Audio and/or visual system, method and components
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of devices including respective communications interfaces for communicating between the plurality of devices;
wherein at least one of the devices is a source device including a source of audio and/or visual content and a control for activating the source to supply a data stream representing audio and/or visual content;
at least one of the devices has a resource for outputting audio and/or visual content; and
the at least one source device is adapted, when a source of audio and/or visual content outputting a data stream is activated, to determine the resource or resources required to output the data stream and the resources available on other devices, to make a connection to a device or connections to other devices having the resources to output the audio and/or visual content required by the activated source of audio and/or visual content and to supply at least part of the data stream through the connection or connections for output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system has source devices (2, 4) for supplying audio and/or visual data and resource devices (6) for outputting audio and/or visual data. When a source device (2, 4) is activated, the source device connects to suitable resource device (6), by determining suitable available resource devices, for example by polling the air, and simply connecting to the suitable resource device or devices. The user can switch off unwanted resource devices and select suitable data in the event that one of the resource devices receives a plurality of data streams (18, 20).
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a plurality of devices including respective communications interfaces for communicating between the plurality of devices;
whereinat least one of the devices is a source device including a source of audio and/or visual content and a control for activating the source to supply a data stream representing audio and/or visual content;
at least one of the devices has a resource for outputting audio and/or visual content; and
the at least one source device is adapted, when a source of audio and/or visual content outputting a data stream is activated, to determine the resource or resources required to output the data stream and the resources available on other devices, to make a connection to a device or connections to other devices having the resources to output the audio and/or visual content required by the activated source of audio and/or visual content and to supply at least part of the data stream through the connection or connections for output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A source device, comprising
at least one audio and/or visual data source that may be activated to provide a datastream representing audio and/or visual content; -
a communications interface for connecting the audio and/or visual device to other devices including devices having audio and/or visual data handling capabilities;
and code for determining, when a source of audio and/or visual content is activated, the output capabilities required to output the source of audio and/or visual content, determining which other available devices have the required output capabilities, making a connection through the communications interface with the other device or the other devices having required output capabilities, and providing at least part of the datastream representing audio and/or visual content to the other device or devices via the connection. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An output device comprising:
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at least one output component for playing audio and/or visual information;
a communications interface for connecting to other devices through a network;
a polling response module for responding to polling requests received through the communications interface with information regarding the play capabilities of the output device; and
code for making a connection or connections with another device or other devices for receiving an audio and/or visual data stream or streams, the or each connection being made when requested by the or each other device, for playing the audio and/or visual data stream when a single data stream is received, and, when a plurality of data streams are received, for playing each of the plurality of data streams in parallel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An output method for use with a plurality of devices, including:
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activating a source of audio and/or visual content in one device, the source of audio and/or visual content requiring certain play capabilities, determining the play capabilities required, determining which of the other devices available have the required play capabilities, making a connection through a communications interface with the other device or the other devices having required play capabilities, supplying at least part of the data stream through the connection to the other device or other devices having required play capabilities; and
outputting the data stream on the other device or devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification