Patent ID: 8094880

Claim:
A method for configuring a universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to a target appliance, comprising: receiving identification data that specifies at least a brand and type of at least one appliance at a system having an associated database of original equipment remote control images as captured from the original equipment remote control via use of an imaging device; using the system to discern one or more images from the associated database as being a match for the received identification data; displaying the one or more images from the associated database that were discerned as being a match for the received identification data; receiving a selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images; using the selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images to identify command data appropriate for communicating commands to the target appliance; causing the identified command data to be provisioned to the universal controlling device to thereby enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to the target appliance; using the selection of one or more of the displayed plurality of images to identify one or more graphical user interface elements from a library of graphical user interface elements which identified one or more graphical user interface elements are to be provisioned to the universal controlling device for use in connection with transmitting commands to the target appliance; and uploading to the system an image of a original equipment control as captured from the original remote control via use of an imaging device and cross-referencing the uploaded image to command data learned from the original equipment remote control corresponding to the uploaded image.