System and method for providing an adaptive user interface on an electronic appliance

Abstract

A controllable device, such as a set top box, responds to a transmission received from a one of a plurality of controlling devices of differing capabilities by entering into a one of a plurality of operating modes wherein the one of the plurality of operating modes entered into corresponds to the capabilities of the controlling device from which the transmission originated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a switching device that is operable to connect at least one of a plurality of source devices to a sink device, the method comprising:
 detecting an infrared (IR) signal transmitted by a remote control device that is operable to control a first device among the plurality of source devices and the sink device, wherein the remote control device is programmed to transmit the IR signal in response to a user interaction with the remote control device;   in response to the detection of the IR signal, determining that the remote control device is in use; and   in response to determining that the remote control device is in use, controlling a connection between the at least one of the plurality of source devices and the sink device as a function of the detected IR signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the IR signal comprises a device identification code that indicates the first device and wherein controlling the connection comprises controlling the connection as a function of the device identification code. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching device comprises an audio/video switch, one of the plurality of source devices comprises a set-top-box, and the sink device comprises a television. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises a universal IR receiver capable of identifying and decoding the command transmission formats of a multiplicity of manufactures. 
     
     
         5 . A switching device, comprising:
 a plurality of audio/video (AV) ports;   a receiver; and   control logic that is operable to selectively connect at least one of a plurality of source devices to a sink device each of which is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of AV ports, the control logic being configured to:   determine that the receiver has received an infrared (IR) signal transmitted by a remote control device that is operable to control a first device among the plurality of source devices and the sink device, wherein the remote control device is programmed to transmit the IR signal in response to a user interaction with the remote control device;   in response to determining that the receiver has received the IR signal, determine that the remote control device is in use; and   in response to at least determining that the remote control device is in use, controlling a connection between the at least one of the plurality of source devices and the sink devices as a function of the detected IR signal.   
     
     
         6 . The switching device of  claim 5 , wherein the IR signal comprises a device identification code that indicates the first device and wherein controlling the connection comprises controlling the connection as a function of the device identification code. 
     
     
         7 . The switching device of  claim 5 , wherein the switching device comprises an audio/video switch, one of the plurality of source devices comprises a set-top-box, and the sink device comprises a television. 
     
     
         8 . The switching device of  claim 5 , wherein the receiver comprises a universal IR receiver capable of identifying and decoding the command transmission formats of a multiplicity of manufactures. 
     
     
         9 . A switching device, comprising:
 a plurality of audio/video (AV) ports;   a receiver; and   control logic that is operable to selectively connect at least one of a plurality of source devices to a sink device each of which is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of AV ports, the control logic being configured to:   determine that the receiver has received an infrared (IR) signal transmitted by a remote control device that is operable to control at least a source device among the plurality of source devices and the sink device, wherein the remote control device is programmed to transmit the IR signal in response to a user interaction with the remote control device;   in response to determining that the receiver has received the IR signal, determine that the remote control device is in use; and   in response to determining that the remote control device is in use:   identify the source device that is associated with the remote control device from among the plurality of source devices;   identify a first AV port from among the plurality of AV ports to which the identified source device is connected; and   connect the first AV port to the AV port to which the sink device is connected.   
     
     
         10 . The switching device of  claim 9 , wherein the control logic is configured to identify the source device from among the plurality of source devices that is associated with the remote control device by detecting a device identification code included in the IR signal. 
     
     
         11 . The switching device of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of source devices comprises a set-top-box and the sink device comprises a television. 
     
     
         12 . The switching device of  claim 9 , wherein the receiver comprises a universal IR receiver capable of identifying and decoding the command transmission formats of a multiplicity of manufactures.