Apparatus, systems and methods for media device operation preferences based on remote control identification

• US 8,629,940 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Daly, Curtis Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US12/634,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/468, 348/14.05, 348/114, 348/460, 348/552, 348/462, 725/46, 725/54, 725/39, 340/426.13, 340/4.61, 455/151.1
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles

Abstract

Remote control signal detection systems and methods are operable to set media device operation preferences in a media device. An exemplary embodiment detects a remote control communication signal transmitted from a remote control, wherein the remote control communication signal includes a unique identifier associated with the transmitting remote control; determines that at least one foreign language preference is associated with the transmitting remote control; and reconfigures information generated by the media device into the preferred foreign language.

Claims

1. A method for setting media device operation preferences in a media device, the method comprising:

receiving streamed program content at the media device having a program of interest therein, wherein the program of interest includes at least a video portion, a native language audio portion and a foreign language audio portion;

detecting, at a remote control signal detector residing in the media device, a remote control communication signal transmitted from a remote control, wherein the remote control communication signal includes a unique identifier that identifies the transmitting remote control;

identifying, at the media device, the remote control based on the unique identifier in the detected remote control communication signal;

determining a language preference that is associated with the identified transmitting remote control based on the unique identifier; and

selecting, at the media device, one of the native language audio portion and the foreign language audio portion based on the determined language preference.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the selected one of the native language audio portion and the foreign language audio portion in response to receiving the remote control communication signal from the transmitting remote control and based on the determined language preference; and

concurrently presenting the video portion with the selected one of the native language audio portion and the foreign language audio portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media device is configured to receive a program of interest with a native language closed captioning text portion and a foreign language closed captioning text portion, and further comprising:

selecting, at the media device, one of the native language closed captioning text portion and the foreign language closed captioning text portion based on the determined language preference; and

presenting the selected one of the native language closed captioning text portion and the foreign language closed captioning text portion in response to receiving the remote control communication signal from the transmitting remote control and based on the determined language preference.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the program of interest includes a native language closed captioning text portion, and further comprising:

translating the native language closed captioning text portion to a foreign language closed captioning text portion corresponding to the determined language preference in response to receiving the remote control communication signal from the transmitting remote control and based on the determined language preference.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media device is configured to receive electronic program guide (EPG) information in a native language and a foreign language, and further comprising:

generating an EPG using one of the native language EPG information and the foreign language EPG information in response to receiving the remote control communication signal from the transmitting remote control and based on the determined language preference.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the remote control communication signal includes at least one instruction requesting presentation of the EPG, and wherein the EPG is presented using the selected one of the native language EPG information and the foreign language EPG information in response to receiving the instruction requesting presentation of the EPG.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media device is configured to receive electronic program guide (EPG) information in a native language, and in response to receiving an instruction requesting presentation of an EPG from the transmitting remote control associated with the determined language preference, the method further comprising:

translating the native language EPG information into foreign language EPG information; and

generating the EPG using the foreign language EPG information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the media device is configured to receive a foreign language channel that presents at least one program of interest in a foreign language, and in response to selecting the foreign language audio portion based on the determined language preference, the method further comprising:

defining a favorite channel as the foreign language channel in response to receiving the remote control communication signal from the transmitting remote control associated with the determined language preference.

9. A media device, comprising:

a program content stream interface configured to receive a program content stream with a program of interest therein, wherein the received program of interest includes at least a video portion, a native language audio portion and a foreign language audio portion, wherein the native language audio portion and the foreign language audio portion each correspond to the video portion;

a remote control signal detector configured to detect a remote control communication signal, wherein the detected remote control communication signal is transmitted from a remote control, wherein the remote control communication signal operates the media device, and wherein the remote control communication signal includes a unique identifier identifying the transmitting remote control; and

a processor system communicatively coupled to the program content stream interface and the remote control signal detector, and wherein the processor system is configured to;

determine a language preference that is at least one of a native language preference and a foreign language preference associated with the transmitting remote control, wherein the determined language preference is based upon the unique identifier in the detected remote control communication signal;

communicate the video portion and the native language audio portion to a media presentation device for presentation to a user of the remote control in response to determining that the language preference is for the native language preference; and

communicate the video portion and the foreign language audio portion to the media presentation device for presentation to the user of the remote control in response to determining that the language preference is for the foreign language preference.

10. The media device of claim 9, further comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of media device operation preferences pertaining to the foreign language preference,

wherein the processor system retrieves at least one of the media device operation preferences associated with the transmitting remote control, and reconfigures the media device to process the received program content stream in accordance with the at least one retrieved foreign language media device operation preference.

