System And Method For Effectively Performing A Remote Control Configuration Procedure
A system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure includes a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source and a television that is configured to reproduce the electronic programming. A remote control device controls various functionalities of the television over an RC-TV communications link. The remote control configuration procedure is coordinated by the television and a configuration server to allow the remote control device to also control various functionalities of the settop box over an RC-STB communication link. The television and the configuration server support a user-friendly interactive procedure to automatically determine and provide certain settop-box control information for adding appropriate settop-box control functions to the remote control device during the remote control configuration procedure.
This application is a Continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/717,324, entitled “System And Method For Effectively Performing A Remote Control Configuration Procedure,” filed on Mar. 13, 2007. This related application is commonly assigned, and is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND SECTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to techniques for controlling electronic devices, and relates more particularly to a system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure.
2. Description of the Background Art
Implementing effective methods for controlling electronic devices is a significant consideration for designers and manufacturers of contemporary electronic systems. However, effectively controlling electronic devices may create substantial challenges for system designers. For example, enhanced demands for increased control functionality and device performance may require more operating power and require additional hardware resources. An increase in power or hardware requirements may also result in a corresponding detrimental economic impact due to increased production costs and operational inefficiencies.
Furthermore, enhanced device capability to perform various advanced control operations may provide additional benefits to a system user, but may also place increased demands on the control and management of various system components. For example, an enhanced control system that effectively controls digital television systems may benefit from an efficient implementation because of the large amount and complexity of the digital data involved.
Due to growing demands on device control functionality and substantially increasing data magnitudes, it is apparent that developing new techniques for controlling electronic systems is a matter of concern for related electronic technologies. Therefore, for all the foregoing reasons, developing effective techniques for providing appropriate device-control functionality remains a significant consideration for designers, manufacturers, and users of contemporary electronic devices.
SUMMARYIn accordance with the present invention, a system and method are disclosed for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure. In one embodiment, a television system includes a television (TV), a settop box (STB), a configuration server, and a remote control (RC) for controlling the television. In accordance with the present invention, the remote-control configuration procedure may be automatically performed to advantageously reconfigure the remote control with additional functionalities for also controlling the settop box.
Initially, a remote control configuration mode is entered in response to any predefined configuration trigger event. For example, a remote control configuration procedure may be automatically triggered when the television system is initially installed. Alternately, remote control configuration procedures may be manually triggered by a system user in response to any appropriate event or occurrence, such as the introduction of a different settop box into the television system.
An RC configuration module of the television automatically connects to the configuration server by utilizing any appropriate techniques. For example, the television may transmit a network login communication, including an Internet Protocol (IP) address, to the configuration server. An RC configuration manager of the configuration server responsively reads the IP address of the television, and then accesses a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale (approximate physical location) for the television based upon its corresponding IP address.
The RC configuration manager of the configuration server next accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for the particular settop box, based upon the locale of the television. The RC configuration manager of the configuration server then notifies the RC configuration module of the television regarding the probable vendor(s) of the settop box. The RC configuration module of the television responsively displays one or more simple leading questions on a local display to allow a system user to interactively confirm the actual vendor of the particular settop box in a non-demanding and user-friendly manner. The system user confirms the actual vendor of the settop box by utilizing any effective means. For example, the system user may utilize the remote control to respond to the vendor question(s) presented upon the television.
The RC configuration module of the television confirms the actual vendor of the settop box to the RC configuration manager of the configuration server. The RC configuration manager responsively accesses an STB-model lookup table to determine appropriate STB model information for the different possible settop boxes based upon the vendor information previously provided by the television. The STB model information may include any relevant types of information. For example, the STB model information may include model numbers and digital images for the different types of settop boxes supported by the vendor at that specific locale.
The RC configuration manager of the configuration server uploads the STB model information to the television. In response, the RC configuration module of the television displays the received STB model information, and also displays one or more simple leading questions to allow the system user to interactively confirm the actual model of the settop box in a non-demanding and user-friendly manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the television may display, either sequentially or simultaneously, digital images of the different types of settop boxes currently supported by the vendor at that specific locale.
