U.S. patent application number 15/997305 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-04 for system, apparatus, and method for controlling internet devices via a mobile device session.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sookbox, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Sookboix, LLC. Invention is credited to Adam Mustafa, Mathew Peterson, David Sukoff, Cyrus Vafadari.
Application Number | 20180287958 15/997305 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51842113 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180287958 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sukoff; David ; et
al. |
October 4, 2018 |
System, Apparatus, and Method for Controlling Internet Devices via
a Mobile Device Session
Abstract
Methods, a system, and apparatus for managing the separation and
distribution of digital controls wherein the digital content in a
network system includes receiving a request from any one of control
devices, host server response to control device request (and output
devices), host server may either non-discriminatively or
discriminatively broadcast to any of the control devices, and
control device handling responses throughout home network system.
The methods, system, and computer readable medium include user
experience optimized application types for (optimally) separating
and distributing the associated control and associated status
information elements during active sessions from the host server to
the control devices and output devices within a network system.
Configuring a control session comprises receiving a request to
execute an input/output application from a control application
executing on a mobile control device Configuring the control
session also includes aggregating a plurality of real-world
connectable processing nodes into an application session set of
processing nodes by allocating at least one function required by
the input/output application for execution on each processing node
in the set of processing nodes, wherein the set of processing nodes
is determined based on processing requirements of the input/output
application.
Inventors: |
Sukoff; David; (Summit,
NJ) ; Vafadari; Cyrus; (Cambridge, MA) ;
Mustafa; Adam; (Secaucus, NJ) ; Peterson; Mathew;
(Boston, MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sookboix, LLC |
Summit |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Sookbox, LLC
Summit
NJ
|
Family ID: |
51842113 |
Appl. No.: |
15/997305 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15351379 |
Nov 14, 2016 |
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15997305 |
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15357982 |
Nov 21, 2016 |
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15351379 |
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14149726 |
Jan 7, 2014 |
9503486 |
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15357982 |
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14149541 |
Jan 7, 2014 |
9497137 |
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14149726 |
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14149541 |
Jan 7, 2014 |
9497137 |
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15351379 |
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13734511 |
Jan 4, 2013 |
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14149541 |
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14147397 |
Jan 3, 2014 |
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13734511 |
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13734511 |
Jan 4, 2013 |
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14147397 |
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61857369 |
Jul 23, 2013 |
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61749430 |
Jan 7, 2013 |
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61749436 |
Jan 7, 2013 |
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61857369 |
Jul 23, 2013 |
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61749430 |
Jan 7, 2013 |
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61749436 |
Jan 7, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 12/2818 20130101;
H04L 63/10 20130101; H04N 21/441 20130101; H04L 67/14 20130101;
H04N 21/43615 20130101; H04L 47/70 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04L 12/911 20060101
H04L012/911; H04L 29/08 20060101 H04L029/08; H04L 12/28 20060101
H04L012/28; H04N 21/441 20060101 H04N021/441; H04N 21/436 20060101
H04N021/436; H04L 29/06 20060101 H04L029/06 |
Claims
1. A system for controlling a plurality of IP addressable
electronic internet devices via a mobile device session,
comprising: said plurality of IP addressable electronic internet
devices, where each electronic device has at least one unique IP
address; at least one mobile device including at least one display,
processor and memory, configured with an application to send and
receive control signals, including at least I/O signals, to said
plurality of IP addressable electronic internet devices and to
receive state data from said plurality of IP addressable electronic
internet devices; said application configured to discriminatively
load resources specific to the IP addressable electronic internet
devices when required, wherein said resources include one or more
of audio, video, digital media, code, documents, photos, or
dynamically generated information; and wherein said display of the
mobile device is operable to send control signals to said plurality
of IP addressable electronic internet devices and to display said
state data from at least one IP addressable electronic internet
device.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals can be distributed across multiple mobile
devices.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals can be operated on at least one nonmobile
device as well as said at least one mobile device.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said state data displayed on said
at least one mobile device displays said state data for a plurality
of IP addressable electronic internet devices simultaneously.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one IP addressable
electronic internet device can be controlled by the at least one
mobile device and act as a display by said application.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said IP addressable electronic
internet device is a household appliance, and said household
appliance can be controlled by said at least one mobile device.
7. An apparatus for controlling a plurality IP addressable
electronic internet devices comprising: a mobile device including
at least one display, processor and memory, configured with an
application to send and receive control data to and from the
plurality of IP addressable electronic internet devices and to
receive state data from said plurality of IP addressable electronic
internet devices; said application configured to discriminatively
load resources specific when required to the IP addressable
electronic internet devices, wherein said resources include one or
more of audio, video, digital media, code, documents, photos, or
dynamically generated information; and wherein said display of the
mobile device is operable to send control signals to said plurality
of IP addressable electronic internet devices and to display said
state data.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals can be distributed across multiple mobile
devices.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals can be operated on at least one nonmobile
device as well as said mobile device.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said state data displayed on
said one mobile device displays state data for a plurality of
electronic internet devices simultaneously.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one IP
addressable electronic internet device can be controlled by the
mobile device and also act as a display by said application.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said IP addressable
electronic device is a household appliance, and said household
appliance can be controlled by said mobile device.
13. A method for controlling a plurality IP addressable electronic
internet devices comprising: providing an application to a mobile
device including at least one display, processor and memory
configured to send and receive control data with the plurality of
IP addressable electronic internet devices; discriminatively
loading resources specific when required to the IP addressable
electronic internet devices to said application, wherein said
resources include one or more of audio, video, digital media, code,
documents, photos, or dynamically generated information; providing
at least one electronic IP addressable electronic internet device
configured to send control and state data to said application; and
directing said application to configure and to display control and
state data from the at least one IP addressable electronic internet
device.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one electronic IP
addressable electronic device provided is an IP addressable
household appliance.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the application on the mobile
device is configured to control data on the display of the at least
one electronic IP addressable electronic internet device.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals can be distributed across multiple mobile
devices.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein said application sending and
receiving control signals is configured to be operable on at least
one nonmobile device as well as said mobile device.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein said application is configured
to display said state data for the plurality of IP addressable
electronic internet devices simultaneously.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one IP addressable
electronic internet device is configured to be controlled by the
mobile device and act as a display by said application.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one additional IP
addressable electronic internet devices is provided.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/351,379 and a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 15/357,982. U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 15/351,379 is a continuation of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 14/149,541. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/357,982 is
a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/149,726, now
U.S. Pat. No. 9,503,486, issued on Nov. 22, 2016, and a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
14/149,541, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,137, issued on Nov. 15, 2016.
Each referenced application is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/149,541 claims the
benefit of the following provisional applications, each of which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: U.S. provisional
application 61/749,436, filed Jan. 7, 2013, U.S. provisional
application 61/749,430, filed Jan. 7, 2013, and U.S. provisional
application 61/857,369, filed Jul. 23, 2013.
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/149,541 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/147,397
filed Jan. 3, 2014 that is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety and that claims the benefit of the following provisional
applications, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety: U.S. provisional application 61/749,436, filed Jan.
7, 2013, U.S. provisional application 61/749,430, filed Jan. 7,
2013, and U.S. provisional application 61/857,369, filed Jul. 23,
2013.
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/149,541 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/734,511, filed Jan. 4, 2013, the entirety of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field
[0005] The methods and systems described, depicted, and claimed
herein may relate to managing and distributing the separation of
internet device information and associated controls within a
network system.
Description of the Related Art
[0006] In the modern homes of today there typically are multiple
means for receiving and displaying digital content on various
display devices. Also, there are various electronic devices
throughout the home that are networked together in a fashion for
providing the user with a means for entertainment which often
include, but are not limited to, personal computers, televisions,
Internet television ("smart" televisions), digital video disk (DVD)
players, compact disk (CD) players, set-top boxes (STBs),
audio/video receivers (AVRs), digital video recorders (DVRs),
gaming devices, digital cameras, smart-phones tablets, etc. Also,
networked connected devices may also be adapted to receive content
from multiple inputs representing Internet Protocol (IP) input
connections.
[0007] Even with all of the advancements discussed above, there
still are vast limitations in user experience for many of the
devices and especially when used together. For example, while
browsing the Internet on digital television (either directly or
indirectly through a set-top box), the user experience is typically
negated by cumbersome navigation of a complicated website, either
with an attached keyboard, or limited static unidirectional remote
control. Typically, personal computers (PC) work better for
controlling than an Internet connected television for a user to
browse the web. However, the Internet connected television can
surpass the user experience than that of the personal computer (PC)
experience in cases where it is used for playing high-resolution
video, surround sound audio, and/or displaying content in a
social/entertainment settings.
[0008] Conversely/similarly, in displaying digital content on a
television that is typically viewed on a personal computer (PC) is
also cumbersome. Typically, typing/searching for a webpage URL on a
browser window of the television display is often challenging and
limited by the television's remote control with static and
unidirectional buttons features rather than the easier and more
commonly known utilization of a mouse and keyboard on a personal
computer (PC).
[0009] Another recent trend with respect to consumer electronic
devices (more specifically, mobile devices, such as smart-phones,
tablets, etc.) is that they have become increasingly affordable. In
addition, the consumer electronic devices increasingly include more
advanced features. These features allow homeowners to enhance their
home entertainment user experience for the specific implementations
of which those electronic devices are designed and sold for. As
consumer electronics devices continue to become more available and
improved for the user, the user's desire to access various types of
digital content provided by various digital content sources
(providers) also continues to grow. Unfortunately, since these
consumer electronic devices such as, but not limited to,
smart-phones, tablets are capable of retrieving and rendering
digital content from the Internet or other networks, they are more
typically designed to present the content in personal manner
(smaller screen) for the single device user. Larger display
devices, such as, but not limited to televisions are more typically
designed to present better quality formats of video, such as high
definition televisions (HDTVs) for a better and shared (more than
one user) user experience.
[0010] Currently, users' access to and control of digital content
throughout their home is often limited to the fractional
utilization of which that device is designed for application types
(e.g. watching movies, listening to music, playing games, etc.) and
the various associated output and control device types throughout
the various zones. Additionally, in the paradigm of consumer
electronics growth and affordability it has become increasingly
difficult for users to easily manage (control) and stream digital
content seamlessly and transparently throughout the various output
devices and associated locations (zones) cognizant of growing
device control needs and associated digital content implementations
(use cases) for a seamless user experience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods,
systems, or computer readable medium, with program codes embodied
thereon, for managing and distributing the separation of media
content and associated controls within a network system.
[0012] An embodiment of the disclosure comprises a host server for
managing and distributing digital media content in association with
a network system that may include a plurality of computing devices
with varying user interface features and capabilities as described
throughout this invention.
[0013] The host server may include one or more processors, a
memory, and other circuitry generally included with a
network-enabled host server that is connected to the Internet. In
addition, the host server may include a client manager configured
to receive requests from a control device to deliver digital
content stored in the memory, or provided via Internet access
through the network system, from the host server. The control
device can be one control device among a plurality of control
devices that have access to the host server anywhere the within a
network system. Since there are typically more than one display
device within a home network, the viewable content items, (e.g. web
content windows) may be controlled and hosted through one central
location (e.g. the host server) yet viewed simultaneously and
controlled independently of each other throughout various display
device locations (zones) that may be serviced by the home network.
Separate processing via distinct host servers in a commonly shared
network may be used as central nodes logically arranged between
control devices in the network and output devices in the various
zones while enabling access to Internet content.
[0014] The client manager may be further configured to receive,
using the one or more processors, a command from any one of a
plurality of control devices to serve via a selected output at
least one item of digital content, the session state information
associated with the digital content, or the session state
information for the plurality of outputs of the host server, the
selected outputs being selected by a user of the control devices
based on at least the session state information associated with the
plurality of outputs all of which are non-discriminately managed by
and connected to the host server within a home network system. The
client manager can be further configured to authorize access, using
the one or more processors, between any one of the control devices
and the host server in the network system when receiving any
request (e.g. initialization request) from the control devices. The
control device is a device that allows two-way communication
between the host server and other control devices within the
network system (e.g. transmit/receive unit (TRU) configured to
communicate). Given the application type, or the launched session,
the client manager can be further configured to transmit/receive
requests from the control devices. This will allow the host server
to message unique session state information to control devices in
the network system.
[0015] Also, the host server may be configured to broadcast, using
the one or more processors, to the plurality of control devices
with session state information associated with the digital content
and/or status information in response to receiving the request. The
zone manager can be configured to associate, using the one or more
processors, each of the plurality of outputs with a corresponding
unique identifier. The zone manager, using the one or more
processors, can be further configured to change a presentation
state of the item of the digital content or various application
types being served via the selected output in response to receiving
a command from any one of the control devices to change the session
state, such as the digital content presentation state. Also, the
zone manager, using the one or more processors, can be configured
to change presentation of the session state of one output of the
plurality of outputs via which digital content is being served in
response to receiving a command from any one of the control devices
to change the presentation of the session of the output.
[0016] The session/application manager, using the one or more
processors, can be further configured to monitor session state
information of each of the plurality of outputs and the digital
content, maintain the session state information associated with
each of the plurality of outputs and the digital content in the
host server memory or provided via the Internet, and provide the
plurality of control devices with the status information and the
unique identifier associated of the control and output devices.
Also, the session/application manager can be further configured to
simultaneously provide, using the one or more processors, the
session state information to the plurality of control devices,
given the various application types and multiple active session
instances thereof.
[0017] Another example embodiment of the present disclosure
includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer
readable program codes embodied therein for managing and
distributing digital content media and associated controls given
the application type in a network system, the computer readable
program codes including instructions that, when executed by a
processor, cause the processor to receive a request from any one of
a plurality of control devices to deliver at least one item of
digital content either stored on or provided via Internet access of
a host server through the network system from the host server.
Further, the code causes the processor to uniquely identify and
decide to discriminate between any of the plurality of control
devices and similarly to any of the plurality of output devices
when a given specific application types requires the host server to
do so. Further, the code causes the processor to serve the at least
one item of digital content and/or the session state information
via the selected outputs in response to receiving the command from
any one of the control devices.
[0018] In addition, the code causes the processor to provide
control devices with session state information associated with the
digital content and session state information for a plurality of
outputs of the host server connected to the network system in
response to receiving the request. The code also causes the
processor to receive a command from the any one of the control
devices to serve the at least one item of digital content or the
session state information associated with the digital content or
the session state information for the plurality of outputs of the
host server via a selected output, the selected output being
selected by a user of any one of the plurality of control devices
based on at least the session state information associated with the
plurality of outputs connected to the network system. Further, the
code causes the processor to serve the at least one item of digital
content or the session state information via the selected outputs
in response to receiving the command from any one of the control
devices.
[0019] Separation of content and control in heads-up and heads-down
modes is embodied in utilization of socket protocols for parsing,
packaging, sending, and receiving messages and information. A
library of functions, features, and methods is described which can
be integrated into any computer-readable program. A socket protocol
is ideal as it enables low-overhead, live ("open") connections for
data exchange, as compared to HTTP client-server packages. The host
server may maintain live connections with any number of control
devices, and identify each control device uniquely. Then, an
application can be designed such that part of the application is on
the host server and the other part on control devices. The host
server portion of the application can identify the sender of a
message and use sender information to determine how the host server
should handle, and the host server can send a message to any
specified control device or any subset of control devices. The
control device portion of the application can use messages from the
host server to update the user interface aesthetic, behavior, or
underlying models. By using live socket connections between host
server and control devices and uniquely identifying sender and
receiver information, an application can be designed to provide a
unified, multi-screen (or multi-device in general) application,
where the application's ability to discriminate messaging between
users allows for an efficient and secure applications where each
control device gets only information intended for it.
