System for controlling media presentations

• US 8,266,666 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Lee G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAYE, AKLIL M
• Application Number:
  US12/209,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20100071021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 348/14.05, 348/734, 348/114, 348/211.99
• US Class Current: 725/133
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a remote controller that manages operations of a set-top box (STB) having a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, a user interface (UI) with one or more components, and a controller operably coupled to the RF transceiver and the UI. The controller can be adapted to cause the RF transceiver to establish a communication session with a subsystem of an interactive media communication system, cause the RF transceiver to transmit to the subsystem a request for media content, cause the UI to present media content supplied by the subsystem without interrupting operations of the STB, and cause the RF transceiver to transmit to the subsystem one or more commands directed to the STB. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A remote controller comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver;

a user interface with at least one component;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a controller operably coupled to the memory, radio frequency transceiver and the user interface, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

causing the radio frequency transceiver to communicate utilizing a communication session with a subsystem of an interactive media communication system to control a set-top box by way of commands transmitted from the radio frequency transceiver to the subsystem for controlling the set-top box via the subsystem, wherein the communication session operates according to an Internet Protocol; and

wherein the subsystem and the set-top box operate from the interactive media communications system;

presenting at the user interface of the remote controller one or more selectable graphical user interface elements associated with selectively accepting or rejecting relinquishment of control of the set-top box responsive to a notice received at the radio frequency transceiver from the subsystem, wherein the set-top box is controllable by both the remote controller and an infrared device, and wherein the notice indicates a request to transfer control to the infrared device communicatively coupled to the set-top box.

2. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the remote controller corresponds to one of a device supplied with the set-top box for managing operations thereof, a mobile computer, and a mobile phone, and wherein the one or more commands conforms to one of a user datagram protocol or transmission control protocol.

3. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transceiver operates according to one of a plurality of wireless access protocols comprising Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, GSM General Packet Radio Service, Evolution Data Optimized or Evolution Data Only, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, WiMAX, Zigbee, or one or more Software Defined Radio protocols.

4. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising presenting at the user interface of the remote controller media content supplied by the subsystem to the remote controller without interrupting operations of the set-top box and wherein the media content supplied to the remote controller comprises at least one of an electronic programming guide, a video on demand catalog, a help menu, information associated with a digital media recorder, metadata associated with one or more media programs, or one or more media streams corresponding to one or more media programs.

5. The remote controller of claim 4, wherein the controller responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising detecting a selection of at least one of the one or more selectable graphical user interface elements associated with selectively accepting or rejecting the relinquishment of control of the set-top box by the remote controller;

and transmitting the selection to the subsystem.

6. The remote controller of claim 5, wherein the subsystem transmits the selection to the set-top box, and wherein the set-top box accepts or rejects the request to transfer control to the infrared device according to the selection supplied by the remote controller to the subsystem.

7. The remote controller of claim 4, wherein the media content presented at the user interface corresponds to one of audio content, still image content, moving image content or combinations thereof.

8. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the interactive media communication system corresponds to at least one of an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof.

9. The remote controller of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a display, an audio system, or a set-top box keypad control system.

10. The remote controller of claim 1, where the display is a touch-sensitive display, and wherein the set-top box keypad control system is in whole or in part a touch-sensitive representation portrayed by the display.

11. A set-top box, comprising a memory storing computer instruction:

and a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising

receiving commands from a remote controller communicating to the set-top box over an internet protocol connection from a subsystem of an interactive media communication system;

receiving commands from an infrared device, wherein the set-top box is controllable by either the remote controller or the infrared device;

receiving from the infrared device a request to enable control of the set-top box by the infrared device and to disable control of the set-top box by the remote controller;

sending to the remote controller by way of the subsystem the request;

receiving from the remote controller by way of the subsystem a response to the request, wherein one or more selectable graphical user interface elements associated with selectively accepting or rejecting the request are presented at a user interface of the remote controller; and

responsive to the received response, enabling control of the set-top box by the infrared device and disable control of the set-top box by the remote controller.

12. The set-top box of claim 11, wherein the remote controller I corresponds to one of a device supplied with the set-top box, a mobile computer, ma4 or a mobile phone.

13. The set-top box of claim 11, wherein the internet connection comprises an interactive media communication session that is at least in part a wireless communication session operating according to one of a plurality of wireless access protocols comprising Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, GSM General Packet Radio Service, Evolution Data Optimized or Evolution Data Only, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, WiMAX, Zigbee, or one or more Software Defined Radio protocols.

14. The set-top box of claim 11, wherein the subsystem provides media content to the remote controller without interrupting operations of the set-top box and wherein the media content supplied to the remote controller comprises at least one of an electronic programming guide, a video on demand catalog, a help menu, information associated with a digital media recorder, metadata associated with one or more media programs, or one or more media streams corresponding to one or more media programs.

15. The set-top box of claim 11, wherein the interactive media communication system corresponds to at least one of an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof.

16. The set-top box of claim 14, wherein the media content presented at the remote controller corresponds to one of audio content, still image content, moving image content or combinations thereof.

17. A subsystem of an interactive media communication system, comprising a memory storing computer instructions;

and coupled to a controller, wherein the controller responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising

receiving by way of at least partial wireless communication from a remote controller one or more commands directed to a set-top box

submitting to the set-top box the one or more commands generated by the remote controller to control the set-top box;

receiving from the set-top box a request for the set-top box to transfer control from the remote controller to an infrared device that is in communication with the set-top box, wherein the set-top box is controllable by either the remote controller or the infrared device;

sending by wireless communication to the remote controller a notice of the request for the set-top box to transfer control, wherein one or more selectable graphical user interface elements associated with selectively accepting or rejecting the request are presented at a user interface of the remote controller; and

receiving from the remote controller a response to the notice of the request, wherein the response is associated with accepting or rejecting the request to transfer control.

18. The subsystem of claim 17, wherein the remote controller corresponds to one of a device supplied with the set-top box, a mobile computer, and a mobile phone, and wherein the wireless communication operates according to one of a plurality of wireless access protocols comprising Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, GSM General Packet Radio Service, Evolution Data Optimized or Evolution Data Only, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, WiMAX, Zigbee, or one or more Software Defined Radio protocols.

19. The subsystem of claim 17, wherein the subsystem provides media content to the remote controller without interrupting operations of the set-top box and wherein the media content presented at the remote controller corresponds to one of audio content, still image content, moving image content or combinations thereof, and wherein the interactive media communication system corresponds to at least one of an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem communication system, an internet protocol television communication system, a cable television communication system, a satellite television communication system, or combinations thereof.

20. The subsystem of claim 17, wherein set-top box transfers control based at least in part on the submitted received response.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving from a remote controller one or more commands directed to a set-top box, wherein the set-top box and the remote controller operate from an interactive media communication system;

receiving a request to enable control of the set-top box by an infrared device and to disable control of the set-top box by the remote controller, wherein the set-top box is controllable by either the remote controller or the infrared device;

sending a notice to the remote controller of the request, wherein one or more selectable graphical user interface elements associated with selectively accepting or rejecting the request are presented at a user interface of the remote controller;

receiving from the remote controller a response to the notice of the request, wherein the response is associated with accepting or rejecting the request; and

responsive to the received response, enabling control of the set-top box by the infrared device and disabling control of the set-top box by the remote controller.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending to the remote controller a request to enable a presentation of a media program limited in presentation by an established parental control setting; and

receiving from the remote controller an acceptance or rejection to the request to enable the presentation.