System and method for providing user-centric content to an electronic device
Assigneegabi Solutions, Inc.
InventorsLuis J. Diaz, John Hand, Norman Sherman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system or method that can, in response to a command submitted by a user to a target electronic device, identify and select a media source and/or file of a preferred media type, a preferred content type, and of a length that will fill the time required for the target electronic device to complete the command, thereby enabling the entirety of the content to be delivered to the user while waiting for completion of the command.
Claims34
A system for providing content to a user electronic device connectable to a target electronic device over a network, a plurality of media servers being connected to the network, each of the plurality of media servers having access to a plurality of media files, each of the plurality of media files having a playback length, the system comprising:
- a smart box connectable to the network, the smart box having a central processing unit comprising a processor and memory having stored therein general purpose software, and having storable therein smart box special purpose software;
- a server connectable to the network and having a processor and memory, the memory having stored therein server special purpose software and a user account file associated with the user, the user account file containing a user preference;
- and
- a user device control installable on the user electronic device, wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to transmit a command to the smart box for the target electronic device, the target electronic device being capable of completing the command in a time period;
- wherein the smart box is configured to determine the time period, and to identify at least one of the plurality of media servers having a target media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a playback length not greater than the time period;
- wherein the smart box is configured to transmit the command to the target electronic device, obtain the target media file, and to transmit the target media file to the user electronic device for playback thereon while the target electronic device performs the command,
- wherein the user device control of the user electronic device defines an edge of the network,
- wherein the target electronic device has at least one preset function,
- wherein at least one function not native to the target electronic device and different than the at least one preset function is accessible by the user with the user electronic device, and
- wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to access the at least one function to enable the target electronic device to at least one of perform and respond to the at least one function.
A method for providing content to a user electronic device connectable to a target electronic device over a network, a plurality of media servers being connected to the network, each of the plurality of media servers having access to a plurality of media files, each of the plurality of media files having a playback length, the method comprising the step of providing a smart box connectable to the network, the smart box having a central processing unit comprising a processor and memory having stored therein general purpose software, and having storable therein smart box special purpose software, wherein the smart box special purpose software is configured for:
- receiving a command to control a target electronic device from a user device control installed on the user electronic device;
- determining a time period for the target electronic device to complete the command;
- determining a user preference;
- identifying a media server having a target media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a playback length not greater than the time period;
- obtaining the target media file;
- and
- transmitting the target media file to the user electronic device for playback thereon while the target electronic device performs the command,
- wherein the user device control of the user electronic device defines an edge of the network,
- wherein the target electronic device has at least one preset function,
- wherein at least one function not native to the target electronic device and different than the at least one preset function is accessible by the user with the user electronic device, and
- wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to access the at least one function to enable the target electronic device to at least one of perform and respond to the at least one function.
A system for providing content to a user electronic device connectable to a target electronic device over a network, a plurality of media servers being connected to the network, each of the plurality of media servers having access to a plurality of media files, each of the plurality of media files having a playback length, the system comprising:
- a smart box connectable to the network, the smart box having a central processing unit comprising a processor and memory having stored therein general purpose software, and having storable therein smart box special purpose software;
- a server connectable to the network and having a processor and memory, the memory having stored therein server special purpose software and a user account file associated with the user, the user account file containing a user preference;
- and
- a user device control installable on the user electronic device, wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to transmit a command to the smart box for the target electronic device, the target electronic device being capable of completing the command in a time period;
- wherein the smart box is configured to determine the time period, and to identify at least one of the plurality of media servers having a first media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a first playback length, and to identify at least one of the plurality of media servers having a second media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a second playback length;
- wherein the smart box is configured to transmit the command to the target electronic device, obtain the first media file, and to transmit the first media file to the user electronic device for playback thereon while the target electronic device performs the command;
- wherein the smart box is configured to obtain the second media file, and to transmit the second media file to the target electronic device for playback on a display thereof,
- wherein the user device control of the user electronic device defines an edge of the network,
- wherein the target electronic device has at least one preset function,
- wherein at least one function not native to the target electronic device and different than the at least one preset function is accessible by the user with the user electronic device, and
- wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to access the at least one function to enable the target electronic device to at least one of perform and respond to the at least one function.
A method for providing content to a user electronic device connectable to a target electronic device over a network, a plurality of media servers being connected to the network, each of the plurality of media servers having access to a plurality of media files, each of the plurality of media files having a playback length, the method comprising the step of providing a smart box connectable to the network, the smart box having a central processing unit comprising a processor and memory having stored therein general purpose software, and having storable therein smart box special purpose software, wherein the smart box special purpose software is configured for:
- receiving a command to control a target electronic device from a user device control installed on the user electronic device;
- determining a time period for the target electronic device to complete the command;
- determining a user preference;
- identifying a media server having a first media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a first playback length;
- identifying a media server having a second media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a second playback length;
- obtaining the first media file and the second media file;
- transmitting the first media file to the user electronic device for playback thereon while the target electronic device performs the command;
- and
- transmitting the second media file to the target electronic device for display on a display thereof while the target electronic device performs the command,
- wherein the user device control of the user electronic device defines an edge of the network,
- wherein the target electronic device has at least one preset function,
- wherein at least one function not native to the target electronic device and different than the at least one preset function is accessible by the user with the user electronic device, and
- wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to access the at least one function to enable the target electronic device to at least one of perform and respond to the at least one function.
A system for providing content to a user electronic device connectable to a target electronic device over a network, a plurality of media servers being connected to the network, each of the plurality of media servers having access to a plurality of media files, each of the plurality of media files having a playback length, the system comprising:
- a smart box connectable to the network, the smart box having a central processing unit comprising a processor and memory having stored therein general purpose software, and having storable therein smart box special purpose software;
- a server connectable to the network and having a processor and memory, the memory having stored therein server special purpose software and a user account file associated with the user, the user account file containing a user preference;
- and
- a user device control installable on the user electronic device, wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to transmit a command to the smart box for the target electronic device, the target electronic device being capable of completing the command in a time period;
- wherein the smart box is configured to determine a playback time, and to identify at least one of the plurality of media servers having at least one target media file having a characteristic that is at least similar to the user preference and having a playback length at least as long as the playback time,
- wherein the smart box is configured to transmit the command to the target electronic device, obtain the at least one target media file, and to transmit the at least one target media file to the user device control for playback on the user electronic device while the target electronic device performs the command,
- wherein the user device control of the user electronic device defines an edge of the network,
- wherein the target electronic device has at least one preset function,
- wherein at least one function not native to the target electronic device and different than the at least one preset function is accessible by the user with the user electronic device, and
- wherein the user device control enables a user of the user electronic device to access the at least one function to enable the target electronic device to at least one of perform and respond to the at least one function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.