Remote control authority and authentication
The invention relates to systems and methods to enable a mobile device to be used as a remote control, in order to control one or more remotely controllable objects. In possible embodiments of the invention, proximity-based (or other) remote controls include control authorization to enable the transfer or sharing of control between different remote controls being implemented on different mobile devices, in order to permit different users to transfer or share control of a same remotely controllable object, for example. In other possible embodiments of the invention, a proximity-based (or other) remote control uses control authentication to enable the pairing of a remote control implemented on a device and a remotely controllable object, for example. Various embodiments of control authority and control authentication are possible and anticipated by the invention to address a wide range of practical remote control applications and provide many benefits to users.
1. A method performed by at least one computer processor executing computer program instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium to perform a method, the method comprising:
(1) at a first time, determining that a first mobile device is in proximity to a first remotely controllable object;
(2) in response to determining that the first mobile device is in proximity to the first object, at the first mobile device, presenting a first remote control user interface relevant to the first object that enables a user to remotely control the first remotely controllable object;
(3) receiving a first input from the user via a first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface, the first input indicating a first action to be performed at the first object;
(4) in response to receiving the first input, wirelessly transmitting, to a first remote server, a first communication relating to the first action;
(5) at a second time after the first time, determining that proximity does not exist between the first mobile device and the first remotely controllable object;
(6) at the first mobile device:
(6) (a) in response to determining that proximity does not exist, disabling at least the first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface for controlling the first remotely controllable object, to thereby terminate control of the first remotely controllable object by means of the first remote control user interface presented at the first mobile device;
(6) (b) presenting a visual indication indicating that the first remote control user interface element of a first remote control user interface for controlling the first remotely controllable object is disabled.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(7) at the first mobile device, transmitting a first signal, to a remote server, the first signal comprising first information, wherein the first information communicates the determination that proximity does not exist between the first mobile device and the first remotely controllable object.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(7) at the first mobile device, transmitting a first signal, to a remote server, the first signal comprising first information, wherein the first information communicates disabling of at least the first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface for controlling the first remotely controllable object.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(7) at the first mobile device, transmitting a first signal, to a remote server, the first signal comprising first information, wherein the first information communicates termination of control of the first remotely controllable object.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at a remote server:
(7) (a) determining, in response to determining that proximity does not exist, that at least the first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface should be disabled;
(7) (b) transmitting a communication to the first mobile device to implement the disabling of the at least the first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface presented at the first mobile device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before (5):
determining that the first mobile device is in proximity to the first object; and
in response to determining that the first mobile device is in proximity to the first object, presenting the first remote control user interface relevant to the first object.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, after presenting the first remote control user interface and before (5):
receiving a first input from a user via the first remote control user interface, the first input indicating a first action to be performed at the first object; and
in response to receiving the first input, wirelessly transmitting a first communication relating to the first action.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises using near-field communication technology to determine that the first mobile device is not within communication range of a near-field communication element associated with the first object.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises using an optical reader to determine that the first mobile device cannot detect a visual identifier associated with the first object.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises using sound identification technology to determine that the first mobile device cannot detect an audio signal associated with the first object.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises using biometric technology to determine that the first mobile device is not within range of a biometric signal associated with the first object.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises determining that the first mobile device is not within a defined geographic area associated with the first object based on a location of the first mobile device.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that proximity does not exist comprises determining that the first mobile device is not within a predetermined distance from the first object.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling user access to the first remote control user interface comprises:
removing the first remote control user interface from display on the first mobile device.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling user access to the first remote control user interface comprises:
disabling one or more control elements of the first remote control user interface while maintaining display of the first remote control user interface.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling user access to the first remote control user interface comprises:
replacing the first remote control user interface with a notice indicating that access has been disabled.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the visual indication comprises:
replacing the first remote control user interface with a notification indicating that the user no longer has access to control the particular remotely controllable object.
18. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, at the remote server, before (1):
receiving the first communication from the first mobile device; and
transmitting a second communication relating to the first action to a first object controller.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, at the remote server, before (1) and after transmitting the second communication:
receiving, from the first object controller, a third communication comprising first feedback; and
transmitting, to the first mobile device, a fourth communication comprising first information relating to the first feedback.
20. A system comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, the computer program instructions being executable by at least one computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
(1) at a first time, determining that a first mobile device is in proximity to a first remotely controllable object;
(2) in response to determining that the first mobile device is in proximity to the first object, at the first mobile device, presenting a first remote control user interface relevant to the first object that enables a user to remotely control the first remotely controllable object;
(3) receiving a first input from the user via a first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface, the first input indicating a first action to be performed at the first object;
(4) in response to receiving the first input, wirelessly transmitting, to a first remote server, a first communication relating to the first action;
(5) at a second time after the first time, determining that proximity does not exist between the first mobile device and the first remotely controllable object;
(6) at the first mobile device:
(6) (a) in response to determining that proximity does not exist, disabling at least the first remote control user interface element of the first remote control user interface for controlling the first remotely controllable object, to thereby terminate control of the first remotely controllable object by means of the first remote control user interface presented at the first mobile device;
(6) (b) presenting a visual indication indicating that the first remote control user interface element of a first remote control user interface for controlling the first remotely controllable object is disabled.