Dynamically enabling user device to utilize network-based media sharing protocol
First Claim
1. A system controller comprising:
- a network interface connectable to a computer network, the computer network including a dynamic host control protocol (DHCP) server and a gateway for processing network traffic, the dynamic host control protocol (DHCP) server providing an IP address of the gateway as a default gateway of the computer network to a user device when the user device is first coupled to computer network, and the gateway including a set of gateway rules containing one or more dynamically updatable network traffic processing rules utilized by the gateway to process network traffic, wherein the set of gateway rules by default cause the gateway to prevent the user device on the computer network from utilizing a network-based media sharing protocol with a media device on the computer network by causing the gateway to drop all unicast traffic between the user device and the media device, the user device and the media device being located on different subnets on the computer network, and all unicast traffic from the user device to the media device being sent via the gateway as a result of the gateway being the default gateway for the user device;
a storage device storing a plurality of software instructions; and
a processor coupled to the network interface and the storage device;
wherein, by the processor executing the software instructions loaded from the storage device, the processor is configured to cause the system controller at least to;
detect a first event occurrence;
in response to detecting the first event occurrence, dynamically reconfigure the gateway to pass unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the first event occurrence, wherein prior to the first event occurrence, the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device;
detect a second event occurrence; and
in response to detecting the second event occurrence, dynamically reconfigure the gateway to drop unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the second event occurrence, wherein prior to the second event occurrence, the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system controller comprising:
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a network interface connectable to a computer network, the computer network including a dynamic host control protocol (DHCP) server and a gateway for processing network traffic, the dynamic host control protocol (DHCP) server providing an IP address of the gateway as a default gateway of the computer network to a user device when the user device is first coupled to computer network, and the gateway including a set of gateway rules containing one or more dynamically updatable network traffic processing rules utilized by the gateway to process network traffic, wherein the set of gateway rules by default cause the gateway to prevent the user device on the computer network from utilizing a network-based media sharing protocol with a media device on the computer network by causing the gateway to drop all unicast traffic between the user device and the media device, the user device and the media device being located on different subnets on the computer network, and all unicast traffic from the user device to the media device being sent via the gateway as a result of the gateway being the default gateway for the user device; a storage device storing a plurality of software instructions; and a processor coupled to the network interface and the storage device; wherein, by the processor executing the software instructions loaded from the storage device, the processor is configured to cause the system controller at least to; detect a first event occurrence; in response to detecting the first event occurrence, dynamically reconfigure the gateway to pass unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the first event occurrence, wherein prior to the first event occurrence, the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device; detect a second event occurrence; and in response to detecting the second event occurrence, dynamically reconfigure the gateway to drop unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the second event occurrence, wherein prior to the second event occurrence, the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of enabling and disabling media content sharing between a user device and a media device over a computer network, the method comprising:
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providing an IP address of a gateway as a default gateway of the computer network to the user device when the user device is first coupled to computer network, wherein the user device and the media device are located on different subnets on the computer network, and all unicast traffic from the user device to the media device is sent via the gateway as a result of the gateway being the default gateway for the user device; by default preventing the user device on the computer network from utilizing a network-based media sharing protocol with the media device on the computer network by configuring the gateway to drop all unicast traffic between the user device and the media device; detecting a first event occurrence; in response to detecting the first event occurrence, dynamically reconfiguring a gateway to pass unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating a set of gateway rules so that the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the first event occurrence, wherein prior to the first event occurrence, the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device; detecting a second event occurrence; and in response to detecting the second event occurrence, dynamically reconfiguring the gateway to drop unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the second event occurrence, wherein prior to the second event occurrence, the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform a method comprising:
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providing an IP address of a gateway as a default gateway of a computer network to a user device when the user device is first coupled to computer network, wherein the user device and a media device are located on different subnets on the computer network, and all unicast traffic from the user device to the media device is sent via the gateway as a result of the gateway being the default gateway for the user device; by default preventing the user device on the computer network from utilizing a network-based media sharing protocol with the media device on the computer network by configuring the gateway to drop all unicast traffic between the user device and the media device; detecting a first event occurrence; in response to detecting the first event occurrence, dynamically reconfiguring the gateway to pass unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating a set of gateway rules so that the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the first event occurrence, wherein prior to the first event occurrence, the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device; detecting a second event occurrence; and in response to detecting the second event occurrence, dynamically reconfiguring the gateway to drop unicast traffic corresponding to the network-based media sharing protocol between the user device and the media device by updating the set of gateway rules so that the gateway prevents the user device from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device after the second event occurrence, wherein prior to the second event occurrence, the gateway permits the user device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol with the media device.
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Specification