Patents Assigned to Universal Electronics
  • System and method for simplified setup of a universal remote control
    Patent number: 7907222
    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: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Steve LanPing Huang, Patrick H. Hayes
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED COMMAND INPUT
    Publication number: 20110055772
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Arsham Hatambeiki, Jeffrey Kohanek, Pamela Eichler Keiles, Patrick H. Hayes
  • User interface for a remote control application
    Patent number: 7895532
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheryl Scott, Wayne Scott, Steve LanPing Huang
  • MEDIA RETURN SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20110033167
    Abstract: A system includes a consumer electronic device adapted to render a media content and a hand-held, portable device having a touch screen display, a transmitter, a receiver, and a processing unit. The processing unit of the hand-held, portable device uses data related to the media content received via the receiver to cause command icons related to rendering of the media content to be defined and displayed in the touch screen display and to cause the transmitter to transmit one or more commands for controlling a functional operation related to rendering of the media content by the consumer electronic device in response to a user interaction with one or more of the command icons caused to displayed in the touch screen display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Paul D. Arling, Patrick H. Hayes, John E. Hyatt
  • CONTROLLING DEVICE WITH DUAL-MODE, TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY
    Publication number: 20110025633
    Abstract: A processing device of a universal controlling device is programmed to distinguish between a first input type provided to a touch-sensitive surface and a second input type provided to the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the first input type which is indicative of a static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface the processing device causes a transmitter to transmit first data representative of the static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the second input type which is indicative of a moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface, the processing device causes the transmitter to transmit second data being representative of the moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Craig M. Janik
  • DEVICE THAT MANAGES POWER PROVIDED TO AN OBJECT SENSOR
    Publication number: 20110018807
    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: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Gates, Jeremy K. Black
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20110018693
    Abstract: Data indicative of topography of an object of interest is received at a recognition system having an associated database in which is stored topography data for a plurality of reference objects each of which is cross-referenced to configuration information for a universal controlling device. The reference system uses the received data and the topography data for the plurality of reference objects to discern one or more reference objects as being a match for the object of interest. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the one or more reference objects discerned by the recognition system as being a match for the object of interest is then used to configure the universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Lim, Joseph Lee Haughawout
  • System and methods for interacting with a control environment
    Patent number: 7877705
    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: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Chambers, Wayne Scott, Cheryl Scott, Allen Yuh, Paul D. Arling
  • Controlling device using visual cues to indicate appliance and function key relationships
    Patent number: 7876255
    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: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Conway, Jr., Adam N. Villani
  • Controlling device having multiple user interfaces
    Patent number: 7872642
    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: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick H. Hayes, Sandro David Klein
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURATION OF MACRO COMMANDS IN A CONTROLLING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20100332979
    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: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Rex Xu, Cesar Alvarado
  • USER INTERFACE FOR A REMOTE CONTROL APPLICATION
    Publication number: 20100321201
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Steve LanPing Huang, Cheryl Scott, Wayne Scott
  • USER INTERFACE FOR A REMOTE CONTROL APPLICATION
    Publication number: 20100313169
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Steve LanPing Huang, Cheryl Scott, Wayne Scott
  • System and method for displaying a user interface for a remote control application
    Patent number: 7831930
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Mauro Dresti, Patrick H. Hayes, Robert Campbell, Steve LanPing Huang, Weidong William Wang, Han-Sheng Yuh, James N. Conway, Jr., Sandro David Klein, Alex Louie, Cheryl Scott, Wayne Scott
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20100281066
    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: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Lee Haughawout, Patrick H. Hayes
  • Two way communication using light links
    Patent number: 7825995
    Abstract: Two-way communications between a video system and a control device is disclosed. The communications links comprise visible light, IR light, or a combination of visible and IR light. The communications link provide a convenient route to capture data or lock system features or various combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Mauro Dresti, Patrick H. Hayes, Youping (Edward) Yun
  • Interface adapter for a portable media player device
    Patent number: 7827344
    Abstract: A “smart cable” that connects one or more peripheral devices to a digital media player having multiple, different types of input and/or output connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas Kalayjian
  • Device that manages power provided to an object sensor
    Patent number: 7821499
    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: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Brian Gates, Jeremy K. Black
  • Controlling device with dual-mode, touch-sensitive display
    Patent number: 7821504
    Abstract: A processing device of a universal controlling device is programmed to distinguish between a first input type provided to a touch-sensitive surface and a second input type provided to the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the first input type which is indicative of a static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface the processing device causes a transmitter to transmit first data representative of the static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the second input type which is indicative of a moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface, the processing device causes the transmitter to transmit second data being representative of the moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Craig M. Janik
  • Media return system
    Patent number: 7821419
    Abstract: A remote control stores a sequence of key strokes in memory for as long as a predetermined key of a plurality of keys of the remote control is held down. The stored sequence of key strokes may then be repeated, for example, upon release of the predetermined key or upon further activation and release of the predetermined key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick H. Hayes, John E. Hyatt