Method and system for remote control

• US 10,257,559 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• 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: Roberts, Linda A., Chang, E-Lee, Tan, Tuck Seng
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepard, Justin E
• Application Number:
  US15/202,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41 Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/42204 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo

Abstract

A mobile device include a processor coupled to memory media, a touch interface coupled to the processor, a wireless interface coupled to the processor, and a display aligned with the touch interface and coupled to the processor. The memory media includes processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including remotely controlling a set top box associated with a client of a multimedia service provider and retrieving client-specific information from a client-specific websites provided by the service provider.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor coupled to memory media;

a touch interface coupled to the processor;

a wireless interface coupled to the processor;

a display aligned with the touch interface and coupled to the processor; and

wherein the memory media include processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

displaying a touch interface for remote control, wherein the touch interface includes an input bar, wherein the input bar comprises a sliding bar configured for receiving touch inputs for changing a setting of a particular remote control element;

establishing, via a wireless interface, a connection to a set top box associated with a client of a service provider;

receiving, via the touch interface, a first touch input, wherein the first touch input is indicative of a rate of change magnitude for the particular remote control element;

responsive to receiving the first touch input;

sending, to the set top box based on the first touch input, a remote control command for changing the particular remote control element in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

displaying, via the touch interface, the particular remote control element changing in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

responsive to detecting an absence of touch input at the touch interface, setting the input bar to a particular position.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first touch input comprises a dragging motion detected by the touch interface, and wherein a magnitude of the dragging motion indicates the rate of change magnitude.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the particular control element comprises a volume control element, the second touch input comprises a double-tap, and, wherein the operations include:

responsive detecting to a touch input comprising a double-tap at the volume bar, muting the volume magnitude to a muted audio volume or a zero audio volume.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein setting the input bar comprises setting a slider of the input bar to a zero position, wherein the rate of change magnitude accords with a displacement between the zero position and the first touch input.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the rate of change magnitude is a particular function of a displacement between a zero position of the slider bar and the first touch input, wherein the particular function is selected from:

a logarithmic function and an exponential function.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the particular remote control element comprises a control element for navigating an electronic program guide and wherein the rate of change magnitude is indicative of a speed and direction of scrolling through selectable elements in the electronic program guide.

7. A mobile device method, comprising:

displaying a touch interface for remote control, wherein the touch interface includes an input bar, wherein the input bar comprises a sliding bar configured for receiving touch inputs for changing a setting of a particular remote control element;

establishing, via a wireless interface, a connection to a set top box associated with a client of a service provider;

receiving, via the touch interface, a first touch input, wherein the first touch input is indicative of a rate of change magnitude for the particular remote control element;

responsive to receiving the first touch input;

sending, to the set top box based on the first touch input, a remote control command for changing the particular remote control element in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

displaying, via the touch interface, the particular remote control element changing in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

responsive to detecting an absence of touch input at the touch interface, setting the input bar to a particular position.

8. The mobile device method of claim 7, wherein the first touch input comprises a dragging motion detected by the touch interface, and wherein a magnitude of the dragging motion indicates the rate of change magnitude.

9. The mobile device method of claim 8, wherein the particular control element comprises a volume control element, the second touch input comprises a double-tap, and, wherein the operations include:

responsive detecting to a touch input comprising a double-tap at the volume bar, muting the volume magnitude to a muted audio volume or a zero audio volume.

10. The mobile device method of claim 7, wherein setting the input bar comprises setting a slider of the input bar to a zero position, wherein the rate of change magnitude accords with a displacement between the zero position and the first touch input.

11. The mobile device method of claim 7, wherein the rate of change magnitude is a particular function of a displacement between a zero position of the slider bar and the first touch input, wherein the particular function is selected from:

a logarithmic function and an exponential function.

12. The mobile device method of claim 7, wherein the particular remote control element comprises a control element for navigating an electronic program guide and wherein the rate of change magnitude is indicative of a speed and direction of scrolling through selectable elements in the electronic program guide.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device associated with a client of a multimedia service provider, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a touch interface for remote control, wherein the touch interface includes an input bar, wherein the input bar comprises a sliding bar configured for receiving touch inputs for changing a setting of a particular remote control element;

establishing, via a wireless interface, a connection to a set top box associated with a client of a service provider;

receiving, via the touch interface, a first touch input, wherein the first touch input is indicative of a rate of change magnitude for the particular remote control element;

responsive to receiving the first touch input;

sending, to the set top box based on the first touch input, a remote control command for changing the particular remote control element in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

displaying, via the touch interface, the particular remote control element changing in accordance with the rate of change magnitude; and

responsive to detecting an absence of touch input at the touch interface, setting the input bar to a particular position.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first touch input comprises a dragging motion detected by the touch interface, and wherein a magnitude of the dragging motion indicates the rate of change magnitude.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular control element comprises a volume control element, the second touch input comprises a double-tap, and, wherein the operations include:

responsive detecting to a touch input comprising a double-tap at the volume bar, muting the volume magnitude to a muted audio volume or a zero audio volume.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein setting the input bar comprises setting a slider of the input bar to a zero position, wherein the rate of change magnitude accords with a displacement between the zero position and the first touch input.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the rate of change magnitude is a particular function of a displacement between a zero position of the slider bar and the first touch input, wherein the particular function is selected from:

a logarithmic function and an exponential function.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular remote control element comprises a control element for navigating an electronic program guide and wherein the rate of change magnitude is indicative of a speed and direction of scrolling through selectable elements in the electronic program guide.