# US 10,311,716 B2 · System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control

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- Number: US 10,311,716 B2
- Document ID: US10311716B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/843,407
- Filed: 2017-12-15
- Published: 2018-04-19
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2005-09-08
- Assignees: Universal Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: Universal Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout; Patrick H. Hayes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311716B2

## CPC

- G08C 17/02: using a radio link
- G08C 19/00: Electric signal transmission systems (G08C17/00 takes precedence)
- G08C 19/28: using pulse code
- H04N 5/445: for displaying additional information (H04N5/50 takes precedence)
- 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)}
- H04N 21/4221: {Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext}
- H04N 21/42221: {Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]}
- H04N 21/42225: {characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control}
- H04N 21/42226: {Reprogrammable remote control devices}
- H04N 21/433: Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
- H04N 21/6547: comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
- G08C 2201/20: Binding and programming of remote control devices
- G08C 2201/30: User interface
- G08C 2201/92: Universal remote control
- H04N 21/26291: {for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25)}
- H04N 21/42227: {the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys}
- 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)}
- H04N 21/485: End-user interface for client configuration
- G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

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).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for setting up a control mode of operation of a controlling device having a plurality of input elements, the method comprising:
transmitting from the controlling device while the controlling device is in a controlling device setup mode of operation to a first controllable appliance while the first controllable appliance is in a first controllable appliance setup mode of operation at least one setup procedure command to obtain from the first controllable appliance a setup data for provision to the controlling device, wherein the at least one setup procedure command is caused to be transmitted from the controlling device in response to an activation of at least one of a first set of the plurality of input elements of the controlling device;
receiving into the controlling device the setup data obtained from the first controllable appliance;
using the setup data obtained from the first controllable appliance to assign to at least one of a second set of the plurality of input elements of the controlling device different than the first set of the plurality of input element at least one function control command wherein the at least one function control command is transmittable to the second controllable appliance while the controlling device is in the controlling device setup mode of operation to test one or more operational functions of the second controllable appliance while at least one of the first set of the plurality of input elements of the controlling device continues to be assigned a setup procedure command wherein the setup procedure command that continues to be assigned to the at least one of the first set of the plurality of input elements is transmittable to the first controllable appliance to cause the first controllable appliance to be exited from the first appliance setup mode of operation; and
causing the controlling device to be exited from controlling device setup mode of operation in connection with causing the first controllable appliance to be exited from the first appliance setup mode of operation whereupon the controlling device will be setup to communicate the at least one function control command to the second controllable appliance when the at least one of the second set of the plurality of input elements of the controlling device input element is subsequently activated.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the setup data comprises a keystroke entry sequence which is to be manually entered into the controlling device via use of one or more of the plurality of input elements of the controlling device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the setup data is transmitted from the first controllable appliance to the controlling device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling device is caused to be entered into the controlling device setup mode of operation in response to activation of at least a predetermined setup input element of the plurality of input elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one setup procedure command transmitted to obtain from the first controllable appliance the setup data comprises a menu navigation command.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one function control command comprises a volume control command.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one function control command comprises a power control command.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein controlling device comprises a smart device having a controlling device application resident thereon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first controllable appliance comprises a media accessing device having a controlling device setup application resident thereon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second controllable appliance comprises a television for receiving media from the media accessing device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the controlling device setup application is downloadable to the media accessing device via a wide-area network.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media accessing device comprises a cable settop box.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the media accessing device comprises a satellite settop box.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first controllable appliance is caused to display one or more setup instructions on a display device associated with the first controllable appliance while in the first controllable appliance setup mode of operation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the displayed setup instructions comprise a series of displayed navigable menus wherein the displayed navigable menus are provided to identify the second controllable appliance.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of input elements of the controlling device comprises hard keys of the controlling device.