Systems and Methods for Remote Control of a Television

Abstract

Systems and methods for personalized video display include providing an interface on the touch device, maintaining a layout template that includes a primary video display window and a user selectable information window, and sending the layout template to the television. The television can display the template layout and embedded content. Additionally, the touch device can detect gestures from a user and communicate instructions to the television based on the gesture input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A video viewing system, comprising
 a network based computing system configured to communicate with a plurality of remotely located applications executing on handheld devices;   a memory system maintaining a customizable video application configured to be executed by a processor of a wireless hand held device and to communicate with the network based computing system; and   the customizable video application further operable, when executed on a given wireless hand held device:
 to establish a connection with a television through a local area wireless communications interface; 
 to provide a trackpad interface for the television on a touch sensitive display of the given wireless hand held device; 
 to present a multiple window display on the touch sensitive display, wherein the multiple window display is customized to a given user and comprises a first video display window to present video content, and a second display window to present social media content; 
 to send a collection of information to the television to allow the television to present a representation of the multiple window display on the television; 
 to determine a touched location on the touch sensitive display; and 
 to send a collection of information to the television to facilitate presentation of a graphic on the television at a screen location that corresponds to the touched location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the local area wireless communications interface is a Wi-Fi interface, a Bluetooth interface, a wireless USB interface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to adjust the volume of audio output from the television in response to receiving a volume instruction via the given wireless hand held device. 
     
     
         4 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to facilitate audio outputting at the touch device for playback via a headphone port of the given wireless hand held device as opposed to an audio outputting by the television. 
     
     
         5 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to send a power down command to the television. 
     
     
         6 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device: to recognize a selection of a textual input region of the multiple window display; to present a keyboard on the touch sensitive display; to recognize a touch indicating a character selection entered via the keyboard; and to communicate information representing the character to the television to facilitate presentation of the character on the television. 
     
     
         7 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to recognize receipt of a cast screen command; and to send the collection of information to the television to allow the television to present the representation of the multiple window display on the television in response to recognizing receipt of the cast screen command. 
     
     
         8 . The video viewing system of  claim 7 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless handheld device, to recognize receipt of a stop casting screen command; and to stop the television from presenting the representation of the multiple window display on the television in response to recognizing receipt of the stop casting screen command. 
     
     
         9 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the network based computing system is configured to communicate a targeted advertisement to at least one of the plurality of remotely located applications executing on handheld devices. 
     
     
         10 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , further comprising the given wireless hand held device, wherein the network based computing system is configured to provide the social media content to be presented in the second display window. 
     
     
         11 . The video viewing system of  claim 1 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to resize the first video display window in response to an instruction received from the given wireless hand held device based on a user gesture received via the touch sensitive display. 
     
     
         12 . A video viewing system, comprising:
 a network based computing system configured: (1) to communicate with a plurality of remotely located applications executing on handheld devices; (2) to maintain a plurality of social media messaging accounts for respective users of the plurality of remotely located application; and (3) to communicate a given message to a given one of the plurality of social media messaging accounts;   a memory system maintaining a customizable video application configured to be executed by a processor of a wireless hand held device and to communicate with the network based computing system; and   the customizable video application further operable, when executed on a given wireless hand held device:
 to establish a connection with a television through a local area wireless communications interface; 
 to provide a touch screen interface for the television on a touch sensitive display of the given wireless hand held device; 
 to present a multiple window display on the touch sensitive display, wherein the multiple window display is customized to a given user and comprises a first video display window to present video content, and a second display window to present at least one message associated with at least one of the plurality of social media messaging accounts; and 
 to send a collection of information to the television to allow the television to present a representation of the multiple window display on the television. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless communications interface is a wifi interface and the connection is an indirect connection via a dongle. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the network based computing system is further configured to communicate an advertisement via the at least one of the plurality of social media messaging accounts. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further wherein the advertisement is a targeted advertisement and is configured to initiate a launching of a springing third window within the multiple window display. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed on the given wireless hand held device, to resize the first video display window in response to an instruction received from the given wireless hand held device, wherein the instruction is based on a detection of a pinch to zoom gesture on the touch sensitive display. 
     
     
         17 . A video viewing system, comprising:
 a network based computing system configured to communicate with a plurality of remotely located applications executing on handheld devices;   a memory system maintaining a customizable video application configured to be executed by a processor of a wireless hand held device and to communicate with the network based computing system; and   the customizable video application further operable, when executed on a given wireless hand held device:
 to establish a connection with a television through a local area wireless communications interface of the given wireless hand held device; 
 to provide a trackpad interface on a touch sensitive display of the given wireless hand held device, the trackpad interface comprising a gesture area; 
 to maintain a multiple window display template, wherein the template is customizable by a user and comprises a first video display window, an address for video content to populate the first video display window, a second display window, and a second address for social media messaging content to populate the second display window; 
 to send a collection of information to the television that allows the television to present a representation of the multiple window display template on the television; 
 to detect a gesture input in the gesture area; and 
 to send an instruction to the television based on the gesture input. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the multiple window display template includes a springing display window area that becomes viewable on the television in response to a detected item selection received via the gesture area. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the memory system is a wide area network based storage system accessible to a plurality of wireless handheld devices, the system further comprising more than one thousand instances of the customizable video application that have been downloaded to respective wireless handheld devices. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the customizable video application is further operable, when executed: (1) to recognize that a given gesture input indicates a desire to input information using a keyboard; and (2) to present a keyboard on the touch sensitive display of a wireless handheld device executing the application in response to recognizing the desire to input information.