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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for using an RFID tag to automatically setup and configure a universal remote control to command appliances of various types and various manufacturers.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a controlling device to allow the controlling device to generate commands for commanding operations of a new appliance which new appliance was previously unable to be supported by the controlling device. The system and method uses a definition input into the controlling device to create a new device data set for use in generating commands to command operations of the new appliance. The new device data set is a new combination of elements selected from device data sets already stored within a memory of the controlling device.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a controlling device to allow the controlling device to generate commands for commanding operations of a new appliance which new appliance was previously unable to be supported by the controlling device. The system and method uses a definition input into the controlling device to create a new device data set for use in generating commands to command operations of the new appliance. The new device data set is a new combination of elements selected from device data sets already stored within a memory of the controlling device.

Abstract: A system and method for using a hand held device having a display to display a readable representation of an audio track of a playing media such as, for example, a television program, a compact disc, or digital video disc. In one embodiment, the system generally includes a consumer appliance for playing the media wherein the consumer appliance is adapted to transmit a signal including data that is a representation of the audio track. In a further embodiment, the representation of the audio track can be downloaded to the hand-held device from an external source such as, for example, a Web site on the Internet.

Abstract: A hand-held device having a display and a browser application which supports functionality particularly suited for the hand-held device. For example, the browser application supports a full screen tag which allows information to be displayed as a full screen within the display. The browser application may also support a tag for use in displaying a link the activation of which will cause the hand-held device to transmit command codes to a consumer appliance. Still further, the browser application can support a tag which the hand-held device can use to issue reminders.

Abstract: A system and method for using an RFID tag to automatically setup and configure a universal remote control to command appliances of various types and various manufacturers.

Abstract: An electronic program guide system. A program schedule is presentable in a display as a grid of two-dimensionally arranged cells with a program identifier being displayed in each of the cells, the grid having a plurality of channels listed in a first dimension and time listed in a second dimension of which a portion of the entirety of the grid is displayable in the display. A user may interact with the electronic program guide to change the program schedule information that is displayed and/or to transmit one or more command codes to a target appliance.

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.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for using a hand held device having a display to display information related to a consumer appliance. In one described embodiment the system generally includes the consumer appliance which has a memory in which is stored an electronic document including instructions relevant to the operation of the consumer appliance. The consumer appliance is adapted to communicate with the hand-held device. In this manner, the consumer appliance can transmit signals indicative of the electronic document to the hand-held device and the hand-held device can display in the display a representation of the electronic document. In another described embodiment, the system generally includes the hand-held device and a Web site which stores instructions relevant to the operation of the consumer appliance. The hand-held device is adapted to communicate with the Web site to retrieve the instructions for display in the display.

Abstract: A system and method for using a hand held device having a display to display a readable representation of an audio track of a playing media such as, for example, a television program, a compact disc, or digital video disc. In one embodiment, the system generally includes a consumer appliance for playing the media wherein the consumer appliance is adapted to transmit a signal including data that is a representation of the audio track. In a further embodiment, the representation of the audio track can be downloaded to the hand-held device from an external source such as, for example, a Web site on the Internet.