A universal controlling device is provided with one or more buttons which, when activated in a set up mode, serves to initiate a rapid configuration of the universal controlling device to adapt the universal controlling device to transmit communications to an intended target appliance.

Methods for a soft universal remote (SUR) controller are performed by systems and apparatuses. Audio/visual (A/V) devices may be controlled by hardware remote controllers that are not configured to control other devices of an audio/visual system. A SUR controller implemented by an A/V device provides consumable control signals to such other devices based on control signals from the A/V device remote controller. A SUR controller determines another device for which a received control function is directed, and transmits a generated consumable control signal for the control function of the received control signal is provided to the other device. User interfaces are provided by SUR controllers for the configuration of SUR controllers and remote controllers, and for control of other A/V devices via the user interfaces.

A controlling device is automatically configured to issue a communication directly to a first controllable appliance to control a functional operation of the first controllable appliance in the event that the first controllable appliance is determined to be unresponsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link or to issue a communication to a second controllable appliance to control the functional operation of the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link in the event that first controllable appliance is determined to be responsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link.

A password less login using a smart device is caused to retrieve from a cloud-server a one-time use code. The smart device is associated with a virtual user account to control a plurality of controllable devices with a device app installed on a smart device. The one-time use code is provided to a controllable device and the controllable device is caused to provide the one-time use code back to the smart device. The app causes the one-time use code provided back to the smart device by the controllable device to be authenticated. In response to the one-time use code being authenticated, the controllable device is bound to the app whereupon the controllable device is controllable through use of the app.

A system and method for initiating closed captioning. The system includes a processor that can receive an instruction to add closed captioning. The system may also, upon receiving the instruction, determine a time point at which to begin the closed captioning and determining an amount of closed captioning to include, and output, for display, the closed captioning.

A controlling device is automatically configured to issue a communication directly to a first controllable appliance to control a functional operation of the first controllable appliance in the event that the first controllable appliance is determined to be unresponsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link or to issue a communication to a second controllable appliance to control the functional operation of the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link in the event that first controllable appliance is determined to be responsive to a command communication transmitted to the first controllable appliance via a digital communications link.

A consumer electronic device tracks the current channel to which the electronic consumer device is tuned. The consumer electronic device determines an amount of time that the current channel remains unchanged. Based at least in part on this amount of time, the consumer electronic device determines whether the current channel should be stored as a favorite channel. When the consumer electronic device subsequently receives a favorite channel command, the consumer electronic device is caused to tune to the favorite channel that is currently stored in memory. Changing user preferences are thus automatically accommodated without manual intervention, resulting in an effortless user interface.

A universal controlling device is provided with one or more buttons which, when activated in a set up mode, serves to initiate a rapid configuration of the universal controlling device to adapt the universal controlling device to transmit communications to an intended target appliance.

The invention relates to a remote control for activating a predetermined function of a multimedia converter, in particular a set-top box, by means of a predetermined command, including: a keypad for entering the predetermined command by a user, a signal processing unit for converting the entered predetermined command into control data suitable to activate the predetermined function of the multimedia converter, and a transmission interface for transmitting the control data to the multimedia converter, characterized by a further data receiving interface different from the keypad for receiving setup data of a further device different from the multimedia converter, wherein the data receiving interface is arranged to configure the signal processing device and/or the multimedia converter in dependence on the setup data.

A password less login using a smart device is caused to retrieve from a cloud-server a one-time use code. The smart device is associated with a virtual user account to control a plurality of controllable devices with a device app installed on a smart device. The one-time use code is provided to a controllable device and the controllable device is caused to provide the one-time use code back to the smart device. The app causes the one-time use code provided back to the smart device by the controllable device to be authenticated. In response to the one-time use code being authenticated, the controllable device is bound to the app whereupon the controllable device is controllable through use of the app.