Network-accessible control of one or more media devices
First Claim
1. A remotely accessible computing system configured to control at least one networked device, the computing system comprising:
- a management system configured to communicatively couple to the at least one networked device, the management system including;
a core module to generate control requests and data requests related to operation of the at least one networked device;
at least one gateway module corresponding to each networked device, the gateway module being in communication with the core module to receive the control requests and data requests from the core module, and further being in communication with the core module to provide responses to the control requests and the data requests to the core module;
a communication interface included with each gateway module to provide the control requests and the data requests generated by the core module to the at least one networked device using a communication protocol, and to receive the responses to the control requests and the data requests from the at least one media device; and
a remoting layer to support communication with the core module; and
a Web server configured to communicate with the core module through the remoting layer, the Web server including;
a Web application to provide a graphical user interface that is remotely accessible by a remote device through a network, the graphical user interface further being able to present at least some of the responses to the control requests and data requests as provided by the core module to the Web application through the remoting layer; and
a Web service to communicate with a Web service gateway module of the remote device, the Web service being accessible by the Web service gateway module to allow user commands entered through the graphical user interface to be communicated to the core module through the remoting layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A content management (CM) system is provided to centrally control operation of one or more connected devices by issuing control requests and/or data requests. In some situations the connected device(s) include devices that control presentation of television programming-related content, such as digital video recorder (“DVR”) devices and media center devices, and in other situations may include other types of media devices and/or other electromechanical (“E/M”) devices that may be centrally controlled, such as E/M devices for home automation that may operate independently or in conjunction with the media devices. In some situations, the CM system communicates with the connected devices via a network and using appropriate protocol(s), and may be accessed remotely via a network so as to allow a user to remotely operate the CM system. The CM system may further control searching, identification, selection, and presentation of pieces of media content by the connected device(s).
291 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A remotely accessible computing system configured to control at least one networked device, the computing system comprising:
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a management system configured to communicatively couple to the at least one networked device, the management system including;
a core module to generate control requests and data requests related to operation of the at least one networked device;
at least one gateway module corresponding to each networked device, the gateway module being in communication with the core module to receive the control requests and data requests from the core module, and further being in communication with the core module to provide responses to the control requests and the data requests to the core module;
a communication interface included with each gateway module to provide the control requests and the data requests generated by the core module to the at least one networked device using a communication protocol, and to receive the responses to the control requests and the data requests from the at least one media device; and
a remoting layer to support communication with the core module; and
a Web server configured to communicate with the core module through the remoting layer, the Web server including;
a Web application to provide a graphical user interface that is remotely accessible by a remote device through a network, the graphical user interface further being able to present at least some of the responses to the control requests and data requests as provided by the core module to the Web application through the remoting layer; and
a Web service to communicate with a Web service gateway module of the remote device, the Web service being accessible by the Web service gateway module to allow user commands entered through the graphical user interface to be communicated to the core module through the remoting layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for enabling a computing device to be remotely accessed to control at least one networked device, the method comprising:
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configuring the computing device as a central control point, the computing device capable to generate control requests and data requests related to operation of the networked devices using a core module of a management system of the computing device;
separating the core module of the management system from a graphical user interface of the management system, by using a Web application of a Web server to generate the graphical user interface and to make the graphical user interface available to a remote device via a network;
providing a Web service of the Web server to allow the remote device to communicate with the core module; and
providing a remoting layer to allow the Web application and the Web service to communicate with the core module. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing device that can control at least one networked device to be remotely accessed, by performing a method comprising:
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using a computing device as a central control point to provide control requests and data requests related to operation of the networked devices, the computing device having a core module to generate the control requests and data requests to the networked devices;
separating the core module of the management system from a graphical user interface that can be used to interact with the management system, the graphical user interface being provided by an application and being made available by the application to a remote device via a network, a remoting layer being used to allow the core module and the application to communicate with each other, a service being used to allow the remote device to communicate with the core module through the remoting layer; and
in response to user input at the remote device that are entered using the graphical user interface as presented on the remote device and that are communicated by the remote device to the service, providing the user input to the core module via the remoting layer and generating a control request or a data request corresponding to the received user input. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification