Proximity detection of candidate companion display device in same room as primary display using low energy bluetooth

• US 10,070,291 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US14/281,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A candidate companion screen device is located by a primary display device as being in the same room as the primary device using low energy Bluetooth, and in response ancillary content related to content being shown on the primary display device is provided to the companion screen device. The ancillary content may be provided from the Internet based on information in the content being presented on the primary display device by, e.g., providing a link to a website to the companion device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one primary display device (PDD) configured with first instructions executable by at least one PDD processor;

at least one companion device (CD) configured with second instructions executable by at least one CD processor;

the first instructions being executable by the PDD processor to;

receive an event trigger established by a particular actor or product or sound in content presented by the PDD as indicated by metadata in the content, or as indicated by recognition of demanded images, or as indicated by recognition of sounds presented on the PDD in a standalone mode and/or by uploading the images/sounds to a server for analysis, which sends analysis results back to the PDD;

responsive to the event trigger, locate candidate companion screens that are in the same room as the PDD at least in part using a first signal;

screen out candidate companion screens that are nearby the PDD but outside walls enclosing a space in which the PDD is disposed;

provide at least a first candidate companion screen (FCCS) detected as being in the space with ancillary content related to the content presented on the PDD by linking the FCCS to a computer site associated with the content being presented on the PDD, the linking comprising providing a network address or link from the PDD to the FCCS selectable to access a computer network site on a home network, on the PDD itself, or on the Internet supplying the ancillary content, or the linking comprising sending a signal from the PDD to the FCCS to automatically access a particular network site and automatically commence downloading the ancillary content without any user action;

wherein the CD comprises the FCCS, and the second instructions are executable by the CD processor to;

responsive to receiving the first signal from the PDD, execute device discovery using a second signal having higher energy than the first signal, and present at least one user interface (UI) comprising an indication of the PDD that sent the first signal and not other devices detected during device discovery, the UI also comprising a first selector selectable to permit the CD to “

throw”

content to the PDD;

responsive to selection of the first selector, send a message to the PDD soliciting use of the PDD as a companion screen to the CD.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event trigger is established by a particular actor or product or sound in content presented by the PDD as indicated by metadata in the content.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event trigger is established by recognition of demanded images.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event tri is established by sounds presented on the PDD in a standalone mode.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the event trigger is established by uploading the images/sounds to a server for analysis, which sends analysis results back to the PDD.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the linking comprises providing a network address or link from the PDD to the FCCS selectable to access a computer network site on a home network, on the PDD itself, or on the Internet supplying the ancillary content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the linking comprises sending a signal from the PDD to the FCCS to automatically access a particular network site and automatically commence downloading the ancillary content without any user action.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second instructions are executable to, responsive to receiving the signal from the PDD to automatically access a particular network site and automatically commence downloading the ancillary content without any user action, present at least a presentation on the CD indicating that the CD has been selected as a companion device, and a window to present the ancillary content, the presentation further comprising a decline selector selectable to terminate use of the CD as a companion screen to the PDD.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the BLE signal conveys information presentable with human readable indicia indicating a room.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the BLE signal conveys information indicating a unique number of a BLE transmitter or network name of the PDD.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the CD is configured to transmit a CD signal having a protocol of the first signal to the PDD to cause the PDD to present a UI to permit the PDD to throw content to the CD.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to detecting plural candidate companion screens, the first instructions are executable to solicit each of the plural candidate companion screens to be a companion scree of the PDD.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to detecting plural candidate companion screens, the first instructions are executable to solicit only a candidate companion screen having a stronger signal strength than other candidate companion screens.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to detecting plural candidate companion screens, the first instructions are executable to solicit only candidate companion screens of a particular type.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the second instructions are executable to present a solicitation message on the CD along with a first selector element selectable to accept the CD to be a companion screen to the PDD and cause the CD to present the ancillary content and a second selector element selectable to decline the CD from being a companion screen to the PDD.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the second instructions are executable to present a presentation on the CD, the presentation comprising a first selector element selectable to make the CD subject to automatic selection as a companion screen to the PDD and a second selector element selectable to decline automatic selection of the CD as a companion screen.

18. A system comprising:

at least one primary display device (PDD) configured with first instructions executable by at least one PDD processor;

at least one companion device (CD) configured with second instructions executable by at least one CD processor;

the second instructions being executable by the CD processor to;

receive an event trigger established by a particular actor or product or sound in content presented by the CD as indicated by metadata in the content, or as indicated by recognition of demanded images, or as indicated by recognition of sounds presented on the CD in a standalone mode and/or by uploading the images/sounds to a server for analysis, which sends analysis results back to the CD;

responsive to the event trigger, locate candidate companion screens that are in the same room as the CD at least in part using a first signal;

screen out candidate companion screens that are nearby the CD but outside walls enclosing a space in which the CD is disposed;

provide at least a first candidate companion screen (FCCS) detected as being in the space with ancillary content related to the content being presented on the CD by linking the FCCS to a computer site associated with the content being presented on the CD, the linking comprising providing a network address or link from the CD to the FCCS selectable to access a computer network site on a home network, on the CD itself, or on the Internet supplying the ancillary content, or the linking comprising sending a signal from the CD to the FCCS to automatically access a particular network site and automatically commence downloading the ancillary content without any user action;

wherein the FDD comprises the FCCS, and the first instructions are executable by the FDD processor to;

responsive to receiving the first signal from the CD, execute device discovery using a second signal having higher energy than the first signal, and present at least one user interface (UI) comprising an indication of the CD that sent the first signal and not other devices detected during device discovery, the UI also comprising a first selector selectable to permit the PDD to “

throw”

content to the CD;

responsive to selection of the first selector, send a message to the CD soliciting use of the CD as a companion screen to the PDD.