SYSTEM AND METHOD TO CONTROL MEDIA DISPLAY FUNCTIONS

• US 20150326910A1
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: PRATT, JAMES, SULLIVAN, MARC
• Application Number:
  US14/805,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326910A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• 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 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory includes instructions executable by the processor to perform operations. The operations include receiving a signal from a remote control device. The signal includes address data and a media display function. The operations includes determining, based on the address data, whether to control a media device to perform the media display function or to control each media device of a plurality of media devices to perform the media display function. The operations include, based on a first determination to control the media device, enabling the media device to perform the media display function. The operations include, based on a second determination to control each media device of the plurality of media devices, enabling each media device of the plurality of media devices to perform the media display function.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving a signal from a remote control device, wherein the signal includes address data and a media display function;

determining, based on the address data, whether to control a media device to perform the media display function or to control each media device of a plurality of media devices to perform the media display function;

based on a first determination to control the media device, enabling the media device to perform the media display function; and

based on a second determination to control each media device of the plurality of media devices, enabling each media device of the plurality of media devices to perform the media display function.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is a component of a particular media device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein enabling the media device to perform the media display function comprises issuing a command at the particular media device to perform the media display function when the particular media device is the media device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein enabling each media device of the plurality of media devices to perform the media display function comprises:

issuing a command at the particular media device to perform the media display function; and

instructing a second media device of the plurality of media devices to perform the media display function.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the particular media device instructs the second media device to perform the media display function via a media controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is a component of a media controller.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein, based on the first determination, the media controller sends a control signal to the media device that causes the media device to perform the media display function.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein, based on the second determination, the media controller sends a control signal to each media device of the plurality of media devices, and wherein the control signal sent to a particular media device of the plurality of media devices causes the particular media device to perform the media display function.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is a mobile communication device.

10. A method comprising

receiving a signal from a remote control device at a media device, wherein the signal includes address data and a media display function;

determining at the media device based on the address data whether the signal is directed to the media device or to a plurality of media devices;

based on a determination that the signal is directed to the media device, performing the media display function; and

based on a determination that the signal is directed to the plurality of media devices;

determining, at the media device, that the media device is included in the plurality of media devices; and

performing the media display function.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, based on the determination that the signal is directed to the plurality of media devices, sending data to a second device of the plurality of media devices, wherein the data causes the second device to perform the media display function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the media device sends the data to the second device via a media controller.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote control device transmits the signal to the plurality of media devices.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote control device sends the signal to a particular media device of the plurality of media devices.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the address data indicates to control the media device when the address data is a first value, and wherein the address data indicates to control the plurality of media devices when the address data is a value other than the first value.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote control device is a mobile communication device.

17. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including:

receiving a signal from a remote control device, wherein the signal includes address data and a media display function;

determining whether to control a media device or a plurality of media devices based on the address data;

based on a determination to control the media device;

determining a location of the remote control device;

determining a particular media device to be controlled based on the location of the remote control device; and

sending first control data to the particular media device to cause the particular media device to perform the media display function; and

based on a determination to control the plurality of media devices, sending second control data to the plurality of media devices, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be performed by each media device of the plurality of media devices.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the address data indicates to control the media device when the address data is a first value, and wherein the address data indicates to control the plurality of media devices when the address data is a value other than the first value.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the second control data is sent to the plurality of media devices via a network connection.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the remote control device is a mobile communication device.