GB2486191A

GB2486191A - Multimedia controller using mobile phone to transmit remote commands to an infra red transmitter.

Info

Publication number: GB2486191A
Application number: GB1020558.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nikolas Terizakis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-12-06
Filing date: 2010-12-06
Publication date: 2012-06-13
Also published as: GB201020558D0

Abstract

A software application installable on an internet enabled smart phone (3/4G, Wireless), which enables the smart phone to connect to an infrared transmitter via a secure wireless network connection. The software application is configured to control the multimedia devices in the user's premises (TV, PVR, Set Top Box, DVD etc), and translates high level user input (e.g. watch channel X in main picture on TV, and channel Y in a 'picture in picture', whilst increasing sound volume), into distinct device commands for the infrared transmitter to transmit. The infra-red transmitter, which can also act as the secure wireless network router / hub, receives the distinct device commands and transmits them as infrared pulses to the appropriate device. The software application may collect user viewing preferences, dependant on user permissions, which can be transmitted to a collecting party over internet and be utilised for targeted marketing or viewing suggestions. The software application may also update its capabilities and configurations by accessing, over the internet, relevant updates from an appropriate location. It may also access centralised TV Channel scheduling for the user to be able to better plan his viewing requirements.

Description

Multimedia Controller

Introduction

This invention relates to an infrared transmitter, which also acts as a wireless network (wifi) router and appropriate software installable on a smartphone that would allow the user to control a multimedia set up (TV, PVR, set top box etc).

Background

Currently, there is a plethora of media systems that a user can purchase and interconnect at home: TV, Sky/Virgin Set Top Box (STB) with / without Personal Video Recorder (PVR), DVD Player, Surround Sound, Games Consoles, Frecsat, Frcevicw etc, each requiring its own remote controller. Furthermore, to view the media content delivered by each device, the user needs to tune the TV to the appropriate input for that device, invariably through a cryptic button on the TV remote control.

The whole environment is highly confusing, as remote controls are incompatible with each other, and often replicate functionality (eg volume control). The user has to remember arcane button press sequences of buttons residing in multiple remote controls, to achieve even simple activities (eg view from DVD, whilst recording on PVR).

These problems exist even if one were to purchase a TV and related multimedia systems (DVD Player, Surround Sound / Home Cinema) from the same manufacturer.

Due to these inherent complexities, users utilise a small fraction of the overall installed multimedia environment capabilities, resulting to a wasted investment and sub-optimal experience.

Programmable remote controls that try to overcome these problems do exist in the market at the moment. However, they are very similar to the existing remote controls as provided by the TV and Media manufacturers. The only improvement they provide is that they put all the functionality into one controller, without necessarily simplifying the task. If anything, these devices make the situation harder as the become very complex to operate, needing even higher levels of memorisation of the functionality of the various buttons on them, Overview and Benefits This invention overcomes these problems via the creation of a user experience' environment, where the user specifies whole actions' (eg record programme X on the PVR at time Y, and play now the DVD') using the capabilities of a paired smart phone that is running the appropriate control software and an infrared emitting device.

The invention requires the user to posses a smartphone that can connect to the internet and the world-wide-web (Web) and wireless network access capabilities (wifi). The smartphone can connect to the internet and the Web either via GPRS/3G/4G/LTE or the wifi, it is irrelevant to the invention requirements.

This invention additionally uses an internet based access to the TV schedules, as published by broadcasters on the Web, to allow for the selection of viewing & recording activities (the lafter dependant on the existence of a connected and functioning PVR type of device at the user's premise).

Additionally with the user's permission, the invention will utilise the smartphone's internet access to provide feedback of the viewing and recording habits of the user. This feedback could be utilised for enhanced viewing recommendations and targeted marketing.

Detailed Component Description

The invention consists of the following components: 1. An infrared emifter that is used to transmit the appropriate sequence of commands to the various devices: TV, Satellite / Cable Set Top boxes, PVRs, DVD Players, Games consoles etc. This emifter is also a wireless network (wifi) router device, which will create a wireless network on power-up. The wifi network will be secured via appropriate encryption. The emitter is connected to the mains power supply via a transformer, or powered up through a battery.

