System and method for automatically setting up a universal remote control

A method for configuring a controlling device to command the operation of a first appliance and a second appliances, comprising:

• receiving into the controlling device first data that functions to identify the first appliance;
• receiving into the controlling device second data that functions to identify the second appliance;
• transferring the first data and the second data from the controlling device to a device having Internet connectivity;
• transferring the first data and the second data from the device having Internet connectivity via a wide area communication link to an Internet server having access to a database of control codes for commanding the operation of a plurality of appliances of different types and different manufacturers;
• receiving from the Internet server at the device having Internet connectivity via the wide area communication link first control codes that were selected from the database of control codes as a function of the data that functions to identify the first appliance, second control codes that were selected from the database of control codes as function of the data that functions to identify the second appliance, and a macro sequence for commanding at least one operation of the first appliance in conjunction with at least one operation of the second appliance;
• transferring the first control codes, the second control codes, and the macro sequence from the device having Internet connectivity to the controlling device;
• and
• storing the first control codes, the second control codes, and the macro sequence in the controlling device whereby the first control codes, the second control codes, and the macro sequence are available for use in commanding the operation of the first appliance and the second appliance.

A system, comprising:

• a controlling device;
• and
• a device having internet connectivity adapted to exchange communications with the controlling device, wherein the device having internet connectivity comprises a processing device and an associated memory device on which is stored instructions which, when executed by the processing device, cause the device having internet connectivity to perform steps comprising:
• receiving from the controlling device data that functions to identify an appliance;
• transferring the data that functions to identify the appliance via a wide area communication link to an Internet server having access to a database of control codes for commanding the operation of a plurality of appliances of different types and different manufacturers;
• receiving from the Internet server via the wide area communication link control codes that were selected from the database of control codes as a function of the data that functions to identify the appliance;
• and
• transferring the control codes received from the Internet server to the controlling device whereby the control codes are available for use by the controlling device to command the operation of the appliance.