Graphical indication of a proximately located device

• US 20040203374A1
• Filed: 10/28/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Zilliacus, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/43637 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system for displaying a graphical indication of a proximately located device is disclosed. When a mobile terminal (e.g., a mobile telephone) equipped with short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth or wi-fi) as well as conventional long-range communications capabilities comes within range of set top box (e.g., a digital broadcast receiver), the set top box (STB) overlays an icon over the broadcast screen image indicating that a mobile terminal is present that can be used as a back channel to the cable operator. The overlaid icon may be presented in differing colors to indicate various characteristics of the mobile terminal, e.g., a type of the mobile terminal (phone vs. PDA) or a capability of the mobile terminal (e.g., ability to establish a GPRS or other data connection). A user of the STB can then use interactive services offered by the cable operator, and deliver interactive selections and commands to the cable operator via the mobile terminal back channel.

Claims

1. A set top box, comprising:

an input port that receives a video broadcast signal;

a short-range transceiver for communicating with a mobile terminal capable of hosting a back channel to a cable operator that provides the video broadcast signal;

an overlay module that modifies the video broadcast signal including overlaying an icon over the received video broadcast signal when the short-range transceiver is communicating with the mobile terminal; and

a video encoder that outputs the modified video broadcast signal for display on a display device.

2. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the video broadcast signal comprises a digital video signal.

3. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the short-range transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

4. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the short-range transceiver comprises a Wi-Fi transceiver.

5. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the overlay module selects the icon from a plurality of icons based on a type of the mobile terminal.

6. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the overlay modules selects a color of the icon from a plurality of colors based on a status of availability of the back channel.

7. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the overlay modules selects a color of the icon from a plurality of colors based on a status of availability of interactive services.

8. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising a television.

9. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the overlay module modifies the video broadcast signal when a back-channel is established with a broadcast provider via the mobile terminal.

10. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a processor for controlling operation of the mobile terminal;

memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile terminal to perform a method for establishing a back channel, comprising;

(a) establishing a short-range wireless connection with a set top box (STB);

(b) upon the successful completion of step (a), establishing a data connection with a broadcast provider corresponding to the set top box, wherein the data connection is established over a mobile telecommunications network;

(c) receiving a user selection of an interactive service; and

(d) sending to the cable operator the user selection of the interactive service.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein in step (a) the short-range connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein in step (b) the data connection comprises a GPRS connection.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein in step (c) the user selection comprises a movie selection.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein in step (c) the user selection is received from the STB.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein in step (c) the user selection is received from an input device of the mobile terminal.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein step (b) occurs under the control of the mobile terminal.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein step (b) occurs under the control of the STB.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising the step of displaying an indication of the back channel on a display device of the mobile terminal.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the indication comprises text.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the indication comprises an icon depicting a display device.

21. A method for displaying an icon representative of a short-range wireless connection, comprising:

(a) establishing a connection with a mobile terminal via a short-range transceiver;

(b) determining a characteristic of the mobile terminal; and

(c) overlaying an icon on a video signal based on the characteristic of the mobile terminal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the characteristic comprises a type of the mobile terminal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein in step (a) the mobile terminal comprises a mobile telephone, and in step (c) the icon depicts an image of a mobile telephone.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the characteristic comprises a capability of the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the capability comprises an ability to establish a data connection over a wireless telecommunications network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein when the mobile terminal has the ability to establish a data connection over a wireless telecommunications network the icon comprises a first color, and when the mobile terminal does not have the ability to establish a data connection over a wireless telecommunications network the icon comprises a second color.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein when the mobile terminal has the ability to establish a data connection over a wireless telecommunications network and when interactive services are available the icon comprises a first color, and when the mobile terminal has the ability to establish a data connection over a wireless telecommunications network but interactive services are not available the icon comprises a second color.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the characteristic comprises the mobile terminal having established a back-channel with a broadcast provider corresponding to a set top box with which the mobile terminal established a connection in step (a).

29. A method of providing an interactive service to a user, comprising:

(a) receiving a first request to purchase a selected broadcast program, wherein the first request comprises an identification of a mobile terminal and an identification of a first set top box;

(b) receiving a second request to play the selected broadcast program, wherein the second request comprises the identification of the mobile terminal and an identification of a second set top box; and

(c) delivering the broadcast program to the second set top box.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the broadcast program comprises a movie.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first set top box and the second set top box are different.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the first set top box and the second set top box are the same set top box.

33. A set top box that displays a graphical indication of a proximately located device, comprising:

a broadcast stream input port for receiving a broadcast data signal from a broadcast provider;

a Bluetooth transceiver for communicating with a Bluetooth-enabled mobile terminal;

an overlay logic module for modifying the broadcast data signal by overlaying an icon over the input broadcast data signal when a back channel has been established through the Bluetooth-enabled mobile terminal to the broadcast provider; and

an output port for outputting the modified broadcast data signal for display on a display device.