# US 10,321,165 B2 · Set-top box with interactive portal and system and method for use of same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,165 B2 - Document ID: US10321165B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/899,263 - Filed: 2018-02-19 - Published: 2018-08-30 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-31 - Assignees: Enseo, LLC - Applicants: Enseo, Inc. - Inventors: William C. Fang; Edward H. Wolfe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321165B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2143: {located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum (arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106)} - H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks} - H04L 12/283: {Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network} - H04N 21/25: Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies {(maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00)} - H04N 21/262: Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists {(scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62)} - H04N 21/4131: {home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices (home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807)} - H04N 21/436: Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home - H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)} - H04N 21/478: Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application - H04N 21/8126: {involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts} - H04N 21/8146: {involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics} - H04N 21/8153: {comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A set-top box with an interactive portal and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, the set-top box includes a housing that secures a signal input, a signal output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein in an interconnected bus architecture. The set-top box receives a status signal via the transceiver from an amenity. The set-top box then generates an interactive portal that includes a status icon relating to the status signal and a management icon relating to commanding the amenity or initiating a service request. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A set-top box comprising: a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein; a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the transceiver, the processor, and the memory; the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source, the source signal including a plurality of channels; the signal output configured to forward a tuned signal to a display connected to the signal output, the signal being tuned from the source signal at the set-top box; a configuration profile stored in the memory, the configuration profile enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities; the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive a status signal via the transceiver from an amenity, the amenity being one of the multiple proximate amenities, the status signal being received in response to an occurrence selected from the group consisting of an event at the amenity, a periodic update transmitted by the amenity, and a status inquiry initiated by the set-top box, access the configuration profile and determine a status icon relative to the status signal, the status icon provides a description of the state of the amenity, access the configuration profile and determine a management icon from a plurality of management icons relative to the status signal, the management icon being one of a command request and a service request, the command request operates the amenity, the service request solicits an order, and generate an interactive portal including the status icon and the plurality of management icons; forward the interactive portal to the display via the signal output; receive an interactive instruction relative to at least one of the plurality of management icons; and the housing having storage therein, the storage communicatively interconnected with the busing architecture, the storage storing a database having a plurality of annotated service profiles, each of the plurality of annotated service profiles corresponding to the multiple proximate amenities, the plurality of annotated service profiles including information relative to the service requests. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the service request further comprises a solicitation of a third-party order selected from the group consisting of repair, maintenance, and product fulfillment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the status icon further comprises words. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the status icon further comprises a graphical representation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the status icon further comprises a combination of words and a graphical representation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the management icon further comprises words. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the management icon further comprises a graphical representation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the management icon further comprises a combination of words and a graphical representation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of proximate amenities is selected from the group consisting of lighting, security alarm systems, garage doors, front doors, hot-water heaters, sump pumps, door bells, pet bowls, HVAC systems, and entry points. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of proximate amenities further comprises a single family residence amenity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The set-top box as recited in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with the plurality of proximate amenities via a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor and the memory are distributed through the housing-dongle combination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a housing-dongle combination securing the signal input, the signal output, the processor, memory, and storage therewith. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of televisions and electronic visual display devices. ### Claim 15 A set-top box comprising: a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein; a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the transceiver, the processor, and the memory; the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source, the source signal including a plurality of channels; the signal output configured to forward a tuned signal to a display connected to the signal output, the signal being tuned from the source signal at the set-top box; a configuration profile stored in the memory, the configuration profile enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities; the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive a status signal via the transceiver from an amenity, the amenity being one of the multiple proximate amenities, the status signal being received in response to an occurrence selected from the group consisting of an event at the amenity, a periodic update transmitted by the amenity, and a status inquiry initiated by the set-top box, access the configuration profile and determine a status icon relative to the status signal, the status icon provides a description of the state of the amenity, access the configuration profile and determine a management icon from a plurality of management icons relative to the status signal, the management icon including a command request and a service request, the command request operates the amenity, the service request solicits an order, and generate an interactive portal including the status icon and the plurality of management icons; forward the interactive portal to the display via the signal output; receive an interactive instruction relative to at least one of the plurality of management icons; and the housing further comprises storage therein, the storage communicatively interconnected with the busing architecture, the storage storing a database having a plurality of annotated service profiles, each of the plurality of annotated service profiles corresponding to the multiple proximate amenities, the plurality of annotated service profiles including information relative to the service requests. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The set-top box as recited in claim 15, wherein the service request further comprises a solicitation of a third-party order selected from the group consisting of repair, maintenance, and product fulfillment. ### Claim 17 A set-top box comprising: a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein; a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the transceiver, the processor, and the memory; the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source, the source signal including a plurality of channels; the signal output configured to forward a tuned signal to a display connected to the signal output, the signal being tuned from the source signal at the set-top box; a configuration profile stored in the memory, the configuration profile enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities; the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive a status signal via the transceiver from an amenity, the amenity being one of the multiple proximate amenities, the status signal being received in response to an occurrence selected from the group consisting of an event at the amenity, a periodic update transmitted by the amenity, and a status inquiry initiated by the set-top box, access the configuration profile and determine a status icon relative to the status signal, the status icon provides a description of the state of the amenity, access the configuration profile and determine a management icon from a plurality of management icons relative to the status signal, the management icon including a service request, the service request solicits a third-party order selected from the group consisting of repair, maintenance, and product fulfillment, and generate an interactive portal including the status icon and the plurality of management icons; forward the interactive portal to the display via the signal output; receive an interactive instruction relative to at least one of the plurality of management icons; and the housing further comprises storage therein, the storage communicatively interconnected with the busing architecture, the storage storing a database having a plurality of annotated service profiles, each of the plurality of annotated service profiles corresponding to the multiple proximate amenities, the plurality of annotated service profiles including information relative to the service requests.