TV Interfacing Dongle for Hotel Guest Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The hospitality lodging industry faces challenges in providing enhanced content in an easy-to-use platform for commercial televisions across multiple rooms affordably, as upgrading equipment can be costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A commercial television-interfacing dongle with a wireless transceiver, processor, memory, storage, control interface, and USB interface is used to connect with a wireless-enabled interactive device, enabling remote control functionality and access to a program guide, allowing guests to control TVs and access enhanced content without the need for additional remote controls or set-top boxes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional remote controls and set-top boxes are used for each TV, then full control functionality and program guide access are provided, but equipment costs and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling smartphones and tablets to serve as universal remote controls for multiple televisions across different rooms. A single mobile device can control any TV in the hotel by connecting to the dongle via the television's broadcast channel, eliminating the need for separate remote controls for each TV.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a USB dongle as an intermediary device that bridges the television and mobile devices. The dongle receives control commands from mobile devices via infrared or other wireless protocols and translates them into TV control signals, while also receiving program guide data from the TV and relaying it to the mobile device.
2Ease of operation
If separate remote controls are provided for each room, then full control functionality is available, but implementation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single mobile device universal across multiple rooms and TVs. Guests can use their own smartphones or tablets to control any TV in the hotel by tuning to the broadcast channel and connecting to the dongle, eliminating the need to distribute and manage multiple physical remote controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables guests to use their own personal mobile devices as remote controls, eliminating the need for the hotel to provide and maintain separate remote controls. The mobile device's existing camera, infrared receiver, or wireless capabilities are leveraged for control functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If enhanced content and program guide access are provided, then user experience is improved, but equipment upgrading costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The USB dongle acts as an intermediary that enables program guide access and enhanced content delivery without requiring expensive set-top box upgrades. The dongle receives program guide data from the television via USB and relays it to mobile devices, providing enhanced content access through existing TV infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical set-top box with a software-based solution running on mobile devices. The program guide and content delivery are implemented through software applications on smartphones and tablets, eliminating the need for expensive hardware upgrades in each room.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized control system is implemented across all rooms, then content delivery is enhanced, but system complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into independent USB dongles deployed in each room, rather than implementing a centralized control system. Each dongle operates independently, receiving control commands from mobile devices and managing local TV control and program guide delivery, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The USB dongle serves as an intermediary that enables content delivery and control functionality without requiring a complex centralized system. The dongle bridges the television and mobile devices, handling program guide data transmission and control command translation locally in each room.
Data Source
AI summary
A commercial television-interfacing dongle and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes a television input, television output, a processor, memory, a control interface, and a universal serial bus (USB) interface. The control interface and the USB interface connect to the commercial television. The commercial television interfacing dongle may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device having a display and receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device. Following receipt and processing of the virtual remote control functionality input instructions, the commercial television-interfacing dongle sends a command to the commercial television via a commercial television control protocol.