Information apparatus and application for receiving digital content from a digital content service over the internet and for playing at least part of the received digital content at an output device

• US 10,489,096 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Henderson, Esther B.
• Application Number:
  US15/787,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20180041482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• 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 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 : by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 : specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

Information apparatus (e.g., smart phone, Internet appliances, information pad, display devices) with software applications for receiving digital content from a service provided over a network (e.g., Internet) and for wirelessly playing at least part of the received digital content at a wireless output device (e.g., a Bluetooth enabled device) are herein disclosed and enabled. To receive and play the digital content, the software applications may obtain authentication information for accessing the service, receive a list of one or more digital content that is available from the service for selection on a touch sensitive screen, receive selected digital content from the list displayed on the touch sensitive screen, receive output data from the service related to the selected digital content, and then either play audio data related to the received output data at a speaker of the information apparatus or wirelessly play the audio data at the wireless output device.

Claims

1. An information apparatus for receiving output data, related to digital content, from one or more servers over a network and for wirelessly playing at least part of the digital content at a wireless output device, the wireless output device being a distinct and separate device from the information apparatus and from the one or more servers, and the one or more servers providing, at least in part, a service over the network, the information apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

operating system software;

memory or storage;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user;

one or more software applications stored, at least partly, in the memory or the storage, and the one or more software applications are executable by the one or more processors and facilitated, at least in part, by the operating system software for accessing the service over the network;

wireless communication circuitry, which includes one or more wireless communication units, for establishing a wireless communication link with the wireless output device, the wireless communication link being a short range wireless communication link or a wireless local area network communication link; and

one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets for wirelessly accessing the network that includes the Internet;

wherein the information apparatus;

(1) wirelessly couples, using the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets, to the network that includes the Internet;

(2) wirelessly provides, via the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets and to the one or more servers, authentication information for accessing the service provided, at least in part, by the one or more servers over the network coupled in (1);

(3) wirelessly connects, using the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets, to the one or more servers, over the network, for wirelessly accessing the service provided by the one or more servers, the wireless access of the service is based, at least in part, on the information apparatus having wirelessly provided the authentication information in (2) for wirelessly accessing the service;

(4) displays, via the touch sensitive screen interface and using the one or more software applications, a list of one or more digital content, that is available from the service wirelessly accessed in (3), for user selection on the touch sensitive screen interface;

(5) receives, via the touch sensitive screen interface and using the one or more software applications, as indication of a selected digital content from among the list of one or more digital content displayed on the touch sensitive screen interface for the user selection in (4);

(6) wirelessly receives, using the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets and using the one or more software applications, output data related to the digital content selected in (5) from the one or more servers over the network, at least part of the output data includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination;

(7) wirelessly discovers, via the wireless communication circuitry, the wireless output device that is available for service over the wireless communication link; and

(8) wirelessly transmits, via the wireless communication circuitry and over the wireless communication link, from the information apparatus to the wireless output device that is wirelessly discovered in (7), audio data or video data related to the output data wirelessly received in (6), the audio data or the video data is for playing, at the wireless output device, at least part of the digital content selected in (5).

2. The information apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an information pad, an Internet-Pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

3. The information apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication circuitry of the information apparatus includes the one or more wireless communication units that are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing the wireless communication link;

and wherein the wireless transmitting of the audio data or the video data in (8), over the wireless communication link from the information apparatus to the wireless output device, is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or within IEEE 802.11 standards.

4. The information apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless output device is a Bluetooth enabled output device, and wherein the information apparatus further:

(a) wirelessly discovers, using the wireless communication circuitry, the Bluetooth enabled output device for establishing a wireless communication link, the wireless discovery of the Bluetooth enabled output device includes either the information apparatus wirelessly discovering the Bluetooth enabled output device or the Bluetooth enabled output device wirelessly discovering the information apparatus; and

(b) wirelessly establishes, using the wireless communication circuitry, the wireless communication link between the information apparatus and the Bluetooth enabled output device wirelessly discovered in (a).

5. The information apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless discovery in (7) is based, at least in part, on the information apparatus having received, via the touch sensitive screen interface of the information apparatus, an input or an indication from the user to initiate the wireless discovery of the wireless output device.

6. The information apparatus of claim 3, wherein the network includes the Internet, and the service provided over the network is for users who have signed up or paid or subscribed to the service, and wherein the receiving of the output data from the one or more servers is based, at least in part, on the user having provided payment information or subscription information or authentication information, individually or in any combination, for accessing the service over the Internet.

