Portable device and method for entertainment interaction data

• US 20070203968A1
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward, Malamud, Mark, Lord, Robert, Levien, Royce, Rinaldo, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system and method for use with a portable device, includes but is not limited to a method including accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface, querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities and actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities.

Claims

1. A method for operating a portable device, the method comprising:

accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface;

querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities; and

actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface includes:

scanning for one or more electronic transmissions from the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device; and

determining which of the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device to access.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities includes:

determining a protocol for interacting with the one or more entities.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities includes:

obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device includes:

retrieving interactive program guide data and/or content data for instantiation on the portable device to enable a user to operate the one or more entities from the portable device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device includes:

logging the data identifying the source supplying data to the one or more entities to enable an interactive session with the source supplying data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the logging the data identifying the source supplying data to the one or more entities to enable an interactive session with the source supplying data includes:

storing the data identifying the source supplying data to prevent requiring a subsequent logging of the data identifying the source supplying data.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

accessing a remote server and/or a set-top box audio/visual controller and/or a

multimedia data controller to obtain metadata for the interactive session.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities includes:

displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

displaying on the portable device implemented as one or more of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, a portable computing device, and/or a universal remote control with networking capabilities.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

receiving metadata from the one or more entities; and

processing the metadata to enable a user interface installed on the portable device to implement one or more of an interactive session with the one or more entities and/or a display of the metadata according to the user interface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the processing the metadata to enable a user interface installed on the portable device to implement one or more of an interactive session with the one or more entities and/or a display of the metadata according to the user interface includes:

using the metadata to determine which of a plurality of display capabilities of the portable device to enable for data retrieved from the one or more entities and/or data retrieved from a remote server providing the metadata related to the data available to the one or more entities.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

retrieving interactive program data related to the data available to the one or more entities; and

parsing the interactive program data for a subset appropriate for the portable device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program steam data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

processing the data related to the data available to the one or more entities according to one or more user-centric parameters.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities includes:

receiving metadata related to the one or more entities at the portable device to enable the user interface to instantiate entertainment data.

16. A computer program product configured for use with a portable device, the computer program product comprising:

a signal bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface;

one or more instructions for querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities; and

one or more instructions for actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a recordable medium.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a transmission medium.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface includes:

one or more instructions for scanning for one or more electronic transmissions from the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device; and

one or more instructions for determining which of the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device to access.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface includes:

one or more instructions for determining a protocol for interacting with the one or more entities.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface includes:

one or more instructions for obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the one or more instructions for obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device includes:

one or more instructions for retrieving interactive program guide data and/or content data for instantiation on the portable device to enable a user to operate the one or more entities from the portable device.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the one or more instructions for the obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device includes:

one or more instructions for logging the data identifying the source supplying data to the one or more entities to enable an interactive session with the source supplying data.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the one or more instructions for logging the data identifying the source supplying data to the one or more entities to enable an interactive session with the source supplying data includes:

one or more instructions for storing the data identifying the source supplying data to prevent requiring a subsequent logging of the data identifying the source supplying data.

25. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the one or more instructions for the obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device includes:

one or more instructions for accessing a remote server and/or a set-top box, audio/visual controller and/or a multimedia data controller to obtain metadata for the interactive session.

26. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface includes:

one or more instructions for displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more instructions for displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

one or more instructions for displaying on the portable device implemented as one or more of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, a portable computing device, and/or a universal remote control with networking capabilities.

28. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more instructions for displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

one or more instructions for receiving metadata from the one or more entities; and

one or more instructions for processing the metadata to enable a user interface installed on the portable device to implement one or more of an interactive session with the one or more entities and/or a display of the metadata according to the user interface.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein the one or more instructions for processing the metadata to enable a user interface installed on the portable device to implement one or more of an interactive session with the one or more entities and/or a display of the metadata according to the user interface includes:

one or more instructions for using the metadata to determine which of a plurality of display capabilities of the portable device to enable for data retrieved from the one or more entities and/or data retrieved from a remote server providing the metadata related to the data available to the one or more entities.

30. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more instructions for displaying on the portable device one or more of preview data, program content and/or content with metadata and/or distilled content versions of multimedia data streams and/or video and or audio streams, on-screen data, and/or live program stream data, and/or scene information related to data available to/from the one or more entities includes:

one or more instructions for retrieving interactive program data related to tie data available to the one or more entities; and

one or more instructions for parsing the interactive program data for a subset appropriate for the portable device.

32. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities further comprises:

one or more instructions for receiving metadata related to the one or more entities at the portable device to enable the user interface to instantiate entertainment data.

31. (canceled)

33. A portable device comprising:

one or more processors;

audio and/or video input and/or output circuitry coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a user interface module coupled to the one or more processors for actuating user enhancement data in association with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content on the portable device retrieved from the one or more entities and/or a source operably coupled to the one or more entities;

an access module coupled to the one or more processors for accessing of one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to one or more of the portable device and/or a computing device operable via a user interface; and

a query module coupled to the one or more processors for querying of the one or more entities to determine one or more interaction capabilities between the portable device and the one or more entities

34. The portable device of claim 33 wherein the user interface module is coupled to the processor, located within the processor, and/or located in the memory.

35. The portable device of claim 33 wherein the memory is one or more of a random access memory, a read only memory, or an optical memory.

36. The portable device of claim 33 wherein the audio and/or video input and/or output circuitry includes one or more of a video display, a microphone, a speaker, a transducer, and/or audio input and/or output circuitry.

37. The portable device of claim 33 further comprising:

scanning circuitry coupled to the one or more processors, the scanning circuitry configured for scanning for one or more electronic transmissions from the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device; and

a capabilities module coupled to the scanning circuitry, the capabilities module configured for determining which of the one or more entities computationally capable of being networked to the portable device to access.

38. The portable device of claim 33 wherein the access module includes:

an identifier module configured to enable obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device, the identifier module disposed within a transceiver coupled to the one or more processors.

40. The portable device of claim 33 wherein the identifier module configured to enable obtaining data identifying a source supplying the user enhancement data associated with one or more of multimedia data, multimedia streams and/or multimedia content to the one or more entities to enable access by the portable device, the identifier module disposed within a transceiver coupled to the one or more processors includes;

a metadata module configured for accessing a remote server and/or a set-top box, audio/visual controller and/or a multimedia data controller to obtain metadata for the interactive session

41. The portable device of claim 33 further comprising:

a housing coupled to the processor, the housing encasing the memory, the processor, the transceiver and/or the audio and/or video input and/or output circuitry.

42. The portable device of claim 41 wherein the housing encasing the memory, the processor, the transceiver and/or the audio and/or video input and/or output circuitry is a mobile phone, a portable computer, a personal digital assistant, and/or a remote control device.

39. (canceled)