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Dynamic assignment of central media device supporting network-based media sharing protocol to guest device of hospitality establishment for media sharing purposes

  • US 9,172,733 B2
  • Filed: 01/27/2014
  • Issued: 10/27/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A media system comprising:

  • a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol coupled to a computer network and having an output port, the media device for receiving shared media content over the computer network utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol, and for providing a media signal corresponding to the shared media content on the output port for playback by another device;

    an encoder coupled to the output port of the media device, wherein the encoder encodes the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port into an encoded media stream and transmits the encoded media stream on the computer network;

    a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of different physical locations and coupled to the encoder via the computer network, wherein each of the output devices is capable of receiving and playing the encoded media stream, but the output devices are all operable such that they do not play the encoded media stream unless receiving a command to do so via the computer network;

    a media proxy available on the computer network; and

    a system controller;

    wherein the computer network allows a plurality of guest devices each supporting the network-based media sharing protocol to be coupled thereto;

    the computer network is operable to by default prevent all of the guest devices from utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol to share media content with the media device;

    the computer network is operable to allow the guest devices to discover and attempt to share media with the media proxy utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol;

    the media proxy is operable to by default not reroute any media streams shared by the guest devices to the media device;

    the system controller is operable to, in response to a first event occurrence, assign the media device to a particular guest device by dynamically reconfiguring the media proxy to cause the media proxy to act as a transparent proxy between the guest device and the media device in order to reroute a media stream shared by the particular guest device utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol to the media device and thereby allow the particular guest device to share media with the media device over the computer network utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol, and the system controller is operable to send a first command via the computer network to an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device, the first command causing the output device at the physical location associated with the particular guest device to play the encoded media stream received from the encoder via the computer network;

    the system controller is operable to, in response to a second, later event occurrence, un-assign the media device from the particular guest device by reconfiguring the media proxy to stop rerouting the media stream from the particular guest device to the media device, and the system controller is operable to send a second command via the computer network to the output device located at the physical location associated with the particular guest device, the second command causing the output device at the physical location associated with the particular guest device to stop playing the encoded media stream;

    the system controller is operable to only assign the media device to one of the quest devices at a time such that, starting at the first event occurrence and ending at the second event occurrence, only the particular guest device is enabled to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device;

    the particular guest device is operated by a guest of a hospitality establishment; and

    the output device located at the physical location associated with the particular guest device is an audio-visual entertainment device located at a guest area of the hospitality establishment, the guest area currently assigned to the guest.

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