Direct connection with side channel control

• US 9,450,995 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Anders, Billy R. Jr., Hunter, Kurt M., Larsen, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Application Number:
  US14/333,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 12/2838 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 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless computer that pairs with a remote audio-video presentation device, such as a television. As a result of the pairing, a communication channel is established for the computer to transmit audio-video content for presentation through that device. Additionally, as part of the pairing, the computer and remote device select a side channel for communication of user commands. The wireless computer may display a user interface through which a user may input commands that control the manner in which the remote audio-video device presents the content. As a result, a user may use the wireless computer as a remote control for the audio-video device, controlling both the content presented and the manner in which it is presented. The side channel may use different frequencies than the channel used to communicate audio-video content, and may use very low power at frequencies in the digital TV spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of controlling presentation of audio-video content on a presentation device by a wireless computing device, the method comprising:

discovering, via a device discovery process and/or a service discovery process executing on the wireless computing device, a plurality of presentation devices capable of presenting the audio-video content;

displaying representations of the plurality of presentation devices in a graphical user interface of the wireless computing device;

receiving an indication of a user selection of a presentation device of the plurality of presentation devices;

establishing a first communications channel with the indicated presentation device;

establishing a second communications channel with the indicated presentation device, the second communications channel employing a different protocol from that of the first communications channel, at least one different transmission parameter from that of the first communications channel, and a different radio of the wireless computing device from that used for the first communications channel;

streaming the audio-video content from the wireless computing device to the indicated presentation device over the first communications channel for presentation on the indicated presentation device while a video portion of the audio-video content is being displayed in the graphical user interface of the wireless computing device;

receiving a user request for modification of the presentation of the streamed audio-video content on the indicated presentation device, the user request representing a request to change at least one characteristic of the presentation of the streamed audio-video content on the indicated presentation device;

formatting a command for transmission to the indicated presentation device over the second communications channel; and

transmitting the command to the indicated presentation device over the second communications channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the audio-video content via an Internet connected wireless network access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the presentation of the streamed audio-video content includes an audio characteristic and/or a video characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communications protocols for the first communications channel and for the second communications channel are peer-to-peer communications protocols.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the second communications channel includes:

identifying a transport; and

configuring a driver and a radio of the wireless computing device based at least in part on the identified transport.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio-video content includes a representation of at least a window of the graphical user interface of the wireless computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel is a Wi-Fi Direct connection between the wireless computing device and the indicated presentation device, and wherein the wireless computing device is a Wi-Fi Direct group owner for the Wi-Fi Direct connection and the indicated presentation device is a Wi-Fi Direct client for the Wi-Fi Direct connection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the audio-video content over a different radio than that used by the wireless communications device for the first communications channel.

9. A computer readable memory encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform operations for the presentation of content by a presentation device, the operations comprising:

receiving, by the presentation device, a request for a device discovery response and/or a service discovery response from a wireless computing device;

in response to the received request, transmitting an indication that the presentation device is capable of presenting the audio-video content;

in response to a user request received via the wireless computing device, establishing a first communications channel with the wireless computing device;

establishing a second communications channel with the wireless computing device, the second communications channel employing a different protocol from that of the first communications channel and at least one different transmission parameter from that of the first communications channel;

receiving the audio-video content in a stream from the wireless computing device over the first communications channel for presentation on the presentation device while a video portion of the audio-video content is being displayed in a graphical user interface of the wireless computing device;

presenting the received audio-video content on the presentation device;

receiving a command that is formatted by the wireless computing device, the command requesting a modification of a manner in which the streamed audio-video content is being presented on the indicated presentation device; and

in response to the received command, modifying the manner in which the streamed audio-video content is being presented on the presentation device.

10. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein modifying the manner in which the streamed audio-video content is being presented on the presentation device includes:

changing at least one audio or video characteristic of the presentation of the streamed audio-video content on the presentation device.

11. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein communications protocols for the first communications channel and for the second communications channel are peer-to-peer communications protocols.

12. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein the audio-video content includes a representation of at least a window of a graphical user interface of the wireless computing device.

13. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein the first communication channel is a Wi-Fi Direct connection between the wireless computing device and the indicated presentation device, and wherein the wireless computing device is a Wi-Fi Direct group owner for the Wi-Fi Direct connection and the indicated presentation device is a Wi-Fi Direct client for the Wi-Fi Direct connection.

14. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein the second communication channel is a Bluetooth connection between the wireless computing device and the presentation device.

15. A wireless computing device, comprising:

a wireless radio;

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor and the memory respectively store and execute instructions for causing the wireless computing device to perform operations that cause audio-video content to be remotely presented, the operations including;

discovering, via a device discovery process and/or a service discovery process executing on the wireless computing device, a plurality of presentation devices capable of presenting the audio-video content;

establishing a first communications channel over the radio with a user selected presentation device of the plurality of presentation devices capable of presenting the audio-video content;

establishing a second communications channel with the user selected presentation device, the second communications channel employing at least one different transmission parameter from that employed for the first communications channel;

streaming the audio-video content from the wireless computing device to the user selected presentation device over the first communications channel for presentation on the user selected presentation device while a video portion of the audio-video content is being displayed in a graphical user interface of the wireless computing device;

receiving a user request for modification of a manner in which the streamed audio-video content is being presented on the user selected presentation device;

formatting a command for transmission to the user selected presentation device over the second communications channel; and

transmitting the command to the user selected presentation device over the second communications channel.

16. The wireless computing device of claim 15, further comprising:

another wireless radio, wherein the second communications channel is carried over the other radio, the first communications channel is a Wi-Fi Direct communications channel, and the second communications channel is a Bluetooth communications channel.

17. The wireless computing device of claim 15, wherein communications protocols for the first communications channel and for the second communications channel are peer-to-peer communications protocols.

18. The wireless computing device of claim 15, wherein the audio-video content includes a representation of at least a window of a graphical user interface of the wireless computing device.

19. The wireless computing device of claim 15, wherein the operations further include:

establishing a third communications channel to the Internet via an Internet connected network access point; and

receiving the audio-video content via the third communications channel.

20. The wireless computing device of claim 15, further comprising:

another wireless radio, wherein the operations further include;

establishing a third communications channel using the other wireless radio; and

receiving the audio-video content via the third communications channel using the other wireless radio.