System and method for leveraging existing device pairing and internet login records between media server and hsia controller to facilitate cross-service access by mobile devices

Abstract

A media server receives network traffic from a first mobile device, queries a login database of an HSIA controller to determine whether the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, and, when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, causes a media device to play media content controlled according to the first mobile device. The HSIA controller receives network traffic from a second mobile device on the local area network, queries the pairing database of the media server in order to determine whether the second mobile device is paired with any of the media devices coupled to the media server, and, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfigures an access controller between the local area network and the Internet to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system providing electronic services to guests of a hospitality establishment over a local area network, the system comprising:
 a media server coupled the local area network; and   a high speed Internet access (HSIA) controller coupled to the local area network;   wherein the media server is configured to:
 receive network traffic from a first mobile device on the local area network, the first mobile device attempting to interact with one of a plurality of media devices coupled to the media server; 
 query a login database of the HSIA controller according to a network address of the first mobile device in order to determine whether the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access; and 
 when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, select a particular one of the media devices to associate with the first mobile device, store in a pairing database of the media server an indication that the first mobile device is now paired with the particular one of the media devices, and cause the particular one of the media devices to play media content controlled according to the first mobile device via the local area network without requiring a user of the first mobile device to manually enter a connect code associated with the particular one of the media devices into a user interface of the first mobile device; and 
   the HSIA controller is configured to:
 receive network traffic from a second mobile device on the local area network, the second mobile device attempting to gain Internet access from the local area network; 
 query the pairing database of the media server according to a network address of the second mobile device in order to determine whether the second mobile device is paired with any of the media devices coupled to the media server; and 
 when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfigure an access controller between the local area network and the Internet to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet without requiring a user of the second mobile device to perform a full Internet access login process before gaining access to the Internet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, the media server is further configured to select the particular one of the media devices being accessible from within a guest area associated with a login record stored for the first guest device in the login database. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the media server is further configured to select one of the different media devices according to user input received from the first mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the media server is further configured to select one of the different media devices that is currently turned on.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the media server is further configured to select one of the different media devices as the particular one of the media devices by:
 instructing that the user take a predetermined action on a particular one of the different media devices that the user wishes the first mobile device to become paired with; and 
 detecting the predetermined action being performed on the particular one of the different media devices. 
   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media server is configured to automatically pair the particular one of the media devices with the first mobile device without requiring the user of the first mobile device to take any action at the first mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the media server is configured to:
 query a connect code database to determine the connect code associated with the particular one of the media devices;   send the connect code to the first mobile device as a default connect code, wherein the first mobile device presents a pairing screen including the default connect code automatically filled in so that the user of the first mobile device does not need to input the default connect code into the user interface of the first mobile device; and   pair the particular one of the media devices with the first mobile device upon receiving a request specifying the connect code of the particular one of the media devices from the first mobile device via the local area network.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the HSIA controller is further configured to, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfigure the access controller to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet without requiring the user of the second mobile device to perform any additional Internet access login process before gaining access to the Internet. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the HSIA controller is further configured to, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfigure the access controller to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet while only requiring the user of the second mobile device to agree to terms and conditions before gaining access to the Internet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the access controller comprises a gateway or a firewall. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing electronic services to guests of a hospitality establishment over a local area network, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a media server, network traffic from a first mobile device on the local area network, the first mobile device attempting to interact with one of a plurality of media devices coupled to the media server;   querying, by the media server, a login database of a high speed Internet access (HSIA) controller according to a network address of the first mobile device in order to determine whether the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access;   when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, selecting, by the media server, a particular one of the media devices to associate with the first mobile device, storing in a pairing database of the media server an indication that the first mobile device is now paired with the particular one of the media devices, and causing the particular one of the media devices to play media content controlled according to the first mobile device via the local area network without requiring a user of the first mobile device to manually enter a connect code associated with the particular one of the media devices into a user interface of the first mobile device;   receiving, by the HSIA controller, network traffic from a second mobile device on the local area network, the second mobile device attempting to gain Internet access from the local area network;   querying, by the HSIA controller, the pairing database of the media server according to a network address of the second mobile device in order to determine whether the second mobile device is paired with any of the media devices coupled to the media server; and   when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfiguring, by the HSIA controller, an access controller between the local area network and the Internet to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet without requiring a user of the second mobile device to perform a full Internet access login process before gaining access to the Internet.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, selecting, by the media server, the particular one of the media devices being accessible from within a guest area associated with a login record stored for the first guest device in the login database. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the method further comprises selecting, by the media server, one of the different media devices according to user input received from the first mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the method further comprises selecting, by the media server, one of the different media devices that is currently turned on.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 there are a plurality of different media devices accessible from within the guest area; and   the method further comprises selecting, by the media server, one of the different media devices as the particular one of the media devices by:
 instructing that the user take a predetermined action on a particular one of the different media devices that the user wishes the first mobile device to become paired with; and 
 detecting the predetermined action being performed on the particular one of the different media devices. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising automatically pairing, by the media server, the particular one of the media devices with the first mobile device without requiring the user of the first mobile device to take any action at the first mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 querying, by the media server, a connect code database to determine the connect code associated with the particular one of the media devices;   sending, by the media server, the connect code to the first mobile device as a default connect code, wherein the first mobile device presents a pairing screen including the default connect code automatically filled in so that the user of the first mobile device does not need to input the default connect code into the user interface of the first mobile device; and   pairing, by the media server, the particular one of the media devices with the first mobile device upon receiving a request specifying the connect code of the particular one of the media devices from the first mobile device via the local area network.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfiguring the access controller by the HSIA controller to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet without requiring the user of the second mobile device to perform any additional Internet access login process before gaining access to the Internet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfiguring the access controller by the HSIA controller to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet while only requiring the user of the second mobile device to agree to terms and conditions before gaining access to the Internet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the access controller comprises a gateway or a firewall.