Abstract: A mobile device is configurable by a controller to remotely operate a target controllable device, the controller and the target controllable device being part of a hospitality media system. A communication module establishes a connection to the controller and performs data transfer between the mobile device and the controller. A customization module receives customization information from the controller and customizes a user interface of the mobile device accordingly. A status information regarding the target controllable device is received from the controller and displayed on the user interface of the mobile device. A user of the mobile device thereafter issues a command via the user interface to the controller, the command containing instruction intended for the target controllable device. The controller receives the command and operates the target controllable devices in dependence upon instruction contained in the command received from 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: An apparatus enables communication between a user device and a communication server. The apparatus receives a device identifier of the user device and determines after searching a device-to-token database that the device identifier is not associated with any device communication token. The apparatus activates a predetermined application on the user device, and thereafter receives a device communication token of the predetermined application. A mapping of the device communication token with the device identifier is stored in the device-to-token database after which a communication account is created for the user device on a communication server. A login credential for the communication account is sent to the user device in a message addressed to the predetermined application and transmitted via a message server. The predetermined application on the user device receives the message, and thereafter automatically logs in to the communication server according to the login credential in the message.

Abstract: Internet of things (IoT) hubs are distributed in a hospitality establishment and are connected to a control server. Various IoT devices are installed in each room or other separate guest area within the hospitality establishment. The hubs are located such that each IoT device is within a predetermined distance from at least one hub. The control server has mappings of which IoT devices are in which rooms and has mappings of which hubs are used to control which IoT devices. When a state change message is received from a user device, the control server confirms the user device is currently associated with at least one guest room and then determines which target IoT devices are affected by the state change message. The control server then sends commands to the various one or more hubs that control the target IoT devices in order to effect the state changes.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping with multicast domain name service (MDNS) discovery includes one or more processors configured to receive a first MDNS query from the resource-seeking device, receive a first MDNS response from the resource-providing device, and generate a second MDNS response according to the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is generated at least by including a resource record from the first MDNS response and setting a time-to-live (TTL) value of the resource record in the second MDNS response to be lower than an original TTL value as specified for the resource record in the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is sent to the resource-seeking device in response to the first MDNS query. A hospitality establishment may thereby soft assign a media device to a user device while retaining the ability to change the media device assigned to the user device.

Abstract: A voice-controlled system for allowing a guest of a hospitality establishment to play desired media content on an in-room device includes one or more servers coupled to a network and a plurality of in-room devices. A user device captures audio from a microphone and converts the audio into a text transcript utilizing a voice-to-text conversion service. The user device passes the text transcript to the servers where a particular room of the hospitality establishment with which the user device is currently associated is determined. The servers check a program guide for the particular room in order to determine a channel on which a program name determined according to the text transcript is currently playing, and determine one or more target in-room devices of the particular room. The servers send commands causing the target in-room devices to play the channel on which the program name is currently playing.

Abstract: A set-top box receives original video streams and generates a guide video stream that includes each of the original video streams resized and arranged as a plurality of scaled video streams such that all of the scaled video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the guide video stream. The guide video stream is displayed on a display device and the set-top box provides an interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the guide video stream to allow a user of the set-top box to select one of the scaled video streams for full screen playback. In response to the user selecting a particular scaled video stream on the guide video stream for full screen playback, the set-top box plays full screen on the display device a particular original video stream corresponding to the particular scaled video stream as received via the communication interface.

Abstract: A service controller includes a network interface for coupling to a local area network of a hospitality establishment, and one or more processors coupled to the network interface. The one or more processors are configured to detect a device identifier of a user device on a local area network of a hospitality establishment, determine whether a guest of the hospitality establishment is associated with the device identifier, and automatically activate a service for the user device at the hospitality establishment in response to detecting the device identifier on the local area network when a guest of the hospitality establishment is determined to be associated with the device identifier.

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 mobile device is configurable by a controller to remotely operate a target controllable device, the controller and the target controllable device being part of a hospitality media system. A communication module establishes a connection to the controller and performs data transfer between the mobile device and the controller. A customization module receives customization information from the controller and customizes a user interface of the mobile device accordingly. A status information regarding the target controllable device is received from the controller and displayed on the user interface of the mobile device. A user of the mobile device thereafter issues a command via the user interface to the controller, the command containing instruction intended for the target controllable device. The controller receives the command and operates the target controllable devices in dependence upon instruction contained in the command received from the mobile device.

