System and method for configuration of network-capable appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9450814-B2
Application number	US-201614989510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 28, 2007
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A controlling device is used to configure a target device for wireless network communications through use of a setup wizard. The setup wizard is used to obtain information required to perform communications on a wireless network via a wireless network router and a digital representation of the information obtained through use of the setup wizard is provided to the target device via use of the controlling device. The target device will use the digital representation of the information to configure itself for wireless network communications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using a controlling device to configure a target device for association with a wireless local area network, comprising:
using data indicative of at least the type and make of the target device to select from a library of communication protocols a communication protocol appropriate for transmitting commands to the target device;
provisioning the selected communication protocol to the controlling device to thereby enable the controlling device to transmit communications to the target device in response to activations of input elements of the controlling device; and
in response to an activation of one or more predetermined input elements of the controlling device, causing the controlling device to use the provisioned, selected communication protocol to transmit to the target device a communication having network configuration information whereupon the target device will use the network configuration information to configure itself for association with the wireless local area network.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the selected communication protocol comprises an infrared, wireless communication protocol.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of at least the type and make of the target device is provided to a further device in communication with the controlling device, wherein the further device has an associated data repository from which is selected the communication protocol appropriate for transmitting commands to the target device, and wherein the selected communication protocol is transferred from the computing device to the controlling device for provisioning to the controlling device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of at least the type and make of the target device is provided to the controlling device, wherein the controlling device is associated with a remotely located data repository from which is selected the communication protocol appropriate for transmitting commands to the target device, and wherein the selected communication protocol is transferred from the remotely located data repository to the controlling device for provisioning to the controlling device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of at least the type and make of the target device is provided to the controlling device and wherein the controlling device has a memory in which is stored the library of communication protocols.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the selected communication protocol comprises a radio frequency communication protocol.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network configuration information comprises data representative of at least a network name.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network configuration information comprises data representative of at least a network password.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device is caused to communicate a command to the target device to place the target device into a mode to receive the network configuration information prior to transmitting to the target device the communication having the network configuration information.

Assignees

• Universal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Negron Eric
• Hayes Patrick H

Classifications

• H04N21/42225

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

• H04L41/0803 Primary

  Configuration setting · CPC title

• H04L41/5067

  Customer-centric QoS measurements · CPC title

• H04L41/0813

  characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings · 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