The system user may then confirm the actual model of the settop box in any effective and appropriate manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the system user may utilize the remote control to simply select the displayed digital image that resembles the settop box of the television system. The RC configuration module of the television then confirms the actual model of the settop box to the RC configuration manager of the configuration server. The RC configuration manager responsively accesses a control-information lookup table to determine appropriate STB control information for the identified model of the settop box model. The STB control information may include any relevant types of information. For example, the STB control information may include, but is not limited to, specific control codes to support various functions of the particular settop box.
The RC configuration manager of the configuration server uploads the appropriate identified STB control information to the television which may then responsively provide the received STB control information to the remote control by utilizing any appropriate transmission techniques or methods. For example, the television may transfer the STB control information to the remote control by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions. In certain embodiments, the television may alternately transfer the STB control information to the remote control by utilizing any effective Near-Field Communication (NFC) techniques or possibly infrared (IR) communication techniques.
A RC configuration controller of the remote control may then utilize the received STB control information to advantageously update remote control functionalities of the remote control to thereby support controlling both the settop box and the television. Finally, the system user may utilize the updated remote control functionality to effectively control the settop box. For at least the foregoing reasons, the present invention thus provides an improved system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure.
The present invention relates to an improvement in remote control systems. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
The present invention is described herein as a system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure, and includes a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source and a television that is configured to reproduce the electronic programming. A remote control device controls various functionalities of the television over an RC-TV communications link. The remote control configuration procedure is coordinated by the television and a configuration server to allow the remote control device to also control various functionalities of the settop box over an RC-STB communication link. The television and the configuration server support a user-friendly interactive procedure to automatically determine and provide certain settop-box control information for adding appropriate settop-box control functions to the remote control device during the remote control configuration procedure.
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In accordance with the present invention, program source 146 may include any appropriate functionalities or entities. For example, program source 146 may include, but is not limited to, a cable broadcasting network and/or a satellite broadcasting network. In addition, the foregoing content may include, but is not limited to, entertainment programming, movies, video data, audio data, digital photographs, still image data, graphics, web pages, program guide information, video games, and various types of software programs.
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In certain embodiments, the foregoing remote control configuration procedure may be performed in a user-friendly manner by implementing television system 110 to automatically perform most of the configuration procedures without direct involvement by the system user. For example, in certain embodiments, user input during the remote control configuration procedure may be limited to answering a minimal number of simple leading questions after being prompted by a user interface displayed on television 118. In certain embodiments, the foregoing questions may be limited to easy yes/no questions whose answers are either “yes” or “no.”
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In various embodiments, the altered functionality of each of the buttons or other control means on remote control 330 may be indicated on RC function GUI 814 by utilizing any appropriate techniques or methods. In the
In certain alternate embodiments, RC function GUI 814 may simply provide static descriptions for each of the new functions of RC button array 818. Alternately, in embodiments in which remote control 114 can be switched to different control modes that each corresponding to a different respective electronic device, the
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In step 918, an RC configuration module 326 of television 118 automatically logs into configuration server 126 (
In step 926, RC configuration manager 726 next accesses a vendor lookup table 734 to determine one or more probable vendors for the particular settop box 126 of television system 110 based upon the previously-determined specific locale of television 118. In step 930, RC configuration manager 726 of configuration server 142 notifies RC configuration module 326 of television 118 regarding the one or more probable vendors of settop box 126, based upon information from vendor lookup table 734.
In step 934, RC configuration module 326 of television 118 displays one or more simple leading questions on a local display 222 (
In step 942, the RC configuration module 326 of television 118 confirms the actual vendor of settop box 126 to the RC configuration manager 726 of configuration server 142. In step 946, RC configuration manager 726 responsively accesses a STB-model lookup table 738 to determine appropriate STB model information for the possible different settop boxes 126 based upon the actual vendor previously provided by television 118. The settop box model information may include any relevant types of information. For example, the settop box model information may include model numbers and digital images for the different types of settop boxes supported by the actual vendor at that specific locale.
In step 950, RC configuration manager 726 uploads the STB-model information to television 118. In step 954, the RC configuration module 326 of television 118 displays the received STB-model information on display 222, and asks one or more simple leading questions to allow the system user to interactively confirm the actual model of settop box 126 in a non-demanding and user-friendly manner. For example, in certain embodiments, television 118 may display, either sequentially or simultaneously, the digital images for the different types of settop boxes supported by the actual vendor at that specific locale.
