Pairing a set-top box and personal computing device using a visual code

• US 9,736,541 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nijim, Yousef Wasef, Langa, Jay Paul, Strothmann, James Alan, Roberts, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Tung T
• Application Number:
  US13/787,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 725 30
• 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 21/41265 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43079 of additional data with content streams on multiple devices
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics

Abstract

Embodiments are configured in part to pair or associate a portable or personal computing device with a set-top box (STB) to enable use of the paired device with an associated STB. Processing of a displayed visual code can be used to establish a pairing relationship and allow a paired STB to process navigation, control, and/or other commands from a paired device.

Claims

1. A method including use of a server to establish a pairing relationship comprising:

receiving a pairing request from a mobile device to establish a mobile device to set-top box (STB) pairing relationship;

receiving, at the server, pairing information associated with processing of a visual code by the mobile device;

receiving, at the server, a device identifier (ID) associated with the mobile device as part of establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship;

determining if the mobile device to STB pairing relationship is authorized based in part on the pairing information associated with the visual code and the device ID associated with the mobile device;

establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship to enable a communicative coupling between the mobile device and at least one STB if the pairing is authorized;

after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship to enable the communicative coupling between the mobile device and the at least one STB, providing an IP address of the least one STB to the mobile device to enable communications from the mobile device to bypass the server;

using the at least one STB as part of filtering on the device ID of the mobile device to take an appropriate action based on a command issued from the mobile device;

using the at least one STB as part of ignoring a command issued from a different mobile device having a different device ID; and

requiring renewal of the mobile device to STB pairing relationship at a time after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship, wherein renewal of the mobile device to STB pairing relationship requires receiving the pairing information after the visual code has been scanned by the mobile device to ensure visual proximity with the at least one STB.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a server generates the visual code which comprises a two or more dimensional code displayed on a display, wherein the visual code is encoded with STB identification information for scanning by the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the mobile device to access the services and control the at least one STB after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a personalized electronic program guide (EPG) view using a display of the mobile device after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a server component to store a unique STB ID associated with the at least one STB and a mobile device unique ID along with a pairing status after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationships.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a successful pairing message to the mobile device and to the at least one STB after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the successful pairing message sent to the mobile device includes addressing instructions used to communicate with the at least one STB.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a server component to decouple the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a network address associated with the at least one STB to the mobile device before establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising using user profile information in part to populate aspects of a personalized EPG view after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

11. A system comprising:

a STB configured to;

provide television programming and other services;

filter on a device ID of a mobile device to take an appropriate action based on a command issued from the mobile device according to a mobile device to STB pairing relationship; and

ignore a command issued from a different mobile device having a different device ID; and

a server configured to;

receive the device ID associated with the mobile device as part of establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship between the STB and the mobile device;

process pairing information associated with the processing of a visual code as part of establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship;

determine if the mobile device to STB pairing relationship is authorized based in part on the pairing information associated with the visual code and the device ID associated with the mobile device; and

establish the mobile device to STB pairing relationship to enable a communicative coupling between the mobile device and the STB if the pairing is authorized, wherein the server is configured to require renewal of the mobile device to STB pairing relationship at a time after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship, wherein renewal of the mobile device to STB pairing relationship requires receiving the pairing information after the visual code has been scanned by the mobile device to ensure visual proximity with the STB, wherein the server provides an IP address of the STB to the mobile device to enable communications from the mobile device to bypass the server after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship to enable the communicative coupling between the mobile device and the STB.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the STB is configured to download the visual code from the server, the visual code comprising a two or more dimensional code encoded with unique STB identification information.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a mobile device that includes a camera to process the visual code.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to use decoded information processed from the visual code to enable the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further configured to send a message that includes STB addressing information to establish the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further configured to use profile information in part to provide a personalized EPG view after establishing the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further configured to store pairing information that includes the device ID and a STB ID associated with the mobile device to STB pairing relationship.

18. Computer storage, excluding a signal, which stores instructions that, when executed, operate to:

receive a pairing request to pair a portable computing device with a STB to create a device to STB pairing relationship;

receive a unique ID associated with the portable computing device as part of establishing the device to STB pairing relationship;

receive pairing information associated with processing of a visual code by the portable computing device, the pairing information including a unique ID associated with the STB and the unique ID associated with the portable computing device;

communicatively pair the portable computing device with the STB upon determining that the device to STB pairing relationship is authorized based on the pairing information associated with the visual code and the unique ID associated with the portable computing device;

provide an IP address of at least one STB to the portable computing device to enable communications from the portable computing device to bypass a server associated with the receiving of the pairing information;

filter on the unique ID of the portable computing device to take an appropriate action based on a command issued from the portable computing device;

ignore a command issued from a different portable computing device having a different unique ID; and

require renewal of the device to STB pairing relationship at a time after establishing the device to STB pairing relationship, wherein renewal of the device to STB pairing relationship requires receiving the pairing information after the visual code has been processed by the portable computing device to ensure visual proximity with the STB.

19. The computer storage of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed, further operate to store pairing information including a paired device unique ID associated with a paired device and a STB ID associated with a paired STB.

20. The computer storage of claim 18 wherein the instructions, when executed, further operate to control a time of communicative pairing between a portable computing device and an associated STB after correctly processing a two or more dimensional visual code.