Systems and methods for remote web query and image selection exchange to video screen

• US 8,407,756 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Scott, Hill, Nicholas Peter, Ng, Virginia Seid
• Primary Examiner(s): CORBO, NICHOLAS T
• Application Number:
  US12/564,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64 Addressing network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00; support for multicast or broadcast of one-way stream services H04L65/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed which relate to browsing through search results on a handheld communications device, and displaying a desired search result on an external display device. The system includes a handheld communications device having a user interface to search for a plurality of media resources, an application server to deliver the media resources, and a set-top box to receive a request to display a desired media resource on a display device coupled to the set-top box, such as an IPTV. The user interface presents novel methods to send the desired search result to the IPTV via the application server. The user may “throw” the media resource to the set-top box using a hand gesture to invoke an accelerometer in the handheld communications device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an application server comprising a processor; and

a server memory in communication with the application server, the server memory storing computer-readable instructions that are executed by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first address of a media file from a handheld communications device in communication with the application server, and

transmitting a second address of the media file to a set-top box, the second address being different from the first address,

wherein the second address comprises a link to a remotely stored copy of the media file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld communications device, the application server, and the set top box are communicatively coupled by way of a packet-based network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the packet-based network is the internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise storing a copy of the media file on a database, and wherein the second address of the media file corresponds to the copy of the media file stored on the database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld communications device transmits to the application server a request to display the media file, and wherein the application server forwards the request to display the media file to the set-top box.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise verifying that the handheld communications device and the set-top box are associated with one or more user accounts on a network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld communications device is one of a cellular telephone and personal digital assistant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld communications device uses one of cellular, radio frequency, BLUETOOTH, and wireless local area network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an additional request for additional media results from the handheld communications device, the additional request for additional media results being activated by shaking the handheld communications device, wherein the handheld communications device comprises an accelerometer to detect the shaking.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server comprising a processor, a media search request from a handheld communications device over a network;

gathering, by the server from the network, a set of media files corresponding to the media search request;

receiving, by the server from the handheld device, a request to display a media the from the set of media files on an external display device, the request comprising a first address of the media file; and

transmitting, by the server, a second address of the media file over the network to a set-top box coupled to the external display device, the second address being different from the first address and comprising a link to a remotely stored copy of the media file;

wherein the set-top box is configured to display the media file on the external display device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

resizing the media file to an optimal viewing size; and

storing the media file on a database in communication with the server;

wherein the second address is used to locate the copy of the media file stored on the database.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising forwarding the request to display the media file from the handheld communications device to the set-top box.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising verifying that the handheld communications device and the set-top box are associated with one or more user accounts on the network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an additional request for additional media results from the handheld communications device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional request for additional media results is activated by shaking the handheld communications device, wherein the handheld communications device comprises an accelerometer to detect the shaking.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server comprising a processor, a request to display, on an external display device, a media file, the request comprising a first address of the media file; and

transmitting, by the server to a set-top box coupled to the external display device, a second address of the media file, the second address being different from the first address and comprising a link to a remotely stored copy of the media file;

wherein the set-top box is configured to display the media file on the external display device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

resizing the media file to an optimal viewing size; and

storing the media file on a database in communication with the server;

wherein the second address is used to locate the copy of the media file stored on the database.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising forwarding the request to display the media file from a handheld communications device to the set-top box.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising verifying that a handheld communications device and the set-top box are associated with one or more user accounts on a network.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving an additional request for additional media results, the additional request for additional media results being generated by shaking a handheld communications device, wherein the handheld communications device comprises an accelerometer to detect the shaking.