System and method to facilitate configuration of a controlling device

Abstract

A system and method wherein geographic data is used to configure a controlling device to control operations of a target device and/or to configure the controlling device to control tuning operations of a target device. The system additionally provides for the harmonization of controlling device configurations made on the controlling device and/or a remote computer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for configuring a channel control system through use of a computing device, comprising:
 in response to receiving a request to configure a user interface element of a remote control device that is intended to be used to command the channel control system to display a television program on a television of the channel control system causing the computing device to:   determine a location identifier for the channel control system;   select a given television service provider identifier from a set of television service provider identifiers based on the location identifier;   determine a television function identifier based on the given television service provider identifier and an identifying information for the television program, the television function identifier specifying a setting of the channel control system to display the television program on the television of the channel control system; and   select at least one command code compatible with the channel control system based on the television function identifier for provision to the remote control device where the remote control device will use the at least one command code such that a subsequent activation of the user interface element will cause the remote control device to transmit the at least one command code to cause the channel control system to display the television program on the television of the channel control system.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one command code compatible with the channel control system is selected based on stored configuration information for the channel control system. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the television function identifier is determined via use of an electronic program guide information associated with the given television service provider identifier, the electronic program guide information including channel settings for television programs. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the location identifier is based on an internet protocol address associated with the channel control system. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one command code compatible with the channel control system is selected based on a model information associated with the channel control system. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the channel control system further comprises at least one of a set-top box, and a digital video recorder. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the television function identifier specifying a setting of the channel control system comprises a television channel setting for the channel control system that corresponds to display of the television program. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the television channel includes digitally-distributed television channels obtained through online streaming. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one command code comprises an infrared command code.