Contextual remote control

• US 10,659,518 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2019
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Jeff Ting Yann
• Primary Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US16/357,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20200084259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

This application is directed to enabling interaction between computer devices. An application is executed at a first computer device to access Internet-based media content sources and display media items provided thereby on a display device coupled to the first computer device. The first computer device transmits an information item and a command to a second computer device. In some implementations, the information item includes a selectable display element corresponding to one of the Internet-based media content sources, and the second computer device is configured to display the selectable display element of the information item. In response to a user selection of the selectable display item at the second computer device, the first computer device receives the command from the second computer device, and executes the command in relation to the Internet-based media content sources.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

at a first computer device including a processor and memory, wherein the first computer device is coupled to a media device and facilitates the media device to output media content provided by a plurality of media content sources including one or more Internet-based media content sources;

executing an application that accesses the one or more Internet-based media content sources and outputs media items provided thereby, wherein the application operates interactively with a remote control application executed on a second computer device;

obtaining an information item corresponding to one or more media content items that are provided by one of the one or more Internet-based media content sources accessible via the first computer device, wherein the information item is configured to be displayed by the remote control application on the second computer device;

obtaining by the first computer device a command associated with the information item;

transmitting the information item and the command from the first computer device to the second computer device;

in response to a user input related to the information item at the second computer device, receiving by the first computer device, from the second computer device, the command to perform a specified action with respect to the one or more media content items; and

executing the command in relation to the one or more media content items corresponding to the one or more Internet-based media content sources, wherein the one or more media content items include an audio track, and the one or more Internet-based media content sources include an Internet-based audio channel with which the audio track is associated.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the second computer device, display rules, wherein the display rules provide instructions for displaying the information item in a user interface of the second computer device; and

displaying the information item in the user interface of the second computer device according to the display rules.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the media device is a speaker device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein executing the command includes altering playback of the audio track on the media device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the command associated with the information item comprises at least one of:

a Play command;

a Stop command; and

a Pause command.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the information item includes information describing the one or more media content items, and the information describing the one or more media content items further comprises:

a title of the media content items; and

an image associated with the media content items.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the information item further includes information describing the Internet-based audio channel with which the audio track is associated.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information item includes information describing the one or more media content items, which is configured to be displayed by the remote control application on the second computer device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the information describing one or more media content items is selected from a group consisting of a title, a file name, a thumbnail, and description of the one or more media content items.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more media content items is selected from a group consisting of a video clip, a television station, an audio track, an audio/radio station, and a picture.

11. A first computer device, wherein the first computer device is coupled to a media device and facilitates the media device to output media content provided by a plurality of media content sources including one or more Internet-based media content sources, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are configured to be executed by the one or more processors and include instructions for, at the first computer device;

executing an application that accesses the one or more Internet-based media content sources and outputs media items provided thereby, wherein the application operates interactively with a remote control application executed on a second computer device;

obtaining an information item corresponding to one or more media content items that are provided by one of the one or more Internet-based media content sources accessible via the first computer device, wherein the information item is configured to be displayed by the remote control application on the second computer device;

obtaining by the first computer device a command associated with the information item;

transmitting the information item and the command from the first computer device to the second computer device;

in response to a user input related to the information item at the second computer device, receiving by the first computer device, from the second computer device, the command to perform a specified action with respect to the one or more media content items; and

executing the command in relation to the one or more media content items corresponding to the one or more Internet-based media content sources, wherein the one or more media content items include an audio track, and the one or more Internet-based media content sources include an Internet-based audio channel with which the audio track is associated.

12. The first computer device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

retrieving, by the second computer device, display rules, wherein the display rules provide instructions for displaying the information item in a user interface of the second computer device; and

displaying the information item in the user interface of the second computer device according to the display rules.

13. The first computer device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

sending a display instruction associated with the information item, wherein the display instruction indicates that the one or more media content items are to be displayed in a list format, a tree format, a gallery format, or a hierarchical folder format.

14. The first computer device of claim 11, wherein the information item corresponds to a single media content item provided by the one or more Internet-based media content sources or a folder containing multiple media content items provided by the one or more Internet-based media content sources.

15. The first computer device of claim 11, wherein the second computer device includes a mobile device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a first computer device, cause the first computer device to perform operations for:

at the first computer device, wherein the first computer device is coupled to a media device and facilitates the media device to output media content provided by a plurality of media content sources including one or more Internet-based media content sources;

executing an application that accesses the one or more Internet-based media content sources and outputs media items provided thereby, wherein the application operates interactively with a remote control application executed on a second computer device;

obtaining an information item corresponding to one or more media content items that are provided by one of the one or more Internet-based media content sources accessible via the first computer device, wherein the information item is configured to be displayed by the remote control application on the second computer device;

obtaining by the first computer device a command associated with the information item;

transmitting the information item and the command from the first computer device to the second computer device;

in response to a user input related to the information item at the second computer device, receiving by the first computer device, from the second computer device, the command to perform a specified action with respect to the one or more media content items; and

executing the command in relation to the one or more media content items corresponding to the one or more Internet-based media content sources, wherein the one or more media content items include an audio track, and the one or more Internet-based media content sources include an Internet-based audio channel with which the audio track is associated.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the command received in response to the user input is provided by the first computer device in association with the information item, and the information item and the command are incorporated in a HTML file.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising displaying the information item in a user interface of the second computer device, wherein the user interface includes a content region and a control region that are distinct from each other, and one or more predefined playback controls are displayed in the control region, independently of the plurality of media content sources, when information describing the one or more media content items is displayed in the content region.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more predefined playback controls are represented by a subset of a plurality of icons for rewinding, stopping, playing, pausing, and fast-forwarding media content.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more predefined playback controls are consistently displayed on the control region according to a template when the content region is dynamically customized based on the plurality of media content sources.