ENTERTAINMENT ENVIRONMENT REMOTE CONTROL AND AUDIO/VIDEO STREAMING METHOD AND SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A remote control and streaming interface for an entertainment environment, the system comprising:
- an infrared (IR) transmitter panel holding an optical IR transmitter;
at least one transceiver configured to maintain a bidirectional administration link with a smart handheld device and configured to maintain a separate streaming link with the smart handheld device (SD);
a processor configured to identify remote control (RC) commands received over the administration link, the processor configured to direct the optical IR transmitter to generate an IR signal having a select IR pulse sequence based on the RC commands;
the optical IR transmitter configured to transmit the IR signal in a reflective-deflective pattern across the entertainment environment until reaching at least one remotely controlled (RC) device within the entertainment environment, wherein the RC device is positioned in a non-line of sight relation with the optical IR transmitter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control and streaming interface for an entertainment environment. The system includes an infrared (IR) transmitter panel holding a plurality of IR LEDs formed in an LED array. The system also includes at least one transceiver configured to maintain a bidirectional administration link with a smart handheld device and configured to maintain a separate streaming link with the smart handheld device. The system includes a processor configured to identify remote control (RC) commands received over the administration link, the processor configured to direct the LED array to generate an IR signal having a select IR pulse sequence based on the RC commands. The system also includes the LED array configured to transmit the IR signal in a reflective-deflective pattern across the entertainment environment until reaching at least one remotely controlled (RC) device within the entertainment environment wherein the RC device is positioned in a non-line of sight relation with the LED array.
46 Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A remote control and streaming interface for an entertainment environment, the system comprising:
-
an infrared (IR) transmitter panel holding an optical IR transmitter; at least one transceiver configured to maintain a bidirectional administration link with a smart handheld device and configured to maintain a separate streaming link with the smart handheld device (SD); a processor configured to identify remote control (RC) commands received over the administration link, the processor configured to direct the optical IR transmitter to generate an IR signal having a select IR pulse sequence based on the RC commands; the optical IR transmitter configured to transmit the IR signal in a reflective-deflective pattern across the entertainment environment until reaching at least one remotely controlled (RC) device within the entertainment environment, wherein the RC device is positioned in a non-line of sight relation with the optical IR transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for providing a remote control and streaming interface for an entertainment environment, the method comprising:
-
defining a bidirectional administration link and a separate streaming link to be maintained between a smart handheld device (SD) and a home unit (HU) located in the entertainment environment; identifying remote control (RC) commands received over the administration link by the HU from the SD; generating an IR signal having a select IR pulse sequence based on the RC commands; and transmitting the IR signal in a reflective-deflective pattern across the entertainment environment until reaching at least one remotely controlled (RC) device within the entertainment environment, wherein the RC device is positioned in a non-line of sight relation with the optical IR transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method for managing user configurations for smart handheld devices that communicate through home units to corresponding entertainment environments, the method comprising:
-
providing a streaming and entertainment environment control application (SEEC APP) to be loaded by smart handheld devices (SDs), the SEEC APP enabling the SDs to communicate remote control (RC) commands to corresponding home units that transmit IR codes to remotely controlled (RC) devices based on the RC commands; maintaining customized user configurations each associated with a corresponding home unit, the user configurations being set up by users based on individual user preferences, the user configurations comprising; a set of input indicia associated with a select RCD, at least a portion of the input indicia indicative of commands for the RCD, RC commands associated with the input indicia wherein the RC commands identify IR codes to be transmitted from the home unit to the RCD to instruct the RCD to perform one or more associated actions; and a user-designated presentation of the input indicia on the user interface of the SD; and when a first SD pairs with a first home unit, determining whether the first SD has, stored therein, a first user configuration associated with the first home unit; loading the first SD with the first user configuration associated with the first home unit based on the determining operation. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A method for learning remote control (RC) commands for a streaming and entertainment control interface that enables a smart handheld device to communicate through a home unit (HU) with remotely controlled (RC) devices in a corresponding entertainment environment, the method comprising:
-
providing a streaming and entertainment environment control application (SEEC APP) to be loaded by the smart handheld device (SD), the SEEC APP enabling the SD to communicate remote control (RC) commands to the corresponding home unit that transmits IR pulse sequences to RC devices based on the RC commands; directing the SEEC APP to enter a learn mode to learn RC commands for a select RC device; sensing, at an IR sensor, a new IR pulse sequence that is generated by a handheld remote control that is associated with the select RC device; receive an input indicating a new RC command; and store the new IR pulse sequence with the new RC command. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method for collecting viewer behavior information through a streaming and entertainment control interface that enables a smart handheld device to remotely control (RC) RC devices in a corresponding entertainment environment, the method comprising:
-
providing a streaming and entertainment environment control application (SEEC APP) to be loaded by the smart handheld device (SD), the SEEC APP enabling the SD to communicate remote control (RC) commands to the RC devices; recording user selections and actions on the SD, in connection with entering RC commands, into a viewer log as program and viewer behavior related information; analyzing the program and viewer behavior related information to develop viewing preference traits; and recording the viewing preference traits in a viewer profile. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
-
Specification