Consumer electronic registration, control and support concierge device and method

• US 9,866,697 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NexStep, Inc.
• Inventors: Stepanian, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuhui R
• Application Number:
  US14/281,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20140342709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 37926513, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 : Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• 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 21/4147 : PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 : Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 : biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 : Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 : Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

We disclose a concierge device that can be configured to register, control and support a consumer device. It can alternatively or redundantly connect to a home management bridge and/or cloud-based management servers. It can accept menus that allow a single concierge device to provide a wide range of functions for various consumer devices. The concierge device allows the user in a single action to initiate a support session, automatically identifying the consumer device. The concierge device can be configured for voice or video support calls. The concierge device in conjunction with a home management bridge or gateway can manage on boarding of components of an automated home, such as switches and lamps. Implementations of the concierge device that include a display can show supplemental information, such as advertising, optionally in coordination with media being played on a consumer device coupled in communication with the concierge device.

Claims

1. A concierge device including at least one processor and memory holding computer instructions that, when executed on one or more processors of the concierge device, cause performance of a method of supporting a device, the method including:

receiving a first signal from a particular device to be supported, via a two-way wireless, non-audio data channel used by the particular device to provide diagnostic related information to the concierge device, wherein the first signal includes a device identifier that identifies the particular device;

responsive to a single user action directed to the concierge device, automatically determining which of a plurality of service centers with which to initiate an interactive support session and initiating an interactive support session with the determined service center, wherein the determined service center supports the particular device, including automatically transmitting to the determined service center, via a second two-way non-audio data channel, identifier information from which the determined service center can uniquely identify the particular device; and

conducting the interactive support session with the determined service center regarding the particular device using the concierge device to capture a user'"'"'s voice and to reproduce audio for the user to hear via a two-way audio channel,

wherein during the interactive support session the concierge device relays diagnostic requests from the determined service center to the particular device and relays responses by the particular device back to the determined service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel.

2. The concierge device of claim 1, holding computer instructions that when executed, cause performance of the method further including receiving from a user interface of the concierge device a user selection of the particular device to be supported from a plurality of devices.

3. A method of conducting an interactive support session, using a concierge device, the method including:

receiving a first signal from a particular device to be supported, via a two-way wireless, non-audio data channel used by the particular device to provide diagnostic related information to the concierge device, wherein the first signal includes a device identifier that identifies the particular device;

responsive to a single user action directed to the concierge device, automatically determining which of a plurality of service centers with which to initiate an interactive support session and initiating an interactive support session with the determined service center, wherein the determined service center supports the particular device, including automatically transmitting to the determined service center, via a second two-way non-audio data channel, identifier information from which the determined service center can uniquely identify the particular device; and

conducting the interactive support session with the determined service center regarding the particular device using the concierge device to capture a user'"'"'s voice and to reproduce audio for the user to hear via a two-way audio channel,

wherein during the interactive support session the concierge device relays diagnostic requests from the determined service center to the particular device and relays responses by the particular device back to the determined service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel.

4. The concierge device of claim 3, further comprising a display on the concierge device that displays visual trouble shooting instructions received from the service center during the interactive support session.

5. The concierge device of claim 3, further comprising a camera on the concierge device that provides visual information to the service center during the interactive support session.

6. The method of claim 3, further including:

receiving a request from the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel for additional diagnostic information from the particular device;

requesting and receiving from the particular device to be supported via the two-way wireless, non-audio data channel, additional responsive diagnostic information; and

forwarding to the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel the additional responsive diagnostic information from the particular device.

7. The method of claim 3, further including receiving from a user interface of the concierge device a user selection of the particular device to be supported from a plurality of devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further including, responsive to the single user action, automatically determining which of several service centers with which to initiate the interactive support session.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising a camera on the concierge device that provides visual information to the service center during the interactive support session.

10. The method of claim 3, further including the concierge device interacting through a management gateway with the service center.

11. A concierge device including at least one processor and memory holding computer instructions that, when executed on one or more processors of the concierge device, cause performance of a method of supporting a device, the method including:

receiving a first signal from a particular device to be supported, via a two-way wireless, non-audio data channel used by the particular device to provide diagnostic related information to the concierge device, wherein the first signal includes a device identifier that identifies the particular device;

responsive to a single user action directed to the concierge device, determining from data stored on the concierge device or on a network accessed by the concierge device a service center that supports the particular device from a plurality of service centers and initiating an interactive support session with the determined service center, including automatically transmitting to the determined service center, via a second two-way non-audio data channel, identifier information from which the determined service center can uniquely identify the particular device; and

conducting the interactive support session with the determined service center regarding the particular device using the concierge device to capture a user'"'"'s voice and to reproduce audio for the user to hear via a two-way audio channel, wherein during the interactive support session the concierge device relays diagnostic requests from the determined service center to the particular device and relays responses by the particular device back to the determined service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel.

12. The concierge device of claim 11, holding computer instructions that when executed, cause performance of the method further including:

receiving a request from the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel for additional diagnostic information from the particular device;

requesting and receiving from the particular device to be supported via the two-way wireless, non-audio data channel, additional responsive diagnostic information; and

forwarding to the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel the additional responsive diagnostic information from the particular device.

13. The concierge device of claim 11, holding computer instructions that when executed, cause performance of the method further including receiving from a user interface of the concierge device a user selection of the particular device to be supported from a plurality of devices.

14. A method of conducting an interactive support session, using a concierge device, the method including:

receiving a first signal from a particular device to be supported, via a two-way wireless, non-audio data channel used by the particular device to provide diagnostic related information to the concierge device, wherein the first signal includes a device identifier that identifies the particular device;

responsive to a single user action directed to the concierge device, determining from data stored on the concierge device or on a network accessed by the concierge device a service center that supports the particular device from a plurality of service centers and initiating an interactive support session with the determined service center, including automatically transmitting to the determined service center, via a second two-way non-audio data channel, identifier information from which the determined service center can uniquely identify the particular device; and

conducting the interactive support session with the determined service center regarding the particular device using the concierge device to capture a user'"'"'s voice and to reproduce audio for the user to hear via a two-way audio channel,

wherein during the interactive support session the concierge device relays diagnostic requests from the determined service center to the particular device and relays responses by the particular device back to the determined service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel.

15. The concierge device of claim 14, further comprising a display on the concierge device that displays visual trouble shooting instructions received from the service center during the interactive support session.

16. The concierge device of claim 14, further comprising a camera on the concierge device that provides visual information to the service center during the interactive support session.

17. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving a request from the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel for additional diagnostic information from the particular device;

requesting and receiving from the particular device to be supported via the two-way wireless, non-audio data channel, additional responsive diagnostic information; and

forwarding to the service center via the second two-way non-audio data channel the additional responsive diagnostic information from the particular device.

18. The method of claim 14, further including receiving from a user interface of the concierge device a user selection of the particular device to be supported from a plurality of devices.

19. The method of claim 14, further including storing user identification information, and automatically, without further data entry or spoken identification by the user, transmitting to the service center, via the second two-way non-audio data channel device, bypassing any need for the user to identify them self to the service center at an outset of the interactive support session with the service center.

20. The method of claim 14, further including the concierge device interacting through a management gateway with the service center.