2. A software program that: a. Is provided on a CD.

b. Is installed on a smartphone (usually via a personal computer to which the smartphone is connected, and an intermediary loader' software).

c. Via prompted user input, it is provided with the specific models of the TV and Media devices that will be controlled.

d. Based on the selected media devices it loads the required software routines for the controlling of these devices.

e. Connects to the infrared emitter via the wifi.

3. A centralised database, to which the user can utilise to download and install the control software on his/her smartphone (should he/she elect not to install this via the provided CD), or download and install updates to the already installed software. The database will also store the programming of channels as provided published by various broadcasters, which the user can access to plan the recording of programs on the media devices (PVR) Figure 1 shows an overall schematic and arrangement of the invention.

Installation The invention is installed via plugging the transformer into the power socket and connecting it to the infrared emitter. The emitter will also set up a wifi network, for the controller to connect to.

The user will then have to install the multimedia controller software to the smartphone, either via connecting the smartphone to a personal computer and installing via the supplied CD; or via the use of the internet connection of the smartphone. Figure 2a shows a schematic of a CD / DVD based installation for the smartphone based controller.

Figure 2b shows a schematic of the smartphone based controller installed over the internet (wifi or 3/40 based access).

Once installed, as a follow-up action, the control software on the smartphone will ask the user to identify, via a graphical user interface, the devices that will be controlled, from a list of supported devices. Once the devices have been identified, the control software will load the appropriate routines and configure itself to control these devices. This configuration may involve access the centralised database via the internet connection, to download additional routines and configuration parameters. The user will also be asked to confirm his/her agreement to the collection of viewing and recording statistics, that can be used to enhance viewing suggestions or improved marketing messages.

This configuration will associate the majority of the most common user experience activities (eg, Record Channel X on PVR'), with the respective infrared signals on the appropriate frequencies for each device under control.

After the controlled media devices are defined and configured on the smartphone, the smartphone will connect to the infrared transmitter, via the (wifi) that the wireless infrared transmitter has created. The installation of the controller software on the smartphone, will also set up the required wifi and encryption parameters for the smartphone to join the wifi network securily.

Operation To operate the multimedia controller system, the user will utilise a graphical user interface on the smartphone to define an action (eg: watch channel X in main picture on TV, and channel Y in a picture in picture' format.). The controller software in the smartphone will then send to the infrared transmitter the appropriate sequence of commands for the correct infrared signal transmission to the correct device. Figure 3 shows a schematic of the operation of the remote controller on the smartphone, potentially using the centrally held and provided channel program scheduling.

The infrared device may store or buffer the commands, and transmit them in the sequence that they were received. The intelligence to translate the high level user experience commands into simple infrared transmission commands for each media device is in the smartphone application. The infrared device simply receives the infrared transmission commands and transmits infrared signalling to each controlled device. Figure 4 shows the infrared device operating principles.

Claims

SClaims 1. An infrared transmitter that translates software commands to infrared light commands and sends theme to media devices, in response to said software commands sent over wireless network (wifi) from a smartphone based software multimedia device controller.
2. An infrared transmitter, according to claim 1, that is a wifi base transmitter router, creating a wifi network which is secured via appropriate security protocols.
3. A software program that is installed on a smartphonc and performs the role of device remote controller for media devices (eg TV, DVD, PVRs, Set lop Boxes ctc), by connecting to the infrared transmitter, according to claim 1, via secure wifi, and sends the appropriate commands to the infrared transmitter to control these devices, based on user selection.
4. A software program, according to claim 3, which will configure itself with the correct software routines to control the media devices, based on user selection during installation, and may download updated routines from the internet, as required.
5. A software program, according to claim 3, which will present the user with a graphical user interface that will allow the user to define a high level function akin to a user experience' (eg Record Channel X on PVR and watch Channel Y on TV') and then will send this selection as a series of commands to the infrared transmitter for the infrared transmitter to onwards transmit as infrared signals.
6. A software program, according to claim 3, which will connect to the central database, using a smartphone based internet access and will allow the user improved channel viewing and recording decisions based on what is being transmitted now or in the future.
7. A software programme that will select statistics on viewing and recording habits of the user, and, provided the user permits it, utilise the smartphone based internet access, transmits these back to the central database.
8. A centraliscd service that will provide the user with enhanced viewing and recording suggestions or specialist marketing messages, through the smartphone based remote control controller software, based on provided user viewing habits and utilising the wireless or 30/40 smartphone based internet access.