IP Library Granted Patent US 11,671,650
Granted Patent B2
US 11,671,650 · App. 17/672,130 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Set-top box with enhanced behavioral controls and system and method for use of same

Inventor: William C. Fang (Plano, TX)
Assignee: Enseo, LLC
H04N21/43615G07C9/00174G07C9/00309G07C9/00904H04N21/2143H04N21/4126H04N21/42204H04N21/6587G07C2009/00507G07C2009/00825G07C2209/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,671,650
App. No.
17/672,130
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A set-top box with enhanced behavioral controls and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, a wireless transceiver is located within a housing, which also interconnectively includes a signal input, a signal output, a processor, and memory. The set-top box may pair with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door that is room-collocated with the set-top box in a hospitality establishment. The set-top box may then reprogram the electronic door locking apparatus as well as control amenities, such as a display, in response to presence signal from the electronic door locking apparatus.

Claims (58)

1. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the electronic door locking apparatus being room-collocated with the set-top box;

the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the signal output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a display; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

pair with the electronic door locking apparatus,

receive a guest check-out signal,

receive a guest leave signal from the electronic door locking apparatus, and

reprogram the electronic door locking apparatus to revoke a keyless entry code.

2. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

forward the guest leave signal to a remote server.

3. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a command signal from a remote server, the command signal including a reprogramming signal to revoke the keyless entry code at the electronic door locking apparatus.

4. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive and process server control functionality input instructions from a remote server, and

evaluate the server control functionality input instructions to assign a meaning.

5. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive a status signal from the electronic door locking apparatus.

6. The set-top box as recited in claim 5 , wherein the status signal is relative to an open/closed status of the door.

7. The set-top box as recited in claim 5 , wherein the status signal is relative to a locked/unlocked status of the door.

8. The set-top box as recited in claim 5 , wherein the status signal is relative to a do not disturb status of the door.

9. The set-top box as recited in claim 5 , wherein the status signal is relative to a power state of the electronic door locking apparatus.

10. The set-top box as recited in claim 5 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to forward a status indicator based on the received status signal to a remote server.

11. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to send a command signal to the electronic door locking apparatus, the command signal causing the electronic door locking apparatus to unlock the door.

12. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive and process keycard data from the electronic door locking apparatus,

evaluate the keycard data to determine access rights,

generate a command signal relative to the access rights, and

send the command signal to the electronic door locking apparatus.

13. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic door locking apparatus is room-collocated with the set-top box in a hospitality establishment.

14. The set-top box as recited in claim 13 , wherein the hospitality establishment is selected from the group consisting of furnished multi-family residences, dormitories, lodging establishments, hotels, hospitals, and multi-unit environments.

15. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a housing-dongle combination securing the signal input, the signal output, the processor, memory, storage, and wireless transceiver therewith.

16. The set-top box as recited in claim 15 , wherein the processor and the memory are distributed through the housing-dongle combination.

17. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the electronic door locking apparatus via a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy.

18. The set-top box as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the electronic door locking apparatus via a short distance data exchange standard.

19. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the electronic door locking apparatus being room-collocated with the set-top box;

the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the signal output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a display; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a guest check-out signal,

receive a guest leave signal from the electronic door locking apparatus, and

reprogram the electronic door locking apparatus to revoke a keyless entry code.

20. A set-top box comprising:

a housing securing a signal input, a signal output, a processor, memory, and storage therein;

a busing architecture communicatively interconnecting the signal input, the signal output, the processor, the memory, and the storage;

a wireless transceiver associated with the housing and coupled to the busing architecture, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the electronic door locking apparatus being room-collocated with the set-top box;

the signal input configured to receive a source signal from an external source;

the signal output configured to forward a fully tuned signal to a display; and

the memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a guest check-out signal,

receive a guest leave signal from the electronic door locking apparatus,

forward the guest leave signal to a remote server,

receive a command signal from the remote server, the command signal including a reprogramming signal to revoke a keyless entry code at the electronic door locking apparatus, and

reprogram the electronic door locking apparatus to revoke the keyless entry code.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2022
From: FANG, WILLIAM C.
To: ENSEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 060084/0522 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 15, 2022
From: ENSEO, INC.
To: ENSEO, LLC
Reel/Frame 060081/0165 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17079021 · Oct 23, 2020
Continuation In Part 16916771 · Jun 30, 2020
Continuation 15969001 · May 2, 2018
Provisional Application 62925807 · Oct 25, 2019
Provisional Application 62500015 · May 2, 2017
Related Publication 20220174350A1 · Jun 2, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,200,295