Second display support of character set unsupported on playback device

• US 8,677,402 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Pedlow, Leo, Wong, Ling Jun, Xiong, True
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAIG, SAHAR A
• Application Number:
  US12/982,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725/28, 725/37, 725/38
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to allow users to browse services, content items, or the like using the language that is generally most familiar to them, and in particular ones that are not available on an IPTV. Thus, users can browse content offerings on the second display in a language and font set that are personalized to themselves, and they may further send the content item to the IPTV for playback. The disclosed systems and methods provide a way for a group of users to exploit individual “second displays” to view, browse, and navigate content or data service offerings, by service providers, e.g., internet network services, in a preferred language and using preferred fonts, especially one not supported by a content playback device, on behalf of a content playback device, e.g., IPTV, the same having authenticated credentials for playback of such content, and then arrange for a selected content item or items to be played back on the content playback device. The second displays serve as a visual aid to the IPTV, but generally do not require additional investment by the user because the same make use of a device, e.g., a smartphone, laptop computer, tablet computer, an internet appliance, a desktop computer, etc., which most users would already have in their possession. Such a second display is a significant complement to an IPTV because of the second display'"'"'s strength in supported languages and character font sets, data entry, processing power, and user experience in content management.

Claims

1. A method of arranging a browsing session for content items for playback on a content playback device, comprising:

i. establishing a user account session between the second display and a proxy server, the second display further in communication with at least one content playback and display device, wherein the establishing a session between a second display and a proxy server includes downloading an application from the proxy server to the second display, the application displaying text on the second display in a first language and character font set associated with a profile or with the content playback and display device;

ii. receiving an input from a user, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, the second language having a corresponding character font set; and

iii. changing the application to display text in the second language and character font set on the second display or, if the second language and character font set is not available, then in a default language and corresponding character font set, the default language and character font set associated with a service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

i. receiving an input from a user, the input indicating a user selection of a content item from a service provider; and

ii. causing the content playback and display device to request the content item from the service provider, wherein the content playback and display device requests the content item using an authentication credential, and wherein the content playback and display device plays back the content item using the first language and character font set.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying a list of content items on the second display, using the second language and character font set, and wherein the items on the list are generated at least in part using a device characteristic of the content playback and display device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying a list of content items on the second display, using the second language and character font set, wherein the items on the list are generated at least in part using a list of content playback and display devices associated with the user account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the items on the list are generated at least in part using a list of service providers associated with the user account.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying a list of content playback and display devices associated with the user account, using the second language and character font set, and receiving a selection of which content playback and display device is to play back a selected content item.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the causing the content playback and display device to request the content item includes causing the second display on which the selection was received to communicate the selection to the content playback and display device, for the content playback and display device to request the content item.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the causing the content playback and display device to request the content item includes causing the second display on which the selection was received to communicate the selection to the proxy server on behalf of the content playback and display device.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving a selection of a content item includes receiving a selection of a content item at the proxy server, and wherein the receiving at least a portion of the selected content item includes receiving a content URL at the content playback and display device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an input from a user, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, includes determining if a second language has been previously selected by polling a user profile.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the application to display text in the second language and character font set or in a default language and character font set includes translating the text.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a web application.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computing device to implement the method of claim 1.

14. A computer program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for causing a second display to perform the following steps, the second display associated with at least one content playback and display device:

i. establish a session between a second display and a proxy server, the session associated with a user account on the proxy server;

ii. receive data about at least one content playback and display device associated with the user account;

iii. receive an application from the proxy server;

iv. execute the application, the application displaying text on the second display in a first language and character font set associated with the content playback and display device;

v. receive an input from a user, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, the second language having a corresponding character font set; and

vi. change the application to display text on the second display in the second language and character font set or, if the second language and character font set is not available, then in a default language and character font set, the default language and character font set associated with a service provider.

15. The program of claim 14, wherein the second display is further caused to perform the following additional steps:

i. receive a list of available content items from the proxy server and display the list on the second display using the second character font set;

ii. receive a selection of one or more of the available content items; and

iii. transmit one or more reference identifiers identifying the one or more respective content items to the proxy server,

iv. such that the one or more reference identifiers are configured to be employed at the proxy server with an authentication credential of the content playback and display device to request from one or more respective service providers that the one or more content items be made accessible for playback on the content playback and display device, whereby such playback occurs using the first language and character font set.

