Interactive network guide with parental monitoring

• US 20060218581A1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ostrowska, Barbara, Russ, Samuel H.
• Application Number:
  US11/069,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218581A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Interactive network guide with parental monitoring in a networked multi-room system. The networked multi-room system is made up of one primary device and one or more remote devices where the primary device includes an indication of status of at least one of the remote devices. For example, a user of the primary device can choose to receive a display of status change each time one of the remote devices toggles between on, off, changes to a different channel, or presents a recorded program from the primary device. The user also has the option of creating a PIP view on a display device coupled to the primary device showing the current tuned signal being displayed by one of the remote devices.

Claims

1. A networked multimedia system (NMS) comprising:

a primary device for receiving and tuning presentations; and

at least one remote device in contact with said primary device for selecting and receiving a presentation, wherein said primary device provides an indication of status of said remote device.

2. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said indication of status from said remote device is a current status.

3. The NMS of claim 2, wherein said current status indicates a tuned signal on said remote device.

4. The NMS of claim 3, wherein said tuned signal of said remote device is displayed by said primary device.

5. The NMS of claim 3, wherein said tuned signal is provided to said remote device by said primary device.

6. The NSM of claim 1, further comprising a network guide on said primary device such that said presentations selected and received on said remote device are selectable from said network guide.

7. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said indication of status from said remote device is a changed status.

8. The NMS of claim 7, wherein said changed status of said remote device is displayed on said primary device.

9. The NMS of claim 7, wherein said changed status of said remote device is a toggle between on and off of a display coupled to said remote device.

10. The NMS of claim 7, wherein said changed status of said remote device is a channel change of said remote device.

11. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said indication of status from said remote device is a history of status.

12. The NMS of claim 1, wherein the indication of status of said remote device is one of off, on, a tuned signal, and a recorded signal from said primary device.

13. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said indication of status from said remote device is received at said primary device by at least one of a request from the primary device, a change in status of said remote device, and a predetermined amount of time.

14. The NMS of claim 1, further comprising:

a network guide on said primary device, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide to provide a status history of said remote device.

15. The NMS of claim 14, wherein a user may scroll through said network guide to a time period prior to a current time in order to provide said status history of said remote device.

16. The NMS of claim 1, further comprising:

a network guide on said primary device, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide; and

wherein said indication of status is a channel change displayed by said primary device.

17. The NMS of claim 1, further comprising:

a network guide on said primary device, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide; and

wherein said indication of status is a toggle between on and off displayed by said primary device.

18. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said primary device receives an indication of status of said remote device from said remote device.

19. The NMS of claim 1, wherein said primary device provides multiple indication of status corresponding to multiple remote devices.

20. The NMS of claim 19, wherein each said current indication of status indicates a tuned signal on each said remote device.

21. The NMS of claim 20, wherein said tuned signal of each said remote device is displayed by said primary device.

22. A network guide for use in a networked multi-room system (NMS) comprising:

a program menu arranged by channel and time on a primary device in the