Distribution of multimedia content

• US 20070157285A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Navvo Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Navvo Group LLC
• Inventors: Fenn, Wade, Hipp, George, Baker, Lori, Tell, Jason, Frank, Michael, Smith, Bradley, Teskey, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/325,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods for distribution of multimedia content are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving, into a device having two or more modes of interaction, an input request for multimedia content from one mode of the two more modes of interaction. The method also includes transmitting the input request to a multimedia content provider. The method includes receiving the multimedia content back from the multimedia content provider. The method includes updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, into a device having two or more modes of interaction, an input request for multimedia content from one mode of the two more modes of interaction;

transmitting the input request to a multimedia content provider;

receiving the multimedia content back from the multimedia content provider; and

updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received multimedia content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more modes of interaction are selected from a group consisting of a button, a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, a microphone and a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received multimedia content comprises adjusting each of the two or more modes of interaction to allow for a different interaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content received is of a high priority and wherein the method further comprises synthesizing the multimedia content received with a multimedia content, which is of a low priority, being currently output from the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein synthesizing comprises outputting the multimedia content of the high priority and the multimedia content of the low priority together, wherein the multimedia content of the high priority is output at a higher volume in comparison to the multimedia content of the low priority.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content received comprises a voice output for one of a number of types of multimedia content, wherein the voice output includes a voice that is unique relative to voices of voice output for the other of the number of types of multimedia content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input request comprises recording a voice command, wherein recording comprises a time period prior to an indication to a user that the device is prepared for recording.

8. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, into a device having two or more modes of interaction, a search request for multimedia content from one mode of the two more modes of interaction;

transmitting the search request to a multimedia content provider;

receiving a result of the search request back from the multimedia content provider;

updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received result of the search request;

receiving, into the device, a more narrow search request for the multimedia content from a second mode of the two or more modes of interaction;

transmitting the more narrow search request to the multimedia content provider;

receiving a result of the more narrow search request back from the multimedia content provider; and

updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received result of the more narrow search request.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a multimedia controller used for distribution of multimedia content across multiple zones.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the two or more modes of interaction are selected from a group consisting of a button, a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, a microphone and a display.

11. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving, into a device having multiple modes of interaction, an input request for multimedia content from one mode of the multiple modes of interaction;

transmitting the input request to a multimedia content provider;

receiving the multimedia content and synchronization data back from the multimedia content provider; and

synchronizing the multiple modes of interaction based on the synchronization data.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the multimedia content received is of a high priority and wherein the method further comprises synthesizing, the multimedia content received with a multimedia content, which is of a low priority, being currently output from the device.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein synthesizing comprises outputting the multimedia content of the high priority and the multimedia content of the low priority together, wherein the multimedia content of the high priority is output at a higher volume in comparison to the multimedia content of the low priority.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, into a device having two or more modes of interaction, a search request for multimedia content from one mode of the two more modes of interaction;

transmitting the search request to a multimedia content provider;

receiving a result of the search request back from the multimedia content provider;

updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received result of the search request;

receiving, into the device, a more narrow search request for the multimedia content from a second mode of the two or more modes of interaction;

transmitting the more narrow search request to the multimedia content provider;

receiving a result of the more narrow search request back from the multimedia content provider; and

updating each of the two or more modes of interaction based on the received result of the more narrow search request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the device comprises a multimedia controller used for distribution of multimedia content across multiple zones.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the two or more modes of interaction are selected from a group consisting of a button, a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, a microphone and a display.

17. A method comprising:

setting a communication channel of a wireless communication device to a configuration channel in response to a determination that communication cannot be established with a wireless network;

receiving wireless configuration data from a different wireless communication device on the wireless network; and

updating wireless configuration of the wireless communication device to connect to the wireless network based on the received wireless configuration data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein setting the communication channel of the wireless communication device to the configuration channel in response to the determination that communication cannot be established with the wireless network comprises setting the communication channel of the wireless communication device to the configuration channel in response to the determination that wireless configuration data is not stored in a machine-readable medium of the wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving wireless configuration data from the different wireless communication device comprises receiving an identification of the wireless network and an encryption key for communication on the wireless network.

20. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user to locate one or more digital music receivers not configured to access a wireless network;

changing communication on the wireless network from a non-configuration channel to a configuration channel; and

establishing communication with the one or more digital music receivers using the configuration channel; and

transmitting wireless configuration data to the one or more digital music receivers, after the user has input verification of the one or more digital music receivers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein transmitting the wireless configuration data comprises transmitting an identification of the wireless network and an encryption key for communication on the wireless network.

22. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving input to locate a device not configured to access a wireless network;

changing communication on the wireless network to a configuration channel; and

transmitting wireless configuration data to the device not configured to access the wireless network, in response to establishing communication with the device over the configuration channel.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein receiving input to locate the device not configured to access the wireless network comprises receiving input to locate a digital music receiver not configured to access the wireless network.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein transmitting the wireless configuration data comprises transmitting an identification of the wireless network.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein transmitting the wireless configuration data comprises transmitting an encryption key for communication on the wireless network.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication transmitter to transmit a wireless communication that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material, the wireless communication to include an identification of the apparatus and to be received by a wireless remote control; and

an input module to receive a control signal from the wireless remote control to control the apparatus after the wireless communication is received by the wireless remote control.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the wireless communication that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material comprises an infrared communication.

28. A method comprising:

transmitting, from an apparatus, a wireless communication that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material, wherein the wireless communication includes an identification of the apparatus; and

receiving a control signal, from a wireless remote control that received the wireless communication, to control the apparatus.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication module to receive a wireless communication, from an electronic device, that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material, the wireless communication to include an identification of the electronic device; and

an output module to transmit a wireless control communication to control the electronic device after the wireless communication is received by the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the wireless communication that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material comprises an infrared communication.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a microphone to receive a voice command that is for distribution of multimedia content to the electronic device or a different electronic device.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a wireless communication module to output a wireless communication for the multimedia content to be distributed to the electronic device or to the different electronic device.

33. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless communication, from an apparatus, that cannot be transmitted through an opaque material, the wireless communication to include an identification of the apparatus; and

transmitting a control wireless communication to the apparatus to control the apparatus.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising configuring to control the apparatus, wherein the control wireless communication is based on the configuring.