Mobile information apparatus that includes voice commands for playing digital content that is received from a digital content service provided over the internet

• US 10,152,285 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Marcus T
• Application Number:
  US15/785,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 : by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 : specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data

Abstract

Mobile information apparatus (e.g., smart phone, Internet appliance, information pad) and software applications of the mobile information apparatus supporting voice commands for receiving and playing digital content from a service provided over a network (e.g., Internet) are herein disclosed and enabled. The mobile information apparatus may establish a wireless local area network connection, and receive, via a touch sensitive screen interface, authentication information to access a service over the Internet. The service may be a subscribed service. While connected to the service, the mobile information apparatus may receive voice commands from a user for outputting or playing digital content that is available at the service, and, in response to the voice commands, the mobile information apparatus receives, from the service, output data related to the digital content for outputting or playing at an output device associated with the mobile information apparatus.

Claims

1. A mobile information apparatus for receiving digital content from one or more servers over a network, the one or more servers for providing, at least in part, a service over the network that includes the Internet, the digital content includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination, the mobile information apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

operating system software;

memory or storage;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user;

one or more software applications stored, at least partly, in the memory or the storage, and the one or more software applications is executable by the one or more processors and facilitated, at least in part, by the operating system software;

a microphone;

a voice activated command interface for interacting with the user; and

one or more communication units that include wireless communication circuitry for establishing a network connection to a wireless local area network,

wherein the mobile information apparatus;

(1) wirelessly establishes, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, the network connection to the wireless local area network;

(2) wirelessly accesses, via the wireless communication circuitry and using the network connection, the network that includes the Internet;

(3) receives, using the touch sensitive screen interface, authentication information for accessing the service provided by the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet;

(4) provides, via the wireless communication circuitry, the received authentication information, from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers;

(5) accesses, via the wireless communication circuitry and by using the one or more software applications, the service by connecting to the one or more servers over the network, the access of the service is based, at least in part, on the mobile information apparatus having provided the received authentication information to the one or more servers over the network;

(6) receives, using the voice activated command interface of the mobile information apparatus, a voice command from the user, the voice command is related to outputting or playing the digital content that is available from the service, the digital content includes at least one of audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination;

(7) wirelessly transmits, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a digital content object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the digital content object includes information related to the digital content; and

(8) wirelessly receives, using the wireless communication circuitry at the mobile information apparatus, output data from the one or more servers over the network, the wireless receiving of the output data being in response to having transmitted the digital content object, and at least part of the output data includes audio data or video data, individually or in any combination, that is related to the digital content object.

2. The mobile information apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet, and the service provided by the one or more servers over the network is for users who have signed up or subscribed to the service, and wherein the receiving of the output data from the service is based, at least in part, on the mobile information apparatus having provided, to the one or more servers, subscription information and authentication information for accessing the service over the Internet.

3. The mobile information apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for wirelessly establishing the network connection to the wireless local area network.

4. The mobile information apparatus of claim 3, wherein the mobile information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an information pad, an Internet-Pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

5. The mobile information apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mobile information apparatus further:

obtains, by the one or more software applications and via the touch sensitive screen interface of the mobile information apparatus, subscription information for accessing the service provided over the network; and

wherein the accessing of the service is based, at least in part, on the one or more software applications having obtained the subscription information for accessing to the service.

6. The mobile information apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mobile information apparatus further includes one or more output devices, and the mobile information apparatus further:

(9) outputs or plays, using at one or more output devices of the mobile information apparatus, at least part of, the output data and wherein the one or more output devices include at least one of an audio output device, a speaker, a display screen, or a touch sensitive screen, individually or in any combination, for playing or outputting at least part of the output data.

7. The mobile information apparatus of claim 4, wherein, while the mobile information apparatus is connected to the service over the Internet, the mobile information apparatus further transmits, via the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a device object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the device object includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to a device;

and the transmitting of the device object is to facilitate identification of the device for service or for registration of the device with the service.

8. The mobile information apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mobile information apparatus is wired or wirelessly coupled to one or more output devices, and wherein the mobile information apparatus further:

(9) processes, using the one or more processors of the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the output data for outputting or playing at least part of the output data at the one or more output devices; and

wherein the processing of at least part of the output data in (9), includes one or more operations related to at least one of a decoding, an encoding, a decryption, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination.

9. The mobile information apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus further include one or more chips or chipsets that are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards, and wherein the mobile information apparatus further:

wirelessly discovers, using the one or more chips or chipsets, a wireless device for establishing a wireless communication link; and

wirelessly establishes, using the one or more chips or chipsets, the wireless communication link with the wireless device, the wireless communication link being compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards.

10. The mobile information apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is a Bluetooth enabled audio output device that is a distinct and separate device from the mobile information apparatus;

and the mobile information apparatus further wirelessly transmits, using the one or more chips or chipsets and over the established wireless communication link, audio digital content related to the output data from the mobile information apparatus to the Bluetooth enabled audio output device for playing at least part of the audio digital content at the Bluetooth enabled audio output device; and

wherein the wireless communication link is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications.

