Patents Assigned to Universal Electronics Inc.
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 11113954
    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: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • Device that manages power provided to an object sensor
    Patent number: 11099668
    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: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Gates, Jeremy K. Black
  • System and method for ubiquitous appliance control
    Patent number: 11102538
    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: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Black, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for appliance control via a personal communication or entertainment device
    Patent number: 11079928
    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: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Negron, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for reconfiguration of an entertainment system controlling device
    Patent number: 11076196
    Abstract: An entertainment device initiates a configuration process of a controlling device in response to 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • System and method for retrieving information while commanding operation of an appliance
    Patent number: 11032598
    Abstract: Media rendering system including a remote control device and associated docking station. The remote control device interfaces with a remote server to stream media content for local and/or external playback. The remote control device may interface with a docking station to playback rendered media on one or more entertainment appliances. The portable device preferably has standard remote control capability in order to enable advanced features and functions for media playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Marcel Hilbrink, Patrick H. Hayes, Jeremy K. Black
  • System and method for interacting with a program guide displayed on a portable electronic device
    Patent number: 11032600
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a plurality of consumer electronic devices by displaying a plurality of broadcast channel identifiers each corresponding to a broadcast channel in a display of a controlling device adapted to command at least channel tuning operations of the plurality of consumer electronic devices. Input is accepted into the controlling device that functions to designate one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers and the controlling device uses the designation of the one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers to cause a transmission of a wireless signal from the controlling device to a one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to thereby cause the one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices to tune to the broadcast channel corresponding to the designated one of the plurality of broadcast channel identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Mauro Dresti, Sandro David Klein, Alex Louie, Han-Sheng Yu, Steve LanPing Huang, Patrick H. Hayes, Weidong William Wang
  • System and method for configuring controlling device functionality
    Patent number: 11006165
    Abstract: A controlling device is automatically configured to issue a communication directly to a first controllable appliance to control a functional operation of the first controllable appliance in the event that the first controllable appliance is determined to be unresponsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link or to issue a communication to a second controllable appliance to control the functional operation of the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link in the event that first controllable appliance is determined to be responsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Barnett, Arsham Hatambeiki, Rex Xu, Jesus Perez
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10991239
    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: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Ramzi Ammari, Arsham Hatambeiki, Graham Williams, Brian Barnett
  • System and method for appliance control via a network
    Patent number: 10984651
    Abstract: A first remote control application is configured to cause a smart device to transmit at least one command for controlling at least one functional operation of a controllable appliance in response to a user interface element of the smart device being activated while a second remote control application of a bridge device is configured to cause the bridge device to transmit at least one command for controlling at least one functional operation of the controllable appliance in response to receiving at the bridge device the at least one command transmitted from the smart device. The at least one command is transmitted from the smart device using a first transmission protocol and the at least one command is transmitted from the bridge device using a transmission protocol recognized by the controllable appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Jeffrey Kohanek, Norman G. Sheridan
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10970997
    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: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10970999
    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: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Maryam Owrang, Nicu Ahmadi, Jan Van Ee, Chris Chambers, Arsham Hatambeiki, Brian Barnett
  • Selecting a picture of a device to identify an associated codeset
    Patent number: 10949064
    Abstract: A browser device communicates via Wi-Fi with a central function device. The function device has information regarding all the various remote controls needed by the consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Pope, Raymond O. Chock, Norman G. Sheridan
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10943469
    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: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10937306
    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 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10937308
    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: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10937305
    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: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett
  • Apparatus, system and method for directing voice input in a controlling device
    Patent number: 10930276
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a controllable appliance resident in an environment which includes a device adapted to receive speech input. The system and method establishes a noise threshold for the environment in which the device is operating, receives at the device a speech input, determines a noise level for the environment at the time the speech input is received by the device, compares the determined noise level to the established noise threshold, and causes one or more commands to be automatically issued to the controllable device to thereby cause the controllable device to transition from a first volume level to a second volume level that is less than the first volume level when the determined noise level for the environment is greater than the established noise threshold for the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Arsham Hatambeiki
  • System and method for simplified activity based setup of a controlling device
    Patent number: 10922959
    Abstract: A controlling device having an activity mode corresponding to a controllable activity in which activation of a command key within a logical group of command keys of the controlling device causes a transmission of command data to control one or more functional operations of an intended target appliance. For a controllable activity the controlling device has a memory in which is stored a plurality of predetermined appliance to logical group of command keys mappings. To configure the controlling device for the controllable activity one or more predetermined keys of the controlling device are activated to thereby designate one or more intended target appliances for the controllable activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kohanek, Ramzi Ammari
  • System and method for optimized appliance control
    Patent number: 10922958
    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: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Brian Barnett