Abstract: A signature comprised of a plurality of data blocks formatted in accordance with a multicast communications protocol is received from a target appliance. When it is determined that one or more of the plurality of data blocks has been populated with user data, a representation of at least a portion of signature is provided to an analytics engine for processing whereby the user data within the one or more of the plurality of data blocks is replaced with a predicted, original data. The predicted, original data is then usable to provision a controlling device with a command code set for use in communicating commands to the target appliance.

Abstract: A signature comprised of a plurality of data blocks formatted in accordance with a multicast communications protocol is received from a target appliance. When it is determined that one or more of the plurality of data blocks has been populated with user data, a representation of at least a portion of signature is provided to an analytics engine for processing whereby the user data within the one or more of the plurality of data blocks is replaced with a predicted, original data. The predicted, original data is then usable to provision a controlling device with a command code set for use in communicating commands to the target appliance.

Abstract: Information obtained from a smart device is used to determine a unique identity for the smart device. The identity for the smart device is then used to locate installed app information for the smart device. Data for installing one or more apps corresponding to the installed app information for the smart device is then provided to a setup app to thereby facilitate installation on the centralized, host device of the one or more apps corresponding to the installed app information for the smart device.

Abstract: A signature comprised of a plurality of data blocks formatted in accordance with a multicast communications protocol is received from a target appliance. When it is determined that one or more of the plurality of data blocks has been populated with user data, a representation of at least a portion of signature is provided to an analytics engine for processing whereby the user data within the one or more of the plurality of data blocks is replaced with a predicted, original data. The predicted, original data is then usable to provision a controlling device with a command code set for use in communicating commands to the target appliance.

Abstract: A signature comprised of a plurality of data blocks formatted in accordance with a multicast communications protocol is received from a target appliance. When it is determined that one or more of the plurality of data blocks has been populated with user data, a representation of at least a portion of signature is provided to an analytics engine for processing whereby the user data within the one or more of the plurality of data blocks is replaced with a predicted, original data. The predicted, original data is then usable to provision a controlling device with a command code set for use in communicating commands to the target appliance.

Abstract: A signature comprised of a plurality of data blocks formatted in accordance with a multicast communications protocol is received from a target appliance. When it is determined that one or more of the plurality of data blocks has been populated with user data, a representation of at least a portion of signature is provided to an analytics engine for processing whereby the user data within the one or more of the plurality of data blocks is replaced with a predicted, original data. The predicted, original data is then usable to provision a controlling device with a command code set for use in communicating commands to the target appliance.

Abstract: A system functions to recommend consumer electronic device 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.

Abstract: A system and method facilitates an enabling of a functionality of a first device by causing a first data that identifies the first device to be used to determine that the first device supports the functionality, determining that the functionality of the first device is not enabled, and causing a set of instructions for enabling the functionality of the first device to be presented to a user.

Abstract: A system and method functions to automatically determine a capability of a consumer electronic device and capabilities of ports of an appliance to which the consumer electronic device is connected. The system and method further detects a port of the appliance to which a consumer electronic device is connected. When it is determined that the consumer electronic device is not connected to a port of the appliance that best supports the determined capability of the consumer electronic device, the system and method will automatically provide a user with instructions, e.g., via use of a speaker and/or a display, by which the user can reconnect the consumer electronic device to another port of the appliance having a determined capability that is better suited to the determined capability of the consumer electronic device.