Patents Assigned to Universal Electronics Inc.
  • System and method for recommending home appliances to a consumer
    Patent number: 10885569
    Abstract: A system functions to recommend equipment expansions, additions and/or substitutions; interconnections; supplemental capabilities; features; etc. based upon a knowledge of a consumer's existing audio and/or visual system configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Ogaz, Arsham Hatambeiki, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for appliance detection and app configuration
    Patent number: 10868858
    Abstract: A system and method is used to provision an app to a smart device for use in connection with an appliance. A presence of the appliance on a wireless network which includes the smart device is detected and data received from the appliance is used to initiate a retrieval of the app. When the retrieved app is installed on the smart device the app is usable with the smart device to provide at least an interface between the smart device and the appliance. In some circumstance, installation of the app on the smart device may also include causing the app to be synchronized with a corresponding app that was prior installed on another smart device capable of communicating with the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Arsham Hatambeiki
  • System and method for pairing a hearing device and an appliance
    Patent number: 10853021
    Abstract: When a hearing device is determined to be capable of being of being paired with each of a plurality of appliances, a one of the plurality of appliances is automatically selected for an attempted pairing with the hearing device. The one of the plurality of appliances is selected using priority information that has been associated with each of the plurality of appliances. One the one of the plurality of appliances has been selected; the hearing device is caused to automatically attempt to pair with the selected one of the plurality of appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Peter William Chalmers, Jon Gallegos, Jeff Kohanek, Kenneth G. Sweeney
  • System and method for user monitoring and intent determination
    Patent number: 10820047
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Arsham Hatambeiki, Paul D. Arling
  • System and method for detecting the removal of a controlling device
    Patent number: 10820046
    Abstract: A system and method for using a controllable appliance to report an inoperable state of a controlling device. The appliance is caused to repeatedly determine, at a first predetermined timed interval, if a wireless notification signal, repeatedly transmitted by the controlling device at a second predetermined timed interval, has been received from the controlling device. When the wireless notification signal has not been received from the controlling device within the first predetermined timed interval, the appliance is caused to issue a status notification that the controlling device is in an inoperable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gerben Meijer, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for saving and recalling state data for media and home appliances
    Patent number: 10785539
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Christopher Chambers, Wayne Scott, Mark Momot
  • System and method for provision of appliance control functionality to a smart device
    Patent number: 10771608
    Abstract: A system for use in issuing commands to a plurality of appliances each of a specific one of a plurality of different appliance types includes a smart device adapted to transmit command communications and a plurality of low-energy consuming controllers each adapted to transmit a command to a one of the plurality of appliances of a specific one of the plurality of different appliance types in response to receipt of a command communication originating from the smart device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brandt Thompson, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for configuration of macro commands in a controlling device
    Patent number: 10768599
    Abstract: A system displays a representation of an original equipment remote control device for a target device to be controlled using a macro button of a configurable controlling device. The displayed representation of the original equipment remote control device includes representations of buttons that would be used on the original equipment remote control device to control controllable functions of the target device. The system accepts input by which one or more of the displayed representations of buttons are selected. The macro button is then configured whereby an activation of the macro button will cause a transmission of commands from the configurable controlling device to control those controllable functions of the target devices that correspond to the one or more of the displayed representations of buttons that were selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Rex Xu, Cesar Alvarado
  • System and methods for interacting with a control environment
    Patent number: 10754517
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Chambers, Wayne Scott, Cheryl Scott, Allen Yuh, Paul D. Arling
  • Device that manages power provided to an object sensor
    Patent number: 10747342
    Abstract: A hand-held device with a sensor for providing a signal indicative of a position of the hand-held device relative to an object surface enables power to the sensor at a first time interval when the hand-held device is indicated to be in a position that is stationary and adjacent relative to the object surface, enables power to the sensor at a second time interval shorter than the first time interval when the hand-held device is indicated to be in a position that is moving and adjacent relative to the object surface, and enables power to the sensor at a third time interval when the hand-held device is determined to be in a position that is removed relative to the object surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Gates, Jeremy K. Black
  • System and method for appliance control via a personal communication or entertainment device
    Patent number: 10719231
    Abstract: A system for use in controlling operating functions of a controllable device includes a hand-held device and an intermediate device in communication with the hand-held device and the controllable device. The hand-held device is adapted to receive a gesture based input and to transmit a signal having data representative of the gesture based input. The intermediate device has programming for translating the data representative of the gesture based input in a signal received from the hand-held device into a command signal to be communicated to the controllable device wherein the command signal has a format appropriate for controlling an operating function of the controllable device that is associated with the gesture based input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Negron, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for accessing a user interface via a secondary device
    Patent number: 10656774
    Abstract: An adapter provides a link between a digital media player having a memory on which is stored digital media files, a display device, and a remote control. The adapter receives from the digital media player data which is used to generate a representation of a user interface which is provided to the display device for display. The adapter also receives from the remote control data for use in generating commands for controlling operations of the digital media player whereby a change in state of the digital media player resulting from a performance of an operation caused by the remote control will be reflected in the user interface on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Kalayjian, David Isbister, Michael Hirsch
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10636288
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Arling
  • System and method for ubiquitous appliance control
    Patent number: 10638187
    Abstract: A slave relay station is adapted to serve and/or host pages comprising a simplified graphic user interface (GUI) encoded in a widely recognized format such as, for example, HTML or WML. The GUI embodies activatable links corresponding to control functions for configured appliances. A wireless phone or other device with network access and the capability to process and present such pages, for example via a Web browser, may then be utilized to effect control of such appliances by simply navigating to the network address of the slave relay station, obtaining an appropriate GUI page, and interacting with the links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Black, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control
    Patent number: 10621857
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10614704
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Arling
  • System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control
    Patent number: 10600317
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10593195
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Maryam Owrang, Nikki Ahmadi, Jan Van Ee, Chris Chambers, Arsham Hatambeiki
  • Communicating discovery information from remote control devices
    Patent number: 10553107
    Abstract: A set top box receives from a remote control device one or more of a codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information. The set top box then causes information representative of the received codeset identifier, data indicative of a brand and model for a consumer electronic device, and remote control diagnostic information to be displayed in a display device associated with the set top box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dan N. McKay, Raymond O. Chock
  • System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control
    Patent number: 10546487
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Patrick H. Hayes