Apparatuses and methods for streaming audio and video

• US 10,462,651 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Inventors: Mischel, Jr., James V., Mischel, Sr., James Vernon, Uhl, Michael Martin, Swedenburg, Steven M, Verme, Robert Eric, Pangan, Roger R
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US15/611,477
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412, 455 411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0297 Telephone sets adapted to be mounted on a desk or on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A wirelessly enabled content delivery device includes a surface; a wireless data system and a data output interface. The surface has a front side and a back side. The wireless data system includes a wireless data module. The wireless data system is fixed to the back side of the surface. The wireless data module is configured to communicate with a user device and to receive a wireless stream of data from the user device. The data output interface is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, and the data is derived from the wireless stream of data.

Claims

1. A wirelessly enabled content delivery device adapted for use in a hospitality environment with a user device, comprising:

a surface, the surface has a front side and a back side, the surface is configured to be mounted on a wall of a room of the hospitality environment;

a wireless data system, the wireless data system includes a wireless data module, the wireless data system is fixed to the back side of the surface, the wireless data module is configured to communicate with the user device and to receive a wireless stream of data from the user device; and

a data output interface, the data output interface is coupled with the surface and is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, wherein the data is derived from the wireless stream of data, the wirelessly enabled content delivery device is configured to receive a primary source of alternating current (AC) electrical power from the wall of the room.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless stream of data includes audio and the data is audio data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wireless stream of data includes audio and video and the data includes audio data and video data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hospitality environment is selected from the group consisting of a hotel room, a motel room, a bedroom, a suite, and a conference room.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of a mirror, a wall divider, a piece of ceramic, and a piece of art glass.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data output interface is a speaker.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the data output interface includes a video display.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless data module conforms to the Wi-Fi protocol.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless data module conforms to the Bluetooth communication protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a tablet computer, a computer, and a user defined device.

23. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the content is a movie.

11. A method to operate a wirelessly enabled content delivery device with a user device, comprising:

providing a primary source of alternating current (AC) electrical power from a hospitality environment to a wireless data system, wherein the wireless data system is associated with a surface, wherein the primary source of alternating current (AC) electrical power is received from a room of the hospitality environment and the surface is used proximate to the room;

receiving at the wireless data system, a wireless stream of data from the user device;

deriving at the wireless data system, data from the wireless stream of data; and

transforming the data into audio signals, wherein the audio signals are used to drive a speaker.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transforming includes transforming the data into video signals and the video signals are displayed on a video display and the video display is incorporated with the surface.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the hospitality environment is selected from the group consisting of a hotel room, a motel room, a bedroom, a suite, and a conference room.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is a movie.

14. A wirelessly enabled content delivery device, comprising:

a mirror, the mirror has a front side and a back side, the mirror is configured to be mounted on a wall of a room;

a wireless data system, the wireless data system includes a wireless data module, the wireless data system is fixed to the back side of the mirror, the wireless data module configured to communicate with a user device and to receive a wireless stream of audio and video data from the user device; and

a data output interface, the data output interface is coupled with the mirror and is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, wherein the data is derived from the wireless stream of audio and video data, the wirelessly enabled content delivery device is configured to receive a source of alternating current (AC) electrical power from the wall of the room.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the data output interface is a video display and the video display is located within a portion of the mirror.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the data output interface further comprises an audio speaker.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the wireless data module conforms to the Bluetooth communication protocol.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the wireless data module conforms to the Wi-Fi protocol.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a tablet computer, a computer, and a user defined device.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the wirelessly enabled content delivery device is configured to receive the source of alternating current (AC) electrical power from the room.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the room is part of an hospitality environment.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the hospitality environment is selected from the group consisting of a hotel room, a motel room, a bedroom, a suite, and a conference room.

25. The device of claim 15, wherein the content is a movie.