System and Method for Two Way Communication and Controlling Content on a Display Screen

• US 20110219062A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infrared5, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brass Monkey, Inc.
• Inventors: Accattato, Dominick, Allen, Christopher, Zupko, Andrew, Burton, Trevor
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2567 for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method for controlling content on a display device includes executing, by a host device coupled to a display, a browser application within a web browser for presenting content on the display device. A communication channel is established over a computer network between an application running on an endpoint device and the browser application. Data is sent content over the communication channel, between the endpoint device and the browser application, for controlling what is shown on the display. A system for controlling content on a display is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling content on a display device, the method comprising:

executing, by a host device in communication with a computer network, a display application within a web browser for presenting content on a display device;

determining, by a server device, whether the display application and a control application designed to control the content presented within the web browser and executing on an endpoint device are compatible with each other;

if compatibility is determined, establishing, by the control application, the display application, or both, a direct communication channel over a computer network between the control application and the display application; and

sending data, by the application, the display application, or both over the communication channel so as to permit the control application to control content displayed by the display application executing within the web browser.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing the communication channel includes opening at least two socket connections between the host device and the endpoint device.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of opening includes creating a first socket connection for transmitting loss sensitive data over the first socket connection.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing a TCP connection.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the first socket connection, one or more of:

text data;

control data; and

image data.

6. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of establishing includes creating a second socket connection for transmitting loss tolerant data over the second socket connection.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing a UDP connection.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the second socket connection, one or more of:

video data; and

audio data.

9. A system for controlling content on a display:

a server device having a processor for executing one or more instructions to determine whether a display application and a control application are compatible with each other;

a host device provided with features for executing the display application within a web browser;

an endpoint device including an instruction set for communicating with the host device over a computer network and executing the control application for controlling content displayed by the display application within the web browser; and

a direct communication channel established over the computer network to allow data for controlling content on the display to be transmitted between the control application and the display application.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the communication channel includes at least two socket connections.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first socket connection is configured to carry loss sensitive data, and the data sent over the first socket connection is loss sensitive data.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first socket connection is a TCP connection.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the loss-sensitive data includes one or more of:

display control data;

button press data;

display initialization data; and

image data.

14. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the second socket connection of is configured to carry loss tolerant data, and the data sent over the second socket connection is loss tolerant data.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the second socket connection is a UDP connection.

16. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the loss tolerant data includes one or more of:

accelerometer data;

video data;

audio data; and

vibration command data.

17. A method of controlling content on a display device, the method comprising:

executing, by a host device in communication with a computer network, a display application within a web browser, which display application is designed to present content on a display device;

running, by an endpoint device, a control application in communication with the display application to control content displayed by the display application on the display device;

determining, by a server device, whether the control application and the display application are compatible with each other;

if compatibility is determined, establishing, over the computer network, a TCP socket connection and a UDP socket connection between the application and the display application; and

sending, by the application, the display application, or both, loss-sensitive data over the TCP socket connection and loss-tolerant data over the UDP socket connection to control the content displayed by the display application on the display device.