Home network system

• US 20030120742A1
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shibata, Akira, Ohgami, Yoichi, Hirata, Kohzoh
• Application Number:
  US09/983,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120742A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• 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 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

In the system, a home server collectively receives and demodulates signals of satellite broadcasts, TV broadcasts, CATV broadcasts and telecommunication data by its receiving and demodulating portion, and, upon receipt of a request from a user display device, selects a broadcasting channel and converts the channel signal into a common data signal by its digital signal processing portion. The home server decides an address of the display device and a transmission means, modulates the common data signal by its radio control portion and, then, transmits the signal through an aerial portion thereof to the display device. The video signal from the home server is received by the display device through its antenna, wherein the signal is demodulated by a radio control portion and transferred to a recognition portion for recognizing the address of the display device or signal conversion device for displaying the video signal.

Claims

1. A home network system comprising:

a home server including a first receiving means for receiving a plurality of broadcast signals and communication signals, a digital signal converting means for converting the received signals into digital signals, a recording means for recording the digital signals and a transmitting means for transmitting the digital signals; and

a display device including a second receiving means for receiving the digital signals from the home server and a display means for displaying the received digital signals.

2. A home network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first receiving means is capable of receiving a plurality of signals including signals of satellite broadcasts, television broadcasts, cable television programs and telecommunications.

3. A home network system as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the home server and the display device are provided with a mutual recognition means by which the home server sends a recognition signal, the display device receives, recognizes the recognition signal and returns a response signal and the home server receives the returned response signal and gives an address to the display device.

4. A home network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the digital signal converting means converts a signal into common data signal and the transmitting means transmits the common data signal to the display device by radio.

5. A home network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is provided with a radio control means including a transmission power control means for discriminating a construction of a house wherein the home network system is working and a transmission direction control means for changing a direction of radio transmission.

6. A home network system as defined in claim 5, wherein the radio control means is provided with an automatic frequency control means for automatically maintaining an optimal bandwidth of the radio transmission.

7. A home network system as defined in claim 5, wherein the radio control means is provided with a frequency band switching means for changing a frequency band in accord with the type of transmittable data.

8. A home network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the display device can be used as a monitor of a personal computer and is provided with terminals for connecting thereto a keyboard and a mouse usable for operating the personal computer.

9. A home network system as defined in claim 1, wherein the display device is provided with terminals for connecting thereto a spatial light transmitting element or radio transmission element for starting and remotely controlling the home server for beginning to receive broadcast signals or get into communication.

15. A home network system as defined in claim 2, wherein the digital signal converting means converts a signal into common data signal and the transmitting means transmits the common data signal to the display device by radio.

16. A home network system as defined in claim 3, wherein the digital signal converting means converts a signal into common data signal and the transmitting means transmits the common data signal to the display device by radio.

17. A home network system as defined in claim 2, wherein the transmitting means is provided with a radio control means including a transmission power control means for discriminating a construction of a house wherein the home network system is working and a transmission direction control means for changing a direction of radio transmission.

18. A home network system as defined in claim 3, wherein the transmitting means is provided with a radio control means including a transmission power control means for discriminating a construction of a house wherein the home network system is working and a transmission direction control means for changing a direction of radio transmission.

19. A home network system as defined in claim 4, wherein the transmitting means is provided with a radio control means including a transmission power control means for discriminating a construction of a house wherein the home network system is working and a transmission direction control means for changing a direction of radio transmission.

10. A home network system comprising:

a home server including a receiving means for receiving a plurality of broadcast signals and communication signals, a digital signal converting means for converting each received signal into a digital signal, a recording means for recording the digital signal and a transmitting means for converting the digital signal into a high frequency signal and transmitting the high frequency signal;

a signal conversion device for receiving the high frequency signal from the home server, converting the high frequency signal into a television signal and transmitting the television signal; and

a television receiver for receiving the television signal from the signal conversion device.

11. A home network system as defined in claim 10, wherein the signal conversion device comprises a second receiving means for receiving a high frequency signal from the home server, a converting means for converting the received high frequency signal into a television signal and a outputting means for outputting the television signal to the television receiver.

12. A home network system as defined in claim 10 or 11, wherein the home server and the signal conversion device are provided with a mutual recognition means by which the home server sends a recognition signal, the signal conversion device receives, recognizes and returns the response signal and the home server receives the response signal and gives an address to the signal conversion device.

13. A home network system as defined in claim 10 or 11, wherein the mutual recognition means is provided with an additional device discriminating means for detecting a newly added signal conversion device and causing the mutual recognition means to work.

14. A home network system as defined in claim 13, wherein the mutual recognition means is provided with an address identifying means to examine whether an address was given already to the signal conversion device having returned the recognition signal and, if so, add the same address, or, if not, add a new different address to the signal conversion device.