Controllers, output devices, or televisions supporting voice activated commands

Abstract

An output device or controller supporting voice activated commands by using a portable electronic device is herein disclosed and enabled. The output device may be a television, a controller connectable to a television, a printer, a sound output device, or a projector. The portable electronic device for wirelessly managing or driving the output device may include a microphone to receive voice activated commands. The output device includes wireless circuitry to establish a direct wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth, etc.) with the portable electronic device, and subsequently, the output device, using the established direct wireless connection, is operable to: wirelessly receive first information from the portable electronic device; wirelessly send to the portable electronic device second information in response to receiving the first information; and wirelessly receive from the portable electronic device data related to voice activated commands from a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An output device for wireless communicating with a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device for wirelessly managing or wirelessly driving the output device, and the portable electronic device being a distinct device from the output device, wherein the output device includes wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication with the portable electronic device to:
 (1) wirelessly detect, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device, the portable electronic device for availability of the portable electronic, the wireless detecting of the portable electronic device is based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the output device and the portable electronic device;   (2) subsequent to having wirelessly detected the portable electronic device in (1), establish a direct wireless connection between the output device and the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device, the direct wireless connection is based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the output device and the portable electronic device;   (3) wirelessly receive first information from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device and over the direct wireless connection established in (2), the first information related, at least in part, to managing or driving the output device;   (4) wirelessly send to the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device and over the direct wireless connection established in (2), second information in response to having received the first information from the portable electronic device in (3); and   (5) wirelessly receive from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device and over the direct wireless connection established in (2), sound data or voice data, the sound data or voice data is related, at least in part, to a voice activated command from a user operating the portable electronic device; and wherein the output device is embodied to be at least one of the following:   (i) a wireless television device, a wireless sound output device, a wireless monitor, a wireless printer, or a wireless projector, individually or in any combination; or   (ii) a wireless controller that is externally connectable, by wired or wireless communication, to a television device or a projection device.   
     
     
         2 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the direct wireless connection in (2) between the output device and the portable electronic device is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth specifications; and wherein the portable electronic device includes a microphone; and wherein the voice activated command received from the user operating the portable electronic device is received via the microphone of the portable electronic device. 
     
     
         3 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the output device is embodied as a television or as a wireless controller that is externally connectable to a television, and wherein the portable electronic device further includes: an interface with at least a button or other controls for interacting with a user, and wherein the wireless receiving of the first information in (3), using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device, is in response to having received, via the interface of the portable electronic device, an input from the user. 
     
     
         4 . The output device according to  claim 1 , wherein the output device is further operable to:
 (6) wirelessly receive from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), security information or authentication information, the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a name, a password, an ID number, a biometric, or a security key, individually or in any combination;   (7) establish, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device, a wireless local area network connection employing, at least in part, the security information or the authentication information wirelessly received in (6); and   (8) download and install, at the output device, using the wireless communication circuitry and over the wireless local area network connection established in (7), software components, application software, or data, individually or in any combination, from a server over a network, the software components, application software, or data for upgrading, updating, or modifying the features and capabilities of the output device.   
     
     
         5 . The output device according to  claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets support wireless communication that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:
 (a) at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, or   (b) at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specification or Bluetooth technology; and wherein the establishing of the direct wireless connection in (2) between the output device and the portable electronic device, includes using, at least in part, the one or more chips or chipsets included in the wireless communication circuitry.   
     
     
         6 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the second information includes information that is related to at least one of the following: status information, response information related to the first information, device attribute information, or user interface information, individually or in any combination; and wherein the output device is further operable to wirelessly exchange, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output device, information between the output device and the portable electronic device, the wireless exchanging of information includes repeating any combination of steps or operations in (3) and in (4); whereby the output device is further operable to be wirelessly managed or wirelessly driven by the portable electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . An output controller for wireless communicating with a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device being a distinct device from the output controller, and the portable electronic device for wirelessly managing or wirelessly driving the output controller, the output controller includes wireless communication circuitry, one or more processors, memory for storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors, and upon execution of at least part of the instructions by the one or more processors at the output controller, causes the output controller to:
 (1) establish, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output controller, a direct wireless connection between the output controller and the portable electronic device, the establishing of the direct wireless connection being based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the output controller and the portable electronic device;   (2) wirelessly receive first information from the portable electronic device, at the output controller using the wireless communication circuitry and over the direct wireless connection established in (1);   (3) wirelessly send response information to the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at output controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), the response information being in response to receiving the first information from the portable electronic device in (2), and the response information includes at least one of status information, device attribute information, or user interface information, individually or in any combination; and   (4) subsequent to having wirelessly sent the response information from the output controller to the portable electronic device in (3), wirelessly receive, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), audio data or voice data from the portable electronic device, the audio data or voice data being related to a voice activated command from a user operating the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         8 . The output controller of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets supporting wireless communication that is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth standards or Bluetooth technology; and the direct wireless connection in (1) between the output controller and the portable electronic device is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth standards or Bluetooth technology for wireless communication. 
     
     
         9 . The output controller of  claim 8 , wherein the output controller is embodied to be at least one of the following:
 (i) a controller that is internally included in an output device, the output device being at least one of a television device, a monitor device, a projection device, a printing device, or a sound output device, individually or in any combination; or   (ii) a controller that is externally connectable to an output device, via a wired or wireless connection, the output device being at least one of a television device, a monitor device, a projection device, a printing device, or a sound output device, individually or in any combination.   
     