[0020] Host server managed application sessions for either
non-discriminative or discriminative control of one or more control
devices that have access to the host include various application
types each with potentially unique method flows. Within these
method flows are candidate examples where the host server manages
the separation of content and control cognizant of the various
application types the control devices. Particular application types
may include, but are not limited to, applications such as 1)
single/multiple player games, and/or 2) entertainment applications
(e.g. karaoke).
[0021] An application of a discriminative socket-based messaging is
an implementation of a social or group playlist generation for a
collaborative DJ at a party. In this embodiment, each participant
uses a hand-held control device to communicate within the
application session. Users are divided into two classes upon
joining the application session: the "DJ" class and the "guest"
class. The host server serves a full content list to "guest" class
control devices to display options to the "guest" users. The users
may select content to submit a "vote" for that content to the
application session. The "DJ," on the other hand, receives messages
from the host server indicating the votes that have been cast. The
"DJ" user interface allows the "DJ" user to select songs to be
played at the party. The host server only accepts "add to playlist"
commands from the "DJ" user. In the meantime, the host server
displays the upcoming playlist on an output device and plays the
desired playlist. Thus, discriminative, live messaging allows for
design of an application session across multiple classes of control
devices and a host server.
[0022] Another application of a discriminative socket-based
messaging is an implementation of the card game Texas Hold'em
poker. In this embodiment, each player uses a hand-held control
device to play, where the control device displays private
information such as the two private "pocket" cards and control
interfaces such as buttons and fields for placing bets. The host
server displays community cards (the "flop," "turn," and "river"),
chip counts, and other community information on a "heads-up"
display device such as a television or projector. The application
session code on the host server will organize and coordinate
information between users and send and receive messages using
sender/receiver information to correctly distribute cards, accept
betting strategies, etc., while the application session code on the
control device, while identical on all control devices, will
display a different set of cards, betting options, etc., depending
on control device identification and game state.
[0023] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling
access to a control session. The method includes receiving control
data from a control device that is configured as a participant of a
content distribution control session that is managed by session
manager executing on a content distribution host server in a local
network. The control session includes a set of participant control
devices identifiable from a plurality of control devices with which
the host server has established socket protocol-based communication
via the network. The method further includes analyzing the control
data to determine a participant class of the control device and if
the control data includes a session lock request. The method also
includes analyzing status information of the control session to
determine if the session lock request can be accepted. The method
further includes locking the control session by configuring the
control session as a control device discriminative control session;
removing all participant control devices of the session other than
the control device from which the accepted session lock request was
received; and signaling to the plurality of control devices, other
than the control device from which the accepted session lock
request was received, that the control session is no longer
available.
[0024] In an example, the determination of an acceptance of a
session lock request is based on the participant class of the
requesting control device being greater than or equal to a session
lock authorization threshold value. Alternatively, the
determination of an acceptance of a session lock request is based
on the participant class being one of session requester, session
host, session owner, network administrator, and host server
administrator. Otherwise, the determination of an acceptance of a
session lock request is based on the set of participating control
devices sharing a common participant class.
[0025] In an example, the analyzing status information of the
control session includes determining if the control session is a
control device discriminative control session. Alternatively, the
analyzing status information of the control session includes
determining if the control session is a control device
non-discriminative control session. In an example, the plurality of
control devices establishes socket protocol-based communication via
the network with the host server through a content distribution
control application executing on each control device. The method
further includes marking all output devices that are configured as
participant output devices in the control session as
unavailable.
[0026] The present disclosure discloses a method of selecting a
discriminative heads up audio/video content item. The method
includes distributing audio and/or video to at least one of a
plurality of HDMI/audio-connected output devices. A subset of the
plurality of HDMI/audio-connected output devices participate in a
control session based on user input from at least one uniquely
identifiable mobile device from a plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices some of which also participate in the
control session via the device's native user interface and
operating system. The control session data entered through the user
interface is displayable on the mobile device and content items
displayable on the participating output device(s) are selectable
via the mobile device's native interface. Further, the user
interactions with the native mobile device user interface
manipulate a content interaction indicator that facilitates
selection of the output device displayable content items.
[0027] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a
visual representation of a content interaction indicator. The
method includes uniquely identifying one of a plurality of mobile
devices, a set of which participates in a content distribution
control session that is hosted by a content distribution host
server. Each mobile device participant in the content distribution
control session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the
session by the host server and is assigned a participant class. The
method also includes configuring the content distribution control
session based on user input from the one of a plurality of mobile
devices. The method further includes distributing audio and/or
video to at least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected output
devices, a set of which participate in the content distribution
control session. The plurality of HDMI-connected output devices
connects to HDMI outputs of the host server. The method also
includes receiving control session data from a portion of the
control session participant mobile devices, the control session
data representative of user input captured via a user interface
that is native to each of the plurality of mobile devices. A
portion of the control session data entered through the user
interface is displayable on the mobile device. The method also
includes controlling a visual representation of a content
interaction indicator that facilitates selection of at least one of
a plurality of content items distributed via the HDMI outputs, the
at least one of a plurality of content items being viewable on a
display of the at least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected output
devices. The controlling of the visual representation of a content
interaction indicator is in response to user interactions with a
content interaction indicator space of the mobile device native
user interface based on the participant class of the mobile
device.
[0028] In an example, a plurality of the uniquely identifiable
mobile devices in the set, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, share a common participant class. The common
participant class is a guest participant class. The guest
participants are limited by the distribution host server to select
from only a subset of the plurality of content items distributed
via the HDMI outputs. In an example, selection of at least one of a
plurality of content items distributed via the HDMI outputs
includes selection via the content interaction indicator and
manipulation of the at least one content item via the user
interface that is native to each of the plurality of mobile
devices.
[0029] In an example, at least one of control session data and user
interactions with a content interaction indicator space from the
one of a plurality of mobile devices is communicated between the
participating mobile devices and the distribution host server using
a socket-based protocol. In an example, content control session
data is communicated between the distribution host server and each
member of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices using a
socket-based protocol. A configuration of the socket-based protocol
between the distribution host server and each of the set of
uniquely identifiable mobile devices is based on the participant
class of each uniquely identifiable mobile device. In an example,
the visual representation of a content interaction indicator is
presented on the at least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected
output devices.
[0030] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status.
[0031] In an example, the control session data is received by the
host server from mobile audio/video control applications executing
on the plurality of participant mobile devices. The mobile
audio/video control application generates the control session data
based on information received from the mobile device native user
interface, the received information representing the user
interactions with the mobile device native user interface. The
mobile audio/video control application determines which user
interactions in the native user interface constitute control
actions and which user interactions in the native user interface
constitute content manipulation actions based on a context of at
least one of the control session and the content. The audio/video
control applications communicate with the distribution host server
using a socket-based protocol. In an example, the user interface
that is native to each of the plurality of mobile devices includes
features that are specific to a type of mobile operating system of
each of the plurality of mobile devices.
[0032] The present disclosure provides a method for selecting a
discriminative heads up content item. The method includes
distributing content via an IP network to at least one of a
plurality of network-connected output devices. A subset of the
plurality of network-connected output devices participate in a
control session based on user input from at least one uniquely
identifiable mobile device from a plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices some of which also participate in the
control session via the device's native user interface and
operating system. The control session data entered through the user
interface is displayable on the mobile device and content items
displayable on the participating output device(s) are selectable
via the mobile device's native interface. The user interactions
with the native mobile device user interface manipulate a content
interaction indicator that is presented on the participating output
device(s).
[0033] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a
visual representation of a content interaction indicator. The
method includes uniquely identifying one of a plurality of mobile
devices, a set of which participates in a content distribution
control session that is hosted by a content distribution host
server. Each mobile device participant in the content distribution
control session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the
session by the host server and is assigned a participant class. The
method also includes configuring the content distribution control
session based on user input from the one of a plurality of mobile
devices. The method further includes distributing content to at
least one of a plurality of network-connected output devices, a set
of which participate in the content distribution control session. A
set of the plurality of network-connected output devices is
uniquely identifiable as control session output device participants
by the host server. The method also includes receiving control
session data from a portion of the control session participant
mobile devices. The control session data representative of user
input captured via a user interface that is native to each of the
plurality of mobile devices. A portion of the control session data
entered through the user interface is displayable on the mobile
device. The method further includes controlling a visual
representation of a content interaction indicator that facilitates
selection of at least one of a plurality of content items
distributed in the content by the distribution host server. The at
least one of a plurality of content items being viewable on a
display of at least one of the set of participating output devices.
The controlling of the visual representation of a content
interaction indicator is in response to user interactions with a
content interaction indicator space of the mobile device native
user interface based on the participant class of the mobile
device.
[0034] In an example, a plurality of the uniquely identifiable
mobile devices in the set, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, share a common participant class. The common
participant class is a guest participant class. The guest
participants are limited by the distribution host server to select
from only a subset of the plurality of content items distributed in
the content. In an example, selection of at least one of a
plurality of content items distributed in the content includes
selection via the content interaction indicator and manipulation of
the at least one content item via the user interface that is native
to each of the plurality of mobile devices.
[0035] In an example, the at least one of control session data and
user interactions with a content interaction indicator space from
the one of a plurality of mobile devices is communicated between
the participating mobile devices and the distribution host server
using a socket-based protocol. In an example, content control
session data is communicated between the distribution host server
and each member of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices
using a socket-based protocol. A configuration of the socket-based
protocol between the distribution host server and each of the set
of uniquely identifiable mobile devices is based on the participant
class of each uniquely identifiable mobile device. In an example,
the visual representation of a content interaction indicator is
presented on at least one of the set of participating output
devices.
[0036] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status.
[0037] In an example, the control session data is received by the
host server from mobile audio/video control applications executing
on the plurality of participant mobile devices. The mobile
audio/video control application generates the control session data
based on information received from the mobile device native user
interface. The received information represents the user
interactions with the mobile device native user interface. The
mobile audio/video control application determines which user
interactions in the native user interface constitute control
actions and which user interactions in the native user interface
constitute content manipulation actions based on a context of at
least one of the control session and the content. The audio/video
control applications communicate with the distribution host server
using a socket-based protocol. In an example, the user interface
that is native to each of the plurality of mobile devices includes
features that are specific to a type of mobile operating system of
each of the plurality of mobile devices.
[0038] The present disclosure provides a method for selecting
discriminative heads down content item for providing selected
audio/video/session content on an audio/video output device. The
method includes distributing audio/video to at least one of a
plurality of HDMI/audio-connected output devices. A subset of the
plurality of HDMI/audio-connected output devices participate in a
control session based on user input from at least one uniquely
identifiable mobile device from a plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices some of which also participate in the
control session via the device's native user interface and
operating system. The content indicated by at least one content
item presented in and selectable via the native mobile device user
interface is selectively provided to the at least one audio/video
output device based on a control session participant role/class
associated with the at least one uniquely identifiable mobile
device.
[0039] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a
visual representation of a content interaction indicator that
facilitates update by a distribution host server. The method
includes uniquely identifying one of a plurality of mobile devices,
a set of which participates in a content distribution control
session that is hosted by a content distribution host server. Each
mobile device participant in the content distribution control
session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the session by
the host server and is assigned a participant class. The method
also includes configuring the content distribution control session
based on user input from the one of a plurality of mobile devices.
The method further includes distributing audio and/or video to at
least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected output devices, a set of
which participate in the content distribution control session. The
plurality of HDMI-connected output devices connects to HDMI outputs
of the host server. The method also includes receiving control
session data from a portion of the control session participant
mobile devices. The control session data representative of user
input captured via a user interface that is native to each of the
plurality of mobile devices. A portion of the control session data
entered through the user interface is displayable on the mobile
device. The method further includes receiving a selection of a
content item from a plurality of content items presented in the
native user interface of the one uniquely identified mobile device
of the set of participating mobile devices. The method also
includes receiving a selection of a content item from a
participating mobile device, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, on which the plurality of content items is
presented. Only a participant class-specific subset of the
plurality of content items is selectable via the native user
interface. The method further includes controlling a visual
representation of a content interaction indicator that facilitates
update by the distribution host server of the audio and/or video
that is distributed via the HDMI outputs. The controlling of the
visual representation of a content interaction indicator is in
response to receiving the selection of a content item from a
participating mobile device.
[0040] In an example, a plurality of the uniquely identifiable
mobile devices in the set, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, share a common participant class. The common
participant class is a guest participant class. The guest
participants are limited by the distribution host server to select
from only a subset of the plurality of content items. In an
example, at least one of control session data and user interactions
with a content interaction indicator space from the one of a
plurality of mobile devices is communicated between the
participating mobile devices and the distribution host server using
a socket-based protocol. In an example, control session data is
communicated between the distribution host server and each member
of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices using a
socket-based protocol. A configuration of the socket-based protocol
between the distribution host server and each of the set of
uniquely identifiable mobile devices is based on the participant
class of each uniquely identifiable mobile device. In an example,
the visual representation of a content interaction indicator is
presented on the at least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected
output devices.
[0041] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status.
[0042] In an example, the control session data is received by the
host server from mobile audio/video control applications executing
on the plurality of participant mobile devices. The mobile
audio/video control application generates the control session data
based on information received from the mobile device native user
interface. The received information represents the user
interactions with the mobile device native user interface. The
mobile audio/video control application determines which user
interactions in the native user interface constitute control
actions and which user interactions in the native user interface
constitute content manipulation actions based on a context of at
least one of the control session and the content. The audio/video
control applications communicate with the distribution host server
using a socket-based protocol. In an example, the user interface
that is native to each of the plurality of mobile devices includes
features that are specific to a type of mobile operating system of
each of the plurality of mobile devices.
[0043] The present disclosure provides a method of heads-down
discriminative selection for direct-connect audio. The method
includes uniquely identifying one of a plurality of mobile devices,
a set of which participates in a content distribution control
session that is hosted by a content distribution host server. Each
mobile device participant in the content distribution control
session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the session by
the host server and is assigned a participant class. The method
also includes configuring the content distribution control session
based on user input from the one of a plurality of mobile devices.
The method further includes distributing audio to at least one of a
plurality of audio-connected output devices, a set of which
participate in the content distribution control session. The
plurality of audio-connected output devices connects to audio
outputs of the host server. The method also includes receiving
control session data from a portion of the control session
participant mobile devices. The control session data representative
of user input captured via a user interface that is native to each
of the plurality of mobile devices. A portion of the control
session data entered through the user interface is displayable on
the mobile device. The method further includes receiving a
selection of a content item from a plurality of content items
presented in the native user interface of the one uniquely
identified mobile device of the set of participating mobile
devices. The method also includes receiving a selection of a
content item from a participating mobile device, other than the one
uniquely identified mobile device, on which the plurality of
content items is presented. Only a participant class-specific
subset of the plurality of content items is selectable via the
native user interface. The method further includes controlling the
audio that is distributed via the audio outputs. The controlling of
the audio that is distributed is based on receiving the selection
of a content item from a participating mobile device.
[0044] The present disclosure provides a method for selecting
discriminative heads down content item for providing selected
content to a network-connected output device. The method includes
distributing content via an IP network to at least one of a
plurality of network-connected output devices. A subset of the
plurality of network-connected output devices participate in a
control session based on user input from at least one uniquely
identifiable mobile device from a plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices some of which also participate in the
control session via the device's native user interface and
operating system. The content indicated by at least one content
item presented in and selectable via the native mobile device user
interface is selectively provided to the at least one audio/video
output device based on a control session participant role/class
associated with the at least one uniquely identifiable mobile
device.
