A display device and a method for controlling same are disclosed. The display device compares device information of an external electronic device stored in the display device with device information transmitted by the external electronic device, thereby being capable of accurately recognizing a change in the external electronic device communicatively connected with the display device in a state in which the display device is turned off.

A slave relay station is adapted to serve and/or host pages comprising a simplified graphic user interface (GUI) encoded in a widely recognized format such as, for example, HTML or WML. The GUI embodies activatable links corresponding to control functions for configured appliances. A wireless phone or other device with network access and the capability to process and present such pages, for example via a Web browser, may then be utilized to effect control of such appliances by simply navigating to the network address of the slave relay station, obtaining an appropriate GUI page, and interacting with the links.

A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a display unit; a user input interface unit which receives a signal from a remote control device; and a control unit which receives a voice signal, and on the basis of data extracted from the voice signal, sets an external device connected to the display device as an object to be controlled by the remote control device.

A set-top box with enhanced functionality and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box system, first and second set-top boxes each include a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, a wireless transceiver, memory, and storage communicatively interconnected by a busing architecture. Each of the set-top boxes is connected to a display, such as a television. A syndication profile associated with the set-top boxes enables a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device to control both displays via each of the set-top boxes.

A controlling device has a configurable key. An insert is provided to the configurable key and includes an indicium representative of a media content provider. An image of the indicium or an image of a QR code associated with the indicium is used to assign one or more commands to the configurable key. The one or more commands are used to cause a controllable device to tune to a channel on which the media content provider is being broadcast, to invoke an app associated with the media content provider, to access a website associated with the media content provider, and the like.

A device communicates via Wi-Fi with a central function device. The function device has information regarding all the various remote controls needed by the consumer. The function device communicates wirelessly with the device and in turn then operates all of the consumer's electronic devices.

A television and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment of the television, the television includes a processor, a memory, a tuner, a panel, and an audio driver therein in an interconnected architecture. The television may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive 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 proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create an experience parallel to the experience on the television. The television receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device to control amenities associated with the television.

A browser device communicates via Wi-Fi with a central function device. The function device has information regarding all the various remote controls needed by the consumer. The function device communicates wirelessly with the browser device and in turn then operates all of the consumer's electronic devices.

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 television and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment of the television, the television includes a processor, a memory, a tuner, a panel, and an audio driver therein in an interconnected architecture. The television may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive 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 proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create an experience parallel to the experience on the television. The television receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device to control amenities associated with the television.