Systems and methods for encoding control signals initiated from remote devices

• US 20030222843A1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birmingham, Blair B.A.
• Application Number:
  US10/156,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

Systems and methods for encoding control signals initiated from remote devices are disclosed. In one form, a device for processing control signals initiated from a remote device includes a receiver module operable to receive at least one signal including a process request. A media processing module coupled to the receiver module encodes information associated with initiating the process request with media information representing a media signal. As such, a process request encoded with the media information may be detected via a media processor operably associated with processing media information.

Claims

1. A device for processing control signals initiated from a remote device comprising:

a receiver module operable to receive at least one signal from a remote device including a process request;

a media signal receiver operable to receive signals representing media information; and

a media processing module coupled to the receiver module and the media signal receiver, the media processing module operable to encode process information in association with the media information.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a decoder operable to translate the media signal into one or more media information streams.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising the media processing module operable to translate plural media signals into one or more media information streams.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising the media processing module operable to receive a signal in response to the process request.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising the media processing module operable to identify the requested process and provide the encoded information with the media information.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising the media processing module operable to provide an audio stream.

7. The device of claim 5 further comprising the media processing module operable to provide a video stream.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a graphics processor operable to detect the encoded information, the graphics processor operable to initiate processing the request.

9. The device of claim 8 further comprising the graphics processor operable to communicate information associated with processing the request to a system module operable to process the request.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the system module comprises software.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the system module comprises a processor.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the media signal receiver comprises a multimedia tuner.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the media signal receiver comprises a audio frequency tuner.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the media processing module comprises an multimedia device.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a process request via a remote signal source;

encoding information associated with the process request within media information translated from a received media signal; and

detecting the encoded information to initiate processing the requested process.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a signal identifying the received request to a media processing module.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

decoding the received media signal to provide the media information representing at least a portion of the media signal; and

encoding information associated with the determined process within the media information.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing video information within the media stream.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing audio information within the media stream.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating the media information including the encoded information to a processor operable to detect the encoded information.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving the media information including the encoded information via a processor.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising initiating processing of the requested process using a graphics processor.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising initiating processing the requested process based on the encoded information.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining and identifier based on the received request, the identifier associated with identifying the requested process.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving a signal of a particular frequency operably associated with identifying the requested process.

26. A system operable to employ remote control processing of media information comprising:

a media interface module coupled to a communication bus, the media interface module operable to process media information; and

a media processing module communicatively coupled to a remote control receiver module, the media processing module operable to encode information in response to receiving a remote control process request.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising the media processing module operable to provide media information associated with a media signal, the media information including information associated with processing the remote control process request.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the media information comprises audio information.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the media information comprises the video information.

30. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

an output module operable to receive media information including the encoded information; and

an encoder/decoder operable to provide the encoded information.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the output module comprises a graphics processor operable to initiate the requested process.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising a media signal receiver operably coupled to the media processing module, the media receiver operable to receive media signals.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the receiver comprises a television receiver.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein the receiver comprises a cable receiver.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein the receiver comprises a digital satellite receiver.

36. The system of claim 26 further comprising a computer system.

37. The system of claim 26 further comprising a digital video recorder.

38. The system of claim 26 further comprising a digital video disk player.

39. The system of claim 26 further comprising a set-top box.

40. A system for processing remote control process requests comprising:

means for receiving a process request via a remote signal source;

means for encoding information associated with the process request within media information translated from a received media signal; and

means for detecting the encoded information to initiate processing the requested process.

41. A program of instructions embodied within encoded logic operable to:

receive a process request via a remote signal source;

encode information associated with the process request within media information translated from a received media signal; and

detect the encoded information to initiate processing the requested process.