LOCATION-BASED SHARING OF MULTIMEDIA CONTROL RESOURCES

• US 20120266199A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Noonan, Michael E., Silva, Michael C., Callan, Wilson
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a multimedia resource is shared among a plurality of devices based upon a physical location of an active wireless endpoint unit within a structure. Devices are associated with corresponding zones within the structure. Each device provides functionality within the device'"'"'s corresponding zone. Using one of a number of techniques, the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit is determined to be within a particular zone. In response, one or more devices associated with the particular zone are provided with access to the multimedia control resources. Access is withheld to one or more other devices associated with another zone that is remote from the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit.

Claims

1. A method for sharing a multimedia resource among a plurality of devices based upon a physical location of a wireless endpoint unit within a structure, the method comprising:

associating each of the plurality of devices with a corresponding zone within the structure, each device to provide functionality within the device'"'"'s corresponding zone;

determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit is within a first zone within the structure;

in response to the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit is within the first zone, providing, by a controller, one or more devices associated with the first zone with access to the multimedia resource, and withholding access to the multimedia resource from one or more other devices associated within a second zone within the structure that is remote from the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit;

determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit has changed to be within the second zone;

in response to the determining that the physical location has changed to be within the second zone, providing, by the controller, the one or more other devices that are associated with the second zone with access to the multimedia resource, and withholding access to the multimedia resource from the one or more devices that are associated with the first zone,

wherein the multimedia resource is separate from the wireless endpoint unit and is operable to function with the one or more devices associated within the first zone or the one or more other devices associated within the second zone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless endpoint unit is an active wireless endpoint unit being used by a user, such that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit within the structure indicates an approximate physical location of the user within the structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless endpoint unit is an active wireless remote control unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia control resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia source resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia resource includes special purpose circuitry and/or general-purpose circuitry operable to function with the one or more devices associated within the first zone or with the one or more other devices associated within the second zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices and the one or more other devices include one or more display devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia resource is one of M multimedia resources, and the plurality of devices are N devices, wherein M and N are integers and M is less than N.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit is within the first zone comprises:

receiving a first short-range wireless signal from a beacon in the first zone, the first short-range wireless signal including a zone identifier (ID) that identifies the first zone,

and the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit has changed to be within the second zone comprises;

receiving a second short-range wireless signal from a zone beacon in the second zone, the second range wireless signal including a zone ID that identifies the second zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit is within the first zone further comprises:

transmitting from the wireless endpoint unit a long-range wireless signal that includes the zone ID that identifies the first zone,

and the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit has changed to be within the second zone comprises;

transmitting from the wireless endpoint unit a long-range wireless signal that includes the zone ID from that identifies the second zone.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the short-range wireless signal includes an infrared (IR) wireless signal and the long-range wireless signal includes a radio frequency (RF) wireless signal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit is within the first zone comprises:

receiving an indication of the physical location is within the first zone on a human-machine interface of the wireless endpoint unit,

and the determining that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit has changed to be within the second zone comprises;

receiving an indication of the physical location is within the second zone on a human-machine interface of the wireless endpoint unit.

13. A system comprising:

a wireless endpoint unit that is movable about a structure by a user;

a multimedia resource separate from the wireless endpoint unit, the multimedia resource operable to function with one or more devices associated with a first zone within the structure or with one or more device associated with a second zone within the structure; and

a controller configured to;

learn a physical location of the wireless endpoint unit within the structure,

in response to the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit being within the first zone within the structure, provide the one or more devices associated with the first zone with access to the multimedia resource, and

in response to the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit being changed to be within the second zone within the structure, provide the one or more other devices that are associated with the second zone with access to the multimedia resource.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless endpoint unit is an active wireless endpoint unit being used by the user, such that the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit within the structure indicates an approximate physical location of the user within the structure.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless endpoint unit is an active wireless remote control unit.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia control resource.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia source resource.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the multimedia resource includes special purpose circuitry and/or general-purpose circuitry operable to function with the one or more devices associated within the first zone or with the one or more other devices associated within the second zone.

19. A system comprising:

a wireless endpoint unit that is movable about a structure;

software configured to

in response to the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit being within a first zone within the structure, provide one or more devices associated with the first zone with access to the multimedia resource, and withhold access to the multimedia resource from one or more other devices associated within a second zone within the structure that is remote from the physical location of the wireless endpoint unit; and

in response to the physical location has having changed within the structure to be within the second zone within the structure, provide the one or more other devices that are associated with the second zone with access to the multimedia resource, and withhold access to the multimedia resource from the one or more devices that are associated with the first zone,

wherein the multimedia resource is separate from the wireless endpoint unit and is operable to function with the one or more devices associated within the first zone or with the one or more other devices associated within the second zone.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the wireless endpoint unit is an active wireless endpoint unit.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia control resource.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the multimedia resource is a multimedia source resource.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the multimedia resource includes special purpose circuitry and/or general-purpose circuitry operable to function with the one or more devices associated within the first zone or with the one or more other devices associated within the second zone.