Proxy remote control

• US 10,044,968 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US14/515,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/90 Additional features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205

Abstract

In some cases, a method includes receiving first control data from a proxy device at a proxy controller. The first control data is prevented from being received at a remote control signal receiver associated with a media device. The proxy controller may determine second control data associated with recording a multimedia content item at a first digital video recorder associated with the media device and third control data associated with recording the multimedia content item at a second digital video recorder that is accessible to one or more communication devices. The proxy controller may communicate the second control data to the media device via the proxy device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first control data from a proxy device, the first control data corresponding to a first command associated with a media device, wherein the first control data is received at a proxy controller, wherein a wireless signal including the first control data is prevented from being received at a remote control signal receiver associated with the media device by a signal blocking device, and wherein the signal blocking device prevents the wireless signal from being received at the remote control signal receiver by inhibiting propagation of at least a portion of the wireless signal;

in response to receiving the first control data at the proxy controller;

determining, based on the first control data, second control data corresponding to a second command associated with the media device, wherein the first command is distinct from the second command; and

determining, based on the first control data, third control data corresponding to a third command associated with a second media device, wherein the third command is distinct from the first command, and wherein the first control data is not directed by the proxy controller to the second media device; and

communicating the second control data from the proxy controller to the remote control signal receiver via a wireless transmitter of the signal blocking device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the third control data from the proxy controller to the second media device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first command is associated with recording a standard definition version of a multimedia content item, and wherein the second command is associated with recording a high definition version of the multimedia content item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control data includes a first remote control key sequence, and wherein the second control data includes a second remote control key sequence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control data comprises a first infrared signal, wherein the proxy device is configured to receive the first infrared signal from a remote control device associated with the media device, and wherein the signal blocking device is positioned with respect to the remote control signal receiver associated with the media device to prevent the first infrared signal from being received at the remote control signal receiver associated with the media device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second control data is communicated from the proxy device to the media device via the signal blocking device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal blocking device transmits the second control data to the remote control signal receiver associated with the media device via a second infrared signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal blocking device inhibits propagation of the wireless signal via a material opaque to the wireless signal, the material covering at least a portion of the remote control signal receiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy controller is separate from the media device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media device includes a set-top box device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the proxy controller is included within a residential gateway.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the proxy device communicates with the residential gateway via a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first control data corresponds to a first sequence of keys from a remote control, and wherein the second control data corresponds to a second sequence of keys from the remote control, the first sequence of keys distinct from the second sequence of keys.

14. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving first control data from a proxy device, the first control data corresponding to a first command associated with a media device, wherein a wireless signal including the first control data is prevented from being received by a remote control signal receiver associated with the media device by a signal blocking device that prevents the wireless signal from being received by the remote control signal receiver, and wherein the signal blocking device prevents the wireless signal from being received at the remote control signal receiver by inhibiting propagation of at least a portion of the wireless signal;

determining, based on the first control data, second control data corresponding to a second command associated with the media device, wherein the first command is distinct from the second command;

determining, based on the first control data, third control data corresponding to a third command associated with a second media device, wherein the third command is distinct from the first command, and wherein the first control data is not directed to the second media device;

communicating the second control data to the remote control signal receiver via a wireless transmitter of the signal blocking device; and

communicating the third control data to the second media device.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the second media device is communicatively accessible via a network.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the first control data is received from the proxy device via a network, and wherein the second control data is communicated to the proxy device via the network.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the first control data corresponds to a wireless signal in a first format, and wherein the second control data corresponds to a second wireless signal in the first format.

18. A system comprising:

a signal blocking device configured to receive first control data from a remote control device associated with a media device, wherein the signal blocking device is physically positioned with respect to a remote control signal receiver associated with the media device to block wireless signals from being received at the remote control signal receiver associated with the media device by inhibiting propagation of at least a portion of the wireless signals; and

a proxy device configured to;

receive the first control data from the signal blocking device, the first control data corresponding to a first command associated with the media device;

communicate the first control data to a proxy controller, wherein the proxy controller determines second control data corresponding to a second command associated with the media device and third control data corresponding to a third command associated with a second media device, wherein the first command is distinct from the second command and the third command, and wherein the first control data is not directed by the proxy controller to the second media device;

receive the second control data from the proxy controller; and

communicate the second control data to the media device via a wireless transmitter of the signal blocking device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the signal blocking device includes an infrared transmitter, and wherein the second control data is communicated to the media device via an infrared transmission from the signal blocking device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the signal blocking device includes a radio frequency transmitter, and wherein the second control data is communicated to the media device via a radio frequency transmission from the signal blocking device.