Network functionality for multimedia home platform terminal devices

• US 20050210513A1
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tiedemann, Stephen, Szucs, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• 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: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• 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 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A MHP terminal device is provided with a network functionality. In addition to a broadcast interface for receiving a broadcast transport stream, the MHP terminal device comprises a local network interface. Via said interface, the MHP terminal device is connected to a local network, to which other network devices are connected as well. MHP applications can be inserted into local network transport streams transmitted from said network devices to said MHP terminal device. By means of these MHP applications, the network devices can be remotely controlled from the MHP terminal device, whereby commands and messages are exchanged via the local network.

Claims

1. MHP terminal device (13) comprising

a broadcast interface (15) for receiving a broadcast transport stream (14), whereby broadcast MHP applications (20) to be launched at said MHP terminal device (13) are transmitted within said broadcast transport stream (14) and are received via said broadcast interface (15), characterized by

a local network interface (16) for connecting said MHP terminal device (13) to a local network (7), and for receiving local network transport streams (17) emanating from other network devices (8) connected to said local network (7), whereby local network MHP applications (21, 22) to be launched at said MHP terminal device (13) are transmitted within said local network transport streams (17) and are received via said local network interface (16).

2. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said local network transport stream comprises at least one of AV data, program specific information, MHP application byte code, service information, and particularly, said local network transport stream is a data stream according to the MPEG-2 standard.

3. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized by a resident application that monitors both said broadcast interface and said local network interface in order to detect MHP applications transmitted within said broadcast transport stream or within said local network transport stream, and that initiates a loading of said MHP applications.

4. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized by an application manager running on said MHP terminal device that is responsible for download, maintenance, and life-cycle management of both said broadcast MHP applications and said local network MHP applications.

5. MHP terminal device according to claim 4, characterized in that said application manager maintains an application database in which each downloaded MHP application is registered.

6. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that at said MHP terminal device, the received MHP application byte code of said local network MHP applications is passed to a MHP layer, whereby a underlying transport protocol used on said local network is hidden from said MHP layer.

7. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said local network is a IEEE 1394 network, a wireless LAN, a wired LAN, a wired or wireless IP network, or any other kind of local network.

8. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that on said local network, any kind of middleware such as HAVi, UPnP, AV/C is used for exchanging messages and/or commands.

9. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said MHP terminal device comprises graphical user interface resources, display means, and user input means that enable a user to interact with said local network MHP applications and with said broadcast MHP applications.

10. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said local network MHP applications use graphical user interface resources at said MHP terminal device for providing a graphical user interface that enables a user to interact with said local network MHP applications.

11. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that at said MHP terminal device, a graphical user interface is updated in order to show the availability of said local network MHP applications and/or of said other network devices.

12. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said local network MHP application is an application for remotely accessing and/or controlling the respective network device from which said local network MHP application has been received.

13. MHP terminal device according to claim 12, characterized in that remote access and remote control are effected by transmitting commands from the MHP terminal via the local network to the respective network device.

14. MHP terminal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said other network devices comprise at least one of a NCAM, an AV content server, a transcoder, a DVB recorder, a home automation server, or any other kind of network device.

22. Local network, comprising a MHP terminal device according to claim 1 and at least one network device comprising

storage means for storing local network MHP applications (10), or a means to generate such MHP applications, that are to be transmitted to a MHP terminal device (1),

a local network interface for connecting said network device (8, 23) to a local network (7), and for transmitting a local network transport stream (24) to said MHP terminal device (1), whereby local network MHP applications (10) to be launched at said MHP terminal device (1) are transmitted within said local network transport stream (24), and

multiplexing means (25) for multiplexing said local network MHP application (10) into said local network transport stream (24).

15. Network device (8, 23), characterized by

storage means for storing local network MHP applications (10), or a means to generate such MHP applications, that are to be transmitted to a MHP terminal device (1),

a local network interface for connecting said network device (8, 23) to a local network (7), and for transmitting a local network transport stream (24) to said MHP terminal device (1), whereby local network MHP applications (10) to be launched at said MHP terminal device (1) are transmitted within said local network transport stream (24), and

multiplexing means (25) for multiplexing said local network MHP application (10) into said local network transport stream (24).

16. Network device according to claim 15, characterized by an object carousel generator for segmenting said local network MHP applications into a set of data packets, and for repeatedly transmitting said set of data packets.

17. Network device according to claim 15, characterized in that said local network MHP applications use graphical user interface resources at said MHP terminal device for providing a graphical user interface that enables a user to interact with said local network MHP applications.

18. Network device according to claim 15, characterized in that said local network MHP applications are MHP applications for remotely accessing and/or controlling said network device from said MHP terminal device.

19. Network device according to claim 18, characterized in that remote access and remote control are effected by transmitting commands from said MHP terminal device via said local network to said network device.

20. Network device according to claim 15, characterized in that said network device is embedded in said MHP terminal device itself.

21. Network device according to claim 15, characterized in that said network device either is a NCAM, an AV content server, a transcoder, a DVB recorder, or a home automation server.

25. Method according to claim 23 or 21, further characterized by the following step:

downloading local network MHP applications from said local network transport stream.

23. Method for controlling a network device (33) that is connected to a local network by means of a MHP terminal device (32) connected to the same local network, characterized by the following steps:

transmitting (36) a local network MHP application together with a local network transport stream from said network device (33) to said MHP terminal device (32);

launching (39) said local network MHP application at said MHP terminal device (32); and

transmitting (41) commands and/or messages via said local network to said network device (33) in order to remotely access and/or control said network device (33).

24. Method according to claim 23, further characterized by the following step:

monitoring said local network transport stream for MHP applications transmitted within said local network transport stream.

26. Method according to claim 23, further characterized by the following step:

passing the MHP application byte code received by said MHP terminal device to a MHP layer at said MHP terminal device, whereby a underlying protocol used on said local network is hidden from said MHP layer.

27. Method according to claim 23, further characterized by the following step:

providing a graphical user interface at said MHP terminal device that enables a user to interact with said local network MHP applications.

28. Computer program product, comprising computer program means adapted to perform the method steps as defined in claim 23 when said computer program product is executed on a computer, digital signal processor, or the like.

29. Computer readable storage means storing thereon a computer program product according to claim 28.