In step 958, the system user may then confirm the actual model of settop box 126 in any effective and appropriate manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the system user may utilize remote control 114 to simply select the displayed digital image that resembles the settop box 126 of television system 110. The
In step 966, RC configuration manager 726 responsively accesses a control-information lookup table 742 to determine appropriate STB control information for the actual settop box 126, as indicated by the system user through television 118. The STB control information may include any relevant types of information. For example, in the
In step 970, RC configuration manager 726 uploads the appropriate identified STB control information to television 118. In step 974, television 118 then provides the received STB control information to remote control 114 by utilizing any appropriate transmission techniques or methods. For example, television 118 may transfer the STB control information to remote control 114 by utilizing appropriate low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions. In certain embodiments, television 118 may alternately transfer the STB control information to remote control 114 by utilizing appropriate Near-Field Communication (NFC) techniques, as discussed above in conjunction with
In step 978, an RC configuration controller of remote control 114 may utilize the received STB control information to advantageously update remote control functionalities of remote control 114 to thereby support controlling both STB 126 and television 118. In step 980, the updated functions of remote control 114 may be displayed in any appropriate manner for review by a system user. Finally, in step 982, the system user may utilize the updated remote control functionality to effectively control STB 126. The
The invention has been explained above with reference to certain embodiments. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, the present invention may readily be implemented using configurations and techniques other than those described in the embodiments above. Additionally, the present invention may effectively be used in conjunction with systems other than those described above. Therefore, these and other variations upon the discussed embodiments are intended to be covered by the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A remote control for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:
- an RC application that controls a first device over a first communications link, said remote control coordinating a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control a second device over a second communication link, said remote control accessing control information for adding control functions to said remote control during said configuration procedure; and
- a processor that controls said RC application.
2. The remote control of claim 1 further comprising a configuration server that said remote control interacts with to identify and obtain said control information.
3. The remote control of claim 2 wherein said remote control communicates with said configuration server over an Internet network, said second device being implemented as a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source, said first device being implemented as a remote control that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming.
4. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said second device is alternately implemented as a cable-television settop box or a satellite-television settop box.
5. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said configuration procedure is initiated in response to a configuration trigger event that alternately includes an initial setup procedure for said television or a replacement installation of said second device.
6. The remote control of claim 2 wherein said remote control automatically transmits a network login communication, including an IP address, to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale for said remote control based upon said IP address.
7. The remote control of claim 6 wherein said configuration server accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for said second device based upon said specific locale of said remote control, said configuration server notifying said remote control regarding said one or more probable vendors for said second device based upon vendor information from said vendor lookup table.
8. The remote control of claim 7 wherein said remote control displays a vendor identification question about said one or more probable vendors to allow a system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual vendor of said second device.
9. The remote control of claim 8 wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question for which said system user may respond either “yes” or “no.”
10. The remote control of claim 8 wherein said remote control confirms said actual vendor of said second device to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a model lookup table to determine model information for possible devices supported in said specific locale by said actual vendor, said configuration server then uploading said model information to said remote control.
11. The remote control of claim 10 wherein said model information includes model numbers and/or digital images for said possible devices supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images or said model numbers.
12. The remote control of claim 10 wherein said remote control displays said model information, said remote control also displaying a model identification question about said possible devices to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said second device.
13. The remote control of claim 12 wherein said remote control confirms said actual model of said second device to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a control-information lookup table to determine control information for said actual model of said second device.
14. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said control information includes specific control codes to support adding said control functions to said remote control.
15. The remote control of claim 13 wherein said configuration server uploads said control information to said remote control, said remote control responsively providing said control information to said remote control.
16. The remote control of claim 15 wherein said remote control receives said control information by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions.
17. The remote control of claim 15 wherein said remote control receives said control information by utilizing Near-Field Communication techniques.
18. The remote control of claim 15 wherein said remote control utilizes said control information to update remote control functionalities of said remote control to support controlling both said second device and said first device.
19. The remote control of claim 1 wherein said remote control generates an RC GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed.
20. The remote control of claim 19 wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 7, 2014
Publication Date: Jan 22, 2015
Inventors: Robert Hardacker (Escondido, CA), Steven Richman (Parker, CO)
Application Number: 14/507,909
International Classification: H04N 21/422 (20060101);