Tethered digital butler consumer electronic device and method

• US 7,389,103 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Inventors: Stepanian, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/350,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20070042806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/344, 713/186, 725/11, 725/6, 382/124, 379/88.17, 379/102.03
• US Class Current: 455/344
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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 21/41265 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 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• 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: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tethered digital butler consumer electronics product and method. The tethered digital butler, of a price and form factor suitable for consumer electronics markets of developed and developing countries, includes a communications and multi-media console and a wireless remote. The remote may resemble a handheld personal computer (HPC), a palm-held personal computer (PPC or PDA) or a smart phone, but has a low cost and feature set supported by the console that is novel in the consumer electronics market. In particular, this disclosure relates to combining telephone service, device control and, optionally, a fingerprint reader for easy user identification/authorization and personalization. As another option, a camera can be incorporated into the remote, thereby enabling video conferencing and other visual features. The remote may be packaged separately from a console and sold to interact with capabilities of a communications and multi-media console from a different source, such as one running on a Windows, OS X or Linux platform.

Claims

1. A multi-media and communications system, including:

a palm-held remote; and

a bread-box or smaller sized console in wireless communication with the remote;

wherein the palm-held remote integrates at least

a fingerprint reader,

a speaker, microphone and volume control adapted for use as a telephone,

a display at least capable of showing a telephone number,

a cursor control and trigger adapted to select and control resources of the console,

a compact keypad including numeric keys usable for telephone dialing,

the compact keypad further including alphabetic keys usable for web browsing,

wherein the bread-box or smaller sized console integrates at least a DVD/CD player, a network port and logic and resources adapted to

authenticate users of the palm-held remote and personalize their telephone network connection and their Internet browsing based on fingerprints received from the palm-held remote,

connect the palm-held remote to the telephone network,

connect the palm-held remote to the Internet and display web pages on a monitor or television,

control channels accessed by a video receiver,

drive speakers and provide volume control,

provide playback control for the DVD/CD player, and

access and playback digitally stored music;

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user of to select among and use the bread-box or smaller sized console'"'"'s user authentication and personalization, telephone network connection, Internet browsing, channel control, volume control, DVD/CD playback control, and digitally stored music access and playback.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bread-box or smaller sized console further include non-volatile storage sized to hold a library of digitally stored music.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic and resources are further adapted to connect the palm-held remote to a messaging service and to alert the user to incoming messages while the monitor or television is being used to watch TV.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the console is associated with one or more telephone numbers and the messaging service is short-message-service (SMS).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the console is associated with one or more telephone numbers and the messaging service is a cellular telephone messaging protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic and resources are further adapted to provide answering machine services and to allow a user to select answering machine features.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bread-box or smaller sized console

further includes non-volatile storage sized to time-shift playback from the video receiver and

its logic and resources are further adapted to provide a menu of upcoming video content, schedule recording of the video content and replay the video content.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a camera and the logic and resources of the bread-box or smaller sized console are further adapted to connect camera data to a video conferencing module.

9. A multi-media and communications system, including:

a palm-held remote; and

a bread-box or smaller sized console in wireless communication with the remote;

wherein the palm-held remote integrates at least

a speaker, microphone and volume control adapted for use as a telephone,

a display at least capable of showing a telephone number,

a cursor control and trigger adapted to select and control resources of the console,

a compact keypad including numeric keys usable for telephone dialing,

the compact keypad further including alphabetic keys usable for messaging,

wherein the bread-box or smaller sized console integrates at least a DVD/CD player, a network port and logic and resources adapted to

connect the palm-held remote to the telephone network,

send and receive messages across a communications network, displaying the messages on a monitor or television,

control channels accessed by a video receiver,

drive speakers and provide volume control, and

provide playback control for the DVD/CD player;

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user of to select among and use the bread-box or smaller sized console'"'"'s telephone network connection, messaging, channel control, volume control, and DVD/CD playback control.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a camera and the logic and resources of the bread-box or smaller sized console are further adapted to connect camera data to a video conferencing module.

11. A multi-media and communications system, including:

a palm-held remote; and

a bread-box or smaller sized console in wireless communication with the remote;

wherein the palm-held remote integrates at least

a speaker, microphone and volume control adapted for use as a telephone,

a display at least capable of showing a telephone number,

a cursor control and trigger adapted to select and control resources of the console,

a compact keypad including numeric keys usable for telephone dialing,

the compact keypad further including alphabetic keys usable for web browsing,

wherein the bread-box or smaller sized console integrates at least a media card reader, a network port and logic and resources adapted to

connect the palm-held remote to the telephone network,

control with the palm-held remote retrieval, transfer and playback of digital content from the media card reader,

control channels accessed by a video receiver,

drive speakers and provide volume control, and

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user of to select among and use the bread-box or smaller sized console'"'"'s user authentication and personalization, telephone network connection, media card reader functions, channel control, and volume control.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a camera and the logic and resources of the bread-box or smaller sized console are further adapted to connect camera data to a video conferencing module.