System and method for rapid configuration of a universal controlling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398242-B2
Application number	US-27230908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2008
Priority date	Nov 17, 2008
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A universal controlling device is provided with one or more buttons which, when activated in a set up mode, serves to initiate a rapid configuration of the controlling device to utilize one of a group of pre-selected command data sets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal controlling device, comprising:
a memory in which is stored a plurality of command code data sets for a plurality of devices;
a transmission circuit;
a processing unit in communication with the memory and the transmission circuit which uses one or more of the command code data sets stored in the memory to cause the transmission circuit to transmit commands to control functional operations of one or more of the plurality of devices;
a key matrix in communication with the processing unit comprising a setup input element used to place the universal controlling device into a setup operating mode of the universal controlling device, a plurality of command input elements each used to cause the universal controlling device to transmit commands to control functional operations of one or more of the plurality of devices when the controlling device is in a one of a plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device, and a plurality of quick setup input elements used in connection with the setup operating mode of the universal controlling device wherein each of the plurality of quick setup input elements is mapped to only one of a group of command code data sets within the plurality of command code data sets and wherein the group of command code data sets has been predetermined to be applicable to at least a common one of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device; and
programming executable by the processing unit which, in response to activation of a one of the plurality of the quick setup input elements while in the setup operating mode of the universal remote control, causes the processing unit to establish an association between the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the universal controlling device and the one of the command code data sets of the group of command code data sets that is mapped to the activated one of the plurality of quick setup input elements such that, in response to the universal controlling device being subsequently placed into the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device, each of the command input elements will be associated with a corresponding command code data from the one of the command code data sets and a subsequent activation of a one of the command input elements will cause the processing unit to use the corresponding command code data when transmitting via the transmission circuit commands to control functional operations of a one of the plurality of devices.

2. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the programming requires simultaneous activation of the setup input element and the one of the plurality of quick setup input elements for at least a predetermined period of time before the processing unit establishes an association between the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the universal controlling device and the one of the command code data sets of the group of command code data sets that is mapped to the activated one of the plurality of quick setup input elements.

3. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the key matrix comprises a plurality of appliance control operating mode input elements used to place the universal controlling device into a corresponding one of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device.

4. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the programming causes the processing unit to use an activation of a one of the plurality of appliance control operating mode input elements when establishing an association between the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the universal controlling device and the one of the command code data sets of the group of command code data sets that is mapped to the activated one of the plurality of quick setup input elements.

5. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 4 , wherein the program requires activation of the one of the plurality of appliance control operating mode input elements prior to a simultaneous activation of the setup input element and the one of the plurality of quick setup input elements before the processing unit establishes an association between the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the universal controlling device and the one of the command code data sets of the group of command code data sets that is mapped to the activated one of the plurality of quick setup input elements.

6. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device comprises an appliance control operating mode in which activations of the command input elements cause transmission of commands to control functional operations of a television device.

7. The universal controlling device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device comprises an appliance control operating mode in which activations of the command input elements cause transmission of commands to control functional operations of a set top box device.

8. A universal controlling device, comprising:
a memory in which is stored a plurality of command code data sets for a plurality of devices;
a transmission circuit;
a processing unit in communication with the memory and the transmission circuit which uses one or more of the command code data sets stored in the memory to cause the transmission circuit to transmit commands to control functional operations of one or more of the plurality of devices;
a key matrix in communication with the processing unit comprising a setup input element used to place the universal controlling device into a setup operating mode of the universal controlling device, a plurality of command input elements each used to cause the universal controlling device to transmit commands to control functional operations of one or more of the plurality of devices when the controlling device is in a one of a plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device, and a plurality of quick setup input elements used in connection with the setup operating mode of the universal controlling device wherein each of the plurality of quick setup input elements is mapped to only one of a group of command code data sets within the plurality of command code data sets and wherein the group of command code data sets has been predetermined to be applicable to at least a common one of the plurality of appliance control operating modes of the universal controlling device; and
programming executable by the processing unit which, in response to activation of the setup input element, causes the processing unit to determine if a one of the plurality of the quick setup input elements or a one of the plurality of command input elements has been activated and, if it is determined that a one of the plurality of quick setup input elements has been activated, causes the processing unit to establish an association between the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the universal controlling device and the one of the command code data sets of the group of command code data sets that is mapped to the activated one of the plurality of quick setup input elements such that, in response to the universal controlling device being subsequently placed into the at least one common appliance control operating mode of the plurality of appli

Assignees

• Kohanek Jeffrey
• Black Jeremy K
• Universal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kohanek Jeffrey
• Black Jeremy K

Classifications

• H04N21/42225

  characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control · CPC title

• H04N21/42227

  the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys · CPC title

• H04N2005/4435

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G08C19/28 Primary

  using pulse code · CPC title

• G08C2201/92

  Universal remote control · CPC title