Patents Assigned to Universal Electronics Inc.
  • Controlling device having a device mode state toggle feature
    Patent number: 8253532
    Abstract: A controlling device having a feature for toggling between various device mode states. The device mode state toggle feature may be implemented as a key which is preferably located with the function keys thus being spaced from the top of the controlling device. The device mode state toggle feature may be used to sequentially toggle between all device mode states of the controlling device, to toggle between a currently selected device mode state and a previously selected device mode state of the controlling device, to toggle between device mode states that have been designated by a user of the controlling device, etc. An indicia, such as a LED, key illumination, color, sound, or the like, may be utilized to provide an indication to the user as to which device mode state the controlling device is placed into when the device mode state toggle feature is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sandro David Klein, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for configuration of network-capable appliances
    Patent number: 8254352
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Negron, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for limiting access to data
    Patent number: 8254576
    Abstract: A controlling device provides conditional access to secured content renderable by an appliance. The controlling device transmits a data frame to the appliance and encrypts at least a part of the data frame that includes data to be used by the appliance to provide access to the secured content. At the appliance a decryption key complimentary to the encryption key is used to decrypt the received the data frame. The appliance allows the secured content to be rendered only after the appliance determines that the data in the received, decrypted data frame includes the data the appliance requires to provide access to the secured content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes, Wayne Scott, Christopher Alan Chambers
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE APPLIANCE CONTROL
    Publication number: 20120212680
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Kohanek
  • System and method for adaptively controlling the recording of program material using a program guide
    Patent number: 8250608
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick H. Hayes, Paul D. Arling, Robert P. Lilleness
  • System and method for activity based configuration of an entertainment system
    Patent number: 8243207
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for reduction of infrared noise during communication between consumer appliances
    Patent number: 8244136
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating infrared (IR) communications from a first device, such as a set top box, to a second device, such as a remote control, in the presence of an IR noise generating device, such as a plasma television, by using at least one of the first device and the second device to actively reduce a level of IR noise being generated by the IR noise generating device during an IR transmission from the first device to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Garner, Graham Williams, William L. Brown
  • CONTROLLING DEVICE WITH SELECTIVELY ILLUMINATED USER INTERFACES
    Publication number: 20120200493
    Abstract: A controlling device using a source of energy, such as light energy, to provide the controlling device with a user interface having multiple, different visual appearances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Garfio, Cesar Alvarado
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY OF A PORTABLE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120200400
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for controlling device location determination
    Patent number: 8180373
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan de Clerq, Christopher Chambers, Wayne Scott, Allen Yuh, Paul D. Arling, Robert Lilleness
  • System and method for upgrading the functionality of a controlling device via a secure portable adapter device
    Patent number: 8181259
    Abstract: Secure access to a database of upgrade data is provided by storing an encryption key value in an adapter device used to interconnect a first device to be upgraded and a second device that is associated with the database of upgrade data. The second device allows access to the database of upgrade data via the adapter only once the adapter is positively authenticated by the second device through use of the encryption key value stored in the adapter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gerben Meijer, Jeremy Black, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for managing communication links
    Patent number: 8179892
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Alan Chambers
  • System and method for upgrading the functionality of a controlling device in a secure manner
    Patent number: 8166558
    Abstract: Secure access to a database of upgrade data is provided by storing an encryption key value in a cable used to interconnect a first device and a second device that is associated with the database of upgrade data. The second device allows access to the database of upgrade data via the cable only when the cable is first positively authenticated by the second device through use of the encryption key value stored in the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gerben Meijer, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for interactive appliance control
    Patent number: 8154381
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Kohanek
  • Controlling device with selectively illuminated user interfaces
    Patent number: 8149218
    Abstract: A controlling device using a source of energy, such as light energy, to provide the controlling device with a user interface having multiple, different visual appearances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alejandro Garfio, Cesar Alvarado
  • Customizable and upgradable devices and methods related thereto
    Patent number: 8098140
    Abstract: A remote control is configured by a user specifying a type and brand of a consumer electronic device. A plurality of function code sets that have been identified as being candidates for commanding operations of the specified type and brand of consumer electronic device are selected and at least a subset of each of the plurality of selected function code sets is made available such that a user may determine by experimentation which one of the plurality of function code sets is appropriate for commanding operations of the specified type and brand of consumer electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Escobosa, Patrick H. Hayes, James N. Conway, Jr.
  • System and method for using image data in connection with configuring a universal controlling device
    Patent number: 8094880
    Abstract: A method for configuring a universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. A system having an associated database of original equipment remote control images that are cross-referenced to configuration information for a respective plurality of appliances receives identification data that specifies at least a brand and type of an appliance. The system uses the received identification data to discern one or more images from the associated database as being a match for the received identification data. The one or more images from the associated database that were discerned as being a match for the received identification data are then displayed to allow for the selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for updating information in an electronic portable device
    Patent number: 8063923
    Abstract: A Web server by which a user can request that reminder data, movie guide data, and/or TV guide data be downloaded to a portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Lilleness, Steve LanPing Huang, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for controlling device location determination
    Patent number: 8059621
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan de Clerq, Christopher Chambers, Scott Wayne, Allen Yuh, Paul D. Arling, Robert Lilleness
  • Controlling device using visual cues to indicate appliance and function key relationships
    Patent number: 8049655
    Abstract: A controlling device, such as a universal remote control, that uses visual and/or audio cues, such as sounds, color, patterns, shapes, etc., to indicate a relationship between a function key and an intended target appliance for a command transmitted in response to activation of the function key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Conway, Jr., Adam N. Villani