11. A method for a mobile information apparatus to receive digital content from one or more servers over a network that includes the Internet, the digital content includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination, the mobile information apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

operating system software;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user;

a microphone;

a speaker;

a voice activated command interface for interacting with the user; and

one or more communication units that include wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication;

the method comprising;

wirelessly establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a network connection to a wireless local area network;

wirelessly connecting, via the wireless communication circuitry, the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network using the established network connection;

receiving, using the touch sensitive screen interface, authentication information for accessing a service provided by the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet;

providing, by the mobile information apparatus and via the network connection, the authentication information to the one or more servers over the network;

wirelessly accessing, via the wireless communication circuitry, the service provided by the one or more servers, the accessing of the service is based, at least in part, on the mobile information apparatus having provided the authentication information to the one or more servers over the network;

receiving, using the voice activated command interface of the mobile information apparatus, a voice command from the user, the voice command is related to outputting or playing the digital content that is available at the one or more servers, the digital content includes at least one of audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination;

wirelessly transmitting, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a digital content object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the digital content object being related, at least in part, to the digital content; and

wirelessly receiving, using the wireless communication circuitry at the mobile information apparatus, output data from the one or more servers over the network, the output data being related to the digital content, and at least part of the output data includes audio data or video data, individually or in any combination.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an Internet-Pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination;

and

wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for wirelessly establishing the network connection to the wireless local area network; and

wherein the network includes the Internet, and the service provided over the network is for users who have signed up or subscribed to the service; and

wherein the method at the mobile information apparatus further comprises;

receiving, via the touch sensitive screen interface, subscription information for accessing the service over the Internet; and

transmitting, via the wireless communication circuitry, the subscription information from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers for accessing the service.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprises:

processing, at the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the output data for outputting or playing at least part of the digital content at one or more output devices, the processing of at least part of the output data, includes one or more operations related to at least one of a decoding, an encoding, a decryption, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination;

outputting or playing, at the one or more output devices, at least part of the processed output data related to at least part of the digital content, the one or more output devices include a display screen, a touch sensitive screen, a speaker, an audio output device, a television, a controller connectable to a television, or a projection device, individually or in any combination, that is wired or wirelessly coupled to the mobile information apparatus.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

wirelessly discovering, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a wireless output device for establishing a short range wireless communication link;

wirelessly establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, the short range wireless communication link with the wireless output device, the short range wireless communication link being compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards;

processing, at the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the output data, the processing includes one or more operations related to at least one of a decoding, an encoding, a decryption, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination; and

wirelessly transmitting, at least part of the processed output data to the wireless output device for outputting or playing at least part of the processed output data at the wireless output device.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

transmitting, via the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a device object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the device object includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to a device; and

the transmitting of the device object is to facilitate identification of the device for service or for registration of the device with the service; and

wherein at least part of the received output data is in a format or language or encoding that is acceptable for rendering at the device.

16. In a non-transitory computer memory or storage device, at one or more servers or at a mobile information apparatus, containing client software configured to be executable, at least partly, by one or more processors at the mobile information apparatus for obtaining digital content from a service provided, at least in part, by the one or more servers operated, at least partly, over a network that includes the Internet, the digital content includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination;

the mobile information apparatus including;

an operating system for facilitating operations of the client software at the mobile information apparatus;

a display screen;

a speaker;

a microphone;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user;

a voice activated command interface for interacting with the user; and

one or more communication units that include wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication; and

wherein the client software, facilitated by the operating system, when executed, at least partly, by the one or more processors perform a method at the mobile information apparatus, comprising;

wirelessly establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry, a network connection to a wireless local area network;

wirelessly connecting, using the wireless communication circuitry, the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the one or more servers being distinct and separate devices from the mobile information apparatus, and the one or more servers providing, at least in part, the service;

obtaining, by the mobile information apparatus and using the touch sensitive screen interface, authentication information for accessing the service;

providing, from the mobile information apparatus and via the network connection, the obtained authentication information to the one or more servers over the network;

wirelessly accessing, via the wireless communication circuitry, the service provided by the one or more servers based, at least in part, on having provided the authentication information to the one or more servers;

receiving, using the voice activated command interface of the mobile information apparatus, a voice command from the user, the voice command is related to outputting or playing the digital content that is available at the one or more servers;

wirelessly transmitting, using the wireless communication circuitry, a digital content object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the digital content object being related, at least in part, to the digital content; and

wirelessly receiving, using the wireless communication circuitry, output data from the one or more servers over the network, the output data being related to the digital content for outputting or playing at least part of the output data, the output data includes audio data or video data, individually or in any combination.

17. The non-transitory computer memory or storage device of claim 16, wherein the mobile information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination;

and

wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for wirelessly establishing the network connection to the wireless local area network; and

wherein the network includes the Internet, and the service provided over the network is for users who have signed up or subscribed to the service, and wherein the method performed at the mobile information apparatus further comprises;

receiving, via the touch sensitive screen interface, subscription information for accessing the service over the Internet; and

transmitting, via the wireless communication circuitry, the subscription information from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers for accessing the service.

18. The non-transitory computer memory or storage device of claim 16, wherein the mobile information apparatus is a smart phone, and wherein the method performed at the mobile information apparatus further comprises:

wirelessly discovering, using the wireless communication circuitry, a wireless output device for establishing a short range wireless communication link;

wirelessly establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, the short range wireless communication link with the wireless output device, and the short range wireless communication link being compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards;

processing, at the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the output data, the processing includes one or more operations related to at least one of a decoding, an encoding, a decryption, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination; and

wirelessly transmitting, at least part of the processed output data to the wireless output device for outputting or playing at least part of the processed output data at the wireless output device.

19. The non-transitory computer memory or storage device of claim 17, wherein the method performed at the mobile information apparatus further comprises:

processing, using the one or more processors at the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the received output data for outputting or playing at least part of the digital content at one or more output devices that are wired or wirelessly coupled to the mobile information apparatus, the processing of at least part of the output data, includes one or more operations related to at least one of a decoding, an encoding, a decryption, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination.

20. The non-transitory computer memory or storage device of claim 19, wherein the method performed at the mobile information apparatus further comprises:

transmitting, via the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile information apparatus, a device object from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the device object includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to a device; and

the transmitting of the device object is to facilitate identification of the device for service or for registration of the device with the service; and

wherein at least part of the received output data is in a format or a language or an encoding that is acceptable for rendering at the device.