Systems and methods for operating a peripheral record/playback device in a networked multimedia system

• US 20040068755A1
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helios Streaming, LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russ, Samuel H., Krantzler, Irvan J., Davies, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,360,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed of a network including a primary device, a plurality of remote devices, and a shared peripheral device. The network allows the remote devices to operate the peripheral device, such as a DVD player, VCR, or camcoder, via the primary device and the network. The peripheral device is typically connected to the primary device and shared among all devices. The network also includes a splitter/isolation module (SIM) that routes the signals between the primary device and the plurality of remote devices.

Claims

1. A system for providing a shared device in a networked multimedia system, the system comprising:

a primary device for receiving a plurality of downstream presentations and reverse command signals, and for providing selected presentation signals;

a peripheral device coupled to the primary device, the peripheral device for providing a media presentation; and

a plurality of remote devices coupled to the primary device via the networked multimedia system,

wherein, upon request, the primary device instructs the peripheral device to provide the media presentation, and

wherein the primary device provides the selected presentation signals, wherein the selected presentation signals include at least one of the plurality of downstream presentations and the media presentation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote devices transmits a reverse command signal requesting the selected presentation signals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the reverse command signal is indicative of command operations, and wherein the primary device forwards the command operations to the peripheral device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the command operations comprise one of a record, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and stop command.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the primary device is coupled to the peripheral device with an IR cable and a sensor,

wherein the primary device converts the command operations into IR signals for transmission via the IR cable to the sensor that is located on the peripheral device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a user selects one listing from a plurality of listings including manufacturers and models that is indicative of a plurality of peripheral devices, and wherein the one selected listing includes the appropriate IR signals for the peripheral device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the primary device includes an interactive program guide (IPG) that is shared among the primary device and the plurality of remote devices, and wherein the IPG is updated to include a channel for the one selected listing that is indicative of a peripheral device screen.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a user utilizes the peripheral device screen to generate the reverse command signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the media presentation is one of an analog signal and a digital signal.

10. The system of claim 9, the primary device further comprising a processor and an encoder, the processor for instructing the encoder to digitally compress the analog media presentation prior to routing to the requesting remote device.

11. The system of claim 1, the primary device further comprising a modulator for modulating the selected presentation signals to a predetermined frequency and for providing modulated signals to the requesting remote device.

12. The system of claim 1, the primary device further comprising a storage device for selectively storing presentations from at least one of the plurality of downstream presentations and the media presentation.

13. A method for providing shared devices in a networked multimedia system, the networked multimedia system including a primary device, a splitter/isolation module (SIM), a peripheral device, and a plurality of remote devices, the method comprising the steps of:

at at least one of the plurality of remote devices,

receiving user input signals that are indicative of a request for a presentation;

processing the user input signals to determine whether the selected presentation is indicative of one of a plurality of downstream signals and a media presentation that is included in the peripheral device; and

transmitting the user input signals that are indicative of the media presentation to the primary device via the SIM; and

at the primary device,

processing the user input signals;

instructing the peripheral device to provide the media presentation to the primary device; and

providing the media presentation to the requesting remote device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the primary device, digitally-compressing the media presentation prior to the providing step when the media presentation is in an analog format.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the primary device, prior to the providing step, modulating the media presentation at a predetermined frequency.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the user input signals is a play command.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving a second user input signal that is indicative of one of a pause command, a rewind command, a fast-forward command, a stop command, and a record command.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of receiving a second user input signal that is indicative of a record command for recording a selected one of the plurality of downstream signals received by the primary device.

19. A broadband communications system for transmitting downstream signals having a downstream frequency range and upstream signals having an upstream frequency range, the broadband communications system including a headend, a communications network, and a plurality of receiver networks, a receiver network comprising:

receiving devices including a primary device and a plurality of remote devices;

a splitter/isolation module (SIM) coupled between the primary device and the plurality of remote devices, the SIM for receiving the downstream signals and for providing the downstream signals to the receiving devices, and for receiving upstream signals from the receiving devices and for providing the upstream signals to the communications network, and for receiving media signals from the primary device and for providing the media signals to the plurality of remote devices, wherein the media signals include recorded presentation signals and stored presentation signals, and for receiving command signals from the plurality of remote devices and for providing the command signals to the primary device; and

a peripheral device coupled to the primary device for providing the recorded presentation signals,

wherein upon receiving a play command from one of the plurality of remote devices, the primary device routes at least one of the media signals to the requesting remote device.

20. The broadband communications system of claim 19, wherein the primary device is coupled to the peripheral device with an IR cable and a sensor,

wherein the primary device converts the play command into IR signals for transmission via the IR cable to the sensor that is located on the peripheral device.

21. The broadband communications system of claim 19, wherein the command signals comprise one of a record command, a pause command, a fast-forward command, a rewind command, and a stop command.