Patent ID: 9380336
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: G08C,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A set-top box comprising: a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein; a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the television input, the television output, the processor, the memory, and the storage; a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device; the television input configured to receive a source signal from an external source; the television output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a television; the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, wherein the search operation utilizes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, establish a pairing between the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device and the set-top box, send formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions are configured to provide a downstream parallel experience related to the content on the television, provide instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, the virtual buttons being associated with the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, the virtual remote control functionality input instructions being representations of a spoken sequence of words, evaluating the spoken sequence of words to assign a meaning to the spoken sequence of words, generate a command signal, and send the command signal to the television; and wherein the formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions include instructions that prompt the spoken sequence of words as a response; responsive to evaluating the spoken sequence of words, send a command to the particular amenity; a configuration profile associated with the memory and processor-executable instructions that enables the set-top box to control a plurality of proximate amenities in a multi-room environment, the plurality of proximate amenities including the particular amenity, the plurality of proximate amenities being associated with a user's stay in a lodging environment; the configuration profile, for each amenity of the plurality of amenities, including instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display, and instructions for associating virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the touch screen display with commands; and the configuration profile, for each amenity of the plurality of amenities, including instructions for virtual buttons on a touch screen display, and instructions for associating virtual remote control functionality input instructions received as the spoken sequence of words from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device with commands.