Systems and methods for controlling device configuration in a networked environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12149761-B2
Application number	US-202217868506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2022
Priority date	Jan 15, 2021
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A system and method uses a first device fingerprint for a set-top box (STB) installed within a home theater environment which includes an over-the-top (OTT) device to cause a one a plurality of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) remote control setup procedures to be selected for use to configure an OEM remote control for the STB and the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures uses a second device fingerprint for the OTT device to cause the OEM remote control to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
using a first device fingerprint for a device installed within a home theater environment which includes an over-the-top (OTT) device to cause a one of a plurality of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) remote control setup procedures to be selected for use to configure an OEM remote control for the device;
causing the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures to be executed;
providing for use by the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures a second device fingerprint for the OTT device; and
using by the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures the second device fingerprint to cause the OEM remote control for the device to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures functions to invoke a setup procedure installed on the OEM remote control for the device and the second device fingerprint is provided directly to the OEM remote control for the device for use by the setup procedure installed on the OEM remote control for the device whereupon the setup procedure installed on the OEM remote control for the device will use the second fingerprint to cause the OEM remote control for the device to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising causing the OTT device to use the first device fingerprint to configure itself to use a communications channel and a protocol by which the OTT device can communicate at least the second device fingerprint to the OEM remote control for the device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the communications channel comprises one of an infrared red (IR) and a radio frequency (RF) communications channel.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures functions to invoke a setup procedure installed on the device and the second device fingerprint is provided directly to the device for use by the setup procedure installed on the device whereupon the setup procedure installed on the device will use the second fingerprint to cause the OEM remote control for the device to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the instructions further cause the OTT device to use the first device fingerprint to configure itself to use a communications channel and a protocol by which the OTT device can communicate at least the second device fingerprint to the device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the communications channel comprises one of an infrared red (IR) and a radio frequency (RF) communications channel.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is stored in a memory of the OTT device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is stored in a database associated with a remote server associated with the OTT device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures will use the second device fingerprint to identify and cause to be provided to the OEM remote control for the device for use by a setup procedure installed on the OEM remote control for the device data indicative of one or more commands and a communications protocol recognizable by the OTT device whereupon the setup procedure installed on the OEM remote control for the device will use the provided data to cause the OEM remote control for the device to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is executed at the OTT device.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is executed in part at a cloud server device in communication with the OTT device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the executing, selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures will use the second device fingerprint to identify and cause to be provided to the OEM remote control for the device for use by a setup procedure installed on the STB data indicative of one or more commands and a communications protocol recognizable by the OTT device whereupon the setup procedure installed on the STB will use the provided data to cause the OEM remote control for the device to be configured to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is executed at the OTT device.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup procedures is executed in part at a cloud server device in communication with the OTT device.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first device fingerprint is obtained from the device.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first device fingerprint is obtained from the OEM remote control for the device.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first device fingerprint identifies at least a brand for the device.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a set-top box device.

20. A method, comprising:
using a first device fingerprint for a device installed within a home theater environment which includes an over-the-top (OTT) device to cause a one of a plurality of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) remote control setup code lookup tables to be selected for use to configure an OEM remote control for the device;
using a second device fingerprint for the OTT device to identify a setup code within the selected one of the plurality of OEM remote control setup code lookup tables; and
using the identified setup code by a setup procedure to configure the OEM remote control for the device to transmit one or more commands to control functional operations of the OTT device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein the setup procedure is executed at least in part on the device.

22. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein the setup procedure is executed at least in part on the OEM remote control for the device.

23. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein the device comprises a set-top box (STB) device.

Assignees

• Universal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Arling Paul D

Classifications

• H04N21/4222

  Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy (remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415) · CPC title

• H04N21/8186

  specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control · CPC title

• H04N21/42204

  User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205) · CPC title

• H04N21/441

  Acquiring end-user identification {, e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card} · CPC title

• H04N21/443

  OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB · CPC title