11. The media device of claim 9, wherein the program content stream interface is configured to receive a native language closed captioning text portion of the program of interest, and wherein the processor system is configured to translate the native language closed captioning text portion to a foreign language closed captioning text portion in response to the processor system determining that the language preference is for the foreign language preference.

12. The media device of claim 9, wherein the program content stream interface is configured to receive native language electronic program guide (EPG) information and foreign language EPG information, and wherein the processor system is configured to generate an EPG using the foreign language EPG information in response to the processor system determining that the language preference is for the foreign language preference.

13. The media device of claim 12, wherein the remote control communication signal includes at least one instruction requesting presentation of the EPG, and wherein the EPG is presented using the foreign language preference in response to receiving the instruction.

14. The media device of claim 9, wherein the program content stream interface is configured to receive native language electronic program guide (EPG) information, and wherein the processor system is configured to translate the native language EPG information into foreign language EPG information, and wherein the processor system is configured to generate an EPG using the foreign language EPG information in response to the processor system determining that the language preference is for the foreign language preference.

15. The media device of claim 9, wherein the program content stream interface is configured to receive a foreign language channel that presents at least one program of interest in the foreign language, and wherein the processor system is configured to define a favorite channel as the foreign language channel in response to the processor system determining that the language preference is for the foreign language preference.

16. The media device of claim 9,

wherein the remote control is a first remote control having a first unique identifier that is used by the processor system to identify the language preference of the first remote control as the native language,

wherein the remote control communication signal is a first remote control communication signal transmitted from the first remote control that is received at the remote control signal detector,

wherein the remote control signal detector is further configured to receive a second remote control communication signal transmitted from a second remote control, wherein the transmitted second remote control communication signal includes a second unique identifier that is used by the processor system to identify the language preference of the second remote control as the foreign language preference,

wherein response to receiving further transmitted remote control communication signals from the first remote control, the video portion and the native language audio portion are communicated, and

wherein response to receiving the further transmitted remote control communication signals from the second remote control, the video portion and the foreign language audio portion are communicated.

17. The media device of claim 9, wherein the remote control signal detector is configured to receive an infrared (IR) remote control communication signal transmitted from the remote control.

18. A media system comprising, comprising:

a first remote control configured to transmit a first remote control communication signal that is received by a media device, where the transmitted first remote control communication signal includes a first identifier that identifies the first remote control;

a second remote control configured to transmit a second remote control communication signal that is received by the media device, where the transmitted second remote control communication signal includes a second identifier that identifies the second remote control; and

the media device, comprising;

a transport content stream interface configured to receive a transport channel from a head end facility operated by a media provider, wherein the transport channel includes a plurality of programs multiplexed together, and wherein the plurality of multiplexed programs include a program of interest defined by at least a video portion, a native language audio portion and a foreign language audio portion, wherein the native language audio portion and the foreign language audio portion each correspond to the video portion;

a remote control signal detector configured to detect the first remote control communication signal when transmitted from the first remote control and to detect the second remote control communication signal when transmitted from the second remote control; and

a processor system communicatively coupled to the transport content stream interface and the remote control signal detector, and wherein the processor system is configured to;

determine a native language preference based upon the first identifier in the received first remote control communication signal transmitted by the first remote control;

determine a foreign language preference based upon the second identifier in the received second remote control communication signal transmitted by the second remote control;

communicate the video portion and the native language audio portion to a media presentation device for presentation to a user of the remote control in response to receiving the first remote control communication signal; and

communicate the video portion and the foreign language audio portion to the media presentation device for presentation to the user of the remote control in response to receiving the second remote control communication signal.

19. The media system of claim 18, further comprising:

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor system,

wherein a media device operation preferences database resides in the memory, and

wherein the media device operation preferences database includes at least a first database identifier that corresponds to the first identifier of the first remote control, a first preference that specifies the language preference as the native language preference, a second database identifier that corresponds to the second identifier of the second remote control, a second preference that specifies the language preference as the foreign language preference,

where in response to receiving the first remote control communication signal from the first remote control, the first identifier is associated with the first database identifier so that the first preference that specifies the language preference as the native language preference is determined, and

where in response to receiving the second remote control communication signal from the second remote control, the second identifier is associated with the second database identifier so that the second preference that specifies the language preference as the foreign language preference is determined.

20. The media system of claim 18, further comprising:

a presentation device interface communicatively coupled to the media presentation device with a display and at least one speaker,

wherein a media device operation preferences database resides in a memory, and

wherein the media device operation preferences database includes at least a first database identifier that corresponds to the first identifier of the first remote control, a first preference that specifies the language preference as the native language preference, a second database identifier that corresponds to the second identifier of the second remote control, a second preference that specifies the language preference as the foreign language preference.