[0045] The present disclosure provides a method for discriminative
heads down content item selection for providing selected content to
a network-connected output device. The method includes uniquely
identifying one of a plurality of mobile devices, a set of which
participates in a content distribution control session that is
hosted by a content distribution host server. Each mobile device
participant in the content distribution control session is uniquely
identifiable as a participant in the session by the host server and
is assigned a participant class. The method further includes
configuring the content distribution control session based on user
input from the one of a plurality of mobile devices. The method
also includes distributing content to at least one of a plurality
of network-connected output devices, a set of which participate in
the content distribution control session. The set of
network-connected output devices are uniquely identifiable as
output device participants in the content distribution control
session by the host server. The method further includes receiving
control session data from a portion of the control session
participant mobile devices. The control session data representative
of user input captured via a user interface that is native to each
of the plurality of mobile devices. A portion of the control
session data entered through the user interface is displayable on
the mobile device. The method also includes receiving a selection
of a content item from a plurality of content items presented in
the native user interface of the one uniquely identified mobile
device of the set of participating mobile devices. The method
further includes receiving a selection of a content item from a
participating mobile device, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, on which the plurality of content items is
presented. Only a participant class-specific subset of the
plurality of content items is selectable via the native user
interface. The method further includes controlling a visual
representation of a content interaction indicator that facilitates
update by the distribution host server of the content that is
distributed to the set of participating output devices. The
controlling of the visual representation of a content interaction
indicator is in response to receiving the selection of a content
item from a participating mobile device.
[0046] In an example, a plurality of the uniquely identifiable
mobile devices in the set, other than the one uniquely identified
mobile device, share a common participant class. The common
participant class is a guest participant class. The guest
participants are limited by the distribution host server to select
from only a subset of the plurality of content items. In an
example, at least one of control session data and user interactions
with a content interaction indicator space from the one of a
plurality of mobile devices is communicated between the
participating mobile devices and the distribution host server using
a socket-based protocol. In an example, content control session
data is communicated between the distribution host server and each
member of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices using a
socket-based protocol. A configuration of the socket-based protocol
between the distribution host server and each of the set of
uniquely identifiable mobile devices is based on the participant
class of each uniquely identifiable mobile device. In an example,
the visual representation of a content interaction indicator is
presented on the at least one of the set of network-connected
participating output devices.
[0047] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status.
[0048] In an example, the control session data is received by the
host server from mobile audio/video control applications executing
on the plurality of participant mobile devices. The mobile
audio/video control application generates the control session data
based on information received from the mobile device native user
interface. The received information represents the user
interactions with the mobile device native user interface. The
mobile audio/video control application determines which user
interactions in the native user interface constitute control
actions and which user interactions in the native user interface
constitute content manipulation actions based on a context of at
least one of the control session and the content. The audio/video
control applications communicate with the distribution host server
using a socket-based protocol. In an example, the user interface
that is native to each of the plurality of mobile devices includes
features that are specific to a type of mobile operating system of
each of the plurality of mobile devices.
[0049] The present disclosure provides a method of heads-down
discriminative selection for network-connected audio. The method
includes uniquely identifying one of a plurality of mobile devices,
a set of which participates in a content distribution control
session that is hosted by a content distribution host server. Each
mobile device participant in the content distribution control
session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the session by
the host server and is assigned a participant class. The method
further includes configuring the content distribution control
session based on user input from the one of a plurality of mobile
devices. The method also includes distributing audio to at least
one of a plurality of network-connected output devices, a set of
which participate in the content distribution control session. The
set of network-connected output devices connects are uniquely
identifiable by the host server. The method further includes
receiving control session data from a portion of the control
session participant mobile devices. The control session data
representative of user input captured via a user interface that is
native to each of the plurality of mobile devices. A portion of the
control session data entered through the user interface is
displayable on the mobile device. The method further includes
receiving a selection of a content item from a plurality of content
items presented in the native user interface of the one uniquely
identified mobile device of the set of participating mobile
devices. The method also includes receiving a selection of a
content item from a participating mobile device, other than the one
uniquely identified mobile device, on which the plurality of
content items is presented. Only a participant class-specific
subset of the plurality of content items is selectable via the
native user interface. The method further includes controlling the
audio that is distributed to the network-connected output devices.
The controlling of the audio that is distributed is based on
receiving the selection of a content item from a participating
mobile device.
[0050] The present disclosure provides a method for
discriminatively controlling of composite audio/video (multi-player
games). The method includes delivering, with a host session
controller, a composite audio/video HDMI signal. The HDMI signal
includes at least two content items that are separately controlled
by corresponding uniquely identifiable control devices personal
mobile devices. The host establishes and maintains a direct
relationship between a content item and a uniquely identifiable
control device. The content item is controllable through a native
user interface of the corresponding control device.
[0051] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a
visual representation of a content interaction indicator. The
method includes uniquely identifying two of a plurality of mobile
devices with established active socket-based protocol communication
channels with a control discriminative host server, a set of the
plurality of mobile devices participating in a discriminative
content control session that is hosted by the host serve. Each
mobile device participant in the control session is assigned a
unique session participant identifier and a participant class. The
method further includes distributing audio and/or video that
includes at least two separately controllable content items to at
least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected output devices, a set of
which participate in the control session. The plurality of
HDMI-connected output devices connects to HDMI outputs of the host
server. The method also includes establishing and maintaining a
discriminative control relationship between each of the at least
two separately controllable content items that are distributed
through the plurality of HDMI outputs and a corresponding
participating mobile device by configuring and updating status
information associated with the control session. The method further
includes adapting at least one of the video and the audio of each
separately controllable content item based on session control data
that is received from the corresponding participating mobile device
based at least in part on the participating mobile device assigned
participant class. In an example, a plurality of the uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in the set, other than the one uniquely
identified mobile device, share a common participant class. The
common participant class is a guest participant class. The guest
participants are limited by the host server to hold a direct
relationship with content items that share the common participant
class.
[0052] In an example, communication between a control session
application executing on the host server and a mobile device uses
the socket-based protocol. In an example, control session data is
communicated between the host server and each member of the set of
uniquely identifiable mobile devices using a socket-based protocol.
A configuration of the socket-based protocol between the host
server and each of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices
is based on the participant class of each uniquely identifiable
mobile device.
[0053] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status. In an example, the control session data is
received by the host server from mobile discriminative content
control applications executing on the plurality of participant
mobile devices. The mobile discriminative content control
application generates the control session data based on information
received from the mobile device native user interface, the received
information representing the user interactions with the mobile
device native user interface. The mobile discriminative content
control application determines which user interactions in the
native user interface constitute control actions and which user
interactions in the native user interface constitute content
manipulation actions based on a context of at least one of the
control session and the content. The discriminative content control
applications communicate with the host server using a socket-based
protocol. In an example, the user interface that is native to each
of the plurality of mobile devices includes features that are
specific to a type of mobile operating system of each of the
plurality of mobile devices. The method further includes
delivering, from the host server, heads-down content to the
corresponding uniquely identifiable mobile devices. The heads-down
content includes a user-specific portion and a session-specific
portion that is delivered to a mobile discriminative control
application executing on the mobile device for updating the native
user interface of the corresponding mobile device.
[0054] The present disclosure provides a method for
discriminatively controlling of multi-player games content. The
method includes delivering, with a host session controller,
multi-participant controllable content that includes at least two
content items separately controlled by corresponding uniquely
identifiable control devices personal mobile devices. The host
establishes a party mode discriminative control session that
includes the first uniquely identifiable control device, the
plurality of uniquely identifiable control devices, and at least
one output device for receiving the one multi-participant
controllable content. The host further maintains a direct
relationship between a content item and a uniquely identifiable
control device. The content item is controllable through a native
user interface of the corresponding control device.
[0055] The present disclosure provides a method for adapting
content item based on session control data. The method includes
uniquely identifying two of a plurality of mobile devices with
established active socket-based protocol communication channels
with a control discriminative host server, a set of the plurality
of mobile devices participating in a discriminative content control
session that is hosted by the host server. Each mobile device
participant in the control session is assigned a unique session
participant identifier and a participant class. The method further
includes distributing digital content that includes at least two
separately controllable content items to at least one of a
plurality of network-connected output devices, a set of which
participate in the control session. The plurality of
network-connected output devices is accessible over a local network
by the host server. The method also includes establishing and
maintaining a discriminative control relationship between each of
the at least two separately controllable content items that are
distributed to the network-connected output devices and a
corresponding participating mobile device by configuring and
updating status information associated with the control session.
The method further includes adapting an aspect of the content of
each separately controllable content item based on session control
data that is received from the corresponding participating mobile
device based at least in part on the participating mobile device
assigned participant class. In an example, a plurality of the
uniquely identifiable mobile devices in the set, other than the one
uniquely identified mobile device, share a common participant
class. The common participant class is a guest participant class.
The guest participants are limited by the host server to hold a
direct relationship with content items that share the common
participant class.
[0056] In an example, communication between a control session
application executing on the host server and a mobile device uses
the socket-based protocol. In an example, control session data is
communicated between the host server and each member of the set of
uniquely identifiable mobile devices using a socket-based protocol.
A configuration of the socket-based protocol between the host
server and each of the set of uniquely identifiable mobile devices
is based on the participant class of each uniquely identifiable
mobile device.
[0057] The method further includes publishing control session
status with the host server to the participating set of mobile
devices in response to the host server receiving the control
session data. The method also includes publishing control session
status over a network for updating any of the plurality of uniquely
identifiable mobile devices in response to the host server
receiving the control session data. The method further includes
publishing control session status over a network for updating any
of the plurality of uniquely identifiable mobile devices in
response to any of the set of participating mobile devices
impacting the status. In an example, the control session data is
received by the host server from mobile discriminative content
control applications executing on the plurality of participant
mobile devices. The discriminative content control application
generates the control session data based on information received
from the mobile device native user interface. The received
information represents the user interactions with the mobile device
native user interface. The discriminative content control
application determines which user interactions in the native user
interface constitute control actions and which user interactions in
the native user interface constitute content manipulation actions
based on a context of at least one of the control session and the
content. The discriminative content control applications
communicate with the host server using a socket-based protocol. In
an example, the user interface that is native to each of the
plurality of mobile devices includes features that are specific to
a type of mobile operating system of each of the plurality of
mobile devices.
[0058] The method further includes delivering, from the host
server, heads-down content to the corresponding uniquely
identifiable mobile devices. The heads-down content includes a
user-specific portion and a session-specific portion that is
delivered to a mobile discriminative control application executing
on the mobile device for updating the native user interface of the
corresponding mobile device.
[0059] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling the
content item in a party mode discriminative control session. The
method includes delivering with a host session controller at least
one audio and one HDMI video signal that includes at least two
separately controllable display items. A first content item is
controllable by a party host first uniquely identifiable control
device and the second content item is controllable by party guests
a plurality of uniquely identifiable control devices. The host
establishes a party mode discriminative control session that
includes the first uniquely identifiable control device, the
plurality of uniquely identifiable control devices, and at least
one output device for receiving at least the one HDMI video signal.
The host further maintains a direct relationship between a content
item and the uniquely identifiable control device(s) that can
control the content item. Each content item is controllable through
a native user interface of the corresponding control devices.
[0060] The present disclosure provides a method for adapting each
separately controllable content item based on session control data.
The method includes uniquely identifying a plurality of mobile
devices, a set of which participates in a content distribution
control session that is hosted by a content distribution host
server. Each mobile device participant in the content distribution
control session is uniquely identifiable as a participant in the
session by the host server and is assigned a participant class. The
method further includes distributing audio and/or video that
includes at least two separately controllable content items to at
least one of a plurality of HDMI-connected output devices, a set of
which participate in the content distribution control session. The
plurality of HDMI-connected output devices connects to HDMI outputs
of the host server. The method also includes establishing and
maintaining a one-to-one relationship between a first of the two
separately controllable content items and a corresponding first
mobile device control session participant that is assigned a first
participant class. The method further includes establishing and
maintaining a one-to-many relationship between a second of the two
separately controllable content items and a corresponding set of
the participating mobile devices that are assigned participant
classes other than the first participant class. The method further
includes adapting each separately controllable content item based
on session control data that is received from a corresponding
participating mobile device. The set of participating mobile
devices that correspond to the second of the two separately
controllable content items are prohibited from impacting the first
of the two separately controllable content items.
[0061] In an example, the first of the two separately controllable
content items is a list of songs and the second of the two
separately controllable content items is a user rating of at least
one of the songs in the list of songs. In an example, adapting the
second of two separately controllable content items is limited to
the first mobile device control session participant and any of the
corresponding set of the participating mobile devices. In an
example, the first mobile device control session participant is a
party host class and the corresponding set of the participating
mobile devices is assigned a party guest class.
[0062] The present disclosure provides an audio/video distribution
host for managing multiple audio/video
discriminative/non-discriminative control sessions. In an example,
the audio/video distribution host configures a plurality of
discriminating and/or non-discriminating audio/video control
sessions among a plurality of personal mobile devices that are
identified to serve as control devices in the audio/video control
sessions and a plurality of audio/video output devices that are to
be controlled in the audio/video control sessions. A native user
interface of a control device that is configured in an audio/video
control session with an audio/video output device can be used to
control content displayed on the audio/video device. A
discriminating control session limits control device content
control capability based on device identifier and a
non-discriminating control session treats all control devices in
the session the same.
[0063] The present disclosure provides a system that includes a
host server for configuring a plurality of audio/video control
sessions among a plurality of personal mobile devices that are
identified to server as control devices in the audio/video control
sessions. The system also includes a plurality of audio/video
output devices that are to be controlled in the audio/video control
sessions so that a native user interface of a control device that
is configured in an audio/video session can be used to control
content displayed on the audio/video device. The plurality of
audio/video control sessions includes at least one discriminative
control session in which each personal mobile device that is
identified to serve as a control device is assigned a unique
control session identifier and a participant class that is used by
the host server to limit control of displayed content by each
control device, and at least one non-discriminative control session
in which all control devices are treated as a single control
device.
[0064] In an example, an audio/video control session includes at
least two control devices that each controls different content
distributed to a common audio/video output device. The at least two
control devices are uniquely identified and control actions
performed by any of the at least two control devices are shared by
the host with all control devices of the audio/video control
session. Alternatively, an audio/video control session includes at
least two control devices that control the content displayed on the
audio/video device. Each of the at least two control devices
facilitate control of the content via user manipulation of a
heads-up pointing facility of each control device's native user
interface.
[0065] The present disclosure provides an audio/video distribution
host for configuring a plurality of audio/video control sessions
for controlling a plurality of audio/video signals from a plurality
of personal mobile devices that are identifiable to serve as
controllers for the audio/video control sessions. A first portion
of the audio/video control sessions implement device discriminative
relationships between participating uniquely identifiable control
devices and at least one of the audio/video signals and a second
portion of the audio/video control sessions implement device
non-discriminative relationships among a plurality of participating
control devices and at least one other of the audio/video
signals.
