Abstract: A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.

Abstract: A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

Abstract: A QR code is caused to be displayed on a display device. The QR code encodes therein a URL including an address of an application store website at which a software application for a hospitality establishment can be downloaded by a mobile device, an application identifier for uniquely identifying the software application from other software applications provided by the application store, and a connect code parameter for uniquely identifying a media device with which the mobile device is to be associated. When the mobile device scans the QR code prior to installation of the software application, the mobile device is directed to the URL and the application store website ignores the connect code parameter. When the mobile device scans the QR code after installation of the software application, the software application prevents redirecting the mobile device to the application store website and instead authenticates using the connect code.

Abstract: A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

Abstract: An app server receives a device token from a software application on a mobile device. The device token identifies the mobile device for pushing notification messages of the software application to the mobile device via a push notification system. The mobile device is monitored while accessing the Internet in order to detect when the user may benefit from upgraded access to the Internet. The app server then sends one or more notification message(s) to the user such as by sending a message to the device token of the mobile device via the push notification system or to a display device associated with the user at the hospitality establishment. The notification message invites the user to upgrade their Internet access. The push notification system alerts the user to the notification message via the user interface of the mobile device even when the software application is not running on the mobile device.

Abstract: A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

Abstract: A media server receives network traffic from a first mobile device, queries a login database of an HSIA controller to determine whether the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, and, when determining that the first mobile device is logged in for Internet access, causes a media device to play media content controlled according to the first mobile device. The HSIA controller receives network traffic from a second mobile device on the local area network, queries the pairing database of the media server in order to determine whether the second mobile device is paired with any of the media devices coupled to the media server, and, when determining that the second mobile device is paired with at least one of the media devices, reconfigures an access controller between the local area network and the Internet to allow the second mobile device to access the Internet.

Abstract: A media server is for enabling codeless pairing between a mobile device and a particular one of a plurality of media devices. The media server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device and the media devices via a computer network. The media server receives a request by a first media device to enter a codeless pairing mode, queries a database to determine whether any other of the media devices is currently in the codeless pairing mode—and, when yes, the media server transmits a busy message to the first media device, and, when no, the media server detects a media session initiated by the mobile device. Upon detecting the media session, the media server pairs the mobile device with the first media device and causes the first media device to play media content associated with the media session.

Abstract: A content selector retrieves customization criteria corresponding to a plurality of guests of a hospitality location. According to the criteria, a core set of channels is automatically selected to make available from a plurality of available channels for streaming via the external computer network. Bandwidth between the external computer network and the hospitality location is reserved to ensure all core channels can be concurrently streamed to the hospitality location. An interactive program guide available on the entertainment devices is customized to list at least one of the core channels as available for viewing. For each channel of the core set, the channel is streamed to the hospitality location only when the channel is being viewed on at least one of the entertainment devices. Updated guest related customization criteria is retrieved and the core channels available for viewing are dynamically changed as the guests of the hospitality location change over time.

Abstract: An app server receives a device token from a software application on a mobile device. The device token identifies the mobile device for pushing notification messages of the software application to the mobile device via a push notification system. The mobile device is monitored while accessing the Internet in order to detect when the user may benefit from upgraded access to the Internet. The app server then sends one or more notification message(s) to the user such as by sending a message to the device token of the mobile device via the push notification system or to a display device associated with the user at the hospitality establishment. The notification message invites the user to upgrade their Internet access. The push notification system alerts the user to the notification message via the user interface of the mobile device even when the software application is not running on the mobile device.

Abstract: A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.

Abstract: A media server is for enabling codeless pairing between a mobile device and a particular one of a plurality of media devices. The media server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device and the media devices via a computer network. The media server receives a request by a first media device to enter a codeless pairing mode, queries a database to determine whether any other of the media devices is currently in the codeless pairing mode - and, when yes, the media server transmits a busy message to the first media device, and, when no, the media server detects a media session initiated by the mobile device. Upon detecting the media session, the media server pairs the mobile device with the first media device and causes the first media device to play media content associated with the media session.

Abstract: A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

Abstract: An app server receives a device token from a software application on a mobile device. The device token identifies the mobile device for pushing notification messages of the software application to the mobile device via a push notification system. The mobile device is monitored while accessing the Internet in order to detect when the user may benefit from upgraded access to the Internet. The app server then sends one or more notification message(s) to the user such as by sending a message to the device token of the mobile device via the push notification system or to a display device associated with the user at the hospitality establishment. The notification message invites the user to upgrade their Internet access. The push notification system alerts the user to the notification message via the user interface of the mobile device even when the software application is not running on the mobile device.

Abstract: A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.

Abstract: A media server is for enabling codeless pairing between a mobile device and a particular one of a plurality of media devices. The media server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device and the media devices via a computer network. The media server receives a request by a first media device to enter a codeless pairing mode, queries a database to determine whether any other of the media devices is currently in the codeless pairing mode—and, when yes, the media server transmits a busy message to the first media device, and, when no, the media server detects a media session initiated by the mobile device. Upon detecting the media session, the media server pairs the mobile device with the first media device and causes the first media device to play media content associated with the media session.

Abstract: A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

Abstract: A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.

Abstract: A content selector retrieves customization criteria corresponding to a plurality of guests of a hospitality location. According to the criteria, a core set of channels is automatically selected to make available from a plurality of available channels for streaming via the external computer network. Bandwidth between the external computer network and the hospitality location is reserved to ensure all core channels can be concurrently streamed to the hospitality location. An interactive program guide available on the entertainment devices is customized to list at least one of the core channels as available for viewing. For each channel of the core set, the channel is streamed to the hospitality location only when the channel is being viewed on at least one of the entertainment devices. Updated guest related customization criteria is retrieved and the core channels available for viewing are dynamically changed as the guests of the hospitality location change over time.

Abstract: A media server is for enabling codeless pairing between a mobile device and a particular one of a plurality of media devices. The media server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device and the media devices via a computer network. The media server receives a request by a first media device to enter a codeless pairing mode, queries a database to determine whether any other of the media devices is currently in the codeless pairing mode—and, when yes, the media server transmits a busy message to the first media device, and, when no, the media server detects a media session initiated by the mobile device. Upon detecting the media session, the media server pairs the mobile device with the first media device and causes the first media device to play media content associated with the media session.