Abstract: A service controller includes a network interface for coupling to a local area network of a hospitality establishment, and one or more processors coupled to the network interface. The one or more processors are configured to detect a device identifier of a user device on a local area network of a hospitality establishment, determine whether a guest of the hospitality establishment is associated with the device identifier, and automatically activate a service for the user device at the hospitality establishment in response to detecting the device identifier on the local area network when a guest of the hospitality establishment is determined to be associated with the device identifier.

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 hospitality media system includes a media system controller and a plurality of media devices located in a plurality of rooms and coupled to the media system controller. Each room has one or more in-room media devices located therein for performing a media function. A connection port allows a user of a room to establish data communications between the media system controller and a guest device. The media system controller is coupled to the connection port and configured to catalogue guest content available on the guest device to thereby form a guest content list, associate the guest content with one or more associated rooms at least including the user's room, and perform the media function utilizing content selected from the guest content list only on the in-room media devices located within the one or more associated rooms.

Abstract: A mobile device is configurable by a controller to remotely operate a target controllable device, the controller and the target controllable device being part of a hospitality media system. A communication module establishes a connection to the controller and performs data transfer between the mobile device and the controller. A customization module receives customization information from the controller and customizes a user interface of the mobile device accordingly. A status information regarding the target controllable device is received from the controller and displayed on the user interface of the mobile device. A user of the mobile device thereafter issues a command via the user interface to the controller, the command containing instruction intended for the target controllable device. The controller receives the command and operates the target controllable devices in dependence upon instruction contained in the command received from the mobile device.

Abstract: A voice-controlled system for allowing a guest of a hospitality establishment to play desired media content on an in-room device includes one or more servers coupled to a network and a plurality of in-room devices. A user device captures audio from a microphone and converts the audio into a text transcript utilizing a voice-to-text conversion service. The user device passes the text transcript to the servers where a particular room of the hospitality establishment with which the user device is currently associated is determined. The servers check a program guide for the particular room in order to determine a channel on which a program name determined according to the text transcript is currently playing, and determine one or more target in-room devices of the particular room. The servers send commands causing the target in-room devices to play the channel on which the program name is currently playing.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping with multicast domain name service (MDNS) discovery includes one or more processors configured to receive a first MDNS query from the resource-seeking device, receive a first MDNS response from the resource-providing device, and generate a second MDNS response according to the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is generated at least by including a resource record from the first MDNS response and setting a time-to-live (TTL) value of the resource record in the second MDNS response to be lower than an original TTL value as specified for the resource record in the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is sent to the resource-seeking device in response to the first MDNS query. A hospitality establishment may thereby soft assign a media device to a user device while retaining the ability to change the media device assigned to the user 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: An apparatus enables communication between a user device and a communication server. The apparatus receives a device identifier of the user device and determines after searching a device-to-token database that the device identifier is not associated with any device communication token. The apparatus activates a predetermined application on the user device, and thereafter receives a device communication token of the predetermined application. A mapping of the device communication token with the device identifier is stored in the device-to-token database after which a communication account is created for the user device on a communication server. A login credential for the communication account is sent to the user device in a message addressed to the predetermined application and transmitted via a message server. The predetermined application on the user device receives the message, and thereafter automatically logs in to the communication server according to the login credential in the message.

Abstract: A data gate apparatus for integrating functionalities of an interface format into a plurality of services. The data gate comprises a storage device, a communication interface and a processor coupled to the storage device and the communication interface. The processor detects a device supporting a first interface format that is different than the interface formats stored in the storage device. The processor learns the first interface format by receiving data function in the first interface format and associating a field in the data function with a variable representing information of a particular type. The processor verifies that the first interface format has been successfully learnt by generating a message in the first interface format and sending the message to the device. The processor receives a response to the message and parses the response to thereby confirm that the first interface format is functional and integrable into the plurality of services.

Abstract: An apparatus for helping with multicast domain name service (MDNS) discovery includes one or more processors configured to receive a first MDNS query from the resource seeking device, receive a first MDNS response from the resource providing device, and generate a second MDNS response according to the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is generated at least by including a resource record from the first MDNS response and setting a time-to-live (TTL) value of the resource record in the second MDNS response to be lower than an original TTL value as specified for the resource record in the first MDNS response. The second MDNS response is sent to the resource seeking device in response to the first MDNS query. A hospitality establishment may thereby soft assign a media device to a user device while retaining the ability to change the media device assigned to the user device.