Hospitality media system operated by mobile device

Abstract

A hospitality media system includes a media system controller and a plurality of controllable devices operable by the media system controller, each of a plurality of rooms having one or more in-room controllable devices. A communication module performs data communications with a mobile device. An authentication module receives identification information from the mobile device, determines a registered room currently associated with the identification information, and includes in an authorized subset of the controllable devices for which the mobile device is authorized to operate at least the in-room controllable devices of the registered room. The media system controller operates the authorized subset of the controllable devices in dependence upon commands received from the mobile device.

1 . A hospitality media system comprising:
 a media system controller;   a plurality of controllable devices operable by the media system controller, each of a plurality of rooms having one or more in-room controllable devices;   a communication module for performing data communications with a mobile device; and   an authentication module for:
 receiving identification information from the mobile device, 
 determining a registered room currently associated with the identification information, and 
 including in an authorized subset of the controllable devices for which the mobile device is authorized to operate at least the in-room controllable devices of the registered room; 
   wherein the media system controller is for operating the authorized subset of the controllable devices in dependence upon commands received from the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein the media system controller is further for transferring status information corresponding to the authorized subset of the controllable devices to the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The hospitality media system of  claim 2 , wherein the status information includes data for displaying an interactive program guide on the mobile device customized to list only content that is available on the in-room controllable devices of the registered room. 
     
     
         4 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a customization module coupled to the communication module for transferring customization information specific to the hospitality media system to a predetermined application running on the mobile device after a connection to the mobile device has been established;   wherein the predetermined application is compatible with and may be customized by a plurality of different hospitality media systems.   
     
     
         5 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the identification information comprises a unique identifier of the mobile device;   the authentication module is for determining the registered room currently associated with the identification information by querying a database; and   the database includes authentication data associating the unique identifier of the mobile device with the registered room.   
     
     
         6 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the identification information corresponds to user information entered by a user of the mobile device;   the authentication module is for determining the registered room currently associated with the identification information by querying a database; and   the database includes authentication data associating the user information with the registered room.   
     
     
         7 . The hospitality media system of  claim 6 , wherein the authentication data is automatically removed from the database when the user checks out of the registered room. 
     
     
         8 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information comprises a passkey displayed by the media system controller on a display device in the registered room. 
     
     
         9 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication module is further for authorizing a plurality of mobile devices to operate a single controllable device. 
     
     
         10 . The hospitality media system of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication module is further for including in the authorized subset the in-room controllable devices of a plurality of registered rooms that are currently associated with the identification information. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a plurality of controllable devices in a hospitality media system, each of a plurality of rooms having one or more in-room controllable devices, the method comprising:
 receiving identification information from a mobile device;   determining a registered room currently associated with the identification information;   including in an authorized subset of the controllable devices for which the mobile device is authorized to operate at least the in-room controllable devices of the registered room; and   operating the authorized subset of the controllable devices in dependence upon commands received from the mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 transferring status information corresponding to the authorized subset of the controllable devices to the mobile device;   wherein the status information includes an interactive program guide customized to list only content that is available on the in-room controllable devices of registered room.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 transferring customization information specific to the hospitality media system to a predetermined application running on the mobile device after a connection to the mobile device has been established;   wherein the predetermined application is compatible with and may be customized by a plurality of different hospitality media systems.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the registered room currently associated with the identification information by querying a database;   wherein the identification information comprises a unique identifier of the mobile device; and   the database includes authentication data associating the unique identifier of the mobile device with the registered room.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the registered room currently associated with the identification information by querying a database;   wherein the identification information corresponds to user information entered by a user of the mobile device; and   the database includes authentication data associating the user information with the registered room.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising automatically removing the authentication data from the database when the user checks out of the registered room. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising displaying a passkey on a display device in the registered room, wherein the identification information comprises the passkey. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising authorizing a plurality of mobile devices to operate a single controllable device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising including in the authorized subset the in-room controllable devices of a plurality of registered rooms that are currently associated with the identification information. 
     
     
         20 . A hospitality media system comprising:
 a plurality of controllable devices, each of a plurality of rooms having one or more in-room controllable devices;   means for receiving identification information from a mobile device;   means for determining a registered room currently associated with the identification information;   means for including in an authorized subset of the controllable devices for which the mobile device is authorized to operate at least the in-room controllable devices of the registered room; and   means for operating the authorized subset of the controllable devices in dependence upon commands received from the mobile device.