An entertainment device initiates a configuration process of a controlling device in response to a change in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one of a plurality devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source and at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device.

In one aspect, a playback device is provided that is configured to identify a trigger event indicating a request to associate the playback device with another playback device. Based on identifying the trigger event, the playback device is configured to create a first sound code based on a first sound specimen detected by the playback device. After identifying the trigger event, the playback device is configured to receive from the other playback device a sound object and based on receiving the sound object, identify a second sound code. The playback device is also configured to, based on the first sound code and the second sound code, determine that it and the other playback device have a spatial relationship. Based on that determination, the playback device is configured to cause it and the other playback device to be associated in accordance with the indicated request.

A set top/back box and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more wireless transceivers are located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes television input/output, a processor, and memory. The set top/back box may establish a pairing with a programmable device, such as a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device having a touch screen display, whereby formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions, including virtual buttons, may be transmitted to the programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create an experience parallel to the experience on the television. The set top/back box receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the programmable device to control amenities associated with the set top/back box.

A remote control that receives state information from an associated media device is disclosed. The remote control, in response to receiving data indicating that the media device is in a content state, may update an input assembly to indicate that the assembly may be used to perform a movement function. The remote control may instruct the media device to perform a movement function in response to a selection gesture, where the degree of movement is a single unit. In response to a swipe gesture, the remote control may instruct the media device to perform a linear movement with a greater degree of movement. Buttons and functions of the remote control may be further adapted in response to a menu-based state, or other states of the media device.

A smart device is provided with a main remote control application that may be configured using information. The main remote control application may present images of original remote controls corresponding to devices which are controllable by the configured main remote control application. In connection with a presented image of an original remote control, the display may present icons that are representative of a subset of the buttons of the original remote control. The user interface also allows a user to select amongst the images of the original remote controls to change which appliances are to be controlled via the user interface. A pop-up remote control widget may also be provided which may be invoked without switching to the main remote control application provisioned on the smart device.

Provided are a display device and an operating method therefor. The display device include a user input interface configured to receive a signal from a remote control device, a wireless communication interface configured to receive image data from an external device and control data of the external device, a display configured to output a screen of the external device by using the received image data, and a controller configured to control the display to change a pointer display mode of the remote control device based on the control data of the external device received while outputting the screen of the external device.

A method and system are disclosed for capturing observations of customer-premise equipment or customer-provided equipment (CPE) devices. The method includes reporting a problem detect by a user during use of a customer-premise equipment or customer-provided equipment (CPE) device with one or more specific buttons on a remote controller; and entering the problem into a log with a timestamp.

One or more processors of an electronic device detect a communication device electronically in communication with a content presentation companion device operating as a primary display for the electronic device and including a first ultra-wide band component. The one or more processors determine, with a second ultra-wide band tag component carried by the electronic device, a distance between the electronic device and the content presentation companion device using an ultra-wide band ranging process. The one or more processors dynamically enhance an audio performance characteristic of the content presentation companion device as a function of the distance between the electronic device and the content presentation companion device.

Disclosed are a display apparatus, a voice acquiring apparatus and a voice recognition method thereof, the display apparatus including: a display unit which displays an image; a communication unit which communicates with a plurality of external apparatuses; and a controller which includes a voice recognition engine to recognize a user's voice, receives a voice signal from a voice acquiring unit, and controls the communication unit to receive candidate instruction words from at least one of the plurality of external apparatuses to recognize the received voice signal.

A method, apparatus, and software are provided for using an optically-readable code such as a quick-response (QR) code. The optically-readable code may represent a uniform resource identifier (URI) including parameters that represent a query, such as a query for content and/or other data. The query results may be used to command a content consumption device to record or otherwise obtain an item of content. The optically-readable code may additionally or alternatively be determined based upon a status of the device, such as what content, or portion thereof, is currently being displayed, and/or what error condition is being experienced.