PORTABLE TERMINAL, PAIRING SYSTEM AND PAIRING METHOD

• US 20120245722A1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMAMURA, Toshiki
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

When pairing an AV device with a controller for linking to and controlling the AV device, it was necessary for the user operating the controller to select an AV device near the user in accordance with the position of the user. A controller 2 specifies a nearby device based on audio characteristic information (an audio fingerprint) generated from audio obtained by an audio input portion (microphone) or content information specified from such audio characteristic information, and audio characteristic information of devices obtained with a communication portion or content information specified from such audio characteristic information, to carry out the pairing.

Claims

1. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information;

a plurality of devices capable of sending audio fingerprint information of audio that can be output from the devices; and

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio input portion into which audio can be input from outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been input into the audio input portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and upon receiving audio fingerprint information from each of the plurality of devices, and send the received audio fingerprint information to the content identification server, receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices, and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the first content information, out of the received content information.

4. A pairing system according to claim 1,

wherein the portable terminal and the plurality of devices also send device identification information of the device that has generated the audio fingerprint information, when sending the audio fingerprint information to the content identification server;

and

the content identification server holds content information corresponding to the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information, and preferentially carries out a comparison with audio fingerprint information matching the held content information and included in a content database, when the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information has been sent from the portable terminal or the plurality of devices.

2. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information;

a plurality of devices capable of sending content information of content that is currently being played; and

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio input portion into which audio can be input from outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been input into the audio input portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices; and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent content information matching the first content information, out of the received content information.

5. A pairing system according to claim 2,

wherein the portable terminal and the plurality of devices also send device identification information of the device that has generated the audio fingerprint information, when sending the audio fingerprint information to the content identification server;

and

the content identification server holds content information corresponding to the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information, and preferentially carries out a comparison with audio fingerprint information matching the held content information and included in a content database, when the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information has been sent from the portable terminal or the plurality of devices.

3. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server;

a plurality of devices capable of sending, to the content identification server, audio fingerprint information of audio that can be output from the devices;

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio input portion into which audio can be input from outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been input into the audio input portion; and

a communication portion that sends to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion;

wherein the content identification server comprises;

a subordinate communication portion that receives the audio fingerprint information sent by the communication portion;

a content identification portion that outputs content information corresponding to the audio fingerprint information received by the subordinate communication portion; and

a subordinate pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing between the portable terminal and the device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the content information corresponding to the audio fingerprint information received from the portable terminal.

6. A pairing system according to claim 3,

wherein the portable terminal and the plurality of devices also send device identification information of the device that has generated the audio fingerprint information, when sending the audio fingerprint information to the content identification server;

and

the content identification server holds content information corresponding to the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information, and preferentially carries out a comparison with audio fingerprint information matching the held content information and included in a content database, when the device identification information and the audio fingerprint information has been sent from the portable terminal or the plurality of devices.

10. The pairing system according to claim 3, wherein the communication portion of the portable terminal comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.

7. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information;

a plurality of devices capable of sending audio fingerprint information of audio that can be input into the devices; and

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio output portion capable of outputting audio to the outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been output by the audio output portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and upon receiving audio fingerprint information from each of the plurality of devices and sending the received audio fingerprint information to the content identification server, receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices, and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the first content information, out of the content information.

8. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information;

a plurality of devices capable of sending content information corresponding to audio that can be input into the devices; and

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio output portion capable of outputting audio to the outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been output by the audio output portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices; and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent content information matching the first content information, out of the content information.

9. A pairing system comprising:

a content identification server;

a plurality of devices capable of sending, to the content identification server, audio fingerprint information of audio that can be input into the devices; and

a portable terminal comprising;

an audio output portion capable of outputting audio to the outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been output by the audio output portion; and

a communication portion that sends to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion;

wherein the content identification server comprises;

a subordinate communication portion that receives the audio fingerprint information;

a content identification portion that outputs content information corresponding to the audio fingerprint information received by the subordinate communication portion; and

a subordinate pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing between the portable terminal and the device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the content information corresponding to the audio fingerprint information received from the portable terminal.

11. The pairing system according to claim 9, wherein the communication portion of the portable terminal comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.

12. A portable terminal that can be connected to a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information and to a plurality of devices that are capable of sending audio fingerprint information of audio that can be output from the devices, the portable terminal comprising:

an audio input portion into which audio can be input from outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been input into the audio input portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and upon receiving audio fingerprint information from each of the plurality of devices and sending the received audio fingerprint information to the content identification server, receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices, and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the first content information, out of the received content information.

14. The portable terminal according to claim 12, also sending device identification information of the device that has generated the audio fingerprint information, when the portable terminal sends the audio fingerprint information to the content identification server.

18. The portable terminal according to claim 12, wherein the communication portion comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.

13. A portable terminal that can be connected to a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information and to a plurality of devices capable of sending content information of content that is currently being played, the portable terminal comprising:

an audio input portion into which audio can be input from outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been input into the audio input portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices; and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent content information matching the first content information, out of the received content information.

15. The portable terminal according to claim 13, also sending device identification information of the device that has generated the audio fingerprint information, when the portable terminal sends the audio fingerprint information to the content identification server.

19. The portable terminal according to claim 13, wherein the communication portion comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.

16. A portable terminal that can be connected to a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information and to a plurality of devices that are capable of sending audio fingerprint information of audio that can be input into the devices, the portable terminal comprising:

an audio output portion capable of outputting audio to the outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been output by the audio output portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and upon receiving audio fingerprint information from each of the plurality of devices and sending the received audio fingerprint information to the content identification server, receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices, and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent audio fingerprint information corresponding to content information matching the first content information, out of the content information.

20. The portable terminal according to claim 16, wherein the communication portion comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.

17. A portable terminal that can be connected to a content identification server that outputs content information in response to an input of audio fingerprint information and to a plurality of devices capable of sending content information corresponding to content that can be input into the devices, the portable terminal comprising:

an audio output portion capable of outputting audio to the outside;

an audio fingerprint information generation portion that generates audio fingerprint information of audio that has been output by the audio output portion;

a communication portion that, upon sending to the content identification server the audio fingerprint information generated by the audio fingerprint information generation portion, receives first content information, and receives content information corresponding to the respective audio fingerprint information received from the plurality of devices; and

a pairing device deciding portion that establishes a pairing with a device that has sent content information matching the first content information, out of the content information.

21. The portable terminal according to claim 17, wherein the communication portion comprises:

a first communication portion that is capable of communicating with the content identification server; and

a second communication portion that is capable of communicating with the plurality of devices.