System and method for automatically setting up a universal remote control

摘要

A system and method for configuring a remote control to command the operation of appliances, to capture demographic data, and to provide services, such as automated warranty registration, instructions, viewing guides, etc., relevant to the appliances is provided. The system includes a database and associated server that are located remotely from the remote control and accessible via a network connection. Command codes, graphical user interface elements, and services are accessed and downloaded to the remote control, as appropriate, using data supplied to the server that identifies the appliances and/or functional capabilities of the appliances. This data can be supplied by the appliances directly or can be obtained from other sources such as barcode labels, network devices, etc.

主权项

1. A non-transitory, computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions for use in configuring a controlling device to command the operation of an appliance, the instructions, when executed by a processing device of the controlling device, cause the controlling device to perform steps comprising:
obtaining data that functions to identify the appliance; providing the data that functions to identify the appliance to a device having Internet connectivity; causing the device having Internet connectivity to further communicate, via a wide area communication link, the data that functions to identify the appliance to an Internet server device having access to a database of control codes for commanding the operation of a plurality of appliances of different types and different manufacturers whereupon the Internet server device will be caused to return to the device having Internet connectivity, via the wide area communication link, one or more control codes wherein the one or more control codes are selected from the database of control codes as a function of the data that functions to identify the appliance; receiving from the device having Internet connectivity the one or more control codes that were caused to be returned to the device having Internet connectivity by the Internet server device; and storing the one or more control codes received from the device having Internet connectivity in a memory of the controlling device whereby the one or more control codes are available for use in commanding the operation of the appliance.