Data presentation in multiple zones using a wireless entertainment hub

• US 9,270,935 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T., Ehrlacher, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, MICHAEL HYUN
• Application Number:
  US11/761,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,179 Days
• Field of Search: 725/46, 725/80, 725/81, 725/74, 725/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440209 for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 : Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless entertainment hub may receive an indication of user relocation. The wireless entertainment hub may analyze a profile with a history of program content requested by and presented to the user. The wireless entertainment hub may cause, based on the indication and the analysis, presentation of the program content from a registered source device to a plurality of sink devices.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless entertainment hub, the method comprising:

controlling, by the wireless entertainment hub, presentation of program content provided by a registered source device on a first plurality of sink devices in a first zone;

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub, an indication of user relocation;

analyzing, by the wireless entertainment hub, a profile with a history of program content requested by and presented to the user;

causing, by the wireless entertainment hub based on the indication and the analysis, presentation of the program content from the registered source device to a second plurality of sink devices in a second zone, wherein the first and the second plurality of sink devices are registered with the wireless entertainment hub;

transmitting, by the wireless entertainment hub based on another indication that the user is absent in the first zone, an instruction to stop presentation of the program content in the first zone; and

wherein the program content is directly transferred, without the wireless entertainment hub, from the registered source device to the second plurality of sink devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a personal identification device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein movement of the user between the first zone and the second zone is detected using a plurality of personal identification devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless entertainment hub forms the first zone and the second zone based on an automatic determination of locations of the first and the second plurality of sink devices.

5. The method of claim 3, where the plurality of personal identification devices includes RFID devices.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of personal identification devices includes video capture devices.

7. A method performed by a wireless entertainment hub, the method comprising:

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub from a plurality of personal identification devices, a first indication that a user is in a first zone;

analyzing, by the wireless entertainment hub, a profile of the user, wherein the profile contains a history of program content requested by and presented to the user;

causing, by the wireless entertainment hub based on the analysis, a first program content to be presented using a first plurality of sink devices in the first zone, wherein the first program content is transferred directly from a source device without the wireless entertainment hub;

wherein the source device and the first plurality of sink devices are registered with the wireless entertainment hub and each registration prevents the source device and the first plurality of sink devices from being registered with a different wireless entertainment hub;

receiving, from the plurality of personal identification devices, a second indication of user relocation;

causing, by the wireless entertainment hub based on the analysis and the second indication, second program content to be presented on a second plurality of sink devices in a second zone, wherein the second program content is transferred directly from the source device without the wireless entertainment hub;

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub from the plurality of personal identification devices, a third indication that the user is absent in the first zone; and

transmitting, by the wireless entertainment hub based on the third indication, an instruction to the first plurality of sink devices to stop presentation of the first program content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the profile is stored in the wireless entertainment hub.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first program content is presented on the first plurality of sink devices without a request for presentation of the first program content.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing includes detecting trends in the history.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing includes determining the first program content with a probability of interest to the user based on the history.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first program content is different from program content included in the history.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of personal identification devices includes RFID devices.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of personal identification devices includes video capture devices.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the first program content and the second program content includes video data.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the first program content and the second program content includes audio data.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein movement of the user between the first zone and the second zone is detected using the plurality of personal identification devices.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the second program content is different than the first program content.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the second program content is the same as the first program content.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless entertainment hub forms the first zone and the second zone based on an automatic determination of locations of the first and the second plurality of sink devices.

21. A method performed by a wireless entertainment hub, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the wireless entertainment hub, a registration from each of a source device, a first plurality of sink devices in a first zone, and a second plurality of sink devices in a second zone, wherein each registration prevents being associated with a different wireless entertainment hub;

arranging, by the wireless entertainment hub, direct transfer of data between the source device and the first and the second plurality of sink devices;

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub from a plurality of personal identification devices, a first indication that a user is in the first zone;

analyzing, by the wireless entertainment hub, a profile of the user, wherein the profile contains a history of program choices requested by and presented to the user in the first zone;

transmitting, by the wireless entertainment hub based on the first indication and the analysis, a first instruction to the first plurality of sink devices to directly receive and present program content transmitted from the source device;

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub from at least one of the plurality of personal identification devices, a second indication that the user is in the second zone;

transmitting, by the wireless entertainment hub in response to the second indication, a second instruction to the second plurality of sink devices to receive and present the program content transmitted from the source device, wherein the program content is received by the second plurality of sink devices directly from the source device;

receiving, by the wireless entertainment hub from at least one of the plurality of personal identification devices, a third indication that the user is absent in the first zone; and

transmitting, by the wireless entertainment hub, a third instruction to the first plurality of sink devices to stop presenting the program content transmitted from the source device based on the third indication.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless entertainment hub forms the first zone and the second zone based on an automatic determination by the wireless entertainment hub of locations of the first and the second plurality of sink devices.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the second indication is received in response to the plurality of personal identification devices detecting a movement of the user from the first zone to the second zone.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first instruction is transmitted in response to receiving by the wireless entertainment hub a selection of the source device for presentation of the program content by the user.

25. A wireless entertainment hub comprising:

at least one processor configured to control presentation of program content provided by a registered source device on a first plurality of sink devices in a first zone;

a transceiver configured to receive an indication of user relocation;

the at least one processor configured to analyze a profile with a history of program content requested by and presented to the user;

the at least one processor configured to cause, based on the indication and the analysis, presentation of the program content from the registered source device to a second plurality of sink devices in a second zone, wherein the first and the second plurality of sink devices are registered with the wireless entertainment hub;

the transceiver configured to transmit, based on another indication that the user is absent in the first zone, an instruction to stop presentation of the program content in the first zone; and

wherein the program content is directly transferred, without the wireless entertainment hub, from the registered source device to the second plurality of sink devices.

26. The wireless entertainment hub of claim 25, wherein the indication is received from a personal identification device.

27. The wireless entertainment hub of claim 25, wherein movement of the user between the first zone and the second zone is detected using a plurality of personal identification devices.

28. The wireless entertainment hub of claim 25, wherein the wireless entertainment hub forms the first zone and the second zone based on an automatic determination of locations of the first and the second plurality of sink devices.

29. The wireless entertainment hub of claim 27, where the plurality of personal identification devices includes RFID devices.

30. The wireless entertainment hub of claim 27, wherein the plurality of personal identification devices includes video capture devices.