Tethered digital butler consumer electronic device and method

• US 7,444,130 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• 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:
  US11/465,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20070042767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 713/186, 725/11, 725/6, 382/124, 379/88.17, 379/102.03, 370/352
• 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: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]

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. Alternatively, the remote may be packaged separately from a console and sold to interact with capabilities of a communications and console, set-top box, multi-media PC or other consumer electronics device from a different source, such as one running on a Windows, OS X or Linux platform, with or without telephone capabilities. The remote may include a media reader and remote USB port.

Claims

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

a palm-held remote; and

a console component 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, and

a limited range radio for communicating with the console component via a lightweight wireless protocol;

wherein the console component integrates at least a DVD/CD player, a network port and logic and resources adapted to

connect the palm-held remote to a 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;

decode VoIP to a remote control device format and decode DVD video and at least one of IPTV, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 video; and

implement the lightweight wireless protocol used to forward signals in the remote control device format to the limited range radio of the palm-held remote;

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user to select among and use the console component'"'"'s telephone network connection, Internet browsing, channel control, volume control, DVD/CD playback control, and digitally stored music access and playback, without performing the decoding of VoIP or video performed by the resources of the console.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a media card reader and the logic and resources of the console are further adapted to treat the media card reader as local to the console component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a fingerprint reader and logic to transmit raw fingerprint data to the console component for processing and the logic and resources of the console component are further adapted to authenticate users of the palm-held remote and personalize their telephone network connection and their messaging based on processing the raw fingerprint data received from the palm-held remote.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the logic and resources of the console component to authenticate users based on fingerprints is further adapted to personalize the users'"'"' lists of favorite channels, web browsing and digitally stored music.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a USB connector and port and the logic and resources of the console component are further adapted to treat the USB connector and port as local to the console.

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

a palm-held remote; and

a console component in wireless communication with the remote;

wherein the palm-held remote integrates at least;

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

a limited range radio for communicating with the console component via a lightweight wireless protocol;

wherein the console component 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,

provide playback control for the DVD/CD player, and

decode VoIP to a remote control device format and decode DVD video,

implement the lightweight wireless protocol used to forward signals in the remote control device format to the limited range radio of the palm-held remote;

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user to select among and use the console component'"'"'s telephone network connection, messaging, channel control, volume control, and DVD/CD playback control without performing the decoding of VoIP or DVD video performed by the resources of the console.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a media card reader and the logic and resources of the console are further adapted to treat the media card reader as local to the console component.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the palm-held remote further integrates a fingerprint reader and logic to transmit raw fingerprint data to the console component for processing; and

the logic and resources of the console component are further adapted

to authenticate users based on processing the raw fingerprint data and

to personalize the users'"'"' lists of favorite channels, web browsing and digitally stored music.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a USB connector and port and the logic and resources of the console component are further adapted to treat the USB connector and port as local to the console.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a fingerprint reader and logic to transmit raw fingerprint data to the console component for processing and the logic and resources are further adapted to authenticate users of the palm-held remote and personalize their telephone network connection and their messaging based on processing the raw fingerprint data received from the palm-held remote.

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

a palm-held remote; and

a console component 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,

a limited range radio for communications with the console component via a lightweight wireless protocol;

wherein the console component integrates at least a media card reader or hard drive, 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,

decode VoIP to a remote control device format and decode digital content from the media card reader or hard drive, and

implement the lightweight wireless protocol used to forward signals in the remote control device format to the limited range radio of the palm-held remote; and

whereby the palm-held remote allows a user of to select among and use the console component'"'"'s telephone network connection, media card reader functions, channel control, and volume control without performing the decoding of VoIP or digital content from the media card reader or hard drive Performed by the resources of the console component.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a media card reader and the logic and resources of the console are further adapted to treat the media card reader as local to the console component.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a fingerprint reader and logic to transmit raw fingerprint data to the console component for processing and the console component integrates logic and resources further adapted to authenticate users of the palm-held remote and personalize their telephone network connection and their messaging based on fingerprints received from the palm-held remote.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the logic and resources of the console component to authenticate users based on fingerprints is further adapted to personalize the users'"'"' lists of favorite channels, web browsing and digitally stored music.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the palm-held remote further integrates a USB connector and port and the logic and resources of the console are further adapted to treat the USB connector and port as local to the console component.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the display on the palm-held remote is adapted to show menu and control information from the media center;

the palm-held remote further integrates logic and resources adapted to reproduce menu and control information received from the media center on the display and to invoke glue logic running on the media center by wirelessly directing menu and control navigation input to the media center; and

the glue logic invoked wirelessly by the remote control is adapted to process the menu and control navigation input and control features of the media center.