16. The program of claim 14, wherein a plurality of second displays are associated with the at least one content playback and display device, and wherein each second display of the plurality is configured to display text using a respective user-selected language and character font set.

17. The program of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving data about at least one content playback and display device associated with the user account includes:

receiving a selection from a user of one or a set of content playback and display devices associated with the user account, using a default content playback and display device, or using stored data about previously-used content playback and display devices.

18. The program of claim 14, wherein the second display is selected from the group consisting of:

a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, an internet appliance, and a smart phone.

19. The program of claim 15, wherein the list of available content items includes a list of available service providers.

20. The program of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting one or more reference identifiers identifying the one or more respective content items to the proxy server includes transmitting the reference identifiers directly to the content playback and display device whereby the content playback device transmits a request to a service provider using its authentication credential for the identified content items.

21. The program of claim 20, wherein the transmitting directly includes transmitting using a transmission scheme including:

wired transmissions, wireless transmissions, infrared transmissions, Bluetooth®

transmissions, or over a local network.

22. The program of claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting one or more reference identifiers identifying the one or more respective content items to the proxy server includes transmitting the reference identifiers to the proxy server on behalf of the content playback and display device.

23. The program of claim 14, wherein the receiving an input from a user, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, includes determining if a second language has been previously selected by polling a user profile.

24. The program of claim 14, wherein the changing the application to display text in the second language and character font set or in a default language and character font set includes translating the text.

25. A computer program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for causing a proxy server to perform the following steps:

i. receive a request to establish a session with a second display, and upon proper user authentication establish a session with the second display, the session associated with a user account;

ii. receive data about at least one content playback and display device associated with the user account;

iii. transmit to the second display an application, the application allowing the second display to browse content offerings of a service provider using the proxy server, the application configured to display text in a first language and character font set associated with the content playback and display device;

iv. receive an input from the second display, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, the second language associated with a second character font set; and

v. transmit a signal to change the application, such that the application displays text in the second language and character font set or, if the second language and character font set is not available, then in a default language and character font set, the default language and character font set associated with the service provider.

26. The program of claim 25, wherein the second display is further caused to perform the following additional steps:

i. transmit to the second display a list of available content items, the second display displaying the list of available content items using the second language and character font set or the default language and character font set;

ii. receive from the second display a selection of one or more content items for playback; and

iii. transmit to the service provider a request for the one or more content items to be made available for playback on the content playback and display device, the request including an authentication credential of the content playback and display device, whereby the playback occurs on the content playback and display device using the first language and character font set.

27. The program of claim 25, wherein the step of receiving data about at least one content playback and display device associated with the user account includes:

receiving a selection from a user of one or a set of content playback and display devices associated with the user account, using a default content playback and display device, or using stored data about previously-used content playback and display devices.

28. The program of claim 25, wherein the proxy server is further caused to perform the steps of:

i. transmit to the second display a list of available service providers;

ii. receive from the second display a selection of a first content item from one of the service providers;

iii. place the first content item in a queue;

iv. receive from the second display a selection of a second content item from another of the service providers;

v. place the second content item in a queue; and

vi. upon playback of each queued content item, provide to the respective service provider a service provider credential, the service provider credential associated with the user account and with the selected service provider.

29. The program of claim 28, wherein the proxy server is further caused to perform the step of receiving from the second display a selection of one or more content items from the selected service provider for playback, and wherein the step of receiving from the second display a selection of one or more content items for playback includes receiving from the second display one or more respective reference identifiers identifying the one or more respective content items.

30. The program of claim 26, wherein the transmitted list is customized based on at least the data about the content playback and display device.

31. The program of claim 25, wherein the receiving an input from the second display, the input indicating a user selection of a second language, includes determining if a second language has been previously selected by polling a user profile.

32. The program of claim 26, further comprising translating the list of available content items, the second display displaying the list of available content items in the second language and character font set or in the default language and character font set.