Systems and methods for a remote alarm

• US 9,094,723 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUONG, ALAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/336,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20100154006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 725/56, 725/58
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/42204 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895

Abstract

Systems and methods of issuing a reminder from a remote control are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, an exemplary embodiment has a remote control and a set top box (STB). In at least one embodiment, the remote control has a transmitter that transmits information corresponding to at least one reminder event with a reminder time, a reminder alert receiver that receives a reminder alert, and at least one of a sound emitter that issues audible reminder alerts, a vibration generator that issues vibration reminder alerts, and a light source that issues visible reminder alerts. In at least one embodiment, the STB has a receiver that receives the information corresponding to the reminder event from the remote control, a STB processing system that generates a reminder alert based upon the received reminder event, and a reminder alert transmitter that transmits the reminder alert to the remote control.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a first wireless signal from a set top box (STB) interface transmitter of a remote control, the first wireless signal having a first command to present an electronic program guide (EPG) on a display of a media presentation device that is communicatively coupled to a set top box (STB);

receiving the first wireless signal at a remote control interface receiver in the STB;

retrieving EPG information from a memory of the STB in response to receiving the first wireless signal having the first command from the remote control;

generating, at a STB processor system in the STB, the EPG based upon the EPG information retrieved from the STB memory;

communicating the EPG from the STB to the media presentation device, wherein the EPG is presented on the display of the media presentation device;

transmitting a second wireless signal having a second command from the STB interface transmitter of the remote control, wherein the second command corresponds to a specification for an event of interest identified on the EPG presented on the display of the media presentation device;

receiving the second wireless signal at the remote control interface receiver in the STB;

generating, at the STB processor system in the STB, a reminder event in response to receiving the second wireless signal having the second command from the remote control, wherein the reminder event comprises at least a reminder time associated with a scheduled presentation start time of the specified event of interest, and wherein the reminder time is defined by a date and a time;

transmitting a third wireless signal from a remote control interface transmitter in the STB, the third wireless signal consisting of the reminder time associated with the reminder event;

receiving the third wireless signal at a STB interface receiver in the remote control;

comparing a current time with the reminder time of the third wireless signal; and

in response to the current time reaching the reminder time of the third wireless signal, issuing a reminder alert from the remote control.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the reminder event in a memory of the remote control;

in response to the current time reaching the reminder time, retrieving the reminder event from the memory of the remote control; and

generating the reminder alert based upon the reminder event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing the reminder alert from the remote control comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of an audible alert reminder, a visual alert reminder, and a vibratory alert reminder.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing supplemental information corresponding to the event of interest from the EPG information retrieved from the STB memory; and

in response to the current time reaching the reminder time, presenting the supplemental information on the display of the media presentation device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving supplemental information at the STB corresponding to the event of interest;

transmitting a fourth wireless signal from the remote control interface transmitter in the STB, the fourth wireless signal having at least the supplemental information;

receiving the fourth wireless signal at the STB interface receiver in the remote control; and

presenting the supplemental information on a display of the remote control.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second command corresponds to a specification of a program of interest scheduled for presentation beginning at a future time indicated on the EPG presented on the display of the media presentation device, and further comprising:

defining the reminder time as the future time scheduled for the beginning of presentation of the program of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user specified reminder time from the remote control; and

in response to the current time reaching the user specified reminder time, issuing the reminder alert from the remote control.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

presenting a plurality of predefined messages on a display, wherein each predefined message is associated with unique information of interest;

receiving selection of one of the plurality of predefined messages; and

in response to the current time reaching the reminder time, presenting the selected predefined message on the display of the media presentation device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user defined message from the remote control; and

in response to the current time reaching the reminder time, presenting the user defined message on the display of the media presentation device.

