Systems and methods for representing a tuner device in a media server content directory service

• US 20050108766A1
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Radhakrishnan, Sankar, Hlasny, Daryl J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80

Abstract

Systems and methods for representing a tuner device in a content directory service that is implemented in a media server are disclosed. An exemplary method involves representing a tuner as a tuner container. A broadcast channel which is accessible to the tuner is represented as a broadcast item within the tuner container. The exemplary method also involves exposing the broadcast item within the tuner container as an object for browsing by a control point. Information about the broadcast item may be sent to the control point in response to a browse request. A connection may be established with a media renderer for transmission of content from the broadcast channel to the media renderer.

Claims

1. A media server device, comprising:

a tuner for accessing a plurality of broadcast channels and providing content from the plurality of broadcast channels to a media renderer; and

an enhanced content directory service implementation, comprising;

a tuner container that represents the tuner; and

a plurality of broadcast items within the tuner container that represent the plurality of broadcast channels, wherein the plurality of broadcast items are arranged within the tuner container in an order that corresponds to a channel scanning order of the tuner.

2. The media server device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of broadcast channels are audio broadcast channels, and wherein the plurality of broadcast items are audio broadcast items.

3. The media server device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of broadcast channels are video broadcast channels, and wherein the plurality of broadcast items are video broadcast items.

4. A media server device, comprising:

a tuner for accessing a plurality of broadcast channels and providing content from the plurality of broadcast channels to a media renderer; and

an enhanced content directory service implementation, comprising;

a tuner container that represents the tuner; and

a plurality of broadcast items within the tuner container that represent the plurality of broadcast channels, wherein each of the plurality of broadcast items has a unique channel number associated therewith.

5. In a media server device, a method comprising:

representing a tuner as a tuner container;

representing a broadcast channel which is accessible to the tuner as a broadcast item within the tuner container; and

exposing the broadcast item within the tuner container as an object for browsing by a control point.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending information about the broadcast item to the control point in response to a browse request.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising establishing a connection with a first media renderer for transmission of content from the broadcast channel to the first media renderer.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting a channel selection notification to the control point when a selected broadcast channel of the tuner is changed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating a reference object within the tuner container when the selected broadcast channel is changed, thereby triggering the channel selection notification.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the tuner container further comprises a channel select feedback container, and further comprising creating a reference object within the channel select feedback container when the selected broadcast channel is changed, thereby triggering the channel selection notification.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

accepting a connection request from a second media renderer; and

disconnecting the connection to the first media renderer.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

accepting a connection request from a second media renderer;

maintaining the connection to the first media renderer; and

receiving a channel selection from the second media renderer.

13. A computer-readable medium for storing program data, wherein the program data comprises executable instructions for implementing a method in a media server device, the method comprising:

representing a tuner as a tuner container;

representing a broadcast channel which is accessible to the tuner as a broadcast item within the tuner container; and

exposing the broadcast item within the tuner container as an object for browsing by a control point.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises sending information about the broadcast item to the control point in response to a browse request.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises establishing a connection with a first media renderer for transmission of content from the broadcast channel to the first media renderer.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a channel selection notification to the control point when a selected broadcast channel of the tuner is changed.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises creating a reference object within the tuner container when the selected broadcast channel is changed, thereby triggering the channel selection notification.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the tuner container further comprises a channel select feedback container, and wherein the method further comprises creating a reference object within the channel select feedback container when the selected broadcast channel is changed, thereby triggering the channel selection notification.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting a connection request from a second media renderer; and

disconnecting the connection to the first media renderer.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

accepting a connection request from a second media renderer;

maintaining the connection to the first media renderer; and

receiving a channel selection from the second media renderer.