Apparatus, systems and methods for a media device pre-operation

• US 8,955,003 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Litvinov, Maxim
• Primary Examiner(s): HANCE, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US14/118,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/10, 725/12, 725/14
• US Class Current: 725/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

Systems and methods are operable to perform pre-operations at a media device in anticipation of an occurrence of a user action. An exemplary embodiment receives an in-use signal from an electronic device that is remotely proximate to the media device, wherein the received in-use signal corresponds to a user interaction with the electronic device; and performs the pre-operation at the media device. The pre-operation is performed prior to receiving an initial user action configured to operate at least one of the media device and a media presentation device coupled to the media device.

Claims

1. A method of performing pre-operations at a media device in anticipation of an occurrence of an initial user action to operate the media device that is controllable by a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving, at the media device, an in-use signal from an electronic device that is remote from the media device, wherein the electronic device is a refrigerator, and wherein the received in-use signal communicated from the refrigerator corresponds to a user opening a door of the refrigerator; and

performing a pre-operation at the media device in response to receiving the in-use signal from the electronic device,

wherein the pre-operation is performed prior to receiving the initial user action configured to operate at least one of the media device and a media presentation device coupled to the media device, and

wherein the media device becomes operable to respond to the initial user action to operate the media device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the remote control, wherein the signal communicated from the remote control is generated in response to the initial user action that is caused by actuation of one of a plurality of controllers of the remote control by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device, and wherein a second electronic device is a security system, and wherein receiving the in-use signal further comprises:

receiving the in-use signal from the security system, wherein the in-use signal communicated from the security system is generated in response to a detection of a presence of a user; and

performing the pre-operation at the media device in response to receiving the in-use signal from the security system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device, and wherein a second electronic device is a garage door system, and wherein receiving the in-use signal further comprises:

receiving the in-use signal from the garage door system, wherein the in-use signal communicated from the garage door system is generated in response to actuation of the garage door system to open a garage door; and

performing the pre-operation at the media device in response to receiving the in-use signal from the garage door system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device, and wherein a second electronic device is a personal computer, and wherein receiving the in-use signal further comprises:

receiving the in-use signal from the personal computer, wherein the in-use signal communicated from the personal computer is generated in response to a user operating the personal computer; and

performing the pre-operation at the media device in response to receiving the in-use signal from the personal computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the in-use signal from the electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a prior in-use signal from the electronic device corresponding to the user interaction with the electronic device; and

associating the prior in-use signal with a subsequent initial user action, wherein the subsequent initial user action is the same as the initial user action.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving and the associating comprises:

receiving the prior in-use signal and associating the prior in-use signal with the subsequent initial user action a plurality of times;

storing the plurality of the associations each of the plurality of times; and

learning that receiving the in-use signal from the electronic device is expected to be followed by the initial user action.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the initial user action is received within a predefined learning duration after receiving the prior in-use signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a time of day is associated with the user interaction with the electronic device, and wherein the pre-operation is performed at the media device in response to the initial user action occurring within a time of day window about the time of day.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the pre-operation at the media device comprises:

providing power to at least one component of the at least one of the media device and the media presentation device, wherein the at least one powered component is operational when the initial user action occurs.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the pre-operation at the media device comprises:

tuning the media device to a channel associated with the initial user action.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the pre-operation at the media device comprises:

changing a volume output value of the at least one of the media device and the media presentation device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a security system, and wherein receiving the in-use signal comprises:

receiving the in-use signal from the security system, wherein the in-use signal communicated from the security system is generated in response to an entry of a security input on a control key pad of the security system.

13. A media device configured to communicatively couple to an electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device interface configured to receive an in-use signal from the electronic device that is remote from the media device, wherein the electronic device is a refrigerator, and wherein the received in-use signal corresponds to a user opening a door of the refrigerator;

a remote interface configured to receive wireless signals from a remote control; and

a processor system configured to perform at least one pre-operation of at least one of the media device and a media presentation device coupled to the media device in response to receiving the in-use signal from the electronic device, wherein the at least one pre-operation is performed prior to receiving an initial user action to operate one of the media device and the media presentation device,

wherein the initial user action is received in a wireless signal received from the remote control within a predefined duration after the in-use signal is received from the electronic device.

14. The media device of claim 13, wherein the electronic device interface is configured to communicatively couple the media device to a communication network, and wherein the in-use signal from the electronic device is received via the communication network.

15. A method of performing pre-operations at a media device, wherein the media device is configured to respond to an initial user action to operate the media device that is communicated from a remote control that is operated by a user, and wherein the pre-operations are performed by the media device in anticipation of an occurrence of the initial user action, the method comprising:

receiving over time a plurality of in-use signals from an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is a refrigerator, and wherein the plurality of in-use signals are communicated from the electronic device to the media device in response to a user opening a door of the refrigerator;

receiving for each one of the plurality of in-use signals the initial user action from the remote control;

associating the in-use signal with the initial user action, wherein the initial user action is configured to operate at least one of the media device and a media presentation device coupled to the media device;

storing the plurality of the associations; and

learning that receiving the in-use signal from the electronic device is expected to be followed by the initial user action based on the stored plurality of associations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein storing the plurality of the associations further comprises:

storing the plurality of the associations only when the initial user action is received within a learning duration.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein after the learning, the method further comprising:

receiving a subsequent in-use signal from the electronic device, wherein the received subsequent in-use signal corresponds to the user interaction with the electronic device; and

performing a pre-operation at the media device, wherein the pre-operation is performed prior to receiving the initial user action from the remote control.