REMOTE CONTROL VIA LOCAL AREA NETWORK

• US 20110142059A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• 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: Levine, David A., McClenny, John A., Bedingfield, James Carlton SR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,885,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• 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 21/4222 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6336 directed to decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method and system for remote control of multimedia content using a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) is configured to establish a connection between a customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway and a local area network (LAN) device that is a personal user device. A user of the LAN device may be authenticated. Responsive to user input, the LAN device may send remote control messages corresponding to remote control functions for an MCDN terminal device. The CPE gateway may determine a network address for the MCDN terminal device, and forward the remote control messages to the addressed MCDN terminal device. The LAN device may so remotely control the addressed MCDN terminal device.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to remotely control multimedia content received over a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN), comprising:

after a local-area network (LAN) connection between a LAN device and a customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway to the MCDN has been established, pairing the LAN device to an MCDN terminal device coupled to the CPE gateway and receiving, from the LAN device, a remote control message addressed to the MCDN terminal device, wherein the remote control message indicates a remote control function executable by the MCDN terminal device; and

processing the remote control message, said processing including sending the remote control message to the addressed MCDN terminal device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the LAN device is a personal computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the LAN device is a mobile electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPE gateway is configured to receive and process remote control messages addressed to more than one MCDN terminal device coupled to the CPE gateway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the MCDN terminal device is a multimedia-handling device coupled to a display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control function includes selecting a desired multimedia program for at least one of:

recording, scheduling, and viewing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the LAN connection is a fixed network connection or a wireless network connection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting status change information in the MCDN terminal device to the LAN device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively de-pairing the LAN device from the MCDN terminal device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an identity associated with a user of the LAN device; and

wherein said processing further includes;

authorizing the remote control message based on the determined identity.

11. A customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway for use within a client configuration of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN), comprising:

a processor;

a local-area network (LAN) adapter;

a wide-area network (WAN) adapter coupled to an MCDN server; and

memory media accessible to the processor, including instructions executable by the processor to;

determine an identity associated with a user of a LAN device connected via the LAN adapter to the CPE gateway;

in response to the identity, pairing the LAN device to an MCDN terminal device coupled to the CPE gateway;

receive, from the paired LAN device, a remote control message indicative of a remote control function for the MCDN terminal;

based in part on the identity, determine that the user is authorized to control the MCDN terminal device;

send the remote control message to the MCDN terminal device; and

communicate changes in the state of the MCDN terminal device to the paired LAN device.

12. The CPE gateway of claim 11, wherein the LAN device is a personal computer.

13. The CPE gateway of claim 11, wherein communications with the LAN device are encrypted.

14. The CPE gateway of claim 11, further comprising:

a local wireless router, and wherein the LAN connection is a wireless network connection via the local wireless router.

15. The CPE gateway of claim 14, wherein the wireless network connection substantially conforms to at least one wireless network standard defined by:

IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15.1, and IEEE 802.15.4

16. The CPE gateway of claim 11, wherein the remote control message is configured to directly set the remote control function in the MCDN terminal device.

17. The CPE gateway of claim 11, wherein the remote control function includes selecting a desired multimedia program for at least one of:

recording, scheduling, and viewing.

18. The CPE gateway of claim 11, wherein said processor executable instructions to determine said identity further include processor executable instructions to:

use the WAN adapter to query the MCDN server for an MCDN user account associated with an identifier for the LAN device.

19. Computer-readable memory media, including instructions for remote control of multimedia content provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN), said instructions executable to:

determine an identity associated with a user of a local area network (LAN) device connected via the LAN adapter to a customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway;

based on the identity, pair the LAN device to an MCDN terminal device coupled to the CPE gateway;

receive, from the paired LAN device, a remote control message addressed to the MCDN terminal device, wherein the remote control message is indicative of a remote control function for the MCDN terminal device;

based in part on the identity, determine whether the user is authorized to execute the remote control function on the addressed MCDN terminal device;

if the user is authorized, route the remote control message to the addressed MCDN terminal device; and

selectively de-pair the paired LAN device from the MCDN terminal device.

20. The memory media of claim 19, further comprising instructions executable to:

communicate changes in the state of the MCDN terminal device to the paired LAN device.