Televisions for providing audio-visual entertainment to guests are commonly available as part of hotel rooms. Often times televisions and other entertainment systems for use in the lodging industry are associated with distribution systems that permit guests to select from a variety of programming. This programming can include regular off-air television programs, pay per view movies, Internet access, and guest services such as video shopping and video checkout. In addition, hotel entertainment systems typically include a headend or property management server that is located within the lodging facility and that is linked to guest terminals in the individual guest rooms by a distribution system. The local client server generally controls the delivery of selected content to the room terminal, and the application of any associated charges to the room bill. In selecting content, the guest typically provides input using a remote control provided as part of the interactive equipment in the room. Similar systems can be deployed in hospitals or other facilities for the delivery of entertainment or other services to patient rooms.
Increasingly, mobile devices, such as mobile telephones or smart phones, are used as a primary interface with communication and entertainment systems. These interactive features are often accessed as or through applications or “apps” that are resident on the mobile device. Although apps can include applications that deliver audio-visual content to the user, the relatively small format of most mobile devices often provides a less than optimum user experience. Therefore, in a hospitality setting, it is desirable to make use of the entertainment equipment provided as part of a room's entertainment system. Although various wireline and wireless communication protocols are available that are capable of supporting communications between a mobile device and a room entertainment system, the hardware required to establish such links is often not a part of existing room entertainment equipment. In addition, simply connecting a user's mobile device to room entertainment devices has the effect of merely substituting a conventional remote control device for the mobile device, and does not itself enable any additional functionality.
Mobile devices are also used to store user specific information. This user specific information can include information controlling modes of operation of the device, the arrangement of data and applications, and the implementation of various filters that control the user experience and/or the capabilities of the associated mobile device. Users of mobile devices therefore increasingly expect a consistent experience across applications. Accordingly, extending a user interface that implements such user preferences to other devices would be an advantage.