Patent ID: 8079050

Claim:
A method for configuring a display device using a remote control, the method comprising steps of: transmitting a signal to a configuration proxy requesting configuration status of the display device; setting a timeout period for waiting for a configuration status response from the configuration proxy; waiting for the first to occur of receiving the configuration status response from the configuration proxy or waiting for the timeout period; determining whether the configuration status response is received from the configuration proxy within the predetermined period of time and the configuration status response indicates that the display device is accessible and the display device includes a currently viewable display unit; obtaining help information based on the configuration status response received from the configuration proxy or lack of receiving the configuration status response prior to passage of the timeout period, wherein the obtaining step obtains the help information based on contents of the configuration status response when the determining step determined that the configuration status response is received from the configuration proxy within the predetermined period of time and the configuration status response indicates that the display device is accessible and the display device includes a currently viewable display unit, and wherein the obtaining step obtains the help information that indicates that the display device does not include a currently viewable display unit when the determining step determined that the configuration status response is received from the configuration proxy within the predetermined period of time and the configuration status response indicates that the display device is accessible but the display device does not include a currently viewable display unit; and displaying the help information based on the contents of the configuration status response on the display unit of the display device when the determining step determined that the configuration status response is received from the configuration proxy within the predetermined period of time and the configuration status response indicates that the display device is accessible and the display device includes a currently viewable display unit, and displaying the help information that indicates that the display device does not include a currently viewable display unit on a display unit of the remote control when the determining step determined that the configuration status response is received from the configuration proxy within the predetermined period of time and the configuration status response indicates that the display device is accessible but the display device does not include a currently viewable display unit.