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 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 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 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 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.

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: A user profile server stores a user profile corresponding to a user identifier. The user profile includes user-specific information of a user associated with the user identifier. The server receives a location update associated with the user identifier, the location update representing a current location of the user associated with the user identifier and determine a hospitality location within a predetermined distance of the current location represented by the location update. The server communicates at least one of the user-specific information to a controller associated with the hospitality location thereby allowing the controller to provide the user-tailored experience to the user according to the at least one of the user-specific information received from the user-profile server. In this way, users who travel during unplanned trips or to locations that do not accept reservations may benefit from user-tailored experiences.

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 server in a captive portal accepts a connection from a user device to the IP address of the server and receives a HTTP or HTTPS request over the connection. The connection may be a result of the user device being previously determined to be not logged in, and consequently provided the IP address of the server as a DNS resolved IP address, the user device thereafter caching the IP address of the server. The server responds with requested content if the target host of the request is a local host. If the target host is a remote destination, the server queries a login database to determine whether the user device is logged in. The server acts as a transparent proxy between the user device and the remote destination if the user device is logged in, else the server sends alternate content to the user device over the connection.

Abstract: A media server receives a request from an unpaired mobile device, queries a login database to determine whether the mobile device is logged in for high speed Internet access, and, when yes, identifies a particular guest area of the hospitality establishment according to details in its login record. One of the media devices accessible from within the particular guest area is selected and paired with the mobile device without requiring a user of the mobile device to input into the mobile device a connect code of the selected media device. In another example, a user initiates a codeless pairing mode on a particular one of the media devices and begins interacting with the media server utilizing an unpaired mobile device. Since, only one media device can be in that mode at a time, the media server pairs the newly detected unpaired mobile device with the particular media 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 universal data gate converts between interface format types of interconnected systems. The data gate learns new interface types and greatly simplifies the requirement for a human user to reprogram the new interface types. A library of known interface types is built up over time and allows re-use of known interface types as required. Voice based room control is enabled by automatically activating the voice control on a guest device when the guest is checked in to a hotel room. Text corresponding to voice commands captured from the user's voice is passed to a hotel app. The system automatically pairs the guest device with the user's assigned room and determines which in-room controllable devices are to be operated by the user's voice commands. When the user switches to a new guest room during travel, the system automatically updates the room pairing and new voice commands operate the new in-room devices.

Abstract: An association server in a communication system receives a device identifier of a user device and searches a device-to-token database in order to determine whether the device identifier is currently associated with any device communication token. In response to determining that the device identifier is associated with a device communication token, the association server creates a communication account for the user device on a communication server, and sends a login credential for the communication account to the user device in a message transmitted via a message server. The message is addressed by the device communication token to a predetermined application installed on the user device. The predetermined application on the user device receives the message from the message service, and thereafter automatically logs in to the communication server according to the login credential included in the message.

Abstract: A captive portal system includes a login database, a web server, and a name server. The name server receives a DNS request from a user device, queries the login database to determine whether the user device is logged in, and responds to the DNS request with the IP address of the web server as a resolved IP address of the specified domain name when the user device is not logged in. The web server accepts a connection request from the user device to the IP address of the web server, receives an HTTP request specifying a non-local target URL from the user device, queries the login database to determine whether the user device is logged in according to the source address of the user device, and acts as a transparent proxy between the user device and the non-local target URL when the user device is logged in.

Abstract: A plurality of controllable devices is in communication with and remotely operable by a media system controller. A storage device stores associations between respective passkeys and one or more of the controllable devices that are currently associated therewith. The controller generates a passkey in response to an occurrence of a first event associated with a particular one of the controllable devices, stores in the storage device an association between the passkey and the particular one of the controllable devices, and the passkey is displayed by the particular one of the controllable devices. The passkey is entered into a mobile device by a user. The controller receives the passkey from the mobile device, finds the particular one of the controllable devices currently associated with the passkey, and transfers commands and status information between the particular one of the controllable devices and the mobile device until an occurrence of a second event.

Abstract: An association server in a communication system receives a device identifier of a user device and searches a device-to-token database in order to determine whether the device identifier is currently associated with any device communication token. In response to determining that the device identifier is associated with a device communication token, the association server creates a communication account for the user device on a communication server, and sends a login credential for the communication account to the user device in a message transmitted via a message server. The message is addressed by the device communication token to a predetermined application installed on the user device. The predetermined application on the user device receives the message from the message service, and thereafter automatically logs in to the communication server according to the login credential included in the message.

Abstract: A universal data gate converts between interface format types of interconnected systems. The data gate learns new interface types and greatly simplifies the requirement for a human user to reprogram the new interface types. A library of known interface types is built up over time and allows re-use of known interface types as required. Voice based room control is enabled by automatically activating the voice control on a guest device when the guest is checked in to a hotel room. Text corresponding to voice commands captured from the user's voice is passed to a hotel app. The system automatically pairs the guest device with the user's assigned room and determines which in-room controllable devices are to be operated by the user's voice commands. When the user switches to a new guest room during travel, the system automatically updates the room pairing and new voice commands operate the new in-room devices.

Abstract: One or more processors receive a plurality of original video streams, generate a guide video stream that includes each of the original video streams resized and arranged such that all of the original video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the guide video stream, and display the guide video stream on a display device. The one or more processors further provide an interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the guide video stream to thereby allow a user of the set-top box to select one of the original video streams shown playing on the guide video stream for full screen playback. In response to the user selecting a particular original video stream for full screen playback, the one or more processors play full screen on the display device the particular original video stream as selected by the user.