     
         10 . The output controller according to  claim 7 , wherein prior to establishing the direct wireless connection in (1), the output controller is further configured for at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:
 (i) receiving information from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output controller, the information being related to an input from a user via an interface of the portable electronic device; or   (ii) receiving, at the output controller, an infrared wireless communication from the portable electronic device, the infrared wireless communication is based, at least in part, on the portable communication device being pointed at the output controller; or   (iii) automatic wireless device detecting, using the wireless circuitry at the output controller, the portable electronic device, the automatic wireless device detecting being based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the output controller and the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         11 . The output controller of  claim 7 , wherein the portable electronic device further includes a microphone, and wherein the voice activated command received from the user is received via the microphone of the portable electronic device; and
 wherein the portable electronic device further includes an interface with at least a button or other controls for interacting with a user, and wherein the wireless receiving of the first information in (2) from the portable communication device, using the wireless communication circuitry of the output controller, is in response to having received, via the interface of the portable electronic device, an input from the user.   
     
     
         12 . The output controller according to  claim 7 , wherein the output controller is further operable to:
 (5) wirelessly receive, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), security information or authentication information from the portable electronic device, the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a name, a password, an ID number, a biometric, or a security key, individually or in any combination;   (6) establish, using the wireless communication circuitry at the output controller, a wireless local area network connection employing, at least in part, the security information or the authentication information wirelessly received in (5); and   wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets support wireless communication that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a wireless local area network communication that includes the wireless local area network connection in (6).   
     
     
         13 . The output controller according to  claim 12 , wherein the output controller is further operable to download and install, at the output controller, using the wireless communication circuitry and over the wireless local area network connection established in (6), software components, application software, or data, individually or in any combination, from a server over a network, the software components, application software, or data for upgrading, updating, or modifying the features and capabilities of the output controller. 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling, managing or driving a wireless controller using a portable electronic device, the wireless controller being a distinct device from the portable electronic device, the wireless controller including wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication with the portable electronic device, the method at the wireless controller, comprising:
 (1) establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller, a direct wireless connection between the wireless controller and the portable electronic device, the direct wireless connection being based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the wireless controller and the portable electronic device;   (2) wireless receiving first information from the portable electronic device, at the wireless controller using the wireless communication circuitry and over the direct wireless connection established in (1);   (3) wireless sending second information to the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), the second information being in response to having received the first information from the portable electronic device in (2);   (4) subsequent to the wireless sending of the second information in (3), wireless receiving from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), security information or authentication information, the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a name, a password, an ID number, a biometric, or a security key, individually or in any combination; and   (5) subsequent to the wireless receiving from the portable electronic device the security information or the authentication information in (4), wireless receiving from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), audio data or voice data from the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets supporting wireless communication that is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or within IEEE 802.11 standards, individually or in any combination; and wherein the direct wireless connection in (1) between the wireless controller and the portable electronic device is compatible, at least partly, with at least part of a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or within IEEE 802.11 standards, individually or in any combination. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the portable electronic device further includes an interface with at least a button or other controls for interacting with a user, and the wireless receiving, at the wireless controller, of the first information in (2) is in response to receiving, via the interface of the portable electronic device, an input from the user; the method at the wireless controller further comprising repeating the wireless receiving in (2) and the wireless sending in (3) for the wireless controller to be further wirelessly managed or wirelessly driven by the portable electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the wireless controller further includes operating system software and one or more processors, and at least part of the operating system software is executable, by the one or more processors, for managing software applications at the output controller, the method further comprising:
 (6) establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller, a wireless local area network connection employing, at least in part, the security information or the authentication information wirelessly received in (4); and   (7) downloading, using the wireless communication circuitry of the wireless controller and over the wireless local area network connection established in (6), software components, application software, or data, individually or in any combination, from a server over a network; and   (8) installing, at the wireless controller and facilitated, at least in part, by the operating system software, the software components, application software, or data, individually or in any combination, downloaded in (7) for upgrading, updating, or modifying the features and capabilities of the wireless controller.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein prior to establishing the direct wireless connection in (1), the wireless controller is further configured for at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:
 (i) receiving information from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller, the information based, at least in part, on an input from a user via an interface of the portable electronic device; or   (ii) receiving, at the wireless controller, an infrared wireless communication from the portable electronic device, the infrared wireless communication is based, at least in part, on the portable communication device being pointed at the wireless controller; or   (iii) automatically wireless device detecting, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller, the portable electronic device, and the automatic wireless device detecting is based, at least in part, on a physical proximity, locally, between the wireless controller and the portable electronic device; or   (iv) automatically wireless receiving from the portable electronic device, using the wireless communication circuitry at the wireless controller, an indication related, at least in part, to an availability of the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the wireless controller is embodied, at least in part, as one of the following:
 (i) a wireless television device, or   (ii) a wireless projector, or   (iii) a wireless monitor, or   (iv) a wireless sound output device, or   (v) a wireless controller that is externally connectable, via a wired or a wireless connection, to a television device.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the portable electronic device further includes a microphone; and wherein the audio data or voice data wirelessly received at the wireless controller, using the wireless communication circuitry and over the direct wireless connection established in (1), is related to a voice activated command from a user operating the portable electronic device, and wherein the voice activated command is received via the microphone of the portable electronic device.