UPDATING PROPERTIES OF REMOTE A/V PERFORMANCE NODES

• US 20160044373A1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cannistraro, Alan, Robbin, Jeffrey L., Jawa, Amandeep S.
• Application Number:
  US14/825,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/43637 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 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Aspects include systems, computer readable media and methods for remotely updating properties of Audio/Visual (A/V) performance nodes that can receive A/V content through a wireless network from a central content source. The central content source can maintain information about properties of such nodes, providing such information to a device configured with remote control software, upon request. The remote control device can accept user inputs relating to properties updates, indications of such being provided to the central content source for distribution to nodes whose properties were updated. Examples of updatable properties include on/off toggling, and volume controls. Updating such properties can be protected by passwords. The central content source can be configured as software executing on a personal computer operable to communicate over the Internet for obtaining access to streaming and/or downloadable A/V content. Remote control device examples include phones that can be networked to receive node properties data, obtain user inputs affecting such data, and transmit that data back to the central source.

Claims

1. A performance node, comprising:

a processor; and

a network interface;

wherein the processor and the network interface perform operations for;

sending, over a wireless network to a second device, a setting from a group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node, wherein the setting is configured to be used by the second device to modify a user interface for a remote control to display a current state value of a corresponding controllable function of the performance node based on the setting;

receiving, from the second device, an input associated with the controllable function, the input corresponding to an adjustment to the controllable function received from the remote control by the second device; and

adjusting the controllable function of the performance node based on the received input.

2. The performance node of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio speaker;

wherein the processor performs operations for processing digital audio content to produce audio signals that are sent to the audio speaker to be output as audio.

3. The performance node of claim 2, wherein the processor and the network interface perform operations for:

receiving, at the performance node via a wireless network, the digital audio content that is to be processed by the processor.

4. The performance node of claim 3, further comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium;

wherein the processor and the network interface perform operations for;

storing the received digital audio content in the computer-readable storage medium and subsequently retrieving the digital audio content from the computer-readable storage medium to be processed by the processor.

5. The performance node of claim 1, wherein the group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node comprises at least one of:

a password;

a volume level;

an active/inactive status;

a parental control activation status;

a content limitation status;

an equalizer setting;

or

a mood preset.

6. The performance node of claim 1, wherein the processor and the networking subsystem perform operations for:

when the input associated with the controllable function does not meet one or more criteria,

sending, to the second device, an error indication based on the input associated with the controllable function; and

not adjusting the controllable function of the performance node.

7. The performance node of claim 1, wherein the performance node comprises one of:

a wireless networking hub;

a base station; and

a relay.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor in a performance node, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

sending, over a wireless network to a second device, a setting from a group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node, wherein the setting is configured to be used by the second device to modify a user interface for a remote control to display a current state value of a corresponding controllable function of the performance node based on the setting;

receiving, from the second device, an input associated with the controllable function, the input corresponding to an adjustment to the controllable function received from the remote control by the second device; and

adjusting the controllable function of the performance node based on the received input.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the performance node comprises an audio speaker, and wherein the method further comprises:

processing digital audio content to produce audio signals that are sent to the audio speaker to be output as audio.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the performance node via a wireless network, the digital audio content that is to be processed.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the performance node comprises a computer-readable storage medium, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing the received digital audio content in the computer-readable storage medium and subsequently retrieving the digital audio content from the computer-readable storage medium to be processed.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node comprises at least one of:

a password;

a volume level;

an active/inactive status;

a parental control activation status;

a content limitation status;

an equalizer setting;

or

a mood preset.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

when the input associated with the controllable function does not meet one or more criteria,

sending, to the second device, an error indication based on the input associated with the controllable function; and

not adjusting the controllable function of the performance node.

14. A method, comprising:

in a processor and a network interface in a performance node, performing operations for;

sending, over a wireless network to a second device, a setting from a group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node, wherein the setting is configured to be used by the second device to modify a user interface for a remote control to display a current state value of a corresponding controllable function of the performance node based on the setting;

receiving, from the second device, an input associated with the controllable function, the input corresponding to an adjustment to the controllable function received from the remote control by the second device; and

adjusting the controllable function of the performance node based on the received input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the performance node comprises an audio speaker, and wherein the method further comprises:

processing digital audio content to produce audio signals that are sent to the audio speaker to be output as audio.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the performance node via a wireless network, the digital audio content that is to be processed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the performance node comprises a computer-readable storage medium, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing the received digital audio content in the computer-readable storage medium and subsequently retrieving the digital audio content from the computer-readable storage medium to be processed.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the group of reconfigurable settings for the performance node comprises at least one of:

a password;

a volume level;

an active/inactive status;

a parental control activation status;

a content limitation status;

an equalizer setting;

or

a mood preset.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

when the input associated with the controllable function does not meet one or more criteria,

sending, to the second device, an error indication based on the input associated with the controllable function; and

not adjusting the controllable function of the performance node.