate one or more commands to each intended target appliance to cause each intended target appliance to perform the intended one or more functional operations. | 09-26-2013 |
20140022462 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED APPLIANCE CONTROL - A device receives a request from a controlling device, such as a remote control, smart phone, or the like, where the request is intended to have one or more target devices perform one or more functional operations. The device responds to the request by applying the optimum methodology to propagate one or more commands to each intended target appliance to cause each intended target appliance to perform the intended one or more functional operations. | 01-23-2014 |
20140043541 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED APPLIANCE CONTROL - A device receives a request from a controlling device, such as a remote control, smart phone, or the like, where the request is intended to have one or more target devices perform one or more functional operations. The device responds to the request by applying the optimum methodology to propagate one or more commands to each intended target appliance to cause each intended target appliance to perform the intended one or more functional operations. | 02-13-2014 |
20140047467 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A SELF ADAPTIVE MULTI-USER PROGRAM GUIDE - A media access device such as, for example, a cable or satellite set top box (STB), a digital video recorder (DVR), a personal computer, and/or a digital media receivers automatically optimizes an order of content choices presented in a content listing, such as a program guide display, favorite channel display, and/or a recording listing display based on the past viewing and/or recording history of a current user. | 02-13-2014 |
20140062678 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION - A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information. | 03-06-2014 |
20140111318 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED APPLIANCE CONTROL - In response to a detected presence of an intended target appliance within a logical topography of controllable appliances identity information associated with the intended target appliance is used to automatically add to a graphical user interface of a controlling device an icon representative of the intended target appliance and to create at a Universal Control Engine a listing of communication methods for use in controlling corresponding functional operations of the intended target appliance. When the icon is later activated, the controlling device is placed into an operating state appropriate for controlling functional operations of the intended target appliance while the Universal Control Engine uses at least one of the communication methods to transmit at least one command to place the intended target appliance into a predetermined operating state. | 04-24-2014 |
20140146233 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - 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. | 05-29-2014 |
20140146241 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - 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. | 05-29-2014 |
20140167932 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 06-19-2014 |
20140167933 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 06-19-2014 |
20140218182 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222861 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A server device receives identity data retrieved from an appliance through use of a physical and logical interconnection referenced to a standard. The identity data is used at the server device to identify within a database having a plurality of appliance records, each of which is cross-referenced to an appliance, an appliance record having data in one or more record fields which matches the identity data retrieved from the appliance. A codeset identifier associated with the identified appliance record is then used to select from a plurality of codesets a codeset for use in configuring the portable device to command functional operations of the appliance. | 08-07-2014 |
20140222862 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 08-07-2014 |
20140223460 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MONITORING AND INTENT DETERMINATION - Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences. | 08-07-2014 |
20140223461 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MONITORING AND INTENT DETERMINATION - Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences. | 08-07-2014 |
20140223463 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MONITORING AND INTENT DETERMINATION - Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences. | 08-07-2014 |
20140223465 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MONITORING AND INTENT DETERMINATION - Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences. | 08-07-2014 |
20140240104 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. | 08-28-2014 |
20140259078 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC CHANNEL LINEUP DETERMINATION - A current geographical location of a portable device is used to facilitate selection of channel lineup that is appropriate for a Multi-System Operator (MSO) provider and the current geographical location of the portable device. A program guide GUI of the portable device is then configured using the selected channel lineup. The configured GUI is displayable to a user of the portable device whereupon the configured GUI is available for use in commanding tuning operations of a set-top box. | 09-11-2014 |
20140282659 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS - Data indicative of first and second members of a social group, a media content accessed by the first and second members of the social group, and a time at which the media content was accessed by the first and second members of the social group is collected. A system then compares the received data to determine if the second member of the social group accessed the same media content as the first member of the social group and if the second member of the social group accessed the same media content within a predetermined amount of time. When the second member of the social group accessed the same media content as the first member of the social group within the predetermined amount of time the first member of the social group is identified as a social influencer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140315573 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION - A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information. | 10-23-2014 |
20140337879 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE - A system and method used to displaying advertising content. A first app installed on a first device functions to retrieve the advertising content and to then provide the advertising content to a second app installed on a second device. The second app installed on the second device will cause the advertising content to be displayed as an overlay in a display associated with the second device. | 11-13-2014 |
20140362233 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - An entertainment device is used to notify a user of 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 and/or to notify a user of a perceived problem in a configuration of a controlling device used to control functional operations of the audio visual entertainment system. | 12-11-2014 |
20140366050 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MONITORING AND INTENT DETERMINATION - Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences. | 12-11-2014 |
20140366059 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLLING DEVICE - An entertainment device is used to notify a user of 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 and/or to notify a user of a perceived problem in a configuration of a controlling device used to control functional operations of the audio visual entertainment system. | 12-11-2014 |
20150054631 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY SETTING UP A UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL - A system and method for configuring a remote control to command the operation of appliances, to capture demographic data, and to provide services, such as automated warranty registration, instructions, viewing guides, etc., relevant to the appliances is provided. The system includes a database and associated server that are located remotely from the remote control and accessible via a network connection. Command codes, graphical user interface elements, and services are accessed and downloaded to the remote control, as appropriate, using data supplied to the server that identifies the appliances and/or functional capabilities of the appliances. This data can be supplied by the appliances directly or can be obtained from other sources such as barcode labels, network devices, etc. | 02-26-2015 |
20150065119 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DEVICE LOCATION DETERMINATION - A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information. | 03-05-2015 |
20150066166 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND DATA TRANSFER METHODS IN A CONTROLLING DEVICE - A smart device is provided with a main remote control application that may be configured using information. The main remote control application may present images of original remote controls corresponding to devices which are controllable by the configured main remote control application. In connection with a presented image of an original remote control, the display may present icons that are representative of a subset of the buttons of the original remote control. The user interface also allows a user to select amongst the images of the original remote controls to change which appliances are to be controlled via the user interface. A pop-up remote control widget may also be provided which may be invoked without switching to the main remote control application provisioned on the smart device. | 03-05-2015 |
20150067595 | GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND DATA TRANSFER METHODS IN A CONTROLLING DEVICE - A smart device is provided with a main remote control application that may be configured using information obtained from a QR code. The main remote control application may present images of original remote controls corresponding to devices which are controllable by the configured main remote control application. In connection with a presented image of an original remote control, the display may present icons that are representative of a subset of the buttons of the original remote control. The user interface also allows a user to select amongst the images of the original remote controls to change which appliances are to be controlled via the user interface. A pop-up remote control widget may also be provided which may be invoked without switching to the main remote control application provisioned on the smart device. | 03-05-2015 |