IP Library Granted Patent US 11,960,871
Granted Patent B2
US 11,960,871 · App. 17/406,667 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

System and method for app discovery, installation, and usage

Inventors: Paul D. Arling (Scottsdale, AZ); Arsham Hatambeiki (Scottsdale, AZ)
Assignee: Universal Electronics Inc.
G06F8/65H04L12/2803H04L63/083H04L65/60H04L67/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,960,871
App. No.
17/406,667
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method functions to make an app as installed on a smart device usable to access a service, such as a media streaming service. A presence of a counterpart to the app as installed on an appliance within a home network which includes the smart device is detected. A user credential, such as a username and password combination, that is associated with the counterpart to the app is then identified. The user credential is caused to be automatically associated with the app as installed on the smart device.

Claims (27)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from an appliance within a home network which includes a smart device a data that identifies a first app installed on the appliance;

using the received data that identifies the first app installed on the appliance to cause a second app to be automatically installed on the smart device; and

using the received data that identifies the first app installed on the appliance and an identifier for the home network to automatically cause a user credential for a service that is associated with the first app installed on the appliance to be automatically associated with the second app installed on the smart device whereupon the user credential will be verifiable by the service upon a subsequent usage of the second app installed on the smart device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the service comprises a media streaming service.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the user credential comprises a username and password combination associated with a cable service provider.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the user credential comprises a username and password combination associated with the media service provider.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising storing in a memory of a server device associated with the service a correspondence between the user credential and second app installed on the smart device.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising storing in a memory of the smart device the user credential and a correspondence between the user credential and the second app installed on the smart device.

7. A method, comprising:

detecting by a smart device, via use of a media data received from an appliance within a home network which includes the smart device, a presence of a first app installed on the appliance;

using by the smart device an IP protocol extension to automatically retrieve from the appliance a user credential that is associated with the first app installed on the appliance; and

causing the user credential for a service that is associated with the first app installed on the appliance to be automatically associated with a second app installed on the smart device whereupon the user credential will be verifiable by the service upon a subsequent usage of the second app installed on the smart device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the smart device uses automatic content recognition to detect the presence of the first app installed on the appliance.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the smart device uses optical content recognition to detect the presence of the first app installed on the appliance.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the service comprises a media streaming service.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the user credential comprises a username and password combination associated with a cable service provider.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the user credential comprises a username and password combination associated with a media streaming service provider.

13. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the user credential is retrieved from a password manager service associated with the appliance.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the appliance comprises a smart phone.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the appliance comprises a tablet computer device.

16. A smart device, comprising:

a processing device programmed to detect, via use of a media data received from an appliance within a home network which includes the smart device, a presence of a first app installed on the appliance; use an IP protocol extension to automatically retrieve from the appliance a user credential that is associated with the first app installed on the appliance; and

cause the user credential for a service that is associated with the first app installed on the appliance to be automatically associated with a second app installed on the smart device whereupon the user credential will be verifiable by the service upon a subsequent usage of the second app installed on the smart device.

17. The smart device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the smart device is further programmed to use automatic content recognition to detect the presence of the counterpart to the app installed on the appliance.

18. The smart device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the smart device if further programmed to use optical content recognition to detect the presence of the counterpart to the app installed on the appliance.

19. The smart device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the service comprises a media streaming service.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2024
From: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 067417/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2021
From: ARLING, PAUL D.; HATAMBEIKI, ARSHAM
To: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 057412/0504 →