CONSUMER ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION, CONTROL AND SUPPORT CONCIERGE DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120109384A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Inventors: Stepanian, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,614,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• 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 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• 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 21/4147 : PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 : Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 : biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 : Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 : Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

We disclose a concierge device that can be configured to register, control and support a consumer device. It can alternatively or redundantly connect to a home management bridge and/or cloud-based management servers. It can accept menus that allow a single concierge device to provide a wide range of functions for various consumer devices. The concierge device allows the user in a single action to initiate a support session, automatically identifying the consumer device. The concierge device can be configured for voice or video support calls. The concierge device in conjunction with a home management bridge or gateway can manage on boarding of components of an automated home, such as switches and lamps. Implementations of the concierge device that include a display can show supplemental information, such as advertising, optionally in coordination with media being played on a consumer device coupled in communication with the concierge device.

Claims

1. A method of on boarding to a home management bridge both a control device and a controlled device, the method including:

receiving a first enrollment signal from the first home control device that uniquely identifies the first home control device, automatically determining control capabilities of the first home control device and enrolling the first home control device with the management bridge;

receiving a second enrollment signal from the second controllable device that uniquely identifies the second controllable device, automatically determining control signals recognized by the second controllable device and enrolling the second controllable device with the management bridge; and

receiving a dedication signal responsive to a user interface and automatically configuring a combination of the management bridge, the first home control device and the second controllable device so that at least some control signals generated by the first home control device are dedicated to controlling the second controllable device.

2. The method of claim 1, further including automatically replicating the control capabilities of the first home control device on a concierge device coupled in communication with the management bridge.

3. The method of claim 2, further including displaying the user interface used to generate the dedication signal on a display of the concierge device.

4. The method of claim 1, further including displaying supplemental information on a display of the concierge device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the supplemental information is a targeted or interactive advertisement.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein automatically replicating the control capabilities further includes the management bridge requesting of and receiving from a cloud-based server at least some configuration data used when automatically configuring the combination.

7. The method of claim 1, further including scanning packaging or a tag accompanying either the first home control device or the second controllable device to generate the first or second enrollment signal, respectively.

8. The method of claim 7, where in the scanning further includes optically scanning a pattern on a label.

9. The method of claim 7, where in the scanning further includes wirelessly scanning an RFID tag.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dedicating action further includes receiving one or more user selections responsive to the user interface that select the first home control device from a plurality of home control devices and that select the second controllable device from a plurality of controllable devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dedicating action further includes configuring one or more of the first home control device and the second controllable device for peer-to-peer control interaction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the dedicating action further includes configuring the management bridge to receive the first control signals from the first home control device and send the second control signals to the second controllable device, responsive to the first control signals.

13. The method of claim 1, further including:

establishing an inventory of uniquely identified home control devices and controllable devices with the management bridge, the inventory including at least the first home control device and the second controllable device;

matching information in the first enrollment signal to the inventory during the enrolling of the first home control device with the management bridge; and

matching information in the second enrollment signal to the inventory during the enrolling of the second controllable device with the management bridge.

14. The method of claim 13, further including scanning packaging or a tag accompanying either the first home control device or the second controllable device to inventory the first home control device or the second controllable device, respectively.

15. The method of claim 1, further including authenticating a user prior to receiving the identification of the unregistered unit and initiating an enrollment mode in which enrolling and dedicating are permitted.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the authenticating requires the user to physically interact with a concierge device that previously was enrolled with the management bridge or that implements the enrollment with the management bridge.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the authenticating requires receiving biometric information from the user.

18. A home management bridge comprising:

at least one network communication adapter, and memory; and

at least one processor configured to perform operations including;

receiving a first enrollment signal from the first home control device that uniquely identifies the first home control device, automatically determining control capabilities of the first home control device and enrolling the first home control device with the management bridge;

receiving a second enrollment signal from the second controllable device that uniquely identifies the second controllable device, automatically determining control signals recognized by the second controllable device and enrolling the second controllable device with the management bridge; and

receiving a dedication signal responsive to a user interface and automatically configuring a combination of the management bridge, the first home control device and the second controllable device so that at least some control signals generated by the first home control device are dedicated to controlling the second controllable device.

19. A system including the home management bridge of claim 18, further including a concierge device that includes one or more input sensors and one or more outputs, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations including automatically replicating the control capabilities of the first home control device on the concierge device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the concierge device further includes at least one processor configured to perform operations including displaying the user interface used to generate the dedication signal on a display of the concierge device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the concierge device further includes at least one processor configured to perform operations including displaying supplemental information on a display of the concierge device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the supplemental information is a targeted or interactive advertisement.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein automatically replicating the control capabilities further includes the management bridge requesting of and receiving from a cloud-based server at least some configuration data used when automatically configuring the combination.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the management bridge is a physical device separate and distinct from the concierge device; and

the concierge device processor is further configured to perform operations including sending messages to and receiving messages from the management bridge via a local area network.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the management bridge is part of the same physical device as the concierge device.

26. The system of claim 19, further including a scanning device configured to scan packaging or a tag accompanying either the first home control device or the second controllable device to generate the first or second enrollment signal, respectively.

27. The home management bridge of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations including:

establishing an inventory of uniquely identified home control devices and controllable devices with the management bridge, the inventory including at least the first home control device and the second controllable device;

matching information in the first enrollment signal to the inventory during the enrolling of the first home control device with the management bridge; and

matching information in the second enrollment signal to the inventory during the enrolling of the second controllable device with the management bridge.

28. The home management bridge of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations including scanning packaging or a tag accompanying either the first home control device or the second controllable device to inventory the first home control device or the second controllable device, respectively.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the management device processor is further configured to perform operations including authenticating a user prior to receiving the identification of the unregistered unit and initiating an enrollment mode in which enrolling and dedicating are permitted.