Method and apparatus for remotely controlling a receiver according to content and user selection
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling a media receiver, the apparatus comprising:
- a media player interface comprising a plurality of receiver connections, each operable to communicate with the media receiver;
a media database comprising a plurality of media unit records each identifying one of a plurality of media units by one or more characteristics, wherein a first characteristic of each media unit record identifies one media type of a plurality of media types;
a play selection system to (i) retrieve a media unit record from the media database for a selected media unit, (ii) determine a media type of the selected media unit from the media unit record, and (iii) communicate, to a media play processor, a receiver connection selection for the selected media unit based on the media type of the selected media unit; and
the media play processor to (i) configure the media receiver, and (ii) couple the selected media unit to a selected receiver connection, according to the receiver connection selection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System and method for automatically controlling a media receiver by instructing the media receiver to use a particular receiver connection and to play a selected media unit using one of a plurality of play modes according to characteristics of the media unit. Media units may be encoded using any of a variety of encoding formats. The media management system may interface with a media receiver to select media receiver connections in accordance with the media type of the media unit. The media management system may also interface with the media receiver to set media receiver settings for playing the selected media unit according to the media receiver settings selected for a play mode corresponding to the characteristics of the selected media unit.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a media receiver, the apparatus comprising:
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a media player interface comprising a plurality of receiver connections, each operable to communicate with the media receiver;
a media database comprising a plurality of media unit records each identifying one of a plurality of media units by one or more characteristics, wherein a first characteristic of each media unit record identifies one media type of a plurality of media types;
a play selection system to (i) retrieve a media unit record from the media database for a selected media unit, (ii) determine a media type of the selected media unit from the media unit record, and (iii) communicate, to a media play processor, a receiver connection selection for the selected media unit based on the media type of the selected media unit; and
the media play processor to (i) configure the media receiver, and (ii) couple the selected media unit to a selected receiver connection, according to the receiver connection selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for controlling a media receiver, the apparatus comprising:
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a media player interface comprising a plurality of receiver connections, each operable to communicate with the media receiver;
a media database comprising (i) a play mode record, and (ii) a plurality of media unit records each identifying one of a plurality of media units by one or more characteristics, wherein a first characteristic of each media unit record identifies a characteristic selected from the group consisting of;
title, song, genre, location, label, artist, media type, and date, andwherein the play mode record identifies one of a plurality of play modes corresponding to the first characteristic;
a play selection system to (i) retrieve the play mode record from the media database, (ii) retrieve a media unit record from the media database for a selected media unit, (ii) determine the first characteristic of the selected media unit from the media unit record, and (iii) communicate, to a media play processor, a play mode selection for the selected media unit based on at least the first characteristic and the play mode record; and
the media play processor to request the media receiver to play the selected media unit according to the play mode selection. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling a receiver, the method comprising:
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retrieving a media unit record for a media unit selected to be played by a receiver coupled to a media player interface, wherein the media unit record identifies a media type for the media unit;
retrieving a media type configuration record, wherein the media type configuration record identifies one of a plurality of receiver connections corresponding to the media type; and
requesting the receiver to use the one of a plurality of receiver connections to receive the media unit for play by the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A media management system comprising:
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a plurality of media source input/output (I/O) ports coupled to a plurality of media sources;
a user interface coupled to at least one user interface device, the user interface operable to receive at least one media play instruction from a user;
a media player interface comprising a plurality of receiver connections, each communicatively coupled to a media receiver;
a media database comprising (i) a plurality of media unit records, (ii) a media type configuration record, (iii) a play mode record, and (iv) a media receiver type record that identifies the media receiver, wherein each of the media unit records identifies (a) one of a plurality of media units by a characteristic that corresponds to one of a plurality of play modes identified in the play mode record, and (b) a media type that corresponds to one of a plurality of receiver connections identified in the media type configuration record;
a play selection system for (i) retrieving a media unit record for a selected media unit to be played by the media receiver, the media type configuration record, the play mode record, and the media receiver type record, (ii) determining a play mode for the selected media unit from the media unit record and the play mode record, (iii) determining a receiver connection selection based on the media type, the media type configuration record, and the media receiver type record, and (iv) communicating, to a media player processor, the receiver connection selection and the play mode for the selected media unit; and
the media play processor to (i) configure the media receiver, and (ii) couple the selected media unit to a selected receiver connection, according to the receiver connection selection.
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Specification