10. A reminder alert system, comprising:

a remote control comprising;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first wireless signal comprising information operable to cause presentation of an electronic program guide (EPG) on a display of a media presentation device, and configured to transmit a second wireless signal operable to cause a specification for an event of interest identified on the EPG presented on the display of the media presentation device;

a reminder alert receiver configured to receive wireless signals transmitted from a set top box; and

at least one of a sound emitter configured to issue an audible reminder alert, a vibration generator configured to issue a vibration reminder alert, and a light source configured to issue a visible reminder alert; and

the set top box comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the first wireless signal transmitted from the remote control with the information operable to cause presentation of the EPG, and configured to receive the second wireless signal transmitted from the remote control with the information operable to specify the event of interest identified on the presented EPG;

a set top box (STB) processing system configured to generate a reminder event based upon the received information operable to specify the event of interest identified on the presented EPG, wherein the reminder event comprises at least a reminder time associated with a scheduled presentation start time of the specified event of interest, and wherein the reminder time is defined by a date and a time; and

a reminder alert transmitter configured to transmit a third wireless signal to the reminder alert receiver of the remote control, the third wireless signal consisting of the reminder time,

wherein the remote control, in response to receiving the third wireless signal transmitted from the set top box, stores the reminder time, and

wherein the remote control issues a reminder alert from at least one of the sound emitter, the vibration generator, and the light source when a current time reaches the reminder time.

11. The reminder alert system of claim 10, wherein the set top box further comprises:

a memory configured to store the reminder event, wherein the reminder event comprises supplemental information pertaining to the reminder event; and

a presentation device interface communicatively coupled to the display of the media presentation device, wherein the supplemental information is presented on the display substantially concurrently with issuance of the reminder alert from the remote control.

12. The reminder alert system of claim 11, wherein the set top box further comprises:

a program content stream interface configured to receive a stream of programming content comprising a plurality of programs, wherein the supplemental information presented on the display of the media presentation device corresponds to supplemental information embedded in the stream of programming content.

13. The reminder alert system of claim 11, wherein the reminder event is an event of interest, wherein the memory is configured to store a plurality of selectable messages that are configured to be presented on the display of the media presentation device, and in response to selection of one of the selectable messages, information corresponding to the selected message is presented on the display of the media presentation device substantially concurrently with transmittal of the reminder alert to the remote control.

14. The reminder alert system of claim 10, wherein the remote control further comprises:

a memory configured to store the reminder time; and

a clock configured to compare the current time with the reminder time.

15. The reminder alert system of claim 10, wherein supplemental information pertaining to the reminder event is communicated from the STB to the remote control, and wherein the remote control further comprises:

a display, wherein the supplemental information is presented on the display substantially concurrently with issuance of the reminder alert from the remote control.

16. A set top box, comprising:

a program content stream interface configured to receive a stream of programming content comprising a plurality of programs;

a memory configured to store at least electronic program guide (EPG) information, wherein the EPG information identifies the plurality of programs and at least a scheduled presentation start time for each of the plurality of programs;

a presentation device interface configured to communicatively couple to a display of a media presentation device;

a remote control interface configured to receive a first wireless signal with a first command from a remote control to present an electronic program command (EPG) on the display of the media presentation device, and configured to receive a second wireless signal with a second command from the remote control that corresponds to a specification of a program of interest identified on the EPG when presented on the display of the media presentation device;

a processing system configured to;

generate the EPG in response to the first command received from the remote control, wherein the EPG is configured to be communicated to the media presentation device for presentation on the display via the presentation device interface; and

generate a reminder event in response to receiving the second command from the remote control, wherein the reminder event comprises at least a reminder time associated with the scheduled presentation start time of the specified program of interest, and wherein the reminder time is defined by a date and a time;

and

generate a third wireless signal consisting of the reminder time,

wherein a transmitter of the remote control interface is further configured to communicate the third wireless signal to a reminder alert receiver in the remote control, such that an alert is issued from the remote control when a current time reaches the reminder time.

17. The set top box of claim 16, wherein the reminder event comprises supplemental information pertaining to the reminder event, and wherein the supplemental information is presented on the display of the media presentation device substantially concurrently with issuance of the reminder alert from the remote control.

18. The set top box of claim 16, wherein the reminder event comprises supplemental information pertaining to the reminder event, and wherein a fourth wireless signal comprising the supplemental information is communicated from the STB to the remote control, and wherein the supplemental information is presented on a display of the remote control substantially concurrently with issuance of the reminder alert from the remote control.