IP Library Granted Patent US 12,250,426
Granted Patent B2
US 12,250,426 · App. 18/483,763 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

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

Inventors: Thomas R. Miller (Plano, TX); Vanessa Ogle (Fairview, TX)
Assignee: Enseo, LLC
H04N21/43615G07C9/00174G07C9/00309G07C9/00904H04N21/2143H04N21/41265H04N21/42204H04N21/6587G07C2009/00507G07C2009/00825G07C2209/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,250,426
App. No.
18/483,763
Granted
Mar 11, 2025
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 interconnectedly includes a television input, a television 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 receive a status signal from the electronic door locking apparatus relative to the open/closed status of the door and locked/unlocked status of the door.

Claims (48)

1. A system for interacting with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the system comprising:

a programming interface being configured to communicate with a set-top box having a processor, non-transitory memory, storage, and a wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device;

the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

pair with the electronic door locking apparatus coupled to the door, the electronic door locking apparatus being room-collocated with the set-top box,

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.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive a status signal from the electronic door locking apparatus, the status signal being relative to a locked/unlocked status of the door.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the status signal is further relative to a do not disturb status of the door.

4. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the status signal is further relative to a power state of the electronic door locking apparatus.

5. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to forward a fully tuned signal to a display including a status indicator based on the received status signal.

6. The set-top box as recited in claim 2 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to forward the status indicator based on the received status signal to a remote server.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

specify a search operation to identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, wherein the search operation utilizes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly identify the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate the virtual remote control functionality input instructions to assign a meaning,

generate a command signal, and

send the command signal to the electronic door locking apparatus.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the command signal relates to causing the electronic door locking apparatus to unlock the door.

10. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the command signal relates to causing the electronic door locking apparatus to alternate the do not disturb status.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the command signal relates to re-programming the electronic door locking apparatus.

12. The system 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.

13. The system 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.

14. A system for interacting with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the system comprising:

a programming interface being configured to communicate with a set-top box having a processor, non-transitory memory, storage, and a wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device; and

the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system 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.

15. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate the virtual remote control functionality input instructions to assign a meaning,

generate a command signal, and

send the command signal to the electronic door locking apparatus.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the command signal relates to causing the electronic door locking apparatus to unlock the door.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the command signal relates to causing the electronic door locking apparatus to alternate a do not disturb status.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the command signal relates to re-programming the electronic door locking apparatus.

19. The system as recited in claim 15 , 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.

20. A system for interacting with an electronic door locking apparatus coupled to a door, the system comprising:

a programming interface being configured to communicate with a set-top box having a processor, non-transitory memory, storage, and a wireless transceiver, the wireless transceiver operable to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device; and

the non-transitory memory being accessible to the processor, the non-transitory memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

receive and process virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device,

evaluate the virtual remote control functionality input instructions to assign a meaning,

generate a command signal, and

send the command signal to the electronic door locking apparatus.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2023
From: OGLE, VANESSA; MILLER, THOMAS R.
To: ENSEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 065169/0425 →
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Oct 10, 2023
From: ENSEO, INC.
To: ENSEO, LLC
Reel/Frame 065193/0904 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17812002 · Jul 12, 2022
Continuation 17469416 · Sep 8, 2021
Continuation 16916771 · Jun 30, 2020
Continuation 16545103 · Aug 20, 2019
Continuation 15969001 · May 2, 2018
Provisional Application 62500015 · May 2, 2017
Related Publication 20240040189A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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