Home Automation System and Method Including Remote Media Access

• US 20120326835A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• 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: Cockrell, Roger A., Wollmershauser, Steven Michael, Webster, Thomas S., Wilson, Brian, Raphael, Alison
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/4.31
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A media player device includes a first, a second, and a third interface, and a processor. The first interface communicates with a residential gateway via a wide area network and/or a local area network, and the residential gateway is coupled to a plurality of electronic devices. The second interface communicates directly with at least one of the plurality of electronic devices. The third interface communicates with one or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices via the local area network. The processor is configured to selectively transmit a request via the second interface when the media player device is proximate to the first electronic device, via the third interface when the media player device is not proximate to the first electronic device and is within range of the local area network, and via the first interface when the media player device is outside the range.

Claims

1. A media player device, comprising:

a first interface to communicate with a residential gateway via at least one of a wide area network and a local area network, wherein the residential gateway is communicatively coupled to a plurality of electronic devices;

a second interface to communicate wireless commands directly to at least one of the plurality of electronic devices;

a third interface to communicate wireless commands to one or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices via the local area network; and

a processor coupled to the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface, wherein the processor is configured to selectively transmit a request;

directly to a first electronic device via the second interface when the media player device is proximate to the first electronic device,

to the first electronic device via the third interface when the media player device is not proximate to the first electronic device and is within range of the local area network, and

to the first electronic device via the first interface when the media player device is outside the range of the local area network.

2. The media player device of claim 1, wherein the first interface includes at least one of an institute of electrical and electronics engineers 802.11 interface, a wireless fidelity interface, a satellite interface, and a cellular interface, and wherein the third interface includes at least one of an institute of electrical and electronics engineers 802.11 interface, a wireless fidelity interface, a satellite interface, and a cellular interface.

3. The media player device of claim 1, wherein the second interface is an infrared interface of a bluetooth interface.

4. The media player device of claim 1, further comprising a keypad to receive user input, wherein the keypad comprises a plurality of controls, and wherein at least one control of the plurality of controls is associated with a control function of one of the plurality of electronic devices.

5. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a play key.

6. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a channel control key.

7. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises an input source select key.

8. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a fast forward key.

9. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a record key.

10. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a next selection key.

11. The media player device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of controls comprises a previous selection key.

12. The media player device of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to selectively transmit a command associated with the control function via the first interface, the second interface, or the third interface to control one of the plurality of electronic devices in response to selection of at least one of the plurality of controls.

13. The media player device of claim 1, further comprising an audio output coupled to at least one speaker.

14. The media player device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

send a user interface to a display, the user interface including one or more selectable indicators;

receive a selection related to at least one of the one or more selectable indicators; and

transmit a command via one of the first interface and the second interface to control an electronic device based on the selection.

15. The media player device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic devices includes at least one of a video storage device, a digital video disk player, a set-top box, and a television.

16. The media player device of claim 1, wherein the first interface and the third interface comprise a common interface.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first device includes at least one of a security device and a lighting device.

17. A method comprising:

sending instructions from a remote control device directly to a first device via a device interface of the remote control device when the remote control device is proximate to the first device;

sending the instructions from the remote control device to the first device via a wireless transceiver and a residential gateway coupled to the first device when the remote control device is not proximate to the first device and is within a range of a local area network associated with the residential gateway; and

sending the instructions from the remote control device to the first device via the wireless transceiver, the residential gateway, and a wide area network when the remote control device is not within the range of the local area network.

19. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive first input at a remote control device, the first input corresponding to a first command for a first device located within a home;

determine, at the remote control device, first instructions to be sent to control the first device based on the first command;

receive second input at the remote control device corresponding to a second command for a second device located in a facility remote to the home; and

determine, at the remote control device, second instructions to be sent to control the second device based on the second command, the second instructions to be sent from the remote control device to the second device.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to send a user interface to a display device, the user interface to display selections to control, from the remote control device, one or more devices located within the home and one or more devices located in the facility remote to the home, wherein the first input and the second input are received via the user interface.