Charger system for receiving and transferring data to an electronic device

• US 20030109994A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: McKechnie, Stuart Peter, Dubil, Thomas James
• Application Number:
  US10/020,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20030109994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A charging system is provided for receiving data from a remote source and transferring the data to an electronic device. The charging system includes a charger including a coupling connector for coupling to a rechargeable electronic device, wherein the coupling connector includes charging circuitry for providing an electrical charge to the rechargeable electronic device and a communication port for transferring data to the rechargeable electronic device. The charging system further includes a network connection for receiving the data from a remote source and selectably transferring the data upon receipt to at least one of the communication port and a storage means of the charger. In one embodiment the rechargeable electronic device is a remote control device for controlling a television, and the data is a television channel guide.

Claims

1. A charger system comprising:

a charger comprising coupling means for coupling to a rechargeable device, wherein the coupling means includes charging means for providing an electrical charge to the rechargeable device and means for transferring data to the rechargeable device; and

means for receiving the data from a remote source and selectably transferring the data upon receipt to at least one of the means for transferring and a storage means of the charger.

2. The charger system of claim 1, wherein the charging means provides an electrical charge to the rechargeable device and the means for transferring transfers the data to the rechargeable device simultaneously.

3. The charger system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving data receives the data from the remote source via the Internet.

4. The charger system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable device is a device capable of functioning as a remote control device.

5. The charger system of claim 1, wherein the data includes a list of executable commands.

6. The charger system of claim 1, wherein the data includes a schedule for operating an electronic device via the rechargeable device.

7. A method for providing data to a rechargeable electronic device comprising the steps of:

receiving data from a remote source via a charging device;

selectably storing the received data within the charging device;

coupling the rechargeable electronic device to the charging device;

charging the rechargeable electronic device; and

selectably transferring the stored data and the received data from the charging device to the rechargeable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote source is a server;

and further including the step of initiating transfer of the data from the server to the charging device by transmitting a request signal to the server.

9. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

processing the data transferred to the rechargeable electronic device; and

controlling an electronic device via the rechargeable electronic device in accordance with the processed data.

10. The method of claim 8, further including the step of programming the charging device via the remote source to transmit the request signal to the server.

11. The method of claim 8, further including the step of programming the charging device via the rechargeable electronic device to transmit the request signal to the server.

12. The method of claim 7, further including the step of notifying the remote source of the availability of the charging device for receiving the data.

13. The method of claim 7, further including the step of replacing previously stored data within the charging device with the data received from the remote source.

14. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

storing the data transferred from the charging device to the rechargeable electronic device within the rechargeable electronic device;

replacing previously stored data within the rechargeable electronic device with the data transferred from the charging device.

15. A charger system comprising:

means for receiving data from a remote source via a charging device;

means for selectably storing the received data within the charging device;

means for coupling the rechargeable electronic device to the charging device;

means for charging the rechargeable electronic device; and

means for selectably transferring the stored data and the received data from the charging device to the rechargeable electronic device.

16. The charger system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for processing the data transferred to the rechargeable electronic device; and

means for controlling an electronic device via the rechargeable electronic device in accordance with the processed data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the remote source is a server;

and further comprising means for initiating transfer of the data from the server to the charging device by transmitting a request signal to the server.

18. The charger system of claim 17, further comprising means for programming the charging device via the remote source to transmit the request signal to the server.

19. The charger system of claim 17, further comprising means for programming the charging device via the rechargeable electronic device to transmit the request signal to the server.