Abstract: A controlling device interacts dynamically with a plurality of appliances using state information known to a master appliance. The master appliance conveys to the controlling device the state information and the controlling device uses the state information to dynamically configure itself to command functional operations of one or more of the plurality of appliances. The master appliance also causes a graphical representation of the current configuration of the controlling device to be displayed on a display device that is associated with the master appliance.

Abstract: A method for configuring a controlling device to command functional operations of at least one controllable appliance. The method includes the steps of receiving at the controlling device from the at least one controllable appliance, via a first communication channel, data indicative of an identity of the at least one controllable appliance and using the data indicative of the identity of the at least one controllable appliance to configure the controlling device whereby, in response to activation of one or more command keys of the controlling device, the controlling device will be caused to transmit to the at least one controlling device, via a second communication channel, those commands selected from a library of commands that are appropriate for commanding functional operations of the at least one controllable device.

Abstract: A controlling device interacts dynamically with a plurality of appliances using state information known to a master appliance. The master appliance conveys to the controlling device the state information and the controlling device uses the state information to dynamically configure itself to command functional operations of one or more of the plurality of appliances. The master appliance also causes a graphical representation of the current configuration of the controlling device to be displayed on a display device that is associated with the master appliance.

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).

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.

Abstract: A hand-held device having a touch sensitive surface uses a relative distance from an origin location to each of a plurality of touch zones of the touch sensitive surface activated by a user to select a one of the plurality of touch zones as being intended for activation by the user.

Abstract: When a command key of a controlling platform is activated, the platform performs an operation to initiate a playing of media content and also initiates the retrieval of information from an information source.

Abstract: Optical or electrical attenuation is provided at the infrared (IR) receiver of a first device, such as a remote control, together with a commensurate increase in output of the IR transmitter of an appliance, such as a set top box, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of IR communications with respect to any background infrared radiation, such as radiation from a plasma display screen.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a communication link between a consumer electronic device adapted for two-way, wireless communications with at least one peripheral. The communication link is managed using a controller that is associated with the consumer electronic device that functions to assign communication slots to the peripheral to facilitate communications between the peripheral and the consumer electronic device.

Abstract: A hand-held electronic device having a remote control application user interface that functions to displays operational mode information to a user. The graphical user interface may be used, for example, to setup the remote control application to control appliances for one or more users in one or more rooms, to perform activities, and to access favorites. The remote control application is also adapted to be upgradeable. Furthermore, the remote control application provides for the sharing of operational mode information.

Abstract: A controlling device has a configurable key. An overlay, such as a sticker, is provided to the configurable key and includes an indicia representative of media content and machine readable data indicative of an identity of the media content represented by the indicia. A memory of the controlling device stores a correspondence between the configurable key and data indicative of a source of the media content. Upon activation of configured, configurable key, the controlling device uses select command codes from a library of command codes and the correspondence between the configurable key and the data indicative of the source of the media content to transmit one or more commands for causing one or more appliances to access the source of the media content.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A speech recognition engine is provided voice data indicative of at least a brand of a target appliance. The speech recognition engine uses the voice data indicative of at least a brand of the target appliance to identify within a library of codesets at least one codeset that is cross-referenced to the brand of the target appliance. The at least one codeset so identified is then caused to be provisioned to the controlling device for use in commanding functional operations of the target appliance.

Abstract: A system and method for upgrading remote control application resident on a device. To this end, a markup language file is created. The markup language file has a representation of information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance. The markup language file may be executed, on the device or an intermediate client with which the device is synchronized, to upload the representation of the information to a remote server. At the remote server, the uploaded information is used to automatically display user-selectable, downloadable data files relevant to the control of the appliance. Downloaded data files, which may include command codes and/or graphical user interface elements, may be used within the device to upgrade the ability of the remote control application to communicate with the appliance. The information uploaded to the server may also be used to generate demographic data regarding consumer preferences.

Abstract: A portable electronic device having an input device for receiving a gesture based input from a user is used to control a navigation operation of an appliance. The portable electronic device receives via the input device the gesture based input and uses one or more parameters stored in a memory of the portable electronic device and one or more characteristics associated with the gesture based input to cause the portable electronic device to transmit a navigation step command to thereby control the navigation operation of the appliance.

Abstract: A controlling device is used to configure an appliance for wireless network communications through use of a setup wizard installed on a computing device. The setup wizard is used to obtain from a user information required to perform communications on a wireless network via a wireless network router and a digital representation of the information obtained from the user through use of the setup wizard is provided to the controlling device. The controlling device is then used to transfer the digital representation of the information to the appliance whereupon the appliance will use the digital representation of the information to configure itself for wireless network communications.

Abstract: A hand-held device, such as a remote control, has a time-limited feature, such as backlight illumination, that is caused to be activated upon the occurrence of a triggering event sensed by a triggering sensor, such as a motion sensor. The hand-held device functions to disable and/or downwardly adjust a time period during which the time-limited feature will be allowed to be active upon a future occurrence of a triggering event in response to the device determining that a predetermined number of trigger events sensed via the triggering sensor are false trigger events. The time-limited feature may be disabled by disabling the triggering sensor.

Abstract: Metadata regarding program content is created by monitoring a manner in which a first rendering of the program content is affected by a user whereupon the metadata will include data which defines one or more segments within the program content. The data within the metadata is then usable during a second rendering of the program content to inhibit, e.g., advance over during playing or omit during copying, the rendering of the one or more segments within the program content defined by the data within the metadata.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying an electronic program guide (“EPG”), the EPG allowing for the controlling of recording functionality of an appliance and/or playing of media. The displayable EPG includes a listing of playable media from which the user may select a program of interest for recording or playing. The EPG may also include a display of prior recorded media for playing. Options may be presented to allow for a selection of a rendering device on which selected media is to be played.