Set-top box with enhanced content and system and method for use of same

• US 10,149,005 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enseo, LLC (Enseo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enseo, Inc.
• Inventors: Ogle, Vanessa, Wolfe, Edward H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Montoya, Oschta I
• Application Number:
  US15/583,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20170238052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• 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 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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 set-top box with enhanced content and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes a television input, television output, a processor, and memory. The set-top box may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device having a display. The set-top box receives trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, which represents motion-based commands provided by a user. The set-top box evaluates the trajectory data and sends a command signal to the television.

Claims

1. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the television input, the television output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device;

the television input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the television output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a television; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the search operation utilizes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device and the set-top box,

provide instructions that prepare the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for motion-based commands,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, the at least partially processed trajectory data being representations of motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate processed trajectory data to assign a meaning to the motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

responsive to evaluating the processed trajectory data, generate a command signal, and

send the command signal to the television;

wherein the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

provide instructions for icons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the icons being associated with a particular amenity,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and

responsive to processing the at least partially processed trajectory data, send a command to the particular amenity; and

a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment.

2. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a housing-dongle combination securing the television input, the television output, the processor, memory, storage, and wireless transceiver therewith.

3. The set-top box as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor and the memory are distributed through the housing-dongle combination.

4. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the wireless-enabled interactive programmable device via a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), and Bluetooth.

5. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the wireless-enabled interactive programmable device via a short distance data exchange standard.

6. The set-top box as recited in claim 5, wherein the short distance data exchange standard comprises Bluetooth.

7. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is at least partially internal to the housing.

8. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is at least partially external to the housing.

9. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises an antenna.

10. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the the wireless-enabled interactive programmable device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of personal computers, laptops, tablet computers, smart phones, and smart watches.

11. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed cause the processor to:

send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are configured to provide a downstream parallel experience related to the content on the television,

wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that prompt the motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device as a response.

12. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least partially processed trajectory data further comprises gyroscope-based data.

13. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least partially processed trajectory data further comprises accelerometer-based data.

14. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least partially processed trajectory data further comprises temperature sensor-based data.

15. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the command signal provides remote control of the television.

16. The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to:

responsive to evaluating the processed trajectory data, import content from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device and reformat the imported content such that the television output forwards a fully tuned signal including the imported content to the television,

wherein the fully tuned signal including the imported content provides an upstream parallel experience on the television related to the content on the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device.

17. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the television input, the television output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device;

the television input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the television output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a television; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the search operation utilizes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device and the set-top box,

provide instructions that prepare the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for motion-based commands,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, the at least partially processed trajectory data being representations of motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate processed trajectory data to assign a meaning to the motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

responsive to evaluating the processed trajectory data, generate a command signal that provides remote control functionality of the television, and

send the command signal to the television;

the at least partially processed trajectory data includes data selected from the group consisting of gyroscope-based data, accelerometer-based data, and temperature sensor-based data;

wherein the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

provide instructions for icons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the icons being associated with a particular amenity,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and

responsive to processing the at least partially processed trajectory data, send a command to the particular amenity; and

a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment.

18. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the television input, the television output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device;

the television input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the television output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a television; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the search operation utilizes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device and the set-top box,

provide instructions that prepare the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for motion-based commands,

provide instructions that furnish an icon on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the icon communicating that the wireless-enabled interactive handheld device is prepared for motion-based commands,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, the at least partially processed trajectory data being representations of motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate processed trajectory data to assign a meaning to the motion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

responsive to evaluating the processed trajectory data, generate a command signal that provides remote control functionality of the television, and

send the command signal to the television;

wherein the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed cause the processor to;

provide instructions for icons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the icons being associated with a particular amenity,

receive and process at least partially processed trajectory data from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and

responsive to processing the at least partially processed trajectory data, send a command to the particular amenity; and

a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment.

19. The set-top box as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least partially processed trajectory data includes data selected from the group consisting of gyroscope-based data, accelerometer-based data, and temperature sensor-based data.