Strategies for monitoring the consumption of resources
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring resource consumption in a local environment including a plurality of processing mechanisms, comprising:
- assigning one of the processing mechanisms the role of master processing mechanism, thereby making at least one other of the processing mechanisms a slave processing mechanism;
collecting, by the master processing mechanism, resource consumption information that describes the consumption of a resource by said at least one slave processing mechanism; and
providing a resource consumption presentation based on the collected resource consumption information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Strategies are described for monitoring resources (e.g., media resource) in a system that includes multiple processing mechanisms (e.g., set-top boxes) and multiple associated presentation devices (e.g., television sets). The strategies involve assigning one of the processing mechanisms the role of master processing mechanism, which defines the other processing mechanisms as slave processing mechanisms. The master processing mechanism initially collects resource consumption information that describes the resources currently being consumed by the slave processing mechanisms. Thereafter, the master processing mechanism receives resource consumption information from each slave processing mechanism upon a channel change event occurring at the slave processing mechanism. The master processing mechanism compiles the collected resource consumption information into a resource consumption list, and displays a resource consumption presentation based on the list. The resource consumption presentation can include textual and/or picture information that describes the resources currently being consumed by the slave processing mechanisms.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring resource consumption in a local environment including a plurality of processing mechanisms, comprising:
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assigning one of the processing mechanisms the role of master processing mechanism, thereby making at least one other of the processing mechanisms a slave processing mechanism;
collecting, by the master processing mechanism, resource consumption information that describes the consumption of a resource by said at least one slave processing mechanism; and
providing a resource consumption presentation based on the collected resource consumption information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for monitoring resource consumption in a local environment including a plurality of processing mechanisms, comprising:
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logic configured to assign one of the processing mechanisms the role of master processing mechanism, thereby making at least one other of the processing mechanisms a slave processing mechanism;
logic configured to collect, by the master processing mechanism, resource consumption information that describes the consumption of a resource by said at least one slave processing mechanism; and
logic configured to provide a resource consumption presentation based on the collected resource consumption information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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18. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the activating is configured to be contingent on entering a valid password.
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27. A method for monitoring resource consumption, comprising:
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receiving resource consumption information which reflects a change in resource consumption that has occurred on at least one slave presentation mechanism; and
displaying a resource consumption presentation that describes the change in the resource consumption, wherein the resource consumption presentation includes at least one of;
textual information that describes the change in the resource consumption;
orpicture information that describes the change in the resource consumption. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for monitoring resource consumption, comprising:
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logic for receiving resource consumption information which reflects a change in resource consumption that has occurred on at least one slave presentation mechanism; and
logic for displaying a resource consumption presentation that describes the change in the resource consumption, wherein the resource consumption presentation includes at least one of;
textual information that describes the change in the resource consumption;
orpicture information that describes the change in the resource consumption. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A system for monitoring consumption of resources, comprising:
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a source for providing resources for consumption;
plural processing mechanisms for processing resources for presentation;
plural presentation devices associated respectively with the plural processing mechanisms;
a local coupling mechanism for coupling the plural processing mechanisms together; and
a source-to-local coupling mechanism for coupling the source to the local coupling mechanism;
wherein each of the plural processing mechanisms includes logic configured to selectively monitor resource consumption in another processing mechanism, and display a presentation which describes that resource consumption. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification