Apparatuses and methods for streaming audio and video

• US 9,686,673 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Mirror LLC
• Inventors: Uhl, Michael Martin, Mischel, Jr., James V., Mischel, Sr., James Vernon, Swedenburg, Steven M, Verme, Robert Eric, Pangan, Roger R
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US13/815,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 455420, 709217
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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 apparatus 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 apparatus for use in a hospitality environment comprising:

a surface, the surface has a front side, a back side, and a conductive layer within a thickness of the surface;

a trench, the trench is formed in the conductive layer to define a touch area, the touch area is isolated from the rest of the conductive layer;

a conductive pickup, the conductive pickup is mounted on a back side of the surface over the touch area and the conductive pickup is electrically connected to a capacitive touch controller, such that when a user touches the touch area on the front side of the surface the touch controller responds to the user'"'"'s touch;

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

a data output interface, the data output interface is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, wherein the data is derived from the wireless stream of data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive touch controller provides an input to a function selected from the group consisting of power cycling, pairing, volume adjustment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of power up, power down, volume up, volume down, change channel, pair mobile device, un-pair mobile device, power light on, power light down, initiate light function, adjust light output as a function of time, user defined function.

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

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data output interface provides an audio signal output.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the capacitive touch controller provides separate inputs to power cycle, pair, and adjust volume.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the data output interface includes an audio speaker.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the data output interface includes a video display.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface includes a layer of mirror glass.

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.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless data module is configured to provide control of an auxiliary light source.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source, the light source is mounted on the back side of the surface and provides a source of illumination to the touch area.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless data module conforms to a protocol selected from the group consisting of infrared Data Association Protocol, and a user specified wireless protocol.

14. A method to select a wirelessly enabled content delivery apparatus within a hospitality environment comprising:

associating a visual identifier with a wirelessly enabled content delivery device, wherein the wirelessly enabled content delivery device is one of a plurality of wirelessly enabled content delivery devices deployed within the hospitality environment and each wirelessly enabled content delivery device contains a wireless data module; and

programming the wireless data module with information related to the visual identifier, so that when a user sees an indicator displayed on a user device the indicator identifies the wirelessly enabled content delivery device from a list of at least two wirelessly enabled content delivery devices from the plurality.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating a pairing between the user device and the wirelessly enabled content delivery device by selecting the indicator from the list.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the hospitality environment is selected from the group consisting of a hotel, a motel, a bed and breakfast.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the hospitality environment, is a civic center.

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

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the wirelessly enabled content delivery device is selected from the group consisting of a mirror, a wall divider, a piece of ceramic, and a piece of art glass.

20. The method 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.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the list contains one wirelessly enabled content delivery device from the plurality.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless data module conforms to a protocol selected from the group consisting of Infrared Data Association Protocol, and a user specified wireless protocol.