Methods, systems, and products for control of devices

• US 9,635,415 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stefanik, John R., Durden, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, CAI Y
• Application Number:
  US15/048,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20160191986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4222 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products control external devices during presentation of multimedia content. When a description of the multimedia content is received, the description may include control data for controlling a device. The control data may thus be executed to alter a presentation of the multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

retrieving, by a server, an electronic description associated with electronic content;

retrieving, by the server, control data associated with the electronic content, the control data for controlling a presentation of the electronic content;

adding, by the server, the control data to the electronic description associated with the electronic content; and

sending, by the server, the electronic description via a network to a device, the electronic description having the control data added thereto;

wherein the electronic description instructs the device to control the presentation of the electronic content according to the control data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the device to strip the control data from the electronic description.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an instruction to strip the control data from the electronic description.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the electronic content to the device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising embedding the control data in the electronic content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining the electronic description with the control data.

7. The method of claim 1, furthering comprising adding the control data as text to the electronic description.

8. A system, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing code, the code when executed causing the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

retrieving an electronic description associated with electronic content;

retrieving control data associated with the electronic content, the control data for controlling a presentation of the electronic content;

adding the control data to the electronic description associated with the electronic content; and

sending the electronic description via a network to a device, the electronic description having the control data added thereto;

wherein the electronic description instructs the device to control the presentation of the electronic content according to the control data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise instructing the device to strip the control data from the electronic description.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending an instruction to strip the control data from the electronic description.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic content to the device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise embedding the control data in the electronic content.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise combining the electronic description with the control data.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise adding the control data as text to the electronic description.

15. A memory device storing code that when executed causes a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an electronic description associated with electronic content, the electronic description having control data added thereto, the control data for controlling a presentation of the electronic content;

stripping the control data from the electronic description; and

executing the control data to alter the presentation of the electronic content.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise processing the control data.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a volume associated with the electronic content.

18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting home theater equipment in response to the control data.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a display in response to the control data.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprising setting a reminder associated with the electronic content.