Wireless control of stored media presentation

• US 10,616,860 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2019
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony, Hodge, Andrew Bart, Zadesky, Stephen P., Lindahl, Aram, Guetta, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US16/529,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20190357169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 3404072, 3406861, 34081547, 34081548, 3408156, 340540
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A system for wireless control of stored media presentations is provided. In some examples, a media player is operative to wirelessly communicate with an associated portable electronic device and control presentation of a stored media content file according to a control signal converted from an audio signal received by the associated portable electronic device. In another example, a portable electronic device is operative to generate and wirelessly transmit a signal to control presentation of a stored media content file by an associated media player according to audio data received via a microphone. In yet another example, a system for using a portable electronic device to control a media presentation device includes the portable electronic device that generates and wirelessly transmits a signal according to audio data received via a microphone and a media player that receives the signal and controls presentation of a stored media content file.

Claims

1. A media player, comprising:

a housing;

communication circuitry disposed in the housing; and

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing, that is operative to;

wirelessly communicate with an associated portable electronic device using the communication circuitry; and

control presentation of a stored media content file according to a control signal converted from an audio signal received by the associated portable electronic device.

2. The media player of claim 1, wherein the stored media content file includes video.

3. The media player of claim 1, wherein the stored media content file includes audio.

4. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry plays the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

5. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry pauses the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

6. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry stops the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

7. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry skips to a later portion of the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

8. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry skips to a previous portion of the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

9. The media player of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry presents information regarding the stored media content file in response to the control signal.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a microphone disposed in the housing;

communication circuitry, disposed in the housing; and

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing, that is operative to;

generate a signal to control presentation of a stored media content file by an associated media player according to audio data received via the microphone; and

wirelessly transmit the signal to the associated media player using the communication circuitry.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a remote control.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a cellular telephone.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device comprises an earbud.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a wearable device.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the signal comprises a control signal that controls the presentation of the stored media content file; and

the processing circuitry converts the audio data into the control signal.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the signal includes the audio data that the associated media player converts into a control signal that controls the presentation of the stored media content file.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the portable electronic device further includes at least one of a button, a keypad, a dial, a click wheel, or a touch sensor.

18. A system for using a portable electronic device to control a media presentation device, comprising:

the portable electronic device that;

generates a signal according to audio data received via a microphone; and

wirelessly transmits the signal; and

a media player that;

receives the signal from the portable electronic device; and

controls presentation of a stored media content file according to the signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the portable electronic device transmits the signal to the media player using a Bluetooth communication protocol.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the signal is a first signal; and

the media player presents a user interface operable to control the media player in response to a second signal received from the portable electronic device.