Synchronizing a media center on a correct channel

• US 20060048195A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jutzi, Curtis, Shinsel, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,079,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/43637 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A media center and an audio visual (AV) unit may be remotely synchronized on the same remodulation channel. A system may include a media center connected to an audio visual (AV) unit; and a remote control unit to activate the media center. The remote control unit may receive signals from the media center to indicate a transmission channel for the AV unit, and the remote control unit may send the received signals to the AV unit to independently cause the AV unit to switch to the indicated transmission channel.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media center that is connectable to an audio visual (AV) unit; and

a remote control unit to activate said media center, said remote control unit to receive a signal from said media center that indicates a transmission channel for the AV unit, and said remote control unit to selectively send a control signal to the AV unit to cause the AV unit to switch to the indicated transmission channel.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission channel comprises one of the group consisting of a transmission remodulation channel and a received channel of a particular AV program.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one AV unit.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said remote control unit is to identify one of said at least one AV unit to enable said media center to send data to the identified one AV unit of said at least one AV unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said remote control comprises a central control unit of said system.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said remote control includes a personalization device to remotely hook up an identified AV unit to the media center with no manual intervention.

7. A method comprising:

activating an audio visual (AV) unit with a remote control;

sending a signal to the AV unit that represents a prior remodulation channel of a media center;

sending a signal to the media center to indicate that the AV unit will use capabilities of the media center;

receiving a signal from the media center that indicates a current remodulation channel of the media center;

comparing the current remodulation channel received from the media center with the prior remodulation channel of the media center; and

sending a signal to the AV unit to switch to the current remodulation channel of the media center if the current remodulation channel differs from the prior remodulation channel.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein sending a signal to the AV unit includes pressing a button on the remote control, wherein the remote control sends the signal to the AV unit, and wherein the signal represents the prior remodulation channel of the media center.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein sending a signal to the media center includes pushing a button on the remote control, wherein the remote control sends data identifying the AV unit, and wherein the media center determines a remodulation channel for the identified AV unit.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the switching of the remodulation channel of the AV unit is dynamic, and wherein the remote control ensures that the AV unit is tuned to the current remodulation channel of the media center.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the remote control hooks up the AV unit to the media center without any manual intervention.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein sending a signal to the media center further includes communicating with the media center to change a received program channel, and wherein the media center sends a second signal to the intelligent remote control indicating a last received program channel viewed by a user.

13. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

sending data from the media center to the AV unit.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said sending data occurs simultaneously with receiving a signal that indicates a current remodulation channel of the media center.

15. A device comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a first signal to an AV unit to provide the AV unit with a remodulation channel of a media center, and to transmit a second signal to the media center to alert the media center to use of the AV unit;

a receiver to receive a third signal from the media center to indicate the current remodulation channel used by the media center; and

logic to determine whether the remodulation channel provided to the AV unit needs to be changed based on the current remodulation channel received from the media center.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the first signal transmitted to the media center identifies the AV unit to be synchronized with the media center.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the device hooks up the AV unit to the media center without any manual intervention.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the transmitter, receiver and logic synchronize a media center to a plurality of audio visual (AV) units.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein said transmitter transmits a fourth signal to said AV unit, said fourth signal adapted to activate the AV unit, said device including a button to cause said transmitter to transmit said fourth signal.

20. The device according to claim 15, further comprising a button to cause the first and second signals to be transmitted.

21. The device according to claim 15, said logic further including logic to cause the device to automatically send a fifth signal to the AV unit to switch its remodulation channel to the current remodulation channel of the media center, if the channels are different.

22. A method comprising:

sending a signal to a media center to indicate that an audio visual (AV) unit will use capabilities of the media center;

receiving a signal from the media center that indicates a current remodulation channel of the media center; and

comparing the current remodulation channel received from the media center with a stored remodulation channel of the media center.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising activating the AV unit with a remote control.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein sending a signal to the AV unit includes activating a button on a remote control, and wherein the signal sent to the AV unit represents the stored remodulation channel of the media center.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein sending a signal to the media center includes activating a button on a remote control, wherein the remote control sends data identifying the AV unit, and wherein the media center determines a remodulation channel for the identified AV unit.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the switching of the remodulation channel of the AV unit is dynamic, and wherein a remote control ensures that the AV unit is tuned to the current remodulation channel of the media center.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein a remote control hooks up the AV unit to the media center without any manual intervention.

28. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

communicating with the media center to change a received program channel; and

sending a second signal from the media center to the intelligent remote control, the second signal indicating a last received program channel viewed by a user.

29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

sending a signal to the AV unit to store the current remodulation channel as the stored remodulation channel, if the remodulation channels are different.