Proximity detection of candidate companion display device in same room as primary display using sonic signaling

• US 9,858,024 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Application Number:
  US15/400,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20170115942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 725 80
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available

Abstract

A candidate companion screen device is located by a primary display device as being in the same room as the primary device using sonic signaling, and in response ancillary content related to content being shown on the primary display device is provided to the companion screen device. The ancillary content may be provided from the Internet based on information in the content being presented on the primary display device by, e.g., providing a link to a website to the companion device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one computer storage that is not a transitory signal and comprising instructions executable by a processor for;

determining whether plural candidate companion screen devices (CCSD) respond to a wireless message from a primary display device (PDD), the PDD being configured for presenting primary content;

responsive to determining that plural CCSD respond to the wireless message, selecting a first CCSD from among the plural CCSD based on the first CCSD being a predetermined model of device; and

causing ancillary content related to the primary content to be provided to the first CCSD for presentation of the ancillary content thereon, and/or causing a response message regarding accessing ancillary content to be provided to the first CCSD for presentation of the message thereon.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is implemented by the PDD.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for sending the wireless message, the wireless message instructing a CCSD to respond with a response message.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the wireless message is sent using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and the response message is sonic.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the wireless message is sonic and the response message is sent using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the wireless message is sonic and the response message is sonic.

7. The device of claim 1, comprising the at least one processor.

8. A device comprising:

at least one computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor;

at least one processor configured for accessing the computer readable storage medium to execute the instructions to configure the processor for;

receiving at a candidate companion screen device (CCSD) a wireless message from a primary display device (PDD), the PDD being configured for presenting primary content;

responsive to receiving the wireless message, sending a response message to the PDD to cause ancillary content related to the primary content but not being the same as the primary content to be provided to the CCSD for presentation of the ancillary content thereon, and/or to cause a message regarding accessing ancillary content to be provided to the CCSD for presentation of the message thereon, the response message indicating what model of device the CCSD is based on which the PDD can select to not provide the CCSD with the ancillary content and/or message regarding accessing ancillary content.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is implemented by the CCSD.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is sent using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and the response message is sonic.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is sonic and the response message is sent using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless message is sonic and the response message is sonic.