Media device

• US 20050281417A1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gregory Toprover
• Original Assignee: Gregory Toprover
• Inventors: Toprover, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US11/154,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20050281417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/207 with an audio or audio/video bus for signal distribution H04B1/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A media device for use with a television or home theatre is presented. The media device mixes audio and video signals such as conventional television media, telephone signals, remote camera signals, computer media signals, recorded signals and video conferencing signals and provides the mixed signals via the television or home theatre. The media device supports a remote control.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a settop box comprising;

an input port for receiving an input media stream, the media stream comprising a first audio signal and a first video signal;

an output port for providing an output media stream;

a second input port for receiving a second audio signal;

a first audio circuit for receiving the first audio signal and an associated first volume signal, and providing a first output audio signal, the first output audio signal corresponding to the first audio signal having a first volume characteristic, the first volume characteristic based upon the first volume control signal;

a second audio circuit for receiving a second volume signal and the second audio signal and providing a second output audio signal, the second output audio signal corresponding to the second audio signal having a second volume characteristic, the second volume characteristic based upon the second volume control signal; and

,

an audio mixer circuit for combining the first output audio signal and the second output audio signal, the audio mixer circuit for providing a third audio output signal, the third audio signal for being provided as an audio portion of the output media stream,

wherein neither the first volume characteristic nor the second volume characteristic corresponds to a muted volume.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second input port is for being coupled to a telephone network.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the settop box comprises:

a third input port for receiving a second video signal;

a first video circuit for receiving the first video signal and the second video signal and combining the first and second video signals and providing a third video signal.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the settop box comprises:

a clock for providing time data, and

a memory for storing message data and providing a video stream associated with the message data at a predetermined time.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising:

a remote control for providing a control signal via a wireless communication link, the control signal for controlling the first and second volume signals.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein,

the remote control comprises a microphone for receiving audio input signals, and

the second audio signal is provided via a telecommunications device associated with a second user,

the settop box for supporting a telecommunication between the first and second users.

7. An apparatus according to claim 3 comprising:

a remote control for providing a control signal via a wireless communication link, the control signal for controlling the first and second volume signals.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein,

the remote control comprises a microphone for receiving audio input signals and providing a fourth audio signal, and

the second audio signal is provided via a telecommunications device associated with a second user,

the settop box for supporting telecommunication between the first and second users such that the second user receives the fourth audio signal.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 comprising:

a video camera for providing a fourth video signal,

the second video signal is provided via a telecommunications device associated with a second user,

the settop box for supporting telecommunication between the first and second users such that the second user receives the fourth video signal.

10. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein,

the third video stream comprises the first video stream with the second video stream superimposed there on such that a signal intensity of at least a portion of the third video stream corresponding to a predetermined region of a display suitable for displaying the third video stream is a function of the first video stream and the second video stream.

11. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein,

the third video stream comprises a portion of the first video stream for being provided in a first region of a video output device and the second video stream is for being provided in a second smaller region of the video output device.

12. An apparatus according to claim 3 comprising:

a clock for providing a time signal; and

,

a memory for storing message data and time data wherein,

in use, when the time signal corresponds to the time data the second video signal is provided, and the second video signal comprises data corresponding to the message data.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 comprising:

a camera for providing the second video signal.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein,

the camera comprises a motion detector for providing a control signal in response to detecting motion, and the second video signal is provided in response to the control signal.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein,

the camera comprises a microphone for providing the second audio signal.

16. A method comprising:

receiving an input media stream at a settop box, the media stream comprising a first audio signal and a first video signal;

providing an output media stream from the settop box;

receiving a second audio signal at the settop box;

providing from the settop box a first output audio signal in dependence upon the first audio signal and a first volume signal associated with the first output audio signal, the first output audio signal corresponding to the first audio signal having a first volume characteristic, the first volume characteristic based upon the first volume control signal;

providing from the settop box a second output audio signal and a second volume signal associated with the second audio signal, the second output audio signal corresponding to the second audio signal having a second volume characteristic, the second volume characteristic based upon the second volume control signal;

combining the first output audio signal and the second output audio signal using the settop box; and

,

providing from the settop box a third audio output signal, the third audio signal for being provided as an audio portion of the output media stream,

wherein neither the first volume characteristic nor the second volume characteristic corresponds to a muted volume.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the second audio signal is provided via a telephone network.

18. A method according to claim 16 comprising:

receiving a second video signal at the settop box; and

,

combining the first and second video signals and providing a third video signal using the settop box.

19. A method according to claim 18 comprising:

providing time data;

storing message data; and

,

providing a video stream associated with the message data from the settop box at a predetermined time.

20. A method according to claim 16 comprising:

providing a control signal via a wireless communication link from a remote control to the settop box, the control signal for controlling the first and second volume signals.

21. A method according to claim 17 comprising,

receiving audio input signals from the remote control;

providing the audio input signals to the settop box; and

,

providing a telecommunications link between a first user proximate the settop box and a second remote user.

22. A method according to claim 18 comprising:

providing a control signal via a wireless communication link from a remote control, the control signal for controlling the first and second volume signals.

23. A method according to claim 22 comprising:

receiving audio input signals using the remote control;

providing a fourth audio signal;

receiving the second audio signal from a telecommunications device associated with a second user; and

,

receiving the fourth audio signal with the telecommunications device associated with a second user.

24. A method according to claim 23 comprising:

providing a fourth video signal from a video camera;

providing the second video signal via the telecommunications device associated with a second user; and

,

receiving the fourth video signal using a display associated with the second user.

25. A method according to claim 18 wherein,

the third video stream comprises the first video stream with the second video stream superimposed there on such that a signal intensity of at least a portion of the third video stream corresponding to a predetermined region of a display suitable for displaying the third video stream is a function of the first video stream and the second video stream.

26. A method according to claim 18 wherein,

the third video stream comprises a portion of the first video stream for being provided in a first region of a video output device and the second video stream is for being provided in a second smaller region of the video output device.

27. A method according to claim 18 comprising:

providing a time signal from a clock disposed within the settop box; and

,

providing a memory for storing message data and time data,

wherein when the time signal corresponds to the time data the second video signal is provided from the settop box, and the second video signal comprises data corresponding to the message data.

28. A method according to claim 26 comprising:

providing the second video signal from a camera.

29. A method according to claim 28 comprising:

detecting motion with a motion detector in data communication with the camera;

providing a control signal from the motion detector; and

,

providing the second video signal in response to the control signal.

30. A method according to claim 29 comprising:

providing the second audio signal from a microphone proximate the camera.