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, comprising:
 detecting by a receiving device, have a plurality of audio/video (AV) ports, a first wireless control signal that has been sent from a first remote control device to a first source device that is coupled to a first one of the plurality of AV ports of the receiving device, the first wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the first source device; and   in response to detecting the first wireless control signal from the first remote control device, automatically causing by the receiving device the first one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to a second one of the plurality of AV ports to which a first sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the first source device to the first sink device through the receiving device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically causing by the receiving device the first one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports to which the first sink device is coupled comprises determining by the receiving device a first identifier that identifies the first source device to which the first wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the receiving device from the first wireless control signal and using by the receiving device the determined first identifier to automatically cause the first one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising automatically causing by the receiving an adoption of an audio parameter for use when rendering the content based on the determined first identifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining by the receiving device the first identifier based on an indicator included in the first wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the first source device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting by the receiving device a second wireless control signal that has been sent from a second remote control device to a second source device that is coupled to a third one of the plurality of AV ports of the receiving device, the second wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the second source device; and   in response to detecting the second wireless control signal from the second remote control device, automatically causing by the receiving device the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports to which the first sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the second source device to the first sink device through the receiving device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting by the receiving device a second wireless control signal that has been sent from a second remote control device to a second source device that is coupled to a third one of the plurality of AV ports of the receiving device, the second wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the second source device; and   in response to detecting the second wireless control signal from the second remote control device, automatically causing by the receiving device the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to a fourth one of the plurality of AV ports to which a second sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the second source device to the second sink device through the receiving device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein automatically causing by the receiving device the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports to which the first sink device is coupled comprises determining by the receiving device a second identifier that identifies the second source device to which the second wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the receiving device from the second wireless control signal and using by the receiving device the determined second identifier to automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining by the receiving device the second identifier based on an indicator included in the second wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the second source device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein automatically causing by the receiving device the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the fourth one of the plurality of AV ports to which the second sink device is coupled comprises determining by the receiving device a second identifier that identifies the second source device to which the second wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the receiving device from the second wireless control signal and using by the receiving device the determined second identifier to automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the fourth one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining by the receiving device the second identifier based on an indicator included in the second wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the second source device. 
     
     
         11 . A switching device having a plurality of audio/video (AV) ports, wherein the switching device is configured to:
 detect a first wireless control signal that has been sent from a first remote control device to a first source device that is coupled to a first one of the plurality of AV ports of the switching device, the first wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the first source device; and   in response to detecting the first wireless control signal from the first remote control device, automatically cause the first one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to a second one of the plurality of AV ports to which a first sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the first source device to the first sink device through the switching device.   
     
     
         12 . The switching device of  claim 11 , wherein the switching device is further configured to determine a first identifier that identifies the first source device to which the first wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the switching device from the first wireless control signal and use the determined first identifier to automatically cause the first one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         13 . The switching device of  claim 12 , wherein the switching device is further configured to cause an audio parameter to be adopted for use when rendering the content based on the determined first identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The switching device of  claim 12 , wherein the switching device is further configured to determine the first identifier based on an indicator included in the first wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the first source device. 
     
     
         15 . The switching device of  claim 12 , wherein the switching device is further configured to:
 detect a second wireless control signal that has been sent from a second remote control device to a second source device that is coupled to a third one of the plurality of AV ports of the switching device, the second wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the second source device; and   in response to detecting the second wireless control signal from the second remote control device, automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports to which the first sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the second source device to the first sink device through the switching device.   
     
     
         16 . The switching device of  claim 12 , wherein the switching device is further configured to:
 detect a second wireless control signal that has been sent from a second remote control device to a second source device that is coupled to a third one of the plurality of AV ports of the switching device, the second wireless control signal being configured to be received by and control the second source device; and   in response to detecting the second wireless control signal from the second remote control device, automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to a fourth one of the plurality of AV ports to which a second sink device is coupled so that content can be provided from the second source device to the second sink device through the switching device.   
     
     
         17 . The switching device of  claim 15 , wherein the switching device is further configured to determine a second identifier that identifies the second source device to which the second wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the switching device from the second wireless control signal and use the determined second identifier to automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the second one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         18 . The switching device of  claim 17 , wherein the switching device if further configured to determine the second identifier based on an indicator included in the second wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the second source device. 
     
     
         19 . The switching device of  claim 16 , wherein the switching device is further configured to determine a second identifier that identifies the second source device to which the second wireless control signal was sent based on information obtained by the switching device from the second wireless control signal and use the determined second identifier to automatically cause the third one of the plurality of AV ports to be connected to the fourth one of the plurality of AV ports. 
     
     
         20 . The switching device of  claim 19 , wherein the switching device is further configured to determine the second identifier based on an indicator included in the second wireless control signal that uniquely identifies the second source device.