7. The information apparatus of claim 6, wherein the information apparatus further:

obtains, via the touch sensitive screen interface of the information apparatus, the authentication information for accessing to the service provided by the one or more servers over the network; and

wherein the wireless access to the service in (3) is based, at least in part, on the information apparatus having wirelessly provided the authentication information in (2).

8. The information apparatus of claim 7, wherein, the information apparatus further wirelessly transmits, via the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets of the information apparatus, a device object from the information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the device object includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to a device;

and the wireless transmitting of the device object facilitates identification of the device for service or for registration of the device with the service.

9. The information apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets for wirelessly accessing the network that includes the Internet, are compatible, at least in part, with at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(a) at least part of a protocol within a cellular wireless communication standard for wirelessly coupling to the network in (1);

or

(b) at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection to a wireless local area network, and wherein the wireless coupling to the network in (1) includes the information apparatus using the wireless local area network connection for coupling to the network.

10. The information apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets, are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, and wherein the information apparatus further:

(i) receives, using the touch sensitive screen interface, security information;

(ii) establishes, using the one or more wireless communication chips or chipsets of the information apparatus, the wireless local area network connection to the wireless local area network; and

(iii) wirelessly accesses the service provided by the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet via the established wireless local area network connection in (ii); and

based, at least in part, on having received the security information in (i); and

wherein the security information includes one or more of a name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, or an input from the user, individually or in any combination.

11. The information apparatus of claim 3, wherein the information apparatus further:

(a) processes, using the one or more processors of the information apparatus, at least part of the output data received in (6) for outputting or playing at least part of the digital content selected in (5) at the wireless output device, the at least part of the output data is received in (6) includes the audio digital content or the video digital content; and

wherein the audio data or the video data wirelessly transmitted in (8) over the wireless communication link from the information apparatus to the wireless output device includes at least part of the output data processed in (a); and

wherein the processing of at least part of the output data includes at least one or more operations related to a decoding, an encoding, an encryption, a decryption, a compression, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having recorded therein software executable, at least partly, by one or more processors at an information apparatus for managing audio digital content or video digital content received from one or more servers operated, at least partly, over the Internet, the information apparatus including:

an operating system;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user; and

wireless communication circuitry that includes one or more wireless communication units supporting a short range wireless communication or a wireless local area network communication or a cellular wireless communication, wherein the software, facilitated, at least in part, by the operating system, when executed at least partly by the one or more processors causes the information apparatus to;

(1) obtain, via the touch sensitive screen interface and from the user, authentication information related to the user, the authentication information includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, an address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination;

(2) send, via the one or more wireless communication units, a job object that includes the authentication information obtained in (1), to one or more servers over a network for accessing a service provided, over the Internet, by the one or more servers;

(3) wirelessly access, via the one or more wireless communication units, the service provided by the one or more servers, based, at least in part, on the information apparatus having wirelessly sent the job object in (2);

(4) display, via the touch sensitive screen interface, a list of one or more digital content, which is available from the service wirelessly accessed in (3), for user selection on the touch sensitive screen interface;

(5) receive, via the touch sensitive screen interface, an indication of a selected digital content from the list of one or more digital content displayed on the touch sensitive screen interface for the user selection in (4);

(6) wirelessly send, via the one or more wireless communication units and from the information apparatus to the one or more servers, a document object or content object, the document object or content object includes at least a pointer or reference to the selected digital content in (5);

(7) wirelessly receive, via the one or more wireless communication units, output data related to the digital content selected in (5) from the one or more servers over the network, the receiving of the output data being in response to having wirelessly sent the document object or content object in (6) to the one or more servers, and at least part of the output data includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination, related to the selected digital content in (5);

(8) wirelessly establish, using the one or more wireless communication units, a wireless communication link with a wireless output device that is wirelessly discovered to be available for providing output services to the information apparatus, the wireless communication link being a short range wireless communication link or a wireless local area network communication link or a cellular wireless communication, between the information apparatus and the wireless output device, and the wireless output device being a distinct and separate device from the information apparatus and the one or more servers; and

(9) wirelessly deliver, via the one or more wireless communication units and over the wireless communication link established in (8), from the information apparatus to the wireless output device, audio data or video data related to the output data wirelessly received from the one or more servers in (7), the audio data or the video data is for playing, at the wireless output device, at least part of the digital content selected in (5).

