INTELLIGENT REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20100218214A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Jennifer K., Fan, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/41265 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/43637 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 21/4532 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 : for generating interactive applications

Abstract

A disclosed remote control, suitable for use with a set top box or other form of multimedia handling device, includes a processor, a user input device, and a display. The user input device and the display are communicatively coupled to the processor. A communication adapter is configured to place the processor in bi-directional communication with the multimedia handling device. The remote control further includes a storage medium that may include a unique identifier of the user and a user profile indicative of the user'"'"'s channel preferences and viewing permissions. The storage medium may further include software instructions to synchronize the user profile with a corresponding user profile on the multimedia handling device, receive input from the user via the user input device, the input including commands from the user to manipulate the multimedia handling device, and display output on the display screen in response to the user'"'"'s commands.

Claims

1. An intelligent remote control suitable (or operable) for use with a multimedia handling device, the intelligent remote control comprising:

a processor;

a user input device communicatively coupled to the processor via an input adapter;

a display screen communicatively coupled to the processor via a display adapter;

a communication adapter communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to place the processor in bidirectional communication with a multimedia handling device; and

a storage medium containing;

a unique identifier identifying a user;

a user profile indicative of channel preferences and viewing permissions of the user; and

software instructions to;

synchronize the user profile with a corresponding user profile on the multimedia handling device;

receive input from the user via the user input device, the input comprising commands from the user to manipulate the multimedia handling device; and

display output on the display screen in response to the user'"'"'s commands.

2. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the unique identifier is a globally unique identifier whereby the intelligent remote control is usable with any compatible multimedia handling device.

3. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the storage medium further comprises software instructions to:

create local multimedia content; and

send the local multimedia content to the multimedia handling device.

4. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the storage medium further comprises software instructions to receive and display notification messages from the multimedia handling device.

5. The intelligent remote control of claim 4 wherein the notification messages include forwarded caller identification messages.

6. The intelligent remote control of claim 4 wherein the notification messages include notifications of the beginning or ending of a multimedia television program.

7. The intelligent remote control of claim 4 wherein the notification messages include emergency notifications.

8. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the storage medium further comprises instructions to instruct the multimedia handling device to display an electronic programming guide on the display screen of the intelligent remote control.

9. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the bi-directional link is a radio frequency link.

10. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the bi-directional link is an IEEE 802.11-type (WiFi) link.

11. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the bi-directional link is a secure internet connection, whereby the user is enabled to interact with the multimedia handling device via a web browser.

12. The intelligent remote control of claim 1 wherein the storage medium includes a plurality of profiles.

13. The intelligent remote control of claim 12 wherein the plurality of profiles includes a profile selected from the group consisting of:

a default profile, the default profile being based on available features and channels;

a regular profile, the regular profile blocking potentially-objectionable content; and

an advanced profile, the advanced profile providing access to potentially-objectionable content.

14. A mobile telephone configured to act as an intelligent remote control in accordance with claim 1.

15. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions to:

process a signal from an intelligent remote control, the signal including a unique identifier;

locate a user profile associated with the unique identifier;

provide the user profile to the intelligent remote control over a bi-directional communication link;

receive a display mode instruction from the intelligent remote control, the display mode being selected from the group consisting of display screen only, television display only, and display screen and television display, wherein display screen only mode indicates that output should be directed only to a display screen on the intelligent remote control, television display only mode indicates that output should be directed only to a television display connected to the multimedia handling device, and display screen and television display mode indicates that output should be directed both to the display screen and the television display; and

provide an interactive display in accordance with the display mode instruction.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to receive multimedia content from the intelligent remote control.

17. The storage medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions to:

detect an event for notification; and

provide a notification message to the intelligent remote control in response to the event.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the alert condition is an incoming caller identification.

19. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the alert condition is an emergency event notification.

20. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the alert condition is a change in the status of a multimedia program.

21. A method for interacting with a multimedia handling device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an intelligent remote control, the intelligent remote control;

being operable for bi-directional communication with the multimedia handling device;

being capable of interacting with the multimedia handling device independent of a television display connected to the multimedia handling device; and

including a portable individual profile corresponding to a user, the portable individual profile being tied to a global unique identifier and including channel preferences and channel permissions; and

using the intelligent remote to interact with an electronic programming guide provided by the multimedia handling device without causing electronic programming guide information to be displayed on the television display.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of creating local multimedia content on the intelligent remote control and sending the local multimedia content to the multimedia handling device.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving a notification message from the multimedia handling device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the notification message is selected from the group consisting of an emergency warning, forwarded caller identification information, and notification of the status of a multimedia program.

25. An intelligent remote control for controlling a multimedia handling device, the intelligent remote control comprising:

a processor;

a communication adapter communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to place the processor in bi-directional communication with a multimedia handling device over an internet protocol connection; and

a storage medium comprising;

an individual profile including channel preferences and viewing permissions, the individual profile being tied to a global unique identifier;

processor executable instructions to create local multimedia content; and

software instructions to send the multimedia content to the multimedia handling device and to instruct the multimedia handling device to store the local multimedia content.

26. The intelligent remote control of claim 25 further configured to receive from the multimedia handling device notification of an event, the event selected from the group consisting of an emergency situation, an incoming telephone call, and the status of a multimedia program.

27. The intelligent remote control of claim 25 wherein the storage medium further comprises instructions to provide a user-selectable display mode for control functions, the display mode being selected from the group consisting of display screen only, television display only, and dual display.