17. A hand held remote control device with slaved audio and video reproduction, the device including:

a limited range radio;

a plurality of slaved inputs and outputs built into the hand held remote control, including at least a slaved microphone, a slaved fingerprint reader, a slaved display and a slaved audio output;

a keyboard and navigation control built into the hand held remote control;

hardware resources coupled between the radio and the slaved inputs, the slaved outputs, the keyboard and the navigation control;

a light weight protocol stack running on the hardware resources and exchanging packets with a master device;

a decoder logic running on the hardware resources, logically coupled to the light weight protocol stack, adapted to receive the packets processed by the master device into a remote control device format and to decode the remote control device format into signals to drive the slaved outputs;

wherein the remote control

depends on the master device to process at least one audio stream from one or more source formats into the remote control device format,

depends on the master device to transcode input from and output to the slaved microphone and audio output between VoIP and the remote control device format,

relies on the master device to respond to the control signals to change the audio stream delivered in the packets, and

sends raw fingerprint data to the master device for interpretation.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the limited range radio is one of:

compliant with a Bluetooth standard,

complaint with an 802.11n standard,

compliant with an 802.11b/g standard, or

utilizes a cordless home telephone technology.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the slaved display is capable of at least showing a photograph or showing a caller on a video conference and the remote control further depends on the master device to process a video stream from one or more source formats into the remote control device format.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the slaved display is capable of at least displaying text both received from the master device and generated by the remote control.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the slaved display is capable of at least displaying text responsive to the packets received from the master device.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the light weight protocol stack is a Bluetooth protocol stack.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein:

the light weight protocol stack is a Bluetooth protocol stack;

and the remote control device formats for the video and audio packets are Bluetooth compliant.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the remote control device format is compliant with a Bluetooth standard.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein the decoder logic running on the hardware is implemented by a Bluetooth system-on-a-chip.

26. The device of claim 17, wherein the decoder logic handles pulse code modulation decoding.

27. The device of claim 19, wherein the decoder logic relies on the master device handle decoding of IPTV and MPEG-2 and MPEG-4.

28. The device of claim 19, wherein the decoder logic relies on the master device to handle DVD video decoding.

29. The device of claim 17, wherein the remote control further includes memory coupled to the hardware resources that holds a DRM key and logic running on the hardware resources to automatically transmit the DRM key to a DRM-enabled device.

30. The device of claim 17, wherein the remote control further includes a camera coupled to the and logic running on hardware resources adapted to send camera signals to the master device.

31. The device of claim 17, wherein the remote control further includes a USB port coupled to the hardware resources that the remote control makes accessible to the master device as a port local to the master device.

32. The device of claim 17, wherein the remote control further includes a memory card reader coupled to the hardware resources that the remote control makes accessible to the master device as a card reader local to the master device.

33. The device of claim 17, further including:

in the packets received from the master device, remote control menu information;

in the decoder logic, logic adapted to place the remote control menu information on the slave video display;

logic running on the hardware resources adapted to convert navigation of and selection from the remote control menu information on the slave video display into the control signals to send to the master device.

34. A hand held remote control device with slaved audio reproduction, the device including:

a limited range radio;

a plurality of slaved inputs and outputs built into the hand held remote control, including at least a slaved microphone, a slaved display and a slaved audio output;

hardware resources coupled between the radio and the slaved inputs and outputs;

a light weight protocol stack running on the hardware resources and exchanging packets with a master device;

wherein the remote control depends on the master device to process an audio stream from one or more source formats into a remote control device format;

a decoder logic running on the hardware resources, logically coupled to the light weight protocol stack, adapted to receive the packets processed by the master device, and adapted to decode the remote control device format into signals to drive the slaved outputs;

a encoder logic running on the hardware resources, logically coupled to the light weight protocol stack, adapted to encode signals from the microphone into a remote control audio format, and adapted to send audio packets in the remote control audio format to the master device; and

further including a keyboard and navigation control coupled to the hardware resources adapted to send control signals via the radio to the master device, whereby the remote control relies on the master device to respond to the control signals to change the audio stream delivered in the packets and to direct the audio packets sent by the remote control for appropriate processing on the master device, including transcoding input from and output to the slaved microphone and audio output between VoIP and the remote control device format.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the slaved display is capable of at least displaying text both originating from the master device and locally generated.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the remote control further includes a camera coupled to the and logic running on hardware resources adapted to send camera signals to the master device.

37. The device of claim 34, further including:

in the packets received from the master device, remote control menu information;

in the decoder logic, logic adapted to place the remote control menu information on the slave video display;

logic running on the hardware resources adapted to convert navigation of and selection from the remote control menu information on the slave video display into the control signals to send to the master device.