DIRECT CONNECTION WITH SIDE CHANNEL CONTROL

• US 20120147268A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: HASSAN, AMER A., Reed, Danny Allen, Desai, Mitesh K., Anders, Billy R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless computer that pairs with a remote audio-video presentation device, such as a television. As a result of the pairing, a communication channel is established for the computer to transmit audio-video content for presentation through that device. Additionally, as part of the pairing, the computer and remote device select a side channel for communication of user commands. The wireless computer may display a user interface through which a user may input commands that control the manner in which the remote audio-video device presents the content. As a result, a user may use the wireless computer as a remote control for the audio-video device, controlling both the content presented and the manner in which it is presented. The side channel may use different frequencies than the channel used to communicate audio-video content, and may use very low power at frequencies in the digital TV spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless computing device that is providing content to a remote device, the method comprising:

transmitting content to the remote device over a first channel; and

transmitting a command to the remote device over a side channel, the side channel comprising a portion of a digital television spectrum.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the command comprises transmitting the command with a power below a regulatory power threshold for detecting incumbent users of the digital television spectrum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the command comprises encoding the command using spread spectrum modulation across at least one channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting content comprises transmitting using Wi-Fi Direct protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting content comprises transmitting audio-video content using a portion of the UNII spectrum.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting content comprises streaming audio-video content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the remote device is an audio-video presentation device;

the transmitting comprises transmitting audio-video content; and

the command comprises a command to alter a presentation of the audio-video content by the audio-video presentation device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the remote device is an audio-video presentation device; and

the command comprises a command for the audio-video presentation device to modify a volume for presentation of the audio-video content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the remote device is an audio-video presentation device; and

the command comprises a command for the audio-video presentation device to modify a visual display characteristic of the audio-video content.

10. At least one computer readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method of operating a wireless computing device that is providing content for presentation on a remote audio-video presentation device, the method comprising:

exchanging wireless communications with the remote audio-video device to perform a pairing ceremony, the pairing ceremony comprising selecting a channel for use as a side channel;

transmitting audio-video content to the remote audio-video presentation device over a first channel, different than the side channel; and

over the side channel, transmitting to the remote audio-video presentation device a command to alter a presentation of the content the transmitting comprises transmitting in a digital TV spectrum.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein:

the instructions for transmitting the command over the side channel comprise instructions for setting a transmit power for a radio transmitting the command to below regulatory power threshold for detecting incumbent users of the digital TV spectrum.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein:

the instructions for transmitting the command over the side channel comprise instructions for modulating a signal representing the command with spread spectrum modulation across at least one channel

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein:

the instructions for transmitting the command over the side channel comprise instructions for modulating a signal representing the command with a modulation technique providing gain.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the command comprises a command to increase a volume of presentation of an audio portion of the audio-video content.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions for storing information identifying parameters of communication with the remote audio-video presentation device over the side channel generated during the pairing ceremony.

16. An audio-video presentation device adapted to display content provided by a computing device, the display device comprising:

an audio-video output component;

at least one radio configured to communicate in a first frequency spectrum and a second frequency spectrum, the second frequency spectrum comprising a digital TV spectrum;

a controller adapted to;

direct content received over a first spectrum for presentation through the audio-video output component; and

alter a characteristic of the information presented through the audio-video output component based on a command received over the digital TV spectrum.

17. The audio-video device of claim 16, wherein the audio-video output component comprises a television screen.

18. The audio-video device of claim 16, wherein the at least one radio comprises at least a Wi-Fi radio and at least one additional radio.

19. The audio-video device of claim 16, wherein the at least one additional radio comprises a digital TV radio configured for processing a signal received in the digital TV spectrum representing the command, the received signal having a power less than −

114 dBm and the processing providing in excess of 20 dB of gain.

20. The audio-video device of claim 16, wherein the digital TV radio configured for processing the received signal using spread spectrum demodulation.