Method and apparatus for pairing a mobile device to an output device

• US 8,903,978 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonifi Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonifi Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Zerr, Derin M., Prince, John S. III, Fenno, James L., Baker, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/488,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20120322384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating using the first output device the first pairing code to the first user device includes:

displaying the first pairing code to a first user using the first output device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating using the first output device the first pairing code to the first user device further includes:

the first user entering the first pairing code in the first user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication channel that sends the first pairing code from the first user device to the first server includes a wireless carrier network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the first server a first request for a pairing code from the first output device, wherein the first request for a pairing code is associated with a first transaction identifier and at least one of a first output device identifier, a first property identifier, a first room identifier, and a first user device identifier, and wherein the first server generates the first pairing code in response to the first request for a pairing code received from the first output device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first request for a pairing code is associated with at least a first user device identifier, wherein the first user device is registered with the first server.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

disassociating the first user device and the first output device in response to receiving at the first server a second request for a pairing code, wherein the second request for a pairing code is associated with a second transaction identifier and at least one of the first output device identifier, the first property identifier, and the first room identifier.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first pairing code expires after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the first request for a pairing code was received at the first server.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after associating the first user device with a first output device, receiving a request for first output from the first user device at the first server; and

displaying the first content using the first output device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the first user device with the first server;

receiving by the server an instruction contained in the user preference data to make first content available;

after associating the first user device with a first output device, receiving a request for the first content from the first user device at the first server;

displaying the first content using the first output device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a stored location of the at least one of the first output device and the second output device;

applying the stored location as a location of the first user device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel includes a first local client server, and wherein the second communication channel does not include the first local client server.

12. A system, comprising:

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.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a first command entered at the first mobile device is received by the first local client server, and wherein in response to receiving the first command the first local client server delivers content to the first output device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first local client network is a part of the at least a first network, wherein the first local client server includes a content store, and wherein the first content is delivered from the first local client server to the first output device over the local client network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first mobile device is associated with a first user, the first mobile device including:

a communication interface;

a display;

a user input, wherein the first mobile device is interconnected to the mobile server by the at least a second network, wherein the mobile device is operable to receive the first pairing code through the user interface, wherein the mobile device is operable to transmit the first pairing code to the mobile server using the at least a second network, wherein the mobile device is operable to receive and display a content menu, wherein in response to an input at the user input selecting an item included in the content menu the first mobile device is operable to send a content selection message to the mobile server using the second communication channel.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein in response to receiving the content selection message the mobile server sends the first command to the first property management server.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first mobile device is associated with a first user, the first mobile device including:

a communication interface;

a user input, wherein the first mobile device is interconnected to the mobile server by the at least a second network, wherein the mobile device is operable to receive the first pairing code through the user interface, and wherein the mobile device is operable to transmit the first pairing code to the mobile server using the at least a second network.

18. A method for ordering content, comprising:

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.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying an option on the first output device to pair to a mobile device;

receiving user input at the first output device selecting the option to pair with a mobile device;

sending the request to pair with a mobile device from the first output device to the mobile connect server using the first communication channel.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing an interactive menu from the mobile connect server to the first mobile device, wherein the interactive menu includes a first menu item;

receiving by the first mobile device a selection by the user of the first menu item;

in response to the selection of the first menu item by the user, the mobile connect server causing content related to the first menu item to be displayed on the first output device.