System and method for two way communication and controlling content on a display screen

• US 8,166,181 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infrared5, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brass Monkey, Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, Christopher, Burton, Trevor, Zupko, Andrew, Accattato, Dominick
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, KAREN C
• Application Number:
  US13/042,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2567 for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method for controlling content on a display device includes executing, by a host device coupled to a display, a browser application within a web browser for presenting content on the display device. A communication channel is established over a computer network between an application running on an endpoint device and the browser application. Data is sent content over the communication channel, between the endpoint device and the browser application, for controlling what is shown on the display. A system for controlling content on a display is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling content on a display device, the method comprising:

executing, by a host device in communication with a computer network, a display application for presenting content on a display device, within a web browser having a security policy that restricts browser applications from communicating over the computer network;

determining, by a server device, whether the display application and a control application executing on a wireless endpoint device and designed to control the content presented within the web browser are compatible with each other, the control application being able to display content control functions on the endpoint device;

if compatibility is determined, sending, from the server device to the display application, a private network address of the endpoint device so that the display application and the control application can subsequently create an exception in the security policy of the web browser to allow subsequent establishment of a direct communication channel between the control application and the display application for controlling the content displayed on the display device; and

sending loss-tolerant and loss-sensitive data, by the application, the display application, or both over the communication channel so as to permit the control application to control content displayed by the display application, through the content control functions, executing within the web browser.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing the communication channel includes opening at least two socket connections between the host device and the endpoint device.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of opening includes creating a first socket connection for carrying the loss-sensitive data.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing the first socket connection as a TCP connection.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the first socket connection, one or more of:

text data;

control data; and

image data.

6. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of establishing includes creating a second socket connection for carrying the loss-tolerant data.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes actualizing the second socket connection as a UDP connection.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of creating includes delivering, over the second socket connection, one or more of:

video data; and

audio data.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control application is a downloadable, mobile application.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of sending includes transmitting and receiving the data over the communication channel, independent of the server device.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising determining, by the server device, whether the endpoint device and the host device are connected to a same local area network;

and

if it is so determined, sending, by the server device, a communication to the endpoint device, the host device, or both that allows the control application and the display application to establish the direct communication channel.

12. A system for controlling content on a display, the system comprising:

a host device provided with features for executing a display application within a web browser having a security policy that restricts communication between the display application and the control application over a computer network;

a wireless endpoint device including an instruction set for executing a control application which can display content control functions on the endpoint device, and for sending, to the host device over the computer network, data configured to create an exception in the security policy to allow for subsequent communication of data for controlling content displayed by the display application;

a server device including an instruction set to determine whether the display application and the control application are compatible with each other and, if compatibility is determined, to send a private network address of the endpoint device to the display application so that the display application and the control application can subsequently establish the security exception; and

a direct communication channel established over the computer network to carry loss-tolerant and loss-sensitive data for controlling the content displayed by the display application, through the content control functions, between the control application and the display application.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the communication channel includes at least two socket connections.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the first socket connection is configured to carry the loss sensitive data.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the first socket connection is a TCP connection.

16. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the loss-sensitive data includes one or more of:

display control data;

button press data;

display initialization data; and

image data.

17. A system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second socket connection of is configured to carry the loss tolerant data.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the second socket connection is a UDP connection.

19. A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the loss tolerant data includes one or more of:

accelerometer data;

video data;

audio data; and

vibration command data.

20. A method of controlling content on a display device, the method comprising:

within a web browser having a security profile that restricts browser applications from communicating over a computer network, executing, by a host device in communication with the computer network, a display application designed to present content on a display coupled to the host device;

running, by a wireless endpoint device, a control application to communicate with the display application and display content control functions, on the endpoint device, for controlling the content displayed by the display application;

determining, by a server device, whether the control application and the display application are compatible with each other;

if compatibility is determined, sending, from the server device to the display application over the computer network, a private network address of the endpoint device so that the display application and the control application can subsequently create an exception in the security policy of the web browser and allow the control application, the display application, or both to establish a TCP socket connection and a UDP socket connection between the application and the display application for controlling content displayed by the display application; and

sending, by the control application, the display application, or both, loss-sensitive data over the TCP socket connection and loss-tolerant data over the UDP socket connection to control the content displayed by the display application on the display device.