Telephone controlled entertainment

Abstract

Telephone based remote control is disclosed. In some embodiments, telephone based remote control includes presenting an interface on a cellular telephone for controlling a media source; receiving a user command for controlling the media source; and sending a control signal from the cellular telephone to the media source, wherein the control signal includes control information corresponding to the command, and wherein the media source outputs information based on the command.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . A method comprising:
 presenting an interface on a cellular telephone for controlling a media source;   receiving a user command for controlling the media source; and   sending a control signal from the cellular telephone to the media source, wherein the control signal includes control information corresponding to the command, and wherein the media source outputs information based on the command.   
   
   
       34 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the information is entertainment media, and the media source is one or more of the following devices: a television, a stereo amplifier and multichannel decoder, a CD player, a DVD player, a CD changer, a DVD changer, a jukebox, a TV set-top box, a PVR device, a digital music player, a digital video jukebox, and/or a computer functioning as any of the above devices. 
   
   
       35 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the control information includes voice instructions. 
   
   
       36 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the cellular telephone executes an application for controlling the media source. 
   
   
       37 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the cellular telephone executes an application for controlling the media source, and the cellular telephone includes a touch screen. 
   
   
       38 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein:
 the control information includes information entered from the cellular telephone's keypad, wherein the keypad is a physical keypad or a virtual keypad; and   the keypad maps to a set of control functions.   
   
   
       39 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the control information includes a user preference. 
   
   
       40 . The method recited in  claim 33  further including identifying a user. 
   
   
       41 . The method recited in  claim 33  further including identifying a user by using a password. 
   
   
       42 . The method recited in  claim 33  further including identifying a user by identifying the cellular telephone. 
   
   
       43 . The method recited in  claim 33  further including identifying a user by using biometrics. 
   
   
       44 . The method recited in  claim 33  further including:
 identifying a user; and   storing and retrieving a set of customization information based on the user.   
   
   
       45 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the control signal received from the cellular telephone includes an activation key. 
   
   
       46 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the commands include one or more of the following: a context changing command, a display command, a Search command, a play command, a pause command, a skip command, a rewind command, a fast forward command, a volume up command, a volume down command, and a stop command. 
   
   
       47 . A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 presenting an interface on a cellular telephone for controlling a media source;   receiving a user command for controlling the media source; and   sending a control signal from the cellular telephone to the media source, wherein the control signal includes control information corresponding to the command, and wherein the media source outputs information based on the command.   
   
   
       48 . The computer program product recited in  claim 47  wherein the information is entertainment media, and the media source is one or more of the following devices: a television, a stereo amplifier and multichannel decoder, a CD player, a DVD player, a CD changer, a DVD changer, a jukebox, a TV set-top box, a PVR device, a digital music player, a digital video jukebox, and/or a computer functioning as any of the above devices. 
   
   
       49 . The computer program product recited in  claim 47  wherein the cellular telephone executes an application for controlling the media source. 
   
   
       50 . A system comprising:
 a processor of a cellular telephone configured to:
 present an interface on a cellular telephone for controlling a media source; 
 receive a user command for controlling the media source; and 
 send a control signal from the cellular telephone to the media source, wherein the control signal includes control information corresponding to the command, and wherein the media source outputs information based on the command; and 
 a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions. 
   
   
   
       51 . The system recited in  claim 50  wherein the information is entertainment media, and the media source is one or more of the following devices: a television, a stereo amplifier and multichannel decoder, a CD player, a DVD player, a CD changer, a DVD changer, a jukebox, a TV set-top box, a PVR device, a digital music player, a digital video jukebox, and/or a computer functioning as any of the above devices. 
   
   
       52 . The system recited in  claim 50  wherein the processor of the cellular telephone executes an application for controlling the media source.