Remotely-accessible wireless LAN server

• US 20060156353A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Dorner, Elmar
• Application Number:
  US11/022,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A remote-controlled media system is described in which a remote control communicates over a conventional wireless local area network (WLAN) with a remote server. The remote control and remote server configure a network connection over the WLAN for communicating with one another. The remote server receives a remote command from the remote control and associates the remote command with the remote control, an application, and an output device over which the application outputs media data files. The remote server determines a particular output function of the application that is represented by the remote command, and then accesses the application through a command interface of the application to thereby invoke the output feature at the application and the output device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media application that is operable to output media data files for presentation using an output device, the media application having a command interface for controlling an output feature for the media data files and the output device; and

a remote server that is operable to receive a remote command and associate the remote command with the output feature, and further operable to access the command interface of the media application to invoke the output feature, based on the remote command.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote server determines the remote command from a command packet received from a remote control over a network connection on a wireless network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the remote server associates the output feature with a selected button on the remote control, based on the command packet and a pre-configured relationship between the remote command and the output feature.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the remote server comprises a protocol component that is operable to receive a broadcast message from the remote control, over the wireless network, and to configure the network connection for receipt of the command packet, based on the broadcast message.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the remote server comprises a remote control identifier for identifying the remote control from among a plurality of remote controls configured for communication with the remote server, based on the command packet.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the remote server comprises an application identifier for identifying the media application from among a plurality of applications, based on the command packet or on a pre-determined association of the remote control with the media application.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the remote server comprises a device identifier for identifying the output device from among a plurality of output devices, based on the command packet or on a pre-determined association of the remote control with the output device.

8. The system of claim 1 comprising a remote server user interface that is operable to relate the remote command with the output feature.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the media application includes a streaming application for streaming audio or visual files to the output device.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a remote command over a wireless network;

associating the remote command with an output function of an application that outputs media data files to an output device for presentation to a user;

accessing a command interface of the application; and

invoking the output function of the application, and thereby the presentation of the media data file over the output device to the user, through the command interface and based on the remote command.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the remote command comprises:

receiving a broadcast message from a remote control, over the wireless network; and

configuring a network communication for receiving the remote command, based on the broadcast message.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein associating the remote command with the output function comprises identifying the remote control from among a plurality of remote controls, based on the remote command.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein associating the remote command with the output function comprises accessing a command set in which the remote command is associated with the output function.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising constructing the command set based on configuration information received from the user by way of a user interface.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein associating the remote command with the output function comprises associating the remote command with the application from among a plurality of applications.

16. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions including:

a first code segment for recognizing a communication from a remote control over a wireless network and configuring a network connection, based on the communication;

a second code segment for receiving a command packet from the remote control, over the network connection, the command packet associated with a selected button of the remote control;

a third code segment for associating the command packet with an output function of an application, to thereby associate the selected button with the output function; and

a fourth code segment for communicating with a command interface of the application to invoke the output function, based on the command packet.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the third code segment includes a fifth code segment for identifying the remote control from among a plurality of remote controls, based on the command packet.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the third code segment includes a fifth code segment for identifying the application from among a plurality of applications, based on the command packet or a predetermined association of the remote control with the application.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the third code segment includes a fifth code segment for associating the selected button with the output function, based on configuration received from a user by way of a user interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the second code segment receives the command packet over the network connection by way of a base station that is in communication with the remote control and on the wireless network.