Patent ID: 9554189
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G06F,G08C,H04N

Claim:
1. A method of using a contextual remote control interface on a companion device to control an entertainment experience through a primary device, the method comprising: detecting, at the companion device, a user interaction that triggers the contextual remote control interface to open the contextual remote control interface generated by a control application running on the companion device; determining that a remote selection is currently on the primary device, rather than at least one other entertainment hardware component controllable by the primary device; determining that a targeting of the control application is on a first media application running on the primary device; determining that a media engagement status of the first media application is engaged with a first media title; determining a state of play for the first media title; in response to the user interaction, outputting for display on the companion device the contextual remote control interface that includes a plurality of virtual play controls tailored for a set of capabilities of the first media application, the media engagement status of the first media application, and the state of play for the first media title; receiving a user interaction with a virtual play control on the contextual remote control interface; and communicating, from the companion device to the primary device, a control command consistent with the user interaction with the virtual play control.