Media proxy that transparently proxies network-based media sharing protocol between guest device and an associated one of a plurality of media devices
DCFirst Claim
1. A media proxy comprising:
- a storage device storing a plurality of software instructions and a set of proxy rules;
a network interface coupled to a computer network; and
one or more processors coupled to the storage device and the network interface;
wherein, by the one or more processors executing the software instructions loaded from the storage device, the one or more processors are operable to cause the media proxy at least to;
update the set of proxy rules to associate an identifier of a guest device with a subset of a plurality of media devices in response to a first event occurrence;
wherein the guest device is operable by a guest of a hospitality establishment;
the media devices are audio-visual entertainment devices located within guest rooms of the hospitality establishment, are streaming destinations capable of playing media content initiated by the guest device utilizing a network based media sharing protocol, and are isolated from the guest device such that the media devices are not directly accessible over the computer network by the guest device;
the subset of the media devices represents one or more of the media devices for which media sharing is to be enabled for the guest device; and
the subset of the media devices includes at least one of the media devices but not all of the media devices;
receive from the guest device via the computer network a query for available media devices supporting the network based media sharing protocol;
send via the computer network a reply announcing availability of the media proxy as a streaming destination supporting the network-based media sharing protocol at a network address of the media proxy on the computer network;
receive from the guest device at the network address of the media proxy an incoming request to initiate media streaming playback utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol;
perform at least one transparent proxy operation between the guest device and a selected one of the subset of the media devices determined to be associated with the identifier of the guest device according to the set of proxy rules thereby enabling the guest device to initiate media streaming playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices according to the network-based media sharing protocol; and
send an input port selection command to a display device located in a guest room of the hospitality establishment, the input port selection command causing the display device to switch to a first input port and begin playing media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices, the media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices being received by the display device on the first input port.
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Abstract
A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.
90 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A media proxy comprising:
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a storage device storing a plurality of software instructions and a set of proxy rules; a network interface coupled to a computer network; and one or more processors coupled to the storage device and the network interface; wherein, by the one or more processors executing the software instructions loaded from the storage device, the one or more processors are operable to cause the media proxy at least to; update the set of proxy rules to associate an identifier of a guest device with a subset of a plurality of media devices in response to a first event occurrence;
wherein the guest device is operable by a guest of a hospitality establishment;
the media devices are audio-visual entertainment devices located within guest rooms of the hospitality establishment, are streaming destinations capable of playing media content initiated by the guest device utilizing a network based media sharing protocol, and are isolated from the guest device such that the media devices are not directly accessible over the computer network by the guest device;
the subset of the media devices represents one or more of the media devices for which media sharing is to be enabled for the guest device; and
the subset of the media devices includes at least one of the media devices but not all of the media devices;receive from the guest device via the computer network a query for available media devices supporting the network based media sharing protocol; send via the computer network a reply announcing availability of the media proxy as a streaming destination supporting the network-based media sharing protocol at a network address of the media proxy on the computer network; receive from the guest device at the network address of the media proxy an incoming request to initiate media streaming playback utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol; perform at least one transparent proxy operation between the guest device and a selected one of the subset of the media devices determined to be associated with the identifier of the guest device according to the set of proxy rules thereby enabling the guest device to initiate media streaming playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices according to the network-based media sharing protocol; and send an input port selection command to a display device located in a guest room of the hospitality establishment, the input port selection command causing the display device to switch to a first input port and begin playing media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices, the media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices being received by the display device on the first input port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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8. A method comprising:
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updating a set of proxy rules to associate an identifier of a guest device with a subset of a plurality of media devices in response to a first event occurrence;
wherein the guest device is operable by a guest of a hospitality establishment;
the media devices are audio-visual entertainment devices located within guest rooms of the hospitality establishment, are streaming destinations capable of playing media content initiated by the guest device utilizing a network based media sharing protocol, and are isolated from the guest device such that the media devices are not directly accessible over a computer network by the guest device;
the subset of the media devices represents one or more of the media devices for which media sharing is to be enabled for the guest device; and
the subset of the media devices includes at least one of the media devices but not all of the media devices;receiving from the guest device via the computer network a query for available media devices supporting the network based media sharing protocol; sending via the computer network a reply announcing availability of the media proxy as a streaming destination supporting the network-based media sharing protocol at a network address of the media proxy on the computer network; receiving from the guest device over the computer network an incoming request to initiate media streaming playback utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol; performing at least one transparent proxy operation between the guest device and a selected one of the subset of the media devices determined to be associated with the identifier of the guest device according to the set of proxy rules thereby enabling the guest device to initiate media streaming playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices according to the network-based media sharing protocol; and sending an input port selection command to a display device located in a guest room of the hospitality establishment, the input port selection command causing the display device to switch to a first input port and begin playing media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices, the media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices being received by the display device on the first input port. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform at least steps of:
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updating a set of proxy rules to associate an identifier of a guest device with a subset of a plurality of media devices in response to a first event occurrence;
wherein the guest device is operable by a guest of a hospitality establishment;
the media devices are audio-visual entertainment devices located within guest rooms of the hospitality establishment, are streaming destinations capable of playing media content initiated by the guest device utilizing a network based media sharing protocol, and are isolated from the guest device such that the media devices are not directly accessible over a computer network by the guest device;
the subset of the media devices represents one or more of the media devices for which media sharing is to be enabled for the guest device; and
the subset of the media devices includes at least one of the media devices but not all of the media devices;receiving from the guest device via the computer network a query for available media devices supporting the network based media sharing protocol; sending via the computer network a reply announcing availability of the media proxy as a streaming destination supporting the network-based media sharing protocol at a network address of the media proxy on the computer network; receiving from the guest device over the computer network an incoming request to initiate media streaming playback utilizing the network-based media sharing protocol; performing at least one transparent proxy operation between the guest device and a selected one of the subset of the media devices determined to be associated with the identifier of the guest device according to the set of proxy rules thereby enabling the guest device to initiate media streaming playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices according to the network-based media sharing protocol; and sending an input port selection command to a display device located in a guest room of the hospitality establishment, the input port selection command causing the display device to switch to a first input port and begin playing media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices, the media initiated for playback on the selected one of the subset of the media devices being received by the display device on the first input port.
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Specification