Enhanced set-top box control

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling a set-top box via a smart speaker. One example method includes receiving, at the smart speaker, an input related to the set-top box. A request based on the input is transmitted to a server. At the server and based on the request, program listing data is retrieved. A command for controlling the set-top box is identified based on the program listing data. At least one of the program listing data and the identified command is transmitted from the server to the smart speaker. The identified command is transmitted from the smart speaker to the set-top box.

1 . A method for controlling a set-top box via a smart speaker, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the smart speaker, an input related to the set-top box;   transmitting, to a server, a request based on the input;   retrieving, at the server and based on the request, program listing data;   identifying a command for controlling the set-top box based on the program listing data;   transmitting, from the server to the smart speaker, at least one of the program listing data and the identified command; and   transmitting, from the smart speaker to the set-top box, the identified command.   
     
     
         2 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input is a first input and is for a program recommendation;   the request is a first request and is based on the first input;   a user profile is identified;   the program listing data is retrieved based on the first request and the user profile;   a program recommendation is generated, at the server, based on at least one of the user profile, the first request and/or the program listing data;   the program recommendation is transmitted, from the server, to the smart speaker;   the program recommendation is outputted at the smart speaker;   a second input related to the program recommendation and the set-top box is received at the smart speaker; and   the command for controlling the set-top box is identified based on the second input.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the program listing data is transmitted from the server to the smart speaker; and   the command is identified at the smart speaker.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the command is identified at the server; and   the command is transmitted from the server to the smart speaker.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying, at the smart speaker, a set-top box identifier associated with the set-top box;   transmitting, to a server, the set-top box identifier;   retrieving, at the server and based on the set-top box identifier, a control command set of one or more control commands for controlling the set-top box; and   wherein:
 the identifying the command based on the program listing data comprises identifying a control command from the control command set; 
 the transmitting the command from the server to the smart speaker comprises transmitting the identified control command; and 
 the transmitting the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box comprises transmitting the identified control command from the control command set. 
   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, at the smart speaker, one or more control commands from a control device of the set-top box;   storing the one or more control commands, thereby creating a received control command set; and   wherein:
 the identifying the command based on the program listing data comprises identifying a control command from the received control command set; and 
 the transmitting the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box comprises transmitting the identified control command from the received control command set. 
   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is received via a microphone of the smart speaker. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the command is transmitted from the smart speaker to the set-top box via an infrared transmitter or a Bluetooth transmitter. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the program listing data comprises one or more of date, time and/or channel information for a television program and/or a movie. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises storing a representation of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) associated with the set-top box at the server; 
       and wherein:
 identifying a command further comprises determining, based on the stored representation of the EPG, a plurality of control commands required to complete an action at the set-top box; and 
 the transmitting the command from the server to the smart speaker further comprises transmitting the plurality of control commands; and 
 the transmitting the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box further comprises transmitting the plurality of control commands. 
 
     
     
         40 . A system for controlling a set-top box via a smart speaker, the system comprising:
 a communication port; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive, at the smart speaker, an input related to the set-top box; 
 transmit, to a server, a request based on the input; 
 retrieve, at the server and based on the request, program listing data; 
 identify a command for controlling the set-top box based on the program listing data; 
 transmit, from the server to the smart speaker, at least one of the program listing data and the identified command; and 
 transmit, from the smart speaker to the set-top box, the identified command. 
   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein:
 the input is a first input and is for a program recommendation;   the request is a first request and is based on the first input;   the control circuitry is further configured to identify a user profile;   the control circuitry configured to retrieve the program listing data is further configured to retrieve the program listing based on the first request and the user profile;   the control circuitry is further configured to generate a program recommendation, at the server, based on at least one of the user profile, the first request and/or the program listing data; and   the control circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit the program recommendation, from the server, to the smart speaker; 
 output the program recommendation at the smart speaker; and 
 receive a second input related to the program recommendation and the set-top box at the smart speaker; and 
 the control circuitry configured to identify the command for controlling the set-top box is further configured to identify the command based on the second input. 
   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit the program listing data from the server to the smart speaker; and   identify the command at the smart speaker.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify the command at the server; and   transmit the command from the server to the smart speaker.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify, at the smart speaker, a set-top box identifier associated with the set-top box;   transmit, to a server, the set-top box identifier;   retrieve, at the server and based on the set-top box identifier, a control command set of one or more control commands for controlling the set-top box; and   wherein:
 the control circuitry configured to identify the command based on the program listing data is further configured to identify a control command from the control command set; 
 the control circuitry configured to transmit the command, from the server to the smart speaker, is further configured to transmit the identified control command from the control command set; and 
 the control circuitry configured to transmit the command, from the smart speaker to the set-top box, is further configured to transmit the identified control command from the control command set. 
   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive, at the smart speaker, one or more control commands from a control device of the set-top box;   store the one or more control commands, thereby creating a received control command set; and   wherein:
 the control circuitry configured to identify the command based on the program listing data is further configured to identify a control command from the received control command set; and 
 the control circuitry configured to transmit the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box is further configured to transmit the identified control command from the received control command set. 
   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the command via a microphone of the smart speaker. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box via an infrared transmitter or a Bluetooth transmitter. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry configured to retrieve the program listing data is further configured to retrieve program listing data comprising one or more of date, time and/or channel information for a television program and/or a movie. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to store a representation of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) associated with the set-top box at the server; 
       and wherein:
 the control circuitry configured to identify a command is further configured to determine, based on the stored representation of the EPG, a plurality of control commands required to complete an action at the set-top box; 
 the control circuitry configured to transmit the command from the server to the smart speaker is further configured to transmit the plurality of control commands; and 
 the control circuitry configured to transmit the command from the smart speaker to the set-top box further is further configured to transmit the plurality of control commands.