Intelligent interaction between devices in a local network

• US 8,072,905 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Haff, Olle, Cahne, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTIS, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US12/025,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20090197524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/278, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

A device may include a network interface through which the device communicates with a media device in a local network. The device may include a processor to detect whether the device receives a call, determine whether the device is within a predetermined range of the media device based on communication between the device and the media device, and send a message to the media device via the network interface to request the media device to reduce an audio output of the media device when the device is within the predetermined range of the media device and when the device has received the call.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by one or more processors of a mobile device, a change in video or audio output of the mobile device,

wherein detecting the change in the video or audio output of the mobile device includes;

detecting a playing of an audio file or a video file;

obtaining, by the one or more processors, a physical location of the mobile device and a physical location of a media device in response to the detecting of the playing of the audio file or the video file;

determining, by the one or more processors, a distance between the mobile device and the media device based on the physical locations of the mobile device and the media device;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether the distance is within a predetermined range; and

modifying, by the one or more processors, output of the media device when the distance is within the predetermined range,

wherein modifying the output of the media device includes;

sending a command from the mobile device to the media device to store information that indicates that a particular portion of the content has been played.

2. The method of claim 1, where modifying the output of the media device further includes at least one of:

sending a command from the mobile device to the media device to fade out or reduce an audio output of the media device;

sending a command from the mobile device to the media device to pause the output of the media device;

or

sending a command from the mobile device to the media device to buffer the output of the media device.

3. The method of claim 1, where sending the command to the media device includes:

sending a Simple Object Access Protocol command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information identifies a particular scene in the played portion of the content, the method further comprising:

detecting a change in the distance between the mobile device and the media device;

determining whether the mobile device is within the predetermined range of the media device; and

modifying the output of the media device when the mobile device is not within the predetermined range,

wherein modifying the output of the media device when the mobile device is determined not to be within the predetermined range includes;

causing the media device to play an un-played portion of the content at a point in the content, in the output of the media device, after the particular scene that has been played.

5. The method of claim 1, where detecting the change in video or audio output of a mobile device includes one of:

detecting an incoming phone call;

detecting a termination of a call;

or

detecting a playing of an audio disk or a video disk.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discovering the media device in a local media network in accordance with Universal Plug and Play protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a service description and a device description of the media device via a local media network.

8. The method of claim 1, where obtaining the physical location of the mobile device and the physical location of the media device includes:

requesting the media device to provide the physical location of the media device.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying the output further includes at least one of:

restoring an audio output of the media device to a volume level set prior to the detected change in the output of the mobile device;

causing the media device to resume the output of the media device;

causing the media device to play the buffered output of the media device;

or

causing the media device to play an un-played portion of the content based on the stored information that indicates the portion of the content, in the output of the media device, that has been played.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a user a desired level of volume to which the output of the media device is to be set when a change is detected in the audio output of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging multimedia content with the media device in accordance with Digital Living Network Alliance protocols.

12. A device comprising:

a network interface through which the device communicates with a media device in a local network; and

a processor to;

receive user input indicating a predetermined range between the media device and the device,

detect whether the device receives a call,

determine whether the device is within the predetermined range of the media device based on communication between the device and the media device, and

send a message to the media device via the network interface to request the media device to modify an output of the media device when the device is within the predetermined range of the media device and when the device has received the call,

wherein, when sending the message, the processor is to;

send a command to the media device to, without pausing playing of content in the output of the media device, store information that indicates a portion of the content that has been played.

13. The device of claim 12, where the device includes:

a universal plug and play (UPnP) compliant device.

14. The device of claim 12, where the local network includes:

a network that is compliant with Digital Living Network Alliance guidelines.

15. The device of claim 12, where the media device includes one of:

a speaker;

a television;

a personal computer;

a laptop;

a receiver;

a digital video disk player;

or a game playing device.

16. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to:

detect the media device via a discovery protocol.

17. The device of claim 12, where the message includes:

a Simple Object Access Protocol message.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

an accelerometer for determining a position of the device;

a Global Positioning System receiver for determining a location of the device;

a Cell positioning system (CPS) receiver for determining a location of the device;

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) receiver for determining a location of the device;

or

a Beidou Navigation system receiver for determining a location of the device.

19. The device of claim 12, where the processor is further to:

receive user input for setting a desired level of volume for reducing the output of the media device when the media device is within the predetermined range.

20. A device comprising:

means for detecting whether the device receives a call;

means for discovering a media device in a local media network based on the detecting;

means for sending a request for a physical location of the media device to the media device;

means for determining whether the device is within a predetermined range of the media device based on a response from the media device;

means for sending a first request to the media device to store information indicating that a particular scene has been played in an output of the media device, when the device moves into the predetermined range of the media device during the call;

means for determining that the call has ended; and

means for sending, when the call has ended, a second request to the media device to identify the particular scene.