Television Remote Control Data Transfer

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for information sharing between a portable computing device and a television system includes receiving a spoken input from a user of the portable computing device, by the portable computing device, submitting a digital recording of the spoken query from the portable computing device to a remote server system, receiving from the remote server system a textual representation of the spoken query, and automatically transmitting the textual representation from the portable computing device to the television system. The television system is programmed to submit the textual representation as a search query and to present to the user media-related results that are determined to be responsive to the spoken query.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for information sharing between a portable computing device and a television system, the method comprising:
 receiving a spoken input from a user of the portable computing device, by the portable computing device;   submitting a digital recording of the spoken query from the portable computing device to a remote server system;   receiving from the remote server system a textual representation of the spoken query; and   automatically transmitting the textual representation from the portable computing device to the television system,   wherein the television system is programmed to submit the textual representation as a search query and to present to the user media-related results that are determined to be responsive to the spoken query.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before automatically transmitting the textual representation, pairing the mobile computing device and television system over a local area network using a pairing protocol by which the mobile computing device and television system communicate with each other in a predetermined manner. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the textual representation to perform a local search of files stored on recordable media located in the television system. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically submitting the textual representation from the television system to a remote search engine, receiving in return search results that are responsive to a query in the textual representation, and presenting by the television system the search results. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the search results are presented as a group of music, movie, or television items that are determined to be responsive to the query, and are presented on the television system so that the user may select one or more of the items for viewing or listening. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising transmitting all or a portion of the search results from the television system to the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing to the search engine a request type for the search request that defines a type of information to be provided in the search results, and receiving search results that the search engine directed to the request type. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining on the mobile computing device whether the spoken input is directed to the television system, and automatically transmitting the textual representation from the portable computing device to the television system only if the spoken input is determined to be directed to the television system. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that the television system is not currently available to display the results, and storing the results or the textual representation until the television system is determined to be available to display the results. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the television system an indication that a user has selected a portion of the search results, and automatically causing a display on the portable computing device to change in response to receiving the indication. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a subsequent user input on the portable computing device, and causing the presentation of the search results to change in response to receiving the subsequent user input. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for information sharing between computers, the method comprising:
 receiving a spoken input at a first computer from a user of the first computer;   providing the audio of the spoken request to a first remote server system;   receiving a response from the first remote server system, the response including text of the spoken request; and   automatically transmitting data generated from the response that includes the spoken request, from the first computer to a second computer that is nearby the first computer,   wherein the second computer is programmed to automatically perform an action that causes a result generated by applying an operation to the transmitted data, to be presented to the user of the first computer.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising automatically submitting the text of the spoken request from the second computer to a remote search engine, receiving in return search results that are responsive to a query in the text of the spoken request, and presenting by the second computer the search results. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the search results are presented on the second computer as a group of music, movie, or television items that are determined to be responsive to the query, and are presented on the second computer so that the user may select one or more of the items for viewing or listening. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting all or a portion of the search results from the second computer to the first computer. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented system for information sharing, the system comprising:
 a mobile computing device; and   software stored on the mobile computing device and operable on one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:
 transmit spoken commands made by a user of the mobile computing device, to a remote server system; 
 receive in response, from the remote server system, text of the spoken commands; and 
 automatically provide the text received from the remote server system to a second computer operating in the close vicinity of the mobile computing device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising the second computer, wherein the second computer is programmed to provide the text received from the remote server system to a second remote server system as a search query, and to use search results received in response from the second remote server system to present the search results on a display of the second computer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second computer comprises a television. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first computer and the second computer are programmed to automatically pair over a local data connection when each is within communication of the local data connection. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second computer is programmed to submit the text to a search engine that performs searches directed specifically to media-related content.