APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COLLABORATING BETWEEN A VIDEO DEVICE AND A TELEPHONIC DEVICE
First Claim
1. An apparatus for collaborating between a video device and a telephonic device, comprising:
- means for outputting video content received from a source of video content;
means for recognizing the presence of a telephonic device of a selected user;
means for communicating over a first, short-range wireless, communication path with the telephonic device of the selected user;
wherein the telephonic device of said user is configured to support simultaneous communication over said first communication path as well as over a second, long-range, communication path; and
means for controlling the display of video content and annunciating progress of a call received by the telephonic device over the second communication path in response to short-range communications received from said telephonic device over said first communication path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for collaborating over a short-range communication path between a video output device, such as a television, and a telephonic device which is also configured for simultaneous communication over a long-range communication path. Call progress of the telephonic device is annunciated by the video output device whose functions can be controlled through the telephonic device. Embodiments of the invention describe utilizing the telephonic device in a hands-free mode as well as tracking the relative position of the user based on the position of the telephone. The short-range communications can comprise a Bluetooth™ communications protocol, or similar short-range communications mechanism, which preferably provides a mechanism for identifying the telephonic device as well as its range and/or position.
44 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for collaborating between a video device and a telephonic device, comprising:
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means for outputting video content received from a source of video content; means for recognizing the presence of a telephonic device of a selected user; means for communicating over a first, short-range wireless, communication path with the telephonic device of the selected user; wherein the telephonic device of said user is configured to support simultaneous communication over said first communication path as well as over a second, long-range, communication path; and means for controlling the display of video content and annunciating progress of a call received by the telephonic device over the second communication path in response to short-range communications received from said telephonic device over said first communication path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for collaborating between a video device and a telephonic device, comprising:
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a video output device configured for outputting video content received from a source of video content to a video display; a first communication interface on said video output device; said first communication interface is configured to create a short-range wireless communication path to a telephonic device configured for supporting simultaneous communication over said first, short-range wireless, communication path as well as over a second, long-range, communication path; a computer processor and memory within said video output device; and programming executable from said memory on said computer processor for, recognizing the presence of the telephonic device of at least one specified user, communicating over a first communication path, including a short-range wireless link, with the telephonic device of the specified user, controlling the display of video content and annunciating progress of a call received by the telephonic device from the long-range communication path and communicated to the video output device over said short-range communications path. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of collaborating between a video device and a telephonic device, comprising:
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outputting video content received from a source of video content; recognizing the presence of a telephonic device of at least one selected user in response to communicating over a short-range first communication path with the telephonic device of the selected user; wherein the telephonic device of the user is configured to support simultaneous communication over said first communication path as well as over a long-range, second communication path; and controlling the display of video content and annunciating progress of a call to, or from, the telephonic device over the long-range communication path and communicated through the telephone device to the video device over the short-range communications path. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification