Patent ID: 8407755

Claim:
System for enabling a user to use a control device to browse assets and select an asset to have a main Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) client play the content, the system comprising: Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) client device including an IPTV client processor controlling a video display to present content thereon; control device including a control processor; management server communicating with the IPTV client over the Internet, the management server and IPTV client communicating with at least one content server such that the content server provides audio video content to the IPTV client for presentation of the content on the video display of the IPTV client; proxy server communicating with the management server and the control device; wherein the IPTV client sends login information to the management server which returns to the IPTV client a user token that must subsequently be presented by the IPTV client to the content server to obtain content from the content server, the management server receiving and storing a local IP address of the IPTV client, further wherein responsive to the control device sending a request to the proxy server for an executable utility, the proxy server returns the utility to the control device, further wherein the control device executing the utility prompts a user to input to the control device login information, further wherein the proxy server, responsive to reception of correct login information from the control device, returns the local IP address of the IPTV client to the control device, further wherein the control device uses the local IPTV address to access the IPTV client directly to request information about the IPTV client, which information is returned from the IPTV client to the control device such that the local address of the IPTV client need not be globally addressable, further wherein the control device sends the information about the IPTV client to the proxy server, requesting a list of services available to the IPTV client from one or more content servers, further wherein the proxy server relays the request for a list of services to the management server, which returns the list of services to the proxy server, the proxy server in turn sending the list of services to the control device for presentation of information on the video display, further wherein responsive to a user selection of an element on the list of services, the control device sends a request for a software asset corresponding to the element to the proxy server, the proxy server requesting a service login of the content server providing the asset, further wherein the content server provides to the proxy server a list of assets or categories or services which relays the list to the control device, further wherein the list of assets or categories or services is presented on the video display of the control device so that the user can navigate to enter a selection, wherein responsive to the selection the control device sends a command to the IPTV client to play the selection.