[0066] The present disclosure provides a system that includes a
host server for configuring a plurality of audio/video control
sessions among a plurality of personal mobile devices that are
identified to server as control devices in the audio/video control
sessions. The system also includes a plurality of audio/video
output devices that are to be controlled in the audio/video control
sessions so that a native user interface of a control device that
is configured in an audio/video session can be used to control
content displayed on the audio/video device. The system further
includes a personal mobile device of the plurality of personal
mobile devices that is configured with an audio/video control
application that facilitates participation of the personal mobile
device in a discriminative control session in which each personal
mobile device that is identified to serve as a control device is
assigned a unique control session identifier and a participant
class that is used by the host server to limit control of displayed
content by each control device, and in a non-discriminative control
session in which all control devices are treated as a single
control device.
[0067] In an example, an audio/video control session includes at
least two control devices that each controls different content
distributed to a common audio/video output device. The at least two
control devices are uniquely identified and control actions
performed by any of the at least two control devices are shared by
the host with all control devices of the audio/video control
session. Alternatively, an audio/video control session includes at
least two control devices that control the content displayed on the
audio/video device. Each of the at least two control devices
facilitate control of the content via user manipulation of a
heads-up pointing facility of each control device's native user
interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0068] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages
will be apparent from the following more particular description of
the embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout
the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale,
emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of
the embodiments.
[0069] FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment of a home network
system in accordance with an example embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0070] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a host server and
system-level architecture utilized by a home network system in
accordance with an example embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0071] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a host server
utilized by a home network system in accordance with an example
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0072] FIGS. 4A-4G are sample interface illustrations of the
control device discriminative session locking (or "hiding") feature
in accordance with either of the audio/video applications example
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0073] FIGS. 5A-5C are sample interface illustrations of the
control device discriminative session parental controls feature in
accordance with either of the audio/video applications example
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0074] FIGS. 6A-6C are a schematic block a diagram of host server
and system-level architecture utilized by a home network system in
accordance with the music/video "entertainment" (DJ/party mode)
application example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0075] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of method for managing the
separation of digital content from a host server to various control
and output devices discriminatively in accordance with the
music/video "entertainment" (DJ/party mode) application example
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0076] FIGS. 8A-8C are sample interface illustrations of the
control device(s) in accordance with various application heads-up
and or heads-down example embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0077] FIGS. 9A-9G are sample discriminative control device(s)
interface and output device (user's point-of-view) illustrations in
accordance with the music/video "entertainment" (DJ/party mode)
application example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0078] FIGS. 10A-10H are sample discriminative control device(s)
interface and output device (user's point-of-view) illustrations in
accordance with the games (Texas Hold'em) application session
example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0079] FIGS. 11A-11D illustrates examples of the key embodiments
within the invention as associated with an example node for loading
resources.
[0080] FIGS. 12A-12C illustrates examples of the key embodiment
within the invention as associated with connection representation
for messaging library.
[0081] FIG. 13A illustrates and example of the key embodiment
within the invention as associated with the relationship between
application sessions and application processes.
[0082] FIG. 13B illustrates an example of the key embodiment within
the invention as associated with the relationship between control
applications and host applications.
[0083] FIG. 14A-14C illustrates an example of the key embodiment
within the invention as associated with resource aggregation in a
fully connected graph for an aggregation interface.
[0084] FIG. 15A illustrates example device embodiments within the
invention, such as a smart TELEVISION dongle.
[0085] FIG. 15B illustrates example device embodiments within the
invention, such as headphones.
[0086] FIG. 15C illustrates example device embodiments within the
invention, such as a laundry machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0087] This application describes, among other things, various
embodiments of content distribution and control sessions that
support handling individual control devices uniquely. This is
called, among other things, discriminative control device handling.
The main advantage of discriminative control device handling is
that a host server may now assign capabilities and/or authorization
to select control devices. In an example of control device
discriminative control session operation, one control device that
participates in a control session may be deemed a party host (e.g.
host participant) and therefore may be given authorization that is
more impactful than other control devices that participate in the
control session but are deemed party guests (e.g. guest
participant). Likewise, in situations where individual control of
just a portion of a heads-up display screen is appropriate (e.g.
multi-player games), each participating control device may be
directly associated with a limited subset of the content being
presented on the entire output display screen. This may allow a
first player to manipulate his content item without impacting
another player's content item.
[0088] Discriminative control device session operation may be
advantageously applied to heads-up, heads-down, and combined
implementations. In this regard, the descriptions of heads up,
heads-down, and non-discriminative control session configuration
and operation found in parent matter U.S. Ser. No. 14/147,397 that
is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and to which
the present application claims continuation-in-part priority, may
be used in combination with the discriminative control session
configuration and operation embodiments described herein. As an
example, a host server may host discriminative, non-discriminative,
and hybrid control sessions simultaneous, contemporaneously, and/or
serially.
[0089] FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment of a home network
system 200, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
disclosure. The home network system 200 includes various output
devices 225, 230, 235 containing display devices 240, 245, 250
and/or audio devices 255, 260, 265, various control devices 270,
275, 280, and a host server 290. Further, in this invention each of
the output devices 225, 230, 235 are connected to corresponding
outputs (e.g. audio 309 and video 310 outputs of FIG. 3) of the
host server 290.
[0090] FIG. 2 illustrates an example environment of a schematic
block diagram of a host server 290 and system-level architecture by
a home network system 200, as previously depicted in FIG. 2,
according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure.
The home network system 200 of FIG. 1 includes various output
devices 225, 230, 235 containing various display devices 240, 245,
250 and/or audio devices 255, 260, 265 further containing various
control devices 270, 275, 280, and a host server 290. In an example
embodiment, each of the output devices 225, 230, 235 are connected
to corresponding outputs (e.g. audio 309 and video 310 outputs of
FIG. 2) of the host server 290.
[0091] Each of the control devices 270, 275, 280 is communicatively
connected to the host server 290. Any suitable wired and/or
wireless connectivity technologies mentioned herein can be employed
to facilitate connection between any of the various control devices
270, 275, 280, various output devices 225, 230, 235 and the host
server 290. The control devices 270, 275, 280 and host server 290
can communicate with each other by exchanging data packets
according to a pre-defined set of network protocols, such as the
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), the
Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), and the User Datagram Protocol
(UDP), etc. A network protocol as used herein is a formal set of
rules that define how data is exchanged between nodes (e.g. the
control devices 270, 275, 280 and host server 290) in a
communications network.
[0092] The control devices 270, 275, 280 can be conventional
communication units, such as laptop computers, desktop computers,
wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) (e.g. smart-phones and
personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like, that convert
information (e.g., data) into signals that are transferred to an
access point (e.g., network router 312) of the host server 290 via
wireless links. More specifically, the control devices 270, 275,
280 are configured to connect to the home network system 200 of
FIG. 1 and communicate with devices on the home network system 200
and can be, for example, a local area network (LAN).
[0093] The access point, or "single port" sockets 311 contains
logic that enables the control devices 270, 275, 280 to transmit
the information (e.g. data) to the host server 290. For example,
socket 311 access points can include circuitry configured to
receive signals (e.g. radio frequency (RF) signals), from the
control devices 270, 275, 280, that carry the information via
wireless links Once the signals are received, the socket 311 access
points convert the signals into data packets according the
predefined set of network protocols. The socket 311 access points
then pass the data packets to the host server 290. The host server
290 then processes the data packets to control and provide digital
content to users via any of the requested combinations of the
output devices 225, 230, 235. In addition, the socket 311 access
points enable the host server 290 to connect to a wired/wireless
local area network (e.g. the home network system 200 of FIG.
1).
[0094] The host server 290 includes at least one interface (e.g.
output devices 225, 230, 235 and/or control devices 270, 275, 280)
by which the output devices 225, 230, 235 are connected to the host
server 290. In an example, the host server 290 can include a
plurality of audio output interfaces, a plurality of video device
310 interfaces, and a plurality of audio device 309 interfaces and
video display device 310 interfaces.
[0095] The output devices 225, 230, 235 can be connected to the
interfaces of the host server via a High-Definition Multimedia
Interface (HDMI) cable. HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for
transferring uncompressed video data and compressed/uncompressed
digital audio data from an HDMI-complaint device to a compatible
digital audio device or digital television. In another example, the
output devices can be connected to the host server via a wireless
HDMI connectivity technology such as, for example, Sony Bravia
Wireless Link.RTM. utilizing, for example, a Wireless Home Digital
Interface (WHDI) protocol standard for wireless HDTV connectivity
that enables delivery of uncompressed high-definition video over a
wireless radio channel connecting any video source (e.g.,
computers, mobile device, Blu-ray players) to any compatible
display device.
[0096] As stated above, the output devices 225, 230, 235 may
include display devices 240, 245, 250. These display devices 240,
245, 250 may be, for example, older generation televisions (e.g.
cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions), Internet enable televisions,
LEDs, LCD, mobile phones, smart-phones, computers, laptops,
notebooks, tablets, etc. More specifically, these display devices
240, 245, 250 are any device types capable of displaying digital
content to be viewed by a user.
[0097] Also, as stated above the output devices 225, 230, 235 may
include audio devices 255, 260, 265. These audio devices 255, 260,
265 may be, for example, speakers and headphones. More
specifically, the audio devices 255, 260, 265 are devices capable
of playing any type of audio content such that a user is able to
hear the audio content. The audio devices 255, 260, 265 can reside
within various locations (zones) of a network system independent of
the respective display device 240, 245, 250 locations, all of which
is highly dependent on the application types.
[0098] In addition, the host server 290 includes a storage device
that is configured to store digital content and is further
configured to access digital content outside of itself on a network
attached storage (NAS). Digital content generally refers to
information available for download or distribution on electronic
media. For example, the digital content can include, but is not
limited to, video, audio, digital media, documents, photos, or any
other dynamically generated information. The digital content can be
in several known formats such as, for example, mp3, MPEG, DIVX,
MOV, JPEG, and WAV. A user may access the host server 290 via the
local area network (LAN) and upload digital content to the host
server 290. In another example, the user may access the host server
290 and download digital content from an external source (e.g., the
Internet) to the host server 290.
[0099] In order to access the digital content, the user utilizes
the control devices 270, 275, 280 to communicate with the host
server 290. The control devices 270, 275, 280 obtain a
communication address of the host server 290 (e.g. an IP address).
For example, a user of the control devices 270, 275, 280 can
register at least one of the control devices 270, 275, 280 to
communicate/access the host server 290. The user may register the
control devices 270, 275, 280 by signing into a central host server
(not shown) using authentication information (e.g.
username/password) of the user and associate and discriminate
against any of the at least one of the control devices 270, 275,
280 with the host server 290. Once the at least one of the control
devices 270, 275, 280 is registered, the at least one of the
control devices 270, 275, 280 is able to communicate/access the
host server 290 using the IP address of the host server 290
provided to the control devices 270, 275, 280 in response to
registering with the central host server. The control devices 270,
275, 280 are able to communicate with the host server 290 via the
socket 311 access points. Advantageously, the ability of the
control devices 270, 275, 280 to communicate with the host server
290 is independent of the physical location of the control devices
270, 275, 280 with respect to the host server 290. In particular,
the control devices 270, 275, 280 are able to communicate with the
host server 290 as long as the control devices 270, 275, 280 are
able to send communication signals to the socket 311 access points
associated with the host server 290.
[0100] As will be described in further detail in the audio/video
application type embodiment description, once the user is connected
to the host server 290 via one of the control devices 270, 275, 280
the host server 290 provides the user with a list of the digital
content 301, 314 either stored on (in 301) or accessed by (in 314)
the host server 290. Next, the user selects a specific item of the
digital content 301, 314, the host server 290 provides the user
with an option as to which of the output devices 225, 230, 235 from
which the user would like the selected digital content 301, 314
presented. For example, the host server 290 presents the user with
a list of available output devices 225, 230, 235 using the unique
identifiers associated with the interfaces by which the output
devices 225, 230, 235 are connected to the host server 290. The
user can then select from any one of the output devices 225, 230,
235, given the selected application. The option of output devices
225, 230, 235 presented to the user may be based on a current
status of the output devices and/or the type of digital content
requested by the user.
[0101] Another embodiment of the disclosure comprises a host server
for managing and distributing digital media content in association
with a network system that may include a plurality of computing
devices with varying user interface features and capabilities as
described throughout this invention. The host server may include
one or more processors, a memory, and other circuitry generally
included with a network-enabled host server that is connected to
the Internet. In addition, the host server may include a client
manager configured to receive, using the one or more processors, a
request from a control device to deliver at least one item of
digital content stored in the memory, or provided via Internet
access through the network system, from the host server. The
control device can be one control device among a plurality of
control devices that have access to the host server anywhere the
within a network system. Since there are typically more than one
display device within a home network, the viewable content items,
(e.g. web content windows) may be controlled and hosted through one
central location (e.g. the host server) yet viewed simultaneously
and controlled independently of each other throughout various
output device locations (zones) that may be serviced by the home
network. Separate processing via distinct host servers in a
commonly shared network may be used as central nodes logically
arranged between control devices in the network and output devices
in the various zones while enabling access to Internet content.
[0102] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a host server 290
utilized by a home network system (e.g. the FIG. 1 home network
system 200 and a zoomed-in version of the FIG. 2 host server 290).
The host server 290 can include, but is not limited to, a network
router 312, client manager 307, session/applications manager 306,
launched application types 308, resource manager 302, content
manager 303, zone manager 304, digital content (media) options 1
and 2 storage/database 301 (internal), 314 (external), Internet
313, GPU/soundcard 305, various session application types 308, and
audio output interface 310 video output interfaces 309. Any
suitable connectivity technologies mentioned herein may be employed
to facilitate connection between the various devices 301-314.
[0103] The network router 312 is configured to function as a
wireless access point via utilization of single port sockets 311.
The router 312 provides the host server 290 with a connection to
the Internet 313. More specifically, the router 312 can function in
a wired local area network (LAN), wireless-only LAN (WLAN), or in a
mixed wired/wireless network. As stated above, the network router
312 enables the control devices 270, 275, 280 to communicate with
the host server 290.
[0104] The client manager 307 and associated single port socket 311
is configured to enable the host server 290 to deliver digital
content to devices connected to a local area network (LAN) (e.g.,
the FIG. 2 home network system 200). In addition, the client
manager 307 processes communications received from the LAN via the
network router 312. Using the client manager 307, the host server
290 is able to communicate with and manage devices connected to the
LAN. For example, the client manager 307 communicates with the
control devices 270, 275, 280, resource manager 302, and the
various active sessions application types 308 in order to manage
and provide the digital content stored in either of the digital
content (media) options 1 storage/database (local) 301 and options
2 storage/database (external) 314. Further note that the client
manager 307 may be further configured to receive, using the one or
more processors, a command from any one of a plurality of control
devices 270, 275, 280 (depicted in FIG. 2) to serve via a selected
output at least one item of digital content 301, 314, the session
state information associated with the digital content 301, 314, or
the session state information for the plurality of outputs 225,
230, 235 (as depicted in FIG. 2) of the host server 290, the
selected outputs being selected by a user of the control devices
270, 275, 280 (as depicted in FIG. 2) based on at least the session
state information associated with the plurality of outputs all of
which are non-discriminately managed by and connected to the host
server 290 within a home network system 200. The client manager 307
may be further configured to authorize access, using the one or
more processors, between any one of the control devices 270, 275,
280 and the host server 290 in the network system 200 when
receiving any request (e.g. initialization request) from any of the
control devices. Also, the client manager 307 can be configured to
associate, using the one or more processors, each of the plurality
of control devices 270, 275, 280 with corresponding unique
identifiers. These unique identifiers may be useful for certain
functions based on a given the application types 308, or based on
launched (active) session within a session/applications manager
306, which will allow for the host server 290 to discriminatively
manage the control devices. Note that any of the control devices
270, 275, 280 are devices that allows two-way communication between
the host server 290 and other control devices within the network
system (e.g. transmit/receive unit (TRU) configured to
communicate). Given the application types 308, or the launched
sessions, the client manager 307 can be further configured to
transmit/receive requests from the control devices 270. 275, 280
with unique identifiers in order to associate between one another
within the network system 200. This will allow the host server 290
to message unique session state information to the unique and
plural control devices 270, 275, 280 within the network system
200.
[0105] Also, the host server 290 may include a resource manager 302
configured to broadcast, using the one or more processors, to the
plurality of control devices 270, 275, 280 with session state
information associated with the digital content 301, 314 and/or
status information in response to receiving the request. In
addition, the resource manager 302 may be further configured to
serve, using the one or more processors, the at least one item of
digital content 301, 314 and/or the session state information
associated with the digital content in response to receiving the
request from any one of the control devices 270, 275, 280 via a
zone manager 304 capability of the resource manager 302.
[0106] The resource manager 302 communicates with the client
manager 307 to determine all output devices (e.g. output devices
225, 230, 250 of FIG. 2) connected to the LAN via the network
router 312. In addition, the zone manager 304 can identify all
output devices (e.g., output devices 225, 230, 235 of FIG. 1)
connected to the host server 290 via the video outputs interface
309 and/or the audio outputs interface 310. The zone manager 304
also associates the video output interface 309 and the audio output
interface 310 with a unique identifier. It should be noted that the
host server 290 can also include additional audio output 310
interfaces, video output 309 interfaces, and any other relevant
combination of audio and video output interfaces given any of the
associated application types 308.
[0107] The resource manager's zone manager 302 can be configured to
associate, using the one or more processors, each of the plurality
of outputs with a corresponding unique identifier. The zone manager
304, using the one or more processors, can be further configured to
change a presentation state of the item of the digital content 301,
314 or various application types 308 being served via the selected
outputs 225, 230, 235 in response to receiving a command from any
one of the control devices 270, 275, 280 to change the session
state (e.g. digital content presentation state, etc.). Also, the
zone manager 304, using the one or more processors, can be
configured to change presentation of the session state of one
output of the plurality of outputs 225, 230, 235 via which digital
content 301, 314 is being served in response to receiving a command
from any one of the control devices 270, 275, 280 to change the
presentation of the session of associated outputs. The resource
manager 302 associated content manager 303 can be configured to
provide, using the one or more processors, all of the control
devices 270, 275, 280 with a list of the digital content stored on
the host server 290 internal storage/database or provided via
Internet access connected to the network system 200 given the
active session application types 308.
[0108] Once all the output interfaces 309, 310 have been identified
and associated with a unique identifier, the zone manager 304
monitors the status of all the output interfaces 309, 310. The zone
manager 304 performs this task by monitoring traffic flow from each
of the output interfaces 309, 310. In addition, the zone manager
304 determines that session state information of the digital
content stored by the host server 290 via the digital content
storage/database 301, 314. For instance, the zone manager 304
determines whether an item of digital content (media) options 1 and
2 storage/database 301 (internal).
[0109] In an example embodiment, the client manager 307 receives a
request for an item of digital content from any one of the control
devices (e.g., the control device 270, 275, 280 of FIG. 1) via the
network router 312. In addition, the client manager 307 receives a
corresponding command that that identifies from which of the output
interfaces 309, 310 to serve the digital content. The client
manager 307 passes the request and corresponding command are passed
to the resource manager 302 content manager 303. The content
manager 303 retrieves the selected digital content from the digital
content (media) options 1 and 2 storage/database 301 (internal) and
processes and formats the digital content for standardization into
the GPU/Soundcard 305 similar to, but not limited to, as that of
either an Internet web-browser.
[0110] The session/application manager 306, using the one or more
processors, can be further configured to monitor session state
information of each of the plurality of outputs 225, 230, 235 and
the digital content, maintain the session state information
associated with each of the plurality of outputs and the digital
content in the host server 290 memory or provided via the Internet,
and provide the plurality of control devices 270, 275, 280 with the
status information and the unique identifier associated of the
control and output devices. Also, the session/application manager
306 can be further configured to simultaneously provide, using the
one or more processors, the session state information to the
plurality of control devices 270, 275, 280, given the various
application types 308 and multiple active session instances
thereof.
[0111] Another key embodiment of both discriminative and
non-discriminative control is through socket input/output
utilization which may use a custom protocol (e.g. socket-based
messaging library) to communicate input/output information in
streamlined and low-overhead messaging between the control device
to host server for controlling digital content, session, and/or
client/server information over a network. This is ideal as it
enables efficient, real-time (live "open" socket) data exchange
minimizing latency and size of the data. This implementation
includes a control device and/or host server compatible library
that parses, packages, and sends various strings (e.g.
client/server information, commands, etc.). Such strings contain
relevant data including sender identification, receiver
identification, references to executable content, response data,
etc. These strings are packagable and parsable in a standardized
format (e.g. JSON, XML) such that a program with a message parsing
and packaging library on a control device or a host server can
interpret such a string (e.g. JSON parser) and handle it
appropriately (e.g. execute a method, update a database with
response data, etc.). Furthermore, such a library can be equipped
to transmit and receive these messages using transport protocols,
such as, but not limited to, TCP (transmission control protocol)
socket. Other protocols that may alternatively be used in this
implementation include UDP (user datagram protocol) for simpler
messaging transmissions, DCCP (datagram congestions control
protocol), SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol) (SCTP),
etc.
[0112] In contrast to the above example utilization, messages may
also be delivered through the more commonly known use of HTTP.
Currently, HTTP utilization is the standard protocol for websites
(e.g. "HTTP://"). HTTP is a standard and stateless format to
package, parse, and send information. Note that within computing, a
stateless protocol is a communications protocol that treats each
request as an independent transaction that is unrelated to any
other previous request, allowing for independent pairs of requests
and responses. Furthermore, a stateless protocol does not require
the host server to retain any session state information through the
multiple requests of a client-to-host server pairing. In contrast,
a "stateful" protocol requires keeping the internal state on the
host server. HTTP may be used for most commands that are sent from
the control devices to the host server, which makes the
functionality of the host server similar to that of more commonly
known web-server from an I/O point of view of the control device
(e.g. smart-phone, tablet, etc.).
[0113] Socket connections may be primarily used without HTTP as it
allows the host server to "openly" maintain connections throughout
the duration of the active session. For example, in a typical
browser application, the host server does not know if the control
device (client) URL-page is actively "open" or if that session
window has actually been terminated by the user. As utilized
herein, active sessions (e.g. SBConnect, etc.) are maintained and
uniquely identified by the host server. For instance, a client
manager with a socket-based messaging library will be able to
assign a control device a unique identification associated with a
live socket connection to the control device, which allows a
low-latency message to be initiated by either a control device
(request) or host server (push). A message may additionally contain
information uniquely identifying the sending control device or host
server, allowing a host server to identify the sender and use
sender information in its handling of the message. Furthermore, a
client manager will be able discriminate between connected control
devices, and specifically route messages to desired clients. Thus,
any session, application, or module of a host server with access to
a client manager can send a message to any arbitrary list of
control devices that have an active connection with the client
manager. This includes broadcasts to all connected control devices,
messages for only one control device, messages addressed to a list
of devices who have performed a certain behavior, etc.
[0114] A utilization of messaging any arbitrary list of control
devices is to communicate control information among control devices
and host server. Given a message containing session state, status
updates, or other information, a control device may update the
interface it presents to a user. Furthermore, given multiple
control devices, each may receive independent, non-identical
messages from a single host server at different points in time.
Thus, a single application session instance on a host server may
manage multiple control devices, potentially providing users with a
deliberately unique, but connected aesthetic, behavior, or
information. Further, within an application session or theme, the
host server may choose to respond to a received message
discriminatively depending on which control device sent the
message. The advantages of such a discriminative messaging client
is embodied in (1) parental controls where requests from some
control devices for specific content are handled discriminatively
by a host server (host server discriminates receiving) and (2) a
session hiding feature where only specified control devices may
engage in a specific session (host server discriminates
sending).
[0115] Through the utilization of socket-based communication, FIGS.
4A-4G demonstrate the novel feature of "session hiding" and the
ability of a host server to discriminate how it handles requests by
different control devices.
[0116] Note that the example, as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4C, is for an
audio (music playlist) session application type. As shown in FIG.
4A, the host 290 non-discriminately broadcasts the session state
information to control devices that have network access to the
host. In this case control device (1) 401 and any other control
devices (2-n) 402 receive the audio application session state
information which shows that audio device 403 (zone 1--mess hall)
403 is playing music, as depicted in the step 1 405 with the
"checked" boxes on both control devices 401 402 screens. As shown
in FIG. 4B, the user of control device 401, wishing to hide the
session from any of the other control devices 402, activates the
"session locked" selection on their interface display as depicted
in step 2 406. The control device 401 then translates the finger
swipe motion into a command which is then transmitted as a handling
request to host 290 via the network connection. Next, as shown in
FIG. 4C the host 290, in a handling response to FIG. 4B step 2 406,
hides the session state information (discriminatively) to any other
control devices communicating to the host. As shown in step 3 408
control devices (2-n) 402 no longer see the session state
information on their interface view, while control device 401 still
does as seen in 407.
[0117] Now, furthering to the "session locking" theme, but showing
another session application theme type is as shown in FIGS. 4D-4G,
which in this case is for a Internet radio application session. As
shown in FIG. 4D, control device 401 sends a message requesting the
host server to initiate a music session, as depicted in step 1 409.
Next, host server 290 parses and handles the message and, shown in
step 2 410 in FIG. 4E, host server 290 then responds by initiating
the audio playback session on the attached output device 408 (audio
device in zone 1--mess hall). Also, as shown in FIG. 4E step 3 411,
the host server 290 continues to respond by non-discriminately
sending active session state information all control devices with
an active socket connection to the host server which, in this case
is control devices 1 401 and 2-n 402. All control devices 401, 402
update their user interfaces to visually indicate the existence of
the active music session. Next, in FIG. 4F step 4 412, the user
selects the "Hide Session" toggle as depicted on the interface,
which instructs the control device 1 401 to message the host server
290 a "hide" request of the current active session previously shown
in step 3 411. The host server 290 receives the handling request
message string encoded in a parsable format, such as JSON or XML,
in (including control device 1 401 sender unique identification)
with its socket-enabled message parsing library. Note that such a
message sent from any of the control devices 401, 402 would be
handled identically by the host server 290, regardless of any
particular control devices' current state (e.g. control device 1
401 could be viewing selectable content list information while any
of the other control devices (2-n) 402 could be initiating the
session "hiding step instead). Note that the function of the hide
feature is to hide the session from all users except the one
performing the hide, locking out unauthorized users from control
and knowledge of the session. Finally, in FIG. 4G, the host server
290 "hides" the previously activated session from all control
devices 2-n 402 except the control device 1 401 which made the
initiating "hide" request. More specifically, the host server 290
sends a session state change update excluding the hidden session to
a list of all connected devices 2-n 402, excluding the uniquely
identified sender of the "hide" message (control device 1 401), as
shown in step 5 413. When the control devices update their user
interfaces, they uniquely (as per the host server 290
discriminative response of step 5 413) depict the varying session
status by the message parsing library in the host server 290. The
newly updated session state essentially informs control devices
(2-n) 402 that the previously active session is now inactive (or
hidden), so failure to broadcast such a control device
discriminative message would result in control device 1 incorrectly
believing the session is still hidden from any other control device
(2-n) 402, which is not the case.
[0118] The host 290 may not automatically accept all session hide
requests. The host 290 may analyze each such request to determine
if the request can be accepted. The host may consider factors such
as session status, participating control device status, class, and
the like in determining a proper response to such a request.
Participant class of not only the requesting control device, but
the class of other participating control devices may also be
considered. If a control device requesting to hide a session is
assigned a participant class that is lower priority than the class
of other participating control devices, the hide request may not be
accepted. This scenario is helpful in avoiding a child participant
from hiding a control session from his/her parent. Likewise, a
party guest participant class control device may not be permitted
to hide a control session from a party host participant class
control device. Alternatively, a session hide/lock threshold value
may be set as a parameter of the control session and/or of the host
server. If requests to hide a session fail to comply with the
threshold value, the request may not be accepted. However, if all
participating control devices share a common participant class
(e.g. as might be the case in a non-discriminative control
session), then it is possible that a request for hiding a control
session from the other participants may be based on a first-come
first-served basis. Other factors that may come into a decision to
lock/hide a session may include the number of other sessions
currently hidden/locked by the particular control device, the
history of hiding sessions by the control device, aspects of an
output device associated with the control session (e.g. hiding of a
session that includes a public display may be further limited), and
the like.
[0119] Another novel feature demonstrating the utilization of
socket-based communication and the ability of the host server to
discriminate how it handles requests by different control devices,
is shown in the FIGS. 5A-5C for "parental controls." As shown in
step 1 505, control device 1 501, which is uniquely identified as a
member of the class "parent" sends a message to the host server 290
requesting the host server play a rated-R movie, using a
socket-enabled messaging library which includes sender unique
identification in the message text, thus making it identifiable as
"parent." Then, the host server 290 receives and parses the message
request. In handling the message, the host server 290 uniquely
identifies the control device 1 501 and, upon determining that the
user is permitted to play rated-R movies, responds by initiating
the movie playing session on the network attached display device
503 (lounge left), as shown in step 2 (as shown in FIG. 5B). In
contrast, the control application of control device 2-n 502, which
is uniquely identified and determined to be in the set "child," may
attempt to sent the same request message of step 1 of FIG. 5A as
control device 1 501, to the host server 290, with its
socket-enabled messaging library inserting its unique
identification, as depicted in step 3 507 of FIG. 5C. In a
discriminative handling response to the step 3 message request, the
host server 290 uniquely identifies the control device 2-n 502 and,
upon determining that the user, identified as being in the class of
"child" is not permitted to play rated-R movies, does not play the
movie selection.
[0120] Also, host server managed sessions may include the host
server discriminatively managing and communicating with the control
devices. A client manager function of the server may communicate
specifications related to the activated application sessions such
as, but not limited to, permissions/access, unique identifier, and
user. The host may communicate with one control device among a
plurality of control devices and with the aforementioned attributes
of client manager; the host server may manage the plurality of
control devices uniquely to one another. In addition to
communicating specification of an application session, the host
server communication may also include authorizing a control device
to communicate with the host server in response to receiving an
initialization request from any of the currently activated control
devices. The methods also include accepting a user's selection of
any output devices that are shown as available in a heads-down
control device screen. The user's selection may be based on at
least the status information associated with the plurality of
outputs connected to the network system. Further the methods
include the host serving activated session content on selected
output devices (e.g. audio, video). Also, the methods include
management of communication between control device and host server
(over a network protocol including socket communication). The
communication can be a request-response from the control device to
host server, from host server to a control device, a
non-discriminative broadcast ("push") communication from the host
server to multiple control devices, or a discriminative handling
response to multiple control devices. Within the any of the control
devices, messages containing session state or other information
from a host server may trigger changes in the control devices' user
interface aesthetic, layout, and/or behavior. Within a host server,
messages from any of the control devices may trigger execution of
any number of functions, including manipulations of any number of
the output devices (e.g. audio, video).
[0121] Additionally, cognizant of the entertainment application
method flow (DJ/party mode), there is an inferred (or inherent)
dependency from any the control devices with access to the active
entertainment session for the viewable selection content
information heads-up on the selected output device need to be
within the same proximity (zone) to associated output device
(display) involved as all participating users will need to view the
selectable content heads-up on the output device for a meaningful
user experience. Further, the method includes changing the
presentation state heads-up in response to receiving a command from
a control device and associated device native control gesture
movements heads-down. Also, the methods include from the control
device that within same proximity (zone) to the session output
device and the selectable content items being displayed heads-up,
as part of the device native controls and finger movement or
gestures, the pointer in view is positioned heads-up over the
selectable content of interest and upon control device (user) tap
gesture to simulate a selection the host server translates the
movement into a command to launch the URL link with the associated
selectable content and refreshes the session presentation state to
the output device accordingly.
[0122] FIGS. 6A-C and 7 represent a flow diagram and method flow
for this particular session entertainment application type 308 for
a "DJ/Party mode" where host server 290 manages both the separation
of content (heads-up on display, heads-down on control devices) and
the discriminative utilizations unique to each of the control
device 270, 275, 280 to one another in the active session.
[0123] At step 701, from any one of the control devices 270, 275,
280 that has access to host server 290, selects any of the
application types 308 from a list of readily available application
types in a heads-down mode on the control device and launches the
session entertainment application type for DJ/party mode.
[0124] At step 702, in response to receiving the session
application initiation request from any one of the control devices
270, 275, 280 the host server's 290 client manager 307 allows and
manages access to the host server via a socket-based inter-process
communication (IPC) process. Further, host server 290 uniquely
identifies the initiating control device as a "DJ" user to the
entertainment application (DJ/party mode) session while any other
of the control devices 270, 275, 280 are uniquely identified and
record as being members of the class "guest" in the instance of the
application session and are discriminatively allowed variant roles
defined within the entertainment session type.
[0125] At step 703, the host server 290 responds to the session
entertainment application 308 initiation request of 702 and is
launched in the session/application manager 306 and associated
resource manager 302 zone manager 304 sends the initiated session
to selected display device 240, 245, 250 readily available.
[0126] Next at step 704, the resource manager 302 queries and sends
all associated digital content 301 available content information to
the session manager 306 which in turn sends the information to the
any of the one control devices 270, 275, 280 via client manager
307, sending one message to the control device that initiated the
entertainment application 308 request (uniquely identified as "DJ"
class) and a different message to all of the control devices 270,
275, 280 of step 703 uniquely identified as "guest" class.
[0127] At step 705, from any one of the control devices 270, 275,
280 that has permission/access to communicate to the host server
290, and have been uniquely identified as "guests" as part 702,
independently make their own selections from digital content list
information 301 of 703 provided by the host server 290 on each of
their heads-down displays.
[0128] Next, At step 706 the host server 290 resource manager 302
takes each of the uniquely identified "guest" control devices 270,
275, 280 content list selections and sends them to the control
device 270, 275, 280 uniquely identified as the "DJ" in 702, all
managed by the client manager 307, sends the content item list
selections to the "DJ" viewable interface (display heads-down).
[0129] At step 707, from the control device of 270, 275, 280 that
was identified as "DJ" of step 702, either accepts or declines the
content playing requests of either of the "guest" control devices
270, 275, 280 uniquely identified in 704 heads down on the updated
interface of 706.
[0130] Finally, at step 708 in response to receiving the session
application state change request from any one of the control
devices 270, 275, 280 uniquely identified as "DJ" in 702, the host
server 290 session/application manager 306 entertainment
application 308 active session sends update to the selected display
device 240, 245, 250 of 703.
[0131] FIGS. 8A-8C exhibits sample scenario types for separation of
content and control, cognizant of heads-up (on a display device)
and heads-down (on one or more control devices). The main purpose
of FIGS. 8A-8C is to show the limitless number of possible scenario
implementations for both discriminately and non-discriminately
managing content and control between control devices and their
display devices within application session themes without requiring
focusing on the session context (e.g. specific themes and
associated features). More specifically, FIG. 8A depicts an example
views of a "single" control device 801 paired with display device
801 where the user of the control device is viewing session control
content heads-down 803 (e.g. selectable content from a content
list) and, as per selection result, the content is streamed
heads-up 804 on display device 802. Another "single" control device
example is, as shown in FIG. 8B, where control device 805 is now
using the device native features to control the content item
selection heads-up 807 on display device 806, where the screen now
shows both the user selectable content heads-up 808 and, as per
selection outcome, the streamed selected content in the portion of
the display labeled as 809. Now, as depicted in FIG. 8C, cognizant
of a "plurality" of control devices, are now introduced into a
session scenario theme either allowing for content item selection
heads-up 817, 818 or for content item selection heads-down 813,
815. Further in the example of FIG. 8C, each control device 810,
811 may be directly associated with a subset of the content being
presented out display device 812. In particular, Control device 810
may be limited to directly manipulate content item 817 and control
device 811 may be limited to directly manipulate content item 818.
These limitations may be based on configuration data for each
control device that is used to manage the control session. In
another example, control device 810 may be a host participant (e.g.
be assigned participant class host) for a control session through
which content is presented on display 812. In this example the host
participant may have access to one or more content items presented
heads up on display device 812 (e.g. content items 817 and content
item 819. In addition, control devices 811 (that may include any
number of control devices) may each be assigned a guest participant
class. Participant class "guest" may be limited to only being able
to directly impact content item 818. In this example, each of the
"guest" participants may directly impact content item 818 in a
non-discriminative mode that treats each of guest participant the
same. Further, as depicted in 814 and 816 any of control devices
810, 811 can also be non-discriminately broadcast session state
information, such as session control status.
[0132] Now, cognizant of the potentially limitless session uses as
depicted in FIGS. 8A-8C, FIGS. 9A-9G exhibits a specific session
application theme (represented by a flow diagram and method flow of
FIGS. 6A-C and 7) by showing the "entertainment" application
session interface walk-through point-of-view from the multiple and
unique control devices' interfaces, associated with "DJ" and
"guest" roles. This socket enabled messaging library for packaging,
parsing, sending, and receiving messages between host server and
uniquely identifiable control devices.
[0133] In this example, as shown in FIG. 9A in 905 step 1, control
device 1 901 sends a message requesting the host server to initiate
an entertainment application (DJ/music mode) session.
[0134] Next, the host server 290 parses and handles the message
and, as shown in step 2 906 in FIG. 9B, host server 290 then
responds by initiating the entertainment session on the attached
output device 904 (display device-lounge left). In the process of
initiating the application session, the host server 290 records the
initiating control device 901 to be in the class "DJ", and all
subsequently joining control devices as being in the class
"guest."
[0135] Also, as shown in FIG. 9C step 3 907, the host server 290
continues the response handling by discriminately sending active
session state information to all control devices with an active
socket connection to the host server 290 which, in this case are
control devices 901, 902, and 903. All the control devices 901-903
update their user interfaces to visually indicate the existence of
the active entertainment session. Note that in this case, since
control device 901 initiated the request, it is uniquely identified
as "DJ" within this entertainment session and all other control
devices (2-n) 902, 903 are uniquely identified as participants
("guests") to this active session, both of which have unique
control input attributes within the session interface as compared
to "DJ" control device 901. Note that, while all control devices
have the same software, the aesthetic, behavior, and underlying
models of their user interfaces are different upon receiving
different messages from the host server: Those identified as being
in the "DJ" class have an interface displaying a content table with
an "ID" column to indicate preferences of various guests and
responds to taps by requesting the host server 290 to add a song to
the playlist; those identified as being in the "guest" class are
given an interface which includes all content options, displays a
column to indicate whether or not that particular control device
has already voted for a song, and messages the host server a vote
for a song upon selection of that song.
[0136] Next, in FIG. 9D step 4 908, either of control devices (2-n)
make unique requests from the provided selectable content options
by "checking" off the specific songs of which they would like to be
played next within the entertainment application session as
depicted on their interfaces, which uniquely instruct control
devices 902, 903 to message the host server 290 of their unique
selection requests.
[0137] As shown in FIG. 9E step 5 909, the host server 290 parses
and handles the message request of step 4 908. The application
session handles the message by identifying the sender as a guest,
updating its underlying models to indicate the votes described in
the message, and sending a new message to only the control devices
of the class "DJ." Upon receiving the message in step 5, a control
device of the class "DJ" 901 updates its user interface to indicate
the new information.
[0138] Next, in FIG. 9F step 6 910, as the "DJ" (primary controller
of the entertainment application session), the user selects from
the control devices 902, 903 requests of step 4 908 by either
accepting (checking "yes"), or declining (checking ("no") the songs
to be added to the heads-up active playlist on display device 904
(lounge left) to be played next, which instructs the control device
901 to message host server 290 the updated message handling
request.
[0139] In FIG. 9G, the host server 290 receives the step 6 910
handling request message string encoded in a parsable format
(including control device 901 sender unique identification as "DJ"
controller) with its socket-enabled message parsing library and
responds by updated the entertainment session status heads-up on
display device 904 (lounge left) as depicted in step 7 911.
[0140] FIGS. 10A-10H further exhibit details of the represented
discriminative control device method of host server management with
interface walkthrough by showing a gaming application session
(Texas Hold'em) point-of-view from multiple and unique control
devices' interfaces, associated with unique identifier, or player
roles. This socket enabled messaging library for packaging,
parsing, sending, and receiving messages between host server and
uniquely identifiable control devices.
[0141] In this example, as shown in FIG. 10A in 1005 step 1,
control device 1 1001 sends a message requesting the host server
290 to initiate a gaming application (Texas Hold'em) session. Next,
the host server 290 parses and handles the message and, as shown in
step 2 1006 in FIG. 10B, host server 290 then responds by
initiating the Texas Hold'em gaming session on the attached output
device 1003 (display device-lounge left).
[0142] Also, as shown in FIG. 10C step 3 1007, the host server 290
continues the response handling by discriminately sending active
game session state information to all control devices with an
active socket connection to the host server 290 which, in this case
are control devices 1001 and 1002. All the, control devices 1001
and 1002 update their user interfaces to visually indicate the
existence of the active Texas Hold'em gaming session based on their
unique identifiers. Note that in this case, since control device
1001 initiated the request, it is uniquely identified as "player
1--big blind" within this gaming session and the other control
device 1002 is uniquely identified as "player 2--small blind" in
this active session, both of which have unique control input
attributes within the session interface as per the typical rules
associated with Texas Hold'em and player roles.
[0143] Next, in FIG. 10D step 4 1008, control device 1 1001, now
uniquely identified as "player 1--big blind," looks at the
interface refreshed with the associated session state information
updates of step 3 1007 and makes a decision, in this case to bet
$4.00 by tapping both the "bet" and "$4" buttons. Next, as per
selection, control device 1 1001 uniquely translates the
instructions and messages the host server 290 the active gaming
session updates as per handling request step 4 1008.
[0144] As shown in FIG. 10E step 5 1009 the host server 290 takes
the step 4 1008 handling request message string encoded in a
parsable format (including control device 1 1001 sender unique
identification as "player 1--big blind") with its socket-enabled
message parsing library and responds by updating the gaming session
status heads-up on the display device 1003 (lounge left). More
specifically, the "player 1--big blind" bet of $4.00, betting pot
update (from $10.00 to $4.00) and round status of "flop" are all
shown on the screen for all players to see.
[0145] Next, in FIG. 10F step 1010, "player 2--small blind" (in
this case uniquely identified as control device 2-n 1002), looks
heads-down at the refreshed interface with associated session state
information updates and heads up at display device 1003 "player
1--big blind" response as depicted in previous step 5 1009 and
makes their own decision. In this case "player 2--small blind"
decisions is to "call" and match the "player 1--big blind" of $4 by
tapping the associated interface buttons. Next, as per selection,
control device 2-n 1002 uniquely translates the instructions and
messages the host server 290 the active gaming session updates as
per handling request step 6 1010.
[0146] As shown in FIG. 10G step 7 1011 the host server 290 takes
the step 6 1010 handling request message string encoded in a
parsable format (including control device 2-n 1002 sender unique
identification as "player 2--small blind") with its socket-enabled
message parsing library and responds by updating the gaming session
status heads-up on the display device 1003 (lounge left). More
specifically, the "player 2--small blind" response of $4.00,
betting pot update (from $14.00 to $18.00), fourth dealer card
(seven of clubs), and updated round status of "turn," all of which
are displayed for all players to see heads-up.
[0147] Next, in FIG. 10H step 8 1012, the host server 290
non-discriminately response handles (broadcasts) the associated
active game session state information updated to all control
devices with an active socket connection to the host server 290
which, in this case are control devices 1001 and 1002. All the
control devices 1001 and 1002 update their user interfaces to
visually indicate the updates, more specifically the round "turn"
and associated betting increment (to $4.00, $8.00, $12.00)
updates.
[0148] In an embodiment, a node is capable of loading resources.
FIG. 11A depicts two nodes which are 1) a typical node A 1100
comprising a network interface 1101, an audio or stereo output
1102, and an HDMI or video output 1103 and 2) an alternate node B
1104 comprising a network interface 1105, analog IO pins 1106, and
a camera 1107. In this example, the nodes 1100, 1104 use a Linux
operating system. Various resource loading processes may be
triggered as a part of the node boot sequence, periodically, by an
event such as a D-Bus event, upon application initialization, upon
message reception, or any other time. Resource loading processes
load and organize a node's resource loading, loading IO
peripherals, available applications, and connections to other nodes
on the network. Any resource loading process or sub-process may be
executed independently, at the same or different times, by any
number of triggers. The resource loading process may consist of
various other device-specific or IO peripheral-specific processes
such as initializing analog pins, determining system architecture,
or loading device drivers, but the minimum requirement is discovery
of the peripheral resources, installed application resources, and
network resources.
[0149] FIG. 11B depicts a possible resource loading processes for
discovering, loading, and/or organizing IO peripherals, etc. Any
node, or combinations thereof (e.g. in this figure nodes are
represented as "typical" 1100 and "alternate" 1400 nodes) having
software list of IO peripherals 1108, 1109 available. Note that
before the resource loading initialization process begins, the core
software within any node is initially empty in the "before" list.
Then, in the sequence of commands is executed. In command 1, both
nodes query their audio managing software (e.g. ALSA) for available
audio output devices, and load discovered audio-out devices are
configured and saved in their respective IO peripherals, as shown
in 1108 and 1109. As depicted in this FIG. 11B, only node A 1100
discovers stereo output peripherals 1102. In command 2 any node
(e.g. node A 1100 and node B 1104) queries their kernel PCI
managing software to discover any HDMI outputs and add any
discovered HDMI output peripherals to their respective IO
peripheral lists (1108, 1109). Further note that only node A 1100
discovers HDMI output peripherals 1103. Next, in command 3 any node
(e.g. node A 1100 and node B 1104) queries their operating systems
for analog pins and add any discovered analog pin peripherals to
their respective IO peripheral lists (1108, 1109). In this example,
only node B 1104 discovers analog pins 1106, and further discovers
that they are both capable of input and output 1109. In command 4,
the any of the nodes (e.g. node A 1100 and node B 1104) queries
their kernels for USB cameras and add any discovered cameras to
their respective IO peripheral lists (1108, 1109). In this example,
only node B 1104 discovers a camera 1107. The resulting IO
peripherals lists 1108, 1109 are depicted in the "After" list. Each
node's IO peripheral list 1108, 1109 are available as a resource to
other software on each of the any other local nodes (e.g. node A
1100 and node B 1104), as well as other nodes via a node-capable
messaging library that are not local. Note that an IO peripheral
loading process may be run at any time (e.g. run the commands each
time D-Bus alerts the connection of a new hardware device), may
include more or fewer steps (e.g. starting ALSA could be a step),
and may be device-specific (e.g. a node could have different code
than another node).
[0150] FIG. 11C depicts a possible setup process for discovering,
loading, and organizing available applications. In this example,
node A 1100 and node B 1104 have already discovered, organized, and
exposed their IO peripheral devices, as well as their processors.
In this embodiment, as depicted in step 1 1110 each of the nodes
1100, 1104 queries a list of possibly available applications from a
remote server on the internet, perhaps including in the query user
information and authentication. The list of initial applications
could also have been stored locally, or synthesized in any other
way. In this case, the list of possibly available applications
includes the system requirements for running said application,
including required IO peripherals and required minimum processor.
Also, as depicted in step 1211, each of nodes 1100, 1104 filter the
lists of possibly available applications using its own list of IO
peripherals and processor information. The final filtered list 1111
of available applications for node A 1100 includes only game 1,
since game 2 requires a more powerful processor and LED requires
analog output pins. The final filtered list 11 of available
applications for node B 1104 includes only LED, since both game 1
and game 2 require a video output. The list of available
applications for each node is accessible through a node-capable
messaging library.
[0151] FIG. 11D depicts a possible setup (e.g. resource loading)
process for discovering and tracking other nodes. Given the network
interfaces 1101, 1105 made available by the operating system and a
pre-loaded messaging library, nodes 1100, 1104 can discover other
nodes and their types. In step 1 1115 of one embodiment, both node
A 1100 and node B 1104 are configured to query a remote server for
a list of other nodes to connect to (e.g. a "connection group") and
their IP addresses. There are other methods for discovering a
connection group (e.g. UPnP, etc.) and other protocols for
connecting and passing messages (e.g. IPv6 or ARPANET). In step 2
1116, both node A 1100 and node B 1104 creates a connection
representation of other nodes available to the node-capable
messaging library. A list of other nodes may be further refined as
shown in step 3 1117, where both node A 1100 and node B 1104
confirms their availability to other nodes with an "initialization"
message. Such an initialization message may also include
information such as unique identification of the node.
[0152] In an embodiment, node A 1100 and node B 1104 are capable of
connecting to other nodes and passing "meaningful" messages. Here,
meaningful is defined as the ability to send information which an
analogous messaging library receiving said message can interpret as
data able to be used by a node's software (e.g. resource loading,
application, or core). One way to send meaningful messages is
through the use of an Internet Protocol (IP) network socket
protocol, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User
Datagram Protocol (UDP). While there are many networking protocols
(e.g. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency, etc.), TCP is particularly useful
in illustrating an example embodiment of a node-capable messaging
library: TCP requires a connection to initialize, and this
connection stays live throughout its use, unlike HTTP or UDP which
are "stateless" (e.g. each message is independent of the previous
ones), TCP connections are bi-directional (e.g. either end can
initiate a message), and TCP protocol has low over-head relative to
HTTP or other protocols built on top of TCP. Thus, each node has a
connection representation implemented in some networking protocol
connecting the node to other nodes, depicted in FIG. 12A. Another
type of protocol other than TCP may have a connection abstraction
representation with these similar properties (e.g. cookies do part
of this in HTTP).
[0153] FIGS. 12A-12C further represents an encoding/decoding
library. In this embodiment, a node's core or application software
1200, 1207 is capable of exchanging meaningful information (e.g.
send/receive data, remote function calls, etc.) regardless of the
language or native format 1206, 1211 of the node. In this
embodiment, a node uses two tools to accomplish this goal which are
1) a standard parser 1201 or standard encoder 1208, and 2) a
connection abstraction 1202, 1209.
[0154] FIG. 12A represents a node receiving data. First, raw data
1203 is received over a network over some protocol. This protocol
could be any protocol, such as TCP, UDP, HTTP, morse code, ARPANET,
etc. A connection abstraction 1202 specific to the network protocol
interprets the raw data and transforms it into standard encoded
data 1205. Standard encoded data 1205 could be XML string
standards. Thus, a connection abstraction provides a consistent
interface for its appropriate network protocol. A TCP socket
abstraction is a standard connection abstraction provided by an
operating system such as Linux. It provides a standard interface to
connect, send or receive messages initiated by either end of the
connection, and persistence of the abstraction across messages.
Thus, a connection abstraction can be created around an otherwise
connectionless protocol. For example, HTTP, which is connectionless
since only clients can initiate a message and there is no
persistence between messages, can be encapsulated in an abstraction
in which both ends act as servers (e.g. either side may initiate a
message) and tokens and cookies are used to establish persistence
between messages. Standard encoded data 1205 can be parsed by a
standard parser 1201 and converted into a node's core or
application 1200 native formats 1206, which can be interpreted by a
node's core or application 1200. The node's core or application
1200 can be written in any e language supported by a given standard
parser 1201.
[0155] Similarly, FIG. 12B demonstrates a method for sending a
message in any formatted core application across a network. First,
a node's core or application 1207 written in any language or format
sends natively formatted data 1211 to an encoder 1208. Again, this
encoder 1208 must be specific to the native format 1211. The
encoder 1208 encodes natively formatted data into a standard format
such as XML, and this standard encoded data 1212 is sent to a
connection abstraction 1209. This connection abstraction interprets
standard encoded data 1212 and converts it to raw connection data
1210 encoded in the network connection protocol the specific
connection abstraction 1209 is capable of handling.
[0156] With FIGS. 12A and 12B, it is demonstrated that any node
written in any native language may communicate to any other node
with meaningful messages at any given time. FIG. 12C demonstrates
and clarifies the established functionality in a concrete example
case where an iOS application sends a message to an indirectly
connected node's application written in JAVA. First, the iOS
application 1207 sends its natively formatted data 1211 to an XML
encoder 1208. This specific XML encoder is written to accept iOS
formatted data inputs and output XML standard encoded data 1212.
The standard encoded data 1212 enters a TCP connection abstraction
and sends the data to the other end of the connection abstraction
via the TCP network 1217.
[0157] Node A receives the data using steps described in FIG. 12C.
The node's core, upon reading the message, could determine that
node B 1216 is the desired recipient. Then, using the process
described in FIG. 12B, it could send the data to node B 1216. Note
that the core of node A 1215 could be written in any language
independent of the language of the iOS application 1214 and node B
1216. Further note that node A 1215 requires a connection
abstraction 1209 capable sending data over a UDP network in order
to communicate with node B 1216. Node B 1216 receives the UDP
encoded message 1204 in its connection abstraction 1202, and using
the method described in FIG. 12A, passes the message into its
application 1200.
[0158] The definition and usages of available applications,
application sessions, application processes, host applications, and
control applications are further explained in FIG. 13A. An
available application (e.g. internet radio, etc.) does not refer to
a specific existing instance of internet radio, but rather the code
that allows it to be instantiated. This is in contrast to an
application process, which refers to a running instance of a
process which is part of an application, rather than the whole. A
process (e.g. application process) can run only on a single node
(e.g. by the definition of process in terms of standard operating
systems), but a group of processes can act together as a single
instance of an available application, known as an application
session 1304. Thus, an application session 1304 is a collection of
one or more application processes (e.g. node A "application
process" 1301 and node B "application process" 1302, and control
device 1300), whose code was defined in an available application.
Further note that the application session 1304 control application
instance is shown on control device 1300. Also, note that in this
example if FIG. 13A, the node C 1303 is not sharing in the
application processes of node A 1301 and node B 1302, thus is not a
"participant" in the active session application 1304.
[0159] FIG. 13B shows how a single available application 1305 could
have various different executables designed to be run on different
nodes. In this example, the available application (e.g. internet
radio) is comprised of both a host application 1305 and a
controller application 1306. Upon instantiation, a host application
1305 process of the internet radio may accept messages (e.g. using
a node-capable messaging library) from a controller application
1306 process, as these application processes would have been
designed to communicate meaningfully to act as a single unit, or as
a uniquely identifiable application session 1304 (as shown in FIG.
13A).
[0160] In a preferred embodiment, information regarding resources
(application sessions, available applications, IO peripherals, and
general message exchange) in a network of nodes can be communicated
and aggregated. First, we must establish that a resource on any
node can be reached by any other node. This is true for any
connected graph of nodes, where edges are network connections
between nodes. Thus, when a node comes on line by connecting to any
node already in a connection group, it becomes part of that
connection group and can receive messages from any other node. In
the extreme case where message routing is simplified, each node can
make a direct connection to every other node, forming a fully
connected graph. Thus, any node may now exchange messages with any
other node directly. In a graph that is not fully connected, any
from a number of existing algorithms for graph search (including
Dijkstra's Algorithm) can be used to locate another node and pass
messages. A number of other improvements in message passing
efficiency can be used, but the fact that each node can exchange
messages with any other node is now established.
[0161] The ability of any node to exchange messages with any other
node allows for an embodiment where a control device can aggregate
all resource information in a single interface.
[0162] FIG. 14A demonstrates how a single control device 1400 can
individually send three messages 1404, 1406, 1408 to nodes A 1401,
B 1402, C 1402 and aggregate all resource information. In this
embodiment, each node is connected to every other node (1401, 1402,
and 1403), and message scan be sent via single direct connection as
shown in 1405, 1407, and 1409). In other embodiments different
numbers of messages can be sent, and message routing can follow any
connection path, as long as the control device 1400 candidate is a
member of the graph.
[0163] As depicted in FIG. 14B, is another preferred embodiment for
a single host node (e.g. node A 1412) acting as an interface for a
control device 1416. In this embodiment, the interface host 1412
could have previously aggregated all resource data, or could
aggregate it upon receiving an initialization message from a
control device 1416, or at any other time. Any of the other nodes
(e.g. node B 1410, node C 1411, node D 1413, and node E 1415)
reports their IO peripherals, available applications, and
application processes as well as the unique identifier of the
application session to which it belongs. Note that node D 1413 is
connected only to node A 1412, and uses node A 1412 to relay its
messages to the rest of the system.
[0164] FIG. 14C depicts an example of an embodiment with resource
aggregation in a control device. In this embodiment, all resources
can be aggregated using a method such as those described in FIGS.
14A and 14B. The aggregation interface 1417 displays aggregated
information from all nodes where information is displayed with no
indication to the user which node provided any given information.
The available applications resource 1420 displays a list of
available applications aggregated from all nodes. Upon selecting an
available application to instantiate, an aggregated list of
available, allowable IO peripherals 1418 can be displayed. Upon
selecting a peripheral, a session is activated, and then appears
with other the active sessions viewable within the active session
resource 1419 list. Note that this is just one possible way to
create a user interface in such a system.
[0165] Note that any of these nodes (e.g. nodes 1410, 1411, 1412,
1413, and/or 1415) can be embodied in a variety of mechanical and
electronic devices. An embodiment of a node A 1500 is a TELEVISION
dongle, which has a single video or HDMI output peripheral 1503
connected to an HDMI input peripheral 1504 on a display device
(television) 1505, as depicted in FIG. 15A. Furthermore, a node
could include a node packaged with a television, making a
smart-television with a single HDMI or video output peripheral
1503. In this embodiment, available applications could include, but
are certainly not limited to, internet television, video games,
picture viewing, word processing, web browsing, etc. Appropriate,
optimized control applications and host applications can be
instantiated separately. Multiple control devices or nodes could
participate in the same session (e.g. a two player game on two
nodes).
[0166] Furthermore, any wearable with IO (e.g. an electrical
blanket has a thermal output as a peripheral, glasses could have a
video and audio out, etc) can be a node. FIG. 15B depicts a node B
1506 in a pair of headphones 1511 with a stereo output peripheral
508 connected to an input 1510.
[0167] Home appliances constitute another possible category of
nodes. For example, a thermostat may have input peripherals
constituting various temperature sensors in a building, and output
peripheral constituting a controller for temperature. The
thermostat may then be set up to host a "thermostat" available
application. Alternatively, a laundry machine could be configured
with output peripheral controlling the laundry machine, input
peripheral receiving digital information from the laundry machine.
A laundry machine application, shown in FIG. 15C, could include a
host application on the laundry machine node C 1512 capable of
manipulating physical laundry machine to perform tasks (e.g. "quick
wash", "change temperature", etc.), and a control application could
present a user interface for all such functions. The laundry
machine node C 1512 and the availability of the laundry application
could be visible to the user via a singular interface or the
like.
[0168] A large variety of devices can be configured to participate
on a network and share resources. Applications of such a system and
method are diverse and may comprise, but are not limited to, some
of the following examples such as 1) entertainment based themes
such as gaming consoles, televisions, amplifiers, projectors, etc.
2) wearable items such as glasses, clothing, headphones, watches,
shoes (e.g. how far have I walked, timing lights to footstep), etc.
3) appliance items such as laundry machine, dryer, dish washer,
coffee maker, toaster, oven, thermostat, refrigerator, etc, and 4)
other application types such as automobile, airplane seats, any
entertainment device in hotel rooms, jukebox at a bar, etc.
[0169] Further embodiments of the present disclosure include
applications of the aforementioned system and method for
configuring, networking, and controlling uniquely identifiable
network capable devices and associated nodes types, all of which
are described in detail in the summary above.
[0170] Embodiments of democratically (e.g. non-discriminatively)
managing the separation and distribution of digital content and
associated controls in a network may include, but are not limited
to, uses of processing nodes that are described herein. These
embodiments benefit from the descriptions and figures relating to
non-discriminative control device operation in co-pending
application U.S. Ser. No. 14/147,397 filed Jan. 4, 2014. Processing
node embodiments include operations including receiving a request
from any one of a plurality of control devices that participate in
an active control session, responding democratically via a
processing node configured to perform host server functions to any
one of the control device requests, and delivering content and/or
control elements via a processing node to a real-world input/output
device that is connected to the processing node. Delivering the
content may rely upon a control session application function being
executed by the processing node. The request from any one of a
plurality of control devices may be in the form of data that is
representative of command gestures captured in a native user
interface of the control device. Such a request may be forwarded to
the function configured node that interprets the command gesture
data and adjusts the real-world input/output device operation (e.g.
change in displayed content) based thereon. The request from any
one or more of the plurality of control devices may include a
session state change request (e.g. zone change). A processing node
receiving such a request may determine an appropriate action (e.g.
transferring output to a different display device) and may query
other nodes to determine which node best meets the requirements of
the request. The result may be a transfer of the specific session
application function from the node receiving the request to execute
on the node that best meets the requirements of the request. These
democratic (e.g. non-discriminative) themed examples of management
of separation and distribution of digital content are also user
experience optimized for various application types and associated
controls, digital content, status information, and the like. Each
node may be adapted to participate in user experience optimization
during an active content distribution and control session that
includes a host node, control devices, real-world connectable
processing nodes, and input/output by performing its specific
application function in a cooperative manner with other processing
nodes across a commonly shared network.
[0171] Embodiments of autocratically (e.g. discriminatively)
managing the separation and distribution of digital content and
associated controls in a network of real-world connectable
processing nodes includes handling requests from control devices by
the nodes in a control device-specific way. This may enable
capabilities such, as users being limited to manipulating only a
portion of content being presented through a real-world IO device
via one of the real-world connectable processing nodes (to which
the I/O device connects), Discriminative methods and systems for
content distribution and control are further described in
co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 14/149,541 filed Jan. 7,
2014.
[0172] An embodiment of heads-up content item selection of content
presented on one or more output devices may include a plurality of
uniquely identifiable control devices participating in a control
session to control a portion of the presented content that is
uniquely associated with the control device. A request to control
such an associated content item may be received by a processing
node (e.g. a host application configured node, and the like) that
may connect directly to a real-world output device on which the
content is presented. The processing node may be configured with a
functional portion of a session application so that the processing
node may execute the function in response to receiving the request.
In an example, the request may be to manipulate a content
interaction indicator that is presented on the output device and
the function may facilitate updating the output display.
[0173] In another example, a processing node may be used, such as
to provide a host server capability in a heads-down content item
selection embodiment for providing a list of content items to a
control device to be presented in its heads-down display. Upon the
host server operative processing node (aka host node) receiving a
user selection of a content item, the host node may communicate
with another node that interfaces with a real-world display to
cause the selected content item to be displayed. A processing node
in this example may also provide a content list filtering function
to generate a control device-specific list of content items. Such
content list filtering may be based on a participant class of the
control device, so that only content items that are compatible with
the participant class are selectable on the control device.
[0174] Another embodiment of a processing node as described herein
may include discriminative control for a plurality of players
within a session for a multi-player game application. A processing
node that connects to a real-world output display device may
facilitate presenting a plurality of content items that are
separately controlled by alternate unique control devices
participating in the session. Each unique control device may
communicate directly over a local network to the output-connected
processing node, which may manipulate each separately controllable
content item based on communication from the corresponding control
device. The processing node may take on a host server role, a
complete application role, a set of functions of the application,
and the like.
[0175] Another example embodiment of the present disclosure
includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer
readable program codes embodied therein for managing and
distributing digital content media and associated controls given
the application type in a network system, the computer readable
program codes including instructions that, when executed by a
processor, cause the processor to receive a request from any one of
a plurality of control devices to deliver at least one item of
digital content either stored on or provided via Internet access of
a host server through the network system from the host server.
Further, the code causes the processor to uniquely identify and
decide to discriminate between any of the plurality of control
devices and similarly to any of the plurality of output devices
when a given specific application types requires the host server to
do so. Further, the code causes the processor to serve the at least
one item of digital content and/or the session state information
via the selected outputs in response to receiving the command from
any one of the control devices. Similarly, given the specific
application type the code causes the processor to either uniquely
identify and include control and output device information in the
session state information. Further note that the code may reside
both on host server operating system and associated processor and
additionally on the control device resident operating system and
resident operating system and associated processor.
[0176] In addition, the code causes the processor to provide any
one of the control devices with session state information
associated with the digital content and session state information
for a plurality of outputs of the host server connected to the
network system in response to receiving the request. The code also
causes the processor to receive a command from the any one of the
control devices to serve the at least one item of digital content
or the session state information associated with the digital
content or the session state information for the plurality of
outputs of the host server via a selected output, the selected
output being selected by a user of any one of the plurality of
control devices based on at least the session state information
associated with the plurality of outputs connected to the network
system. Further, the code causes the processor to serve the at
least one item of digital content or the session state information
via the selected outputs in response to receiving the command from
any one of the control devices.
[0177] Further example embodiments of the present disclosure may be
configured using a computer program product; for example, controls
may be programmed in software for implementing example embodiments
of the present disclosure. Further example embodiments of the
present disclosure may include a non-transitory computer readable
medium containing instruction that may be executed by a processor,
and, when executed, because the processor to complete methods
described herein. It should be understood that elements of the
block and flow diagrams described herein may be implemented in
software, hardware, firmware, or other similar implementation
determined in the future. In addition, the elements of the block
and flow diagrams described herein may be combined or divided in
any manner in software, hardware, or firmware. If implemented in
software, the software may be written in any language that can
support the example embodiments disclosed herein. The software may
be stored in any form of computer readable medium, such as random
access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), compact disk read only
memory (CD-ROM), and so forth. In operation, a general purpose or
application specific processor loads and executes software in a
manner well understood in the art. It should be understood further
that the block and flow diagrams may include more or fewer
elements, be arranged or oriented differently, or be represented
differently. It should be understood that implementation may
dictate the block, flow, and/or network diagrams and the number of
block and flow diagrams illustrating the execution of embodiments
of the disclosure.
[0178] Yet another embodiment of discriminative control
device-specific content distribution and control session operation
discriminative control for a plurality of participants for a party
themed (e.g. DJ) application session may be embodied in a network
of processing nodes as described herein. A processing node in the
network may be configured with a function that facilitates handling
of a plurality of party participants that share a common
participant class (e.g. party guest). Such a function may
effectively cause the plurality of party guest participants to be
treated as a single guest so that requests for content items,
content manipulation, and the like may be aggregated and
coordinated. A resulting single guest view of this plurality of
control devices may be communicated to a display output processing
node that accepts this input and determines appropriate display
related actions to take.
[0179] Procedure or method steps can be performed by one or more
programmable processors executing a computer program to perform
functions of the invention by operating on input data and
generating output. Method steps can also be performed by and an
apparatus can be implemented as special purpose logic circuitry.
The circuitry can, for example, be a FPGA (field programmable gate
array) and/or an aSIC (application-specific integrated circuit).
Subroutines and software agents can refer to portions of the
computer program, the processor, the special circuitry, software,
and/or hardware that implement that functionality.
[0180] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program
include, by way of example, both general and special purpose
microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of
digital computer. Generally, a processor receives instructions and
data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The
essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing
instructions and one or more memory devices for storing
instructions and data. Generally, a computer can be operatively
coupled to receive data from and/or transfer data to one or more
mass storage devices for storing data (e.g., magnetic,
magneto-optical disks, or optical disks).
[0181] Data transmission and instructions can also occur over a
communications network. Computer program products suitable for
embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms
of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor
memory devices. The computer program products can, for example, be
EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory devices, magnetic disks, internal hard
disks, removable disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROM, and/or
DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by,
and/or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.
[0182] To provide for interaction with a user, the above described
techniques and approaches can be implemented on a computer having a
display device. The display device can, for example, be a cathode
ray tube (CRT) and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. The
interaction with a user can, for example, be a display of
information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g.,
a mouse or a trackball) by which the user can provide input to the
computer (e.g., interact with a user interface element). Other
kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a
user. Other devices can, for example, be feedback provided to the
user in any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback,
auditory feedback, or tactile feedback). Input from the user can,
for example, be received in any form, including acoustic, speech,
and/or tactile input.
[0183] The above described techniques and approaches can be
implemented in a distributed computing system that includes a
back-end component. The back-end component can, for example, be a
data server, a middleware component, and/or an application server.
The above described techniques and approaches can be implemented in
a distributing computing system that includes a front-end
component. The front-end component can, for example, be a client
computer having a graphical user interface, a Web browser through
which a user can interact with an example implementation, and/or
other graphical user interfaces for a transmitting device. The
components of the system can be interconnected by any form or
medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication
network). Examples of communication networks include a local area
network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, wired
networks, and/or wireless networks.
[0184] The system can include clients and host servers. A client
and a host server are generally remote from each other and
typically interact through a communication network. The
relationship of client and host server arises by virtue of computer
programs running on the respective computers and having a
client-host server relationship to each other.
[0185] Packet-based networks can include, for example, the
Internet, a carrier Internet protocol (IP) network (e.g., local
area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), campus area network
(CAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), home area network (HAN)), a
private IP network, an IP private branch exchange (IPBX), a
wireless network (e.g., radio access network (RAN), 802.11 network,
802.16 network, general packet radio service (GPRS) network,
HiperLAN), and/or other packet-based networks. Circuit-based
networks can include, for example, the public switched telephone
network (PSTN), a private branch exchange (PBX), a wireless network
(e.g., RAN, Bluetooth, code-division multiple access (CDMA)
network, time division multiple access (TDMA) network, global
system for mobile communications (GSM) network), and/or other
circuit-based networks.
[0186] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in
part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software,
program codes, and/or instructions on a processor. The processor
may be part of a server, client, network infrastructure, mobile
computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other
computing platform. A processor may be any kind of computational or
processing device capable of executing program instructions, codes,
binary instructions and the like. The processor may be or include a
signal processor, digital processor, embedded processor,
microprocessor or any variant such as a co-processor (math
co-processor, graphic co-processor, communication co-processor and
the like) and the like that may directly or indirectly facilitate
execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon.
In addition, the processor may enable execution of multiple
programs, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed
simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to
facilitate simultaneous operations of the application. By way of
implementation, methods, program codes, program instructions and
the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread.
The thread may spawn other threads that may have assigned
priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these
threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions
provided in the program code. The processor may include memory that
stores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described
herein and elsewhere. The processor may access a storage medium
through an interface that may store methods, codes, and
instructions as described herein and elsewhere. The storage medium
associated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes,
program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being
executed by the computing or processing device may include but may
not be limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk,
flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and the like.
[0187] A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance
speed and performance of a multiprocessor. In embodiments, the
process may be a dual core processor, quad core processors, other
chip-level multiprocessor and the like that combine two or more
independent cores (called a die).
[0188] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in
part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software
on a server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such
computer and/or networking hardware. The software program may be
associated with a server that may include a file server, print
server, domain server, internet server, intranet server and other
variants such as secondary server, host server, distributed server
and the like. The server may include one or more of memories,
processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical
and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of
accessing other servers, clients, machines, and devices through a
wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs or
codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the
server. In addition, other devices required for execution of
methods as described in this application may be considered as a
part of the infrastructure associated with the server.
[0189] The server may provide an interface to other devices
including, without limitation, clients, other servers, printers,
database servers, print servers, file servers, communication
servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this
coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of
program across the network. The networking of some or all of these
devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method
at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the
invention. In addition, all the devices attached to the server
through an interface may include at least one storage medium
capable of storing methods, programs, code and/or instructions. A
central repository may provide program instructions to be executed
on different devices. In this implementation, the remote repository
may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and
programs.
[0190] The software program may be associated with a client that
may include a file client, print client, domain client, internet
client, intranet client and other variants such as secondary
client, host client, distributed client and the like. The client
may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable
media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication
devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other clients,
servers, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless
medium, and the like. The methods, programs or codes as described
herein and elsewhere may be executed by the client. In addition,
other devices required for execution of methods as described in
this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure
associated with the client.
[0191] The client may provide an interface to other devices
including, without limitation, servers, other clients, printers,
database servers, print servers, file servers, communication
servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this
coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of
program across the network. The networking of some or all of these
devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method
at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the
invention. In addition, all the devices attached to the client
through an interface may include at least one storage medium
capable of storing methods, programs, applications, code and/or
instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions
to be executed on different devices. In this implementation, the
remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code,
instructions, and programs.
[0192] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in
part or in whole through network infrastructures. The network
infrastructure may include elements such as computing devices,
servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers,
communication devices, routing devices and other active and passive
devices, modules and/or components as known in the art. The
computing and/or non-computing device(s) associated with the
network infrastructure may include, apart from other components, a
storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM, ROM and
the like. The processes, methods, program codes, instructions
described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of
the network infrastructural elements.
[0193] The methods, program codes, and instructions described
herein and elsewhere may be implemented on a cellular network
having multiple cells. The cellular network may either be frequency
division multiple access (FDMA) network or code division multiple
access (CDMA) network. The cellular network may include mobile
devices, cell sites, base stations, repeaters, antennas, towers,
and the like.
[0194] The methods, programs codes, and instructions described
herein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile
devices. The mobile devices may include navigation devices, cell
phones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops,
palmtops, netbooks, pagers, electronic books readers, music players
and the like. These devices may include, apart from other
components, a storage medium such as a flash memory, buffer. RAM,
ROM and one or more computing devices. The computing devices
associated with mobile devices may be enabled to execute program
codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon. Alternatively, the
mobile devices may be configured to execute instructions in
collaboration with other devices. The mobile devices may
communicate with base stations interfaced with servers and
configured to execute program codes. The mobile devices may
communicate on a peer to peer network, mesh network, or other
communications network. The program code may be stored on the
storage medium associated with the server and executed by a
computing device embedded within the server. The base station may
include a computing device and a storage medium. The storage device
may store program codes and instructions executed by the computing
devices associated with the base station.
[0195] The computer software, program codes, and/or instructions
may be stored and/or accessed on machine readable media that may
include: computer components, devices, and recording media that
retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time;
semiconductor storage known as random access memory (RAM); mass
storage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical
discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums,
cards and other types: processor registers, cache memory, volatile
memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage such as CD, DVD;
removable media such as flash memory (e.g. USB sticks or keys),
floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone
RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the
like; other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory,
read/write storage, mutable storage, read only, random access,
sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, content
addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar
codes, magnetic ink, and the like.
[0196] The methods and systems described herein may transform
physical and/or or intangible items from one state to another. The
methods and systems described herein may also transform data
representing physical and/or intangible items from one state to
another.
[0197] The elements described and depicted herein, including in
flow charts and block diagrams throughout the figures, imply
logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to
software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements
and the functions thereof may be implemented on machines through
computer executable media having a processor capable of executing
program instructions stored thereon as a monolithic software
structure, as standalone software modules, or as modules that
employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any
combination of these, and all such implementations may be within
the scope of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines may
include, but may not be limited to, personal digital assistants,
laptops, personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld
computing devices, medical equipment, wired or wireless
communication devices, transducers, chips, calculators, satellites,
tablet PCs, electronic books, gadgets, electronic devices, devices
having artificial intelligence, computing devices, networking
equipment, servers, routers and the like. Furthermore, the elements
depicted in the flow chart and block diagrams or any other logical
component may be implemented on a machine capable of executing
program instructions. Thus, while the foregoing drawings and
descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems,
no particular arrangement of software for implementing these
functional aspects should be inferred from these descriptions
unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.
Similarly, it will be appreciated that the various steps identified
and described above may be varied, and that the order of steps may
be adapted to particular applications of the techniques disclosed
herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall
within the scope of this disclosure. As such, the depiction and/or
description of an order for various steps should not be understood
to require a particular order of execution for those steps, unless
required by a particular application, or explicitly stated or
otherwise clear from the context.
[0198] The methods and/or processes described above, and steps
thereof, may be realized in hardware, software or any combination
of hardware and software suitable for a particular application. The
hardware may include a general purpose computer and/or dedicated
computing device or specific computing device or particular aspect
or component of a specific computing device. The processes may be
realized in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded
microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other
programmable device, along with internal and/or external memory.
The processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application
specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array,
programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of
devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It
will further be appreciated that one or more of the processes may
be realized as a computer executable code capable of being executed
on a machine readable medium.
[0199] The computer executable code may be created using a
structured programming language such as C, an object oriented
programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or
low-level programming language (including assembly languages,
hardware description languages, and database programming languages
and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to
run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous
combinations of processors, processor architectures, or
combinations of different hardware and software, or any other
machine capable of executing program instructions.
[0200] Thus, in one aspect, each method described above and
combinations thereof may be embodied in computer executable code
that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the
steps thereof. In another aspect, the methods may be embodied in
systems that perform the steps thereof, and may be distributed
across devices in a number of ways, or all of the functionality may
be integrated into a dedicated, standalone device or other
hardware. In another aspect, the means for performing the steps
associated with the processes described above may include any of
the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations
and combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0201] While the invention has been disclosed in connection with
the preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various
modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent
to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of
the present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing
examples, but is to be understood in the broadest sense allowable
by law.
[0202] All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated in
their entirety by reference.
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