Patent ID: 9024733
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: G08C

Abstract:
1. A method of programming a universal remote control device for remotely controlling an appliance, the method comprising: an output of a human user interface asking a human user a series of multiple questions regarding exterior layout properties of a second remote control device for remotely controlling the appliance, the second remote control device being different than the universal remote control device and different than the appliance; an input of the human user interface receiving multiple responses from the human user to respective questions of the series of multiple questions regarding exterior layout properties of a second remote control device; a processing circuit communicating with the input of the human user interface and receiving the multiple responses to respective questions of the series of multiple questions regarding layout properties of a second remote control device, and selecting subsequent questions of the series of multiple questions depending on a combination of previous responses of the multiple respective responses, and determining layout properties of the second remote control device depending on the combination of the previous responses; the processor circuit determining the identity of the second remote control device depending on the determined layout properties of the second remote control device when sufficient exterior layout properties have been determined to identify the second remote control device; the processor circuit terminating the series of multiple questions when sufficient layout properties have been determined to identify the second remote control device; selection apparatus selecting a command set from a plurality of command sets for the universal remote control device dependent on the identification of the second remote control device for controlling the appliance; and a programming interface programming the universal remote control device to implement the selected command set which enables the universal remote control device for remotely controlling the appliance.