Patents Assigned to Universal Electronics Inc.
  • System and method for prioritizing and filtering CEC commands
    Patent number: 10917686
    Abstract: A first controllable appliance receives from a second controllable appliance a command for causing the first controllable appliance to be placed into a state and, in response, determines a trust level of the second controllable appliance. When it is determined that the second controllable appliance is trustworthy, the first controllable appliance executes the command. When it is determined that the second controllable appliance is untrustworthy, the first controllable appliance ignores the command. Otherwise, the first controllable appliance enters into a state in which the first controllable appliance waits for at least a predetermined period of time for a user to confirm whether or not the first controllable appliance should be caused to execute the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Arsham Hatambeiki
  • System and method for facilitating appliance control via a smart device
    Patent number: 10902716
    Abstract: A bridge device, in communication with a smart device, functions to command one or more controllable appliances in response to communications received from the smart device. The bridge device also includes input elements by which the bridge device can be used to directly command common functional operations of the one or more controllable appliances. In this manner, common functional operations, such as volume control, playback pause/resume control, etc., may be made readily available without necessitating the use of the smart device, whilst the more sophisticated GUI provided by the smart device remote control app may be advantageously utilized when more complex or less frequently used command functions are to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Perez, Joven Jubilo, Rex Xu, Jeffrey Kohanek, Brandt Thompson
  • Apparatus, system and method for promoting apps to smart devices
    Patent number: 10904727
    Abstract: Apparatus, system and method for promoting media apps to an end user of a smart device. The smart device gathers information of apps that have been installed into the smart device and provides this information to a remote server. The remote server compares the information sent by the smart device to an identification of promoted apps received from a remote source to identify apps that are not installed in the smart device that are included in the identification of promoted apps. The remote server then notifies the smart device of which apps in the identification of promoted apps are not installed into the smart device, so that a user of the smart device may choose to have the missing app installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Arsham Hatambeiki, Jon Gallegos
  • Apparatus, system and method for using a universal controlling device for displaying a graphical user element in a display device
    Patent number: 10896600
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method is described for controlling one or more consumer electronic devices that is performed by a smart device. The smart device causes one or more graphical elements, each for performing a particular operation to be displayed. The smart device then causes an action to be performed when the user selects one of the graphical elements, for example by pressing one of the keys on the universal controlling device or by speaking a command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Rex Xu, Jesus Perez, Jon Gallegos
  • System and method for appliance detection and app configuration
    Patent number: 10893094
    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: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Arsham Hatambeiki
  • 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 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 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 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 presenting program guide information in an electronic portable device
    Patent number: 10728626
    Abstract: A controlling device is provided with the ability to present personalized program guide information by using personal preferences provided to a home computing device. The personal preferences are used to filter program guide data received at the home computing device whereby the program guide data will include only programming information for user-specified sources of programming for each of plural, different user-specified periods of time. The filtered program guide data is then downloaded to the controlling device from the home computing device for use in connection with an application of the controlling device that functions to display program guide information within a display of the controlling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes
  • 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
  • Remote control housing
    Patent number: D909314
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Ryan, Richard Remmes, Alex Lai