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units of the information apparatus is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection, and wherein the execution of the software by the one or more processors further causes the information apparatus to:

couple, using the wireless communication circuitry, the information apparatus to a wireless local area network; and

wirelessly connect, using the wireless communication circuitry and over the wireless local area network connection, to the network that includes the Internet for connecting to the one or more servers over the Internet.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an information pad, an Internet-Pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the wireless output device is a Bluetooth-enabled output device, and wherein at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units of the information apparatus is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications for establishing the wireless communication link with the wireless output device, and wherein the execution of the software by the one or more processors further causes the information apparatus to:

wirelessly discover, using the at least one wireless communication unit of the information apparatus, the Bluetooth-enabled output device for establishing a wireless communication link, the wireless discovery of the Bluetooth-enabled output device includes either the information apparatus wirelessly discovering the Bluetooth-enabled output device or the Bluetooth-enabled output device wirelessly discovering the information apparatus; and

wirelessly establish, using the at least one wireless communication unit, the wireless communication link between the information apparatus and the Bluetooth-enabled output device, the wireless communication link being compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the execution of the software by the one or more processors further causes the information apparatus to:

(a) process, using the one or more processors of the information apparatus, at least part of the output data wirelessly received in (7) for outputting or playing at least part of the digital content selected in (5); and

wherein the audio data or the video data wirelessly delivered in (9), over the wireless communication link from the information apparatus to the wireless output device, includes at least part of the output data processed in (a); and

wherein the processing of the at least part of the output data includes at least one or more operations related to a decoding, an encoding, an encryption, a decryption, a compression, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination.

17. A method for a mobile information apparatus to manage audio digital content or video digital content received from one or more servers, the one or more servers, operated, at least partly, over the Internet, the mobile information apparatus includes:

one or more processors;

an operating system;

a touch sensitive screen interface for interacting with a user; and

wireless communication circuitry that includes one or more wireless communication units, at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection;

wherein the method comprises;

(1) wirelessly connecting the mobile information apparatus, using the at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units, to a wireless local area network;

(2) obtaining, via the touch sensitive screen interface and from the user, authentication information related to the user;

(3) sending, via the one or more wireless communication units and over the wireless local area network wirelessly connected in (1), a job object that includes the authentication information obtained in (2) to the one or more servers over the Internet for accessing a service provided by the one or more servers over the Internet;

(4) wirelessly accessing, via the one or more wireless communication units and over the wireless local area network wirelessly connected in (1), the service provided by the one or more servers over the Internet based, at least in part, on the mobile information apparatus having wirelessly sent the job object in (3) to the one or more servers;

(5) displaying, via the touch sensitive screen interface, a list of one or more digital content, that is available from the service wirelessly accessed in (4), for user selection on the touch sensitive screen interface;

(6) receiving, via the touch sensitive screen interface, an indication of a selected digital content from among the list of one or more digital content displayed on the touch sensitive screen interface in (5);

(7) wirelessly sending, via the one or more wireless communication units and over the wireless local area network connected in (1), from the mobile information apparatus to the one or more servers over the Internet, a document object, the document object includes at least a pointer or a reference to the selected digital content in (6);

(8) wirelessly receiving, via the one or more wireless communication units and over the wireless local area network connected in (1), output data related to the digital content selected in (6) from the one or more servers over the Internet, the receiving of the output data being in response to having sent the document object in (7) to the one or more servers over the Internet, and at least part of the output data includes audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination, related to the selected digital content in (6);

(9) processing, using the one or more processors of the mobile information apparatus, at least part of the output data wirelessly received in (8) into an audio output data or video output data for outputting or playing at least part of the digital content selected in (6), the processing of the at least part of the output data includes one or more operations related to a decoding, an encoding, an encryption, a decryption, a compression, a decompression, a conversion, an image enhancement, an image processing, a color correction, a color management, an interpolation, a scaling, a smoothing, a segmentation, or a de-segmentation, individually or in any combination; and

(10) playing, at an output device coupled to the mobile information apparatus, the audio output data or the video output data processed in (9), the audio output data or the video output data is related to the output data wirelessly received from the one or more servers in (8), and the audio output data or the video output data is for playing, at the output device, at least part of the digital content selected in (6).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mobile information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an information pad, an Internet-Pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the output device is a wireless output device that is distinct and separate from the mobile information apparatus, and wherein the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus is compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a short range wireless communication link with the wireless output device, and wherein the method further comprises:

wirelessly discovering, using the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus, the wireless output device;

wirelessly establishing, using the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus, the short range wireless communication link between the mobile information apparatus and the wireless output device; and

wirelessly transmitting, using the one or more wireless communication units of the mobile information apparatus, the audio output data or the video output data processed in (9) from the mobile information apparatus to the wireless output device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the output device is wire connected to the mobile information apparatus.