Controlling a media device using a mobile device

• US 11,018,722 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2020
• Issued: 05/25/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Belk, Andy, Prats, Augustin, Linde, Joakim, Newman, Lucas, Paulson, Nicholas J., Alsina, Thomas Matthieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US16/911,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20210006297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411, 455 412, 455411, 4554141, 455419, 455420, 4554563, 725 37
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• 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 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Techniques for automatically configuring and controlling a digital media device are described. A digital media device can be configured or controlled by a mobile device, e.g., a smart mobile phone. When the digital media device is being configured, the digital media device can broadcast a signal, indicating that the digital media device is requesting configuration information from a mobile device. A mobile device located in proximity of the digital media device, upon detecting the signal, can perform various security checks to determine that the request is legitimate, and then open a communication channel with the digital media device. The mobile device can provide user preferences of the mobile device, as well as credentials for accessing and downloading remote content, to the digital media device through the communication channel. Upon receiving the configuration information, the digital media device can use parameters in the configuration information as its settings.

Claims

1. A method for enabling an input of information at a digital media device, the method comprising, at the digital media device:

identifying a condition under which an input parameter is required at the digital media device;

wirelessly transmitting at least one request for the input parameter, wherein the at least one request is transmitted such that only mobile devices (1) that are within a threshold distance from the digital media device, and (2) to which the digital media device is known, are capable of receiving and responding to the at least one request;

receiving, from a mobile device, a value for the input parameter, wherein the value is locally gathered at the mobile device; and

assigning the value to the input parameter at the digital media device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to assigning the value to the input parameter at the digital media device:

ceasing wireless transmission of any additional requests.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one request causes a prompt to be displayed at the mobile device to provide the value for the input parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one request includes:

an identifier associated with the digital media device; and

device type information associated with the digital media device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile device determines that the digital media device is known to the mobile device in response to matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with digital media devices that are known to the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the value for the input parameter is provided at the mobile device in the form of:

a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the mobile device;

or

a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the value is received from the mobile device over a secure communications channel that is formed between the digital media device and the mobile device.

8. A digital media device configured to enable an input of information, the digital media device comprising a processor configured to cause the digital media device to carry out steps that include:

identifying a condition under which an input parameter is required at the digital media device;

wirelessly transmitting at least one request for the input parameter, wherein the at least one request is transmitted such that only mobile devices (1) that are within a threshold distance from the digital media device, and (2) to which the digital media device is known, are capable of receiving and responding to the at least one request;

receiving, from a mobile device, a value for the input parameter, wherein the value is locally gathered at the mobile device; and

assigning the value to the input parameter at the digital media device.

9. The digital media device of claim 8, wherein the steps further include, subsequent to assigning the value to the input parameter at the digital media device:

ceasing wireless transmission of any additional requests.

10. The digital media device of claim 8, wherein the at least one request causes a prompt to be displayed at the mobile device to provide the value for the input parameter.

11. The digital media device of claim 8, wherein the at least one request includes:

an identifier associated with the digital media device; and

device type information associated with the digital media device.

12. The digital media device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device determines that the digital media device is known to the mobile device in response to matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with digital media devices that are known to the mobile device.

13. The digital media device of claim 8, wherein the value for the input parameter is provided at the mobile device in the form of:

a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the mobile device;

or

a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the mobile device.

14. The digital media device of claim 8, wherein the value is received from the mobile device over a secure communications channel that is formed between the digital media device and the mobile device.

15. A method for enabling a mobile device to provide an input parameter to a digital media device, the method comprising, at the mobile device:

wirelessly receiving, from the digital media device, at least one request for the input parameter, wherein the at least one request is transmitted by the digital media device such that only mobile devices (1) that are within a threshold distance from the digital media device, and (2) to which the digital media device is known, are capable of receiving and responding to the at least one request; and

in response to determining that the digital media device is known to the mobile device;

displaying a prompt to provide a value for the input parameter; and

providing the value for the input parameter to the digital media device to cause the digital media device to assign the value to the input parameter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, subsequent to assigning the value to the input parameter, the digital media device ceases wireless transmission of any additional requests.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one request includes:

an identifier associated with the digital media device; and

device type information associated with the digital media device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that the digital media device is known to the mobile device comprises:

matching the identifier against a previously-stored identifier included in a list of identifiers associated with digital media devices that are known to the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the value for the input parameter is provided at the mobile device in the form of:

a text-based input received through a virtual keyboard on the mobile device;

or

a voice-based input received through a microphone that is communicably coupled to the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile device provides the value to the digital media device over a secure communications channel that is formed between the digital media device and the mobile device.