Set top/back box, system and method for providing a remote control device
First Claim
1. A set top/back box comprising:
- a housing;
one or more wireless transceivers associated with the housing, the one or more wireless transceivers operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device;
a television input and a television output secured in the housing, the television input and the television output for receiving content from a source in a lodging environment and forwarding content to a television;
a processor coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the television input and the television output;
a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;
specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the search operation utilizes the at least one or more wireless transceivers to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device,establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device and the set top/back box,send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are operable to provide a parallel experience related to the content on the television,provide instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the virtual buttons being associated with a particular amenity,receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, andsend a command to the particular amenity;
a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment;
the configuration profile, for each amenity of the plurality of amenities, including instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display, and instructions for associating virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the touch screen display with commands; and
wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that scale an image on the television to a first portion of the touch screen display on the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device,wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that selectively display one or more sets of virtual buttons on a second portion of the touch screen display, the one or more sets of virtual buttons corresponding to the plurality of amenities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A set top/back box and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more wireless transceivers are located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes television input/output, a processor, and memory. The set top/back box may establish a pairing with a programmable device, such as a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device having a touch screen display, whereby formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions, including virtual buttons, may be transmitted to the programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create a experience parallel to the experience on the television. The set top/back box receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the programmable device to control amenities associated with the set top/back box.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A set top/back box comprising:
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a housing; one or more wireless transceivers associated with the housing, the one or more wireless transceivers operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device; a television input and a television output secured in the housing, the television input and the television output for receiving content from a source in a lodging environment and forwarding content to a television; a processor coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the television input and the television output; a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to; specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the search operation utilizes the at least one or more wireless transceivers to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device and the set top/back box, send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are operable to provide a parallel experience related to the content on the television, provide instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the virtual buttons being associated with a particular amenity, receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and send a command to the particular amenity; a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment; the configuration profile, for each amenity of the plurality of amenities, including instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display, and instructions for associating virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the touch screen display with commands; and wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that scale an image on the television to a first portion of the touch screen display on the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that selectively display one or more sets of virtual buttons on a second portion of the touch screen display, the one or more sets of virtual buttons corresponding to the plurality of amenities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A set top/back box comprising:
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a housing; one or more wireless transceivers associated with the housing, the one or more wireless transceivers operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device; a television input and a television output secured in the housing, the television input and the television output for receiving content from a source in a lodging environment and forwarding content to a television; a processor coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the television input and the television output; a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to; establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device and the set top/back box, send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are operable to provide a parallel experience related to the content on the television, provide instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the virtual buttons being associated with a particular amenity, receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and send a command to the particular amenity; a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user'"'"'s stay in the lodging environment; the configuration profile, for each amenity of the plurality of amenities, including instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display, and instructions for associating virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the touch screen display with commands; and wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that scale an image on the television to a first portion of the touch screen display on the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that selectively display one or more sets of virtual buttons on a second portion of the touch screen display, the one or more sets of virtual buttons corresponding to the plurality of amenities. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A set top/back box comprising:
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a housing; one or more wireless transceivers associated with the housing, the one or more wireless transceivers operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device; a television input and a television output secured in the housing, the television input and the television output for receiving content from a source in a lodging environment and forwarding content to a television; a processor coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the television input and the television output; a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to; establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device and the set top/back box, send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are operable to provide a parallel experience related to the content on the television, provide instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, the virtual buttons being associated with a particular amenity, receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, and send a command to the particular amenity; wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that scale an image on the television to a first portion of the touch screen display on the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that selectively display one or more sets of virtual buttons on a second portion of the touch screen display, the one or more sets of virtual buttons corresponding to the plurality of amenities. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification