Systems and methods for integrating a set-top box with internet content

• US 10,291,963 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Desmond, Randall Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepard, Justin E
• Application Number:
  US16/022,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20180310067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• 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 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63 Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing real-time session protocols H04L65/1101; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/633 Control signals issued by server directed to the network components or client management of faults, events, alarms in data networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 : directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64 : Addressing network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00; support for multicast or broadcast of one-way stream services H04L65/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/647 : Control signaling between network components and server or clients; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients, e.g. controlling the quality of the video stream, by dropping packets, protecting content from unauthorised alteration within the network, monitoring of network load, bridging between two different networks, e.g. between IP and wireless real-time session protocols H04L65/1101
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64746 : Control signals issued by the network directed to the server or the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64753 : directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64761 : directed to the server

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer readable media for controlling a set-top box includes receiving at processor a request from a user to access a web page. The content of the web page is scanned at the processor for items relating to content that may be available through the set-top box. The processor then provides a web page to the user with an embedded widget which the user can use to select commands to be executed by the set-top box. The processor receives the widget command and sends the widget command to the set-top box for implementation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a set-top box comprising:

registering the set-top box as an internet controllable set-top box in a registration server;

storing registration information in a storage device that includes a secure database for a plurality of additional set-top boxes;

specifying a first URL and a second URL, wherein the first URL provides private data to a provider of set-top box content to the set-top box and affords access to the set-top box via a secure connection, and the second URL is a web surfing URL;

delivering the second URL to a user;

searching a network with a web browser using the second URL;

identifying a web page to be retrieved wherein the web page has a content associated therewith;

scanning the content in a processor to identify content of interest accessible through the set-top box;

embedding a widget on the web page wherein the widget includes a plurality of instructions to be effected by the set-top box;

sending a selection of one of the plurality of instructions to the processor; and

sending a command associated with the selection to the set-top box.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor is the set-top box.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor is a proxy server.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is the internet.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the second URL comprises delivering the second URL to the set-top box, via email as a link, or as a script which when run in the web browser would configure settings of the web browser.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the second URL comprises embedding the second URL in a browser plugin for which a link is sent to the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the widget is an application that can display information, display commands and interact with the user.

8. A system for controlling a set-top box comprising:

a registration server;

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

registering the set-top box as an internet controllable set-top box in the registration server;

storing registration information in the memory that includes a secure database for a plurality of additional set-top boxes;

specifying a first URL and a second URL, wherein the first URL provides private data to a provider of set-top box content to the set-top box and affords access to the set-top box via a secure connection, and the second URL is a web surfing URL;

delivering the second URL to a user;

searching a network with a web browser using the second URL;

identifying a web page to be retrieved wherein the web page has a content associated therewith;

scanning the content in the processor to identify content of interest accessible through the set-top box;

embedding a widget on the web page wherein the widget includes a plurality of instructions to be effected by the set-top box;

sending a selection of one of the plurality of instructions to the processor; and

sending a command associated with the selection to the set-top box.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is the set-top box.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is a proxy server.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the network is the internet.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein delivering the second URL comprises delivering the second URL to the set-top box, via email as a link, or as a script which when run in the web browser would configure settings of the web browser.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein delivering the second URL comprises embedding the second URL in a browser plugin for which a link is sent to the user.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the widget is an application that can display information, display commands and interact with the user.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer effectuate operations comprising:

registering a set-top box as an internet controllable set-top box in a registration server;

storing registration information in a storage device that includes a secure database for a plurality of additional set-top boxes;

specifying a first URL and a second URL, wherein the first URL provides private data to a provider of set-top box content to the set-top box and affords access to the set-top box via a secure connection, and the second URL is a web surfing URL;

delivering the second URL to a user;

searching a network with a web browser using the second URL;

identifying a web page to be retrieved wherein the web page has a content associated therewith;

scanning the content in a processor to identify content of interest accessible through the set-top box;

embedding a widget on the web page wherein the widget includes a plurality of instructions to be effected by the set-top box;

sending a selection of one of the plurality of instructions to the processor; and

sending a command associated with the selection to the set-top box.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is the set-top box.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is a proxy server.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the network is the internet.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein delivering the second URL comprises delivering the second URL to the set-top box, via email as a link, or as a script which when run in the web browser would configure settings of the web browser.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein delivering the second URL comprises embedding the second URL in a browser plugin for which a link is sent to the user.