Method and apparatus for pairing a mobile device to an output device
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving user preference data;
storing the received user preference data;
generating a first pairing code using a first server, wherein the first server is interconnected to a plurality of output devices at different geographic locations, wherein the first pairing code is generated by the first server in response to a request from a first output device included in the plurality of output devices, wherein the first pairing code is generated prior to any communication between the first output device and a first user device, and wherein the first output device sends the request to the first server using a first communication channel;
communicating the first pairing code from the first server to the first output device;
communicating using the first output device included in the plurality of output devices the first pairing code to the first user device, wherein the first user device first receives the first pairing code as a result of the communicating by the first output device;
communicating the first pairing code from the first user device to the first server, wherein the first user device sends the first pairing code to the first server using a second communication channel, and wherein the first communication channel is separate from the second communication channel;
in response to receiving by the first server the first pairing code communicated from the first user device, associating by the first server the first user device with the first output device;
providing the stored user preference data to at least one of the first server and a second server, wherein the stored user preference data is associated with the first user device;
applying the user preference data by the at least one of the first server and the second server, to control aspects of operation of the first output device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for associating or pairing a mobile device with a local output device via a central or mobile connect server system are provided. Pairing is performed by initiating a pairing request from an output device that is passed to the mobile connect server for processing. The mobile connect server responds to the request with a pairing code that is displayed by the output device. A user of the mobile device then enters the displayed pairing code in the mobile device. The mobile device transmits the entered pairing code to the mobile connect server and, in response to a match, the mobile device is paired to the output device. Pairing can enable various functions, including an ability to apply stored user preference data to control programming or other information displayed by the output device in response to commands entered in the mobile device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving user preference data; storing the received user preference data; generating a first pairing code using a first server, wherein the first server is interconnected to a plurality of output devices at different geographic locations, wherein the first pairing code is generated by the first server in response to a request from a first output device included in the plurality of output devices, wherein the first pairing code is generated prior to any communication between the first output device and a first user device, and wherein the first output device sends the request to the first server using a first communication channel; communicating the first pairing code from the first server to the first output device; communicating using the first output device included in the plurality of output devices the first pairing code to the first user device, wherein the first user device first receives the first pairing code as a result of the communicating by the first output device; communicating the first pairing code from the first user device to the first server, wherein the first user device sends the first pairing code to the first server using a second communication channel, and wherein the first communication channel is separate from the second communication channel; in response to receiving by the first server the first pairing code communicated from the first user device, associating by the first server the first user device with the first output device; providing the stored user preference data to at least one of the first server and a second server, wherein the stored user preference data is associated with the first user device; applying the user preference data by the at least one of the first server and the second server, to control aspects of operation of the first output device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21)
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12. A system, comprising:
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a plurality of output devices; a first mobile device; a mobile connect server, including; memory; application programming, wherein the application programming is stored in the memory; a processor, wherein the processor is operable to execute the application programming; a communication interface, wherein the mobile connect server is interconnected to the plurality of output devices by at least a first network, wherein the application programming is operable in response to a request received from a first output device included in the plurality of output devices to generate a first pairing code and to provide the first pairing code to the first output device included in the plurality of output devices using a first communication channel that includes the at least a first network, wherein the request from the first output device is received by the application programming prior to any communication between the first output device and the first mobile device, wherein the first pairing code is provided by the first output device and is entered in the first mobile device, wherein the mobile device transmits the first pairing code entered in the first mobile device to the mobile connect server using a second communication channel, wherein after transmitting the first pairing code to the mobile connect server the application programming is operable to pair the first mobile device to the first output device; a plurality of local client severs, wherein the at least a first network interconnects the mobile connect server to at least a first local client server included in the plurality of local client servers, and wherein the first communication channel includes the first network; a first local client network, wherein a first local client server included in the plurality of local client servers is interconnected to at least some output devices included in the plurality of output devices by the first local client network, and wherein the second communication channel does not include the first local client network; user preference data associated with the first mobile device, wherein the user preference data controls aspects of the operation of at least one output device included in the plurality of output devices. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for ordering content, comprising:
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receiving at a mobile connect server a request from a first output device to pair the first output device with a first mobile device, wherein the request is sent from the first output device to the mobile connect server using a first communication channel, wherein the request from the first output device is received at the mobile connect server prior to any communications between the first output device and the first mobile device; in response to the request to pair the first output device with the first mobile device, providing by the mobile connect server a first pairing code to the first output device using the first communication network; presenting by the first output device the first pairing code to a user of the first mobile device; entering by the user the first pairing code in the first mobile device; sending the first pairing code from the first mobile device to the mobile connect server, wherein the first pairing code is sent from the first mobile device to the mobile connect server using a second communication channel; in response to receiving the first pairing code sent from the first mobile device at the mobile connect server, the mobile connect server issuing a first pairing key to the first mobile device, and associating the first output device and the first mobile device; providing user preference data; storing the user preference data; applying the user preference data to control aspects of the operation of the first output device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification