Device Control Using Multi-Dimensional Motion Sensing and a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080141329A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Technology Patents & Licensing Incorporated
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,421,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• 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 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440209 : for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 : for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 : involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• 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 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 : Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 : by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of detecting missing devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub includes obtaining a registration of at least one device that includes a source device. An instruction is received from a user to present program content from the source device. A set of one or more sink devices missing from the home entertainment system for a presentation of the program content based on an assessment by the wireless home entertainment hub of presentation capabilities of the home entertainment system using the at least one device registered with the wireless home entertainment hub is determined. The set of one or more sink devices is presented to the user.

Claims

1. A method of conveying control instructions using multi-dimensional motion sensing of a remote control unit, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration of the remote control unit with a wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) obtaining a registration of a plurality of devices with the wireless home entertainment hub;

(c) receiving at the wireless home entertainment hub an indication of a selection of an instruction for controlling at least one of the devices of the plurality of devices based on a physical gesture by a user with the remote control unit; and

(d) transmitting the instruction to at least one device intended for control by the user based on the physical gesture in step (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit includes a sensing system capable of detecting linear motion of the remote control unit in up to three dimensions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensing system is capable of detecting rotational motion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical gesture is performed without activating an actuator on an exterior surface of the remote control unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical gesture includes one or more separate actions by the user with the remote control unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more separate actions include pointing the remote control unit at one of the devices.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more separate actions include rotating the remote control unit about a horizontal axis.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device intended for control is selected based on the orientation of the remote control unit with respect to the device.

9. A method of conveying control instructions using multi-dimensional motion sensing of a remote control unit, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration with the wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) determining by a remote control unit based on a physical gesture by a user with the remote control unit an indication of a selection of an instruction for controlling a device registered with the wireless home entertainment hub; and

(c) transmitting to the wireless home entertainment hub the indication of the selection of the instruction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the physical gesture includes one or more separate actions by the user with the remote control unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more separate actions include pointing the remote control unit at a device of the plurality of devices.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more separate actions include rotating the remote control unit about a horizontal axis.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the remote control unit includes a sensing system capable of detecting linear motion of the remote control unit in up to three dimensions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensing system is capable of detecting rotational motion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensing system is capable of determining the orientation of the remote control unit relative to devices in the home entertainment system.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the physical gesture includes rotating the remote control unit about a vertical axis.

17. A method of conveying control instructions using multi-dimensional motion sensing of a remote control unit, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining at a device a registration with a wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) receiving a second instruction from the wireless home entertainment hub in response to receipt at the wireless home entertainment hub of an indication of a selection of a first instruction for controlling the device based on a physical gesture by a user with a remote control unit; and

(c) executing by the device the second instruction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the executed second instruction includes changing the channel of a set-top box.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the executed second instruction includes changing the volume of the audio data being presented to the user.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the executed second instruction manipulates video data displayed on a display device.