Methods, systems, and products for automated control of devices

• US 7,904,939 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Durden, George A., Stefanik, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, CAI Y
• Application Number:
  US11/601,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/58, 725/51
• US Class Current: 725/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for automated control of devices. A tag is received with Electronic Programming Guide data, and the tag includes control data. The tag is stripped from the Electronic Programming Guide data and communicated to a device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a tag with Electronic Programming Guide data, the tag identifying an external device and comprising control data associated with the external device that has been added to a program description in the Electronic Programming Guide data;

stripping the control data from the Electronic Programming Guide data; and

communicating the control data to the external device identified in the program description in the Electronic Programming Guide data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tag comprises receiving a command to adjust a temperature.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tag comprises receiving a command to mute a ringer on the device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tag comprises receiving a command to add a reminder to a calendar application.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tag comprises receiving a command to mute a commercial.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tag comprises receiving a command to interface with a calendar application operating in the external device and to display an alert using the calendar application.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving Electronic Programming Guide data having a tag comprising home theater control data that has been added to an end of a description of a program in the Electronic Programming Guide data;

stripping the home theater control data from the description of the program in the Electronic Programming Guide data;

communicating the home theater control data to a home theater device identified in the description of the program;

failing to display the home theater control data when displaying the description of the program;

storing the Electronic Programming Guide data in memory;

receiving reminder settings from the home theater device; and

setting a reminder for an event in an Electronic Programming Guide based on the reminder settings received from the home theater device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising configuring a calendar application to produce a visual notification before a start of the event.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising sending the Electronic Programming Guide data to a personal digital assistant.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising sending the Electronic Programming Guide data to a computer.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving the home theater control data as a series of parameters with each parameter separated by a comma.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving the home theater control data as parameters that vary during the program.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a tag that has been added to a description of a program in Electronic Programming Guide data;

stripping the tag from the description of the program in the Electronic Programming Guide data;

communicating the tag to an external consumer electronics device identified in the description of the program in the Electronic Programming Guide data; and

failing to display the tag when displaying the description of the program.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating a command to the external consumer electronics device to retrieve data associated with the tag.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating a command and a uniform resource locator, the command instructing the external consumer electronics device to retrieve data available at the uniform resource locator.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating a command and an associated parameter, the command instructing the external consumer electronics device to display a menu and the parameter indicating formatting for the menu.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating a command and an associated parameter, the command instructing the external consumer electronics device to display a menu and the parameter indicating when the menu is to be displayed.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating a command and an action, the command instructing the external consumer electronics device to display a menu and to implement the action upon selection of a menu option.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating the tag comprises communicating an instruction to display a list of menu options.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising communicating a parameter that instructs the external consumer electronics device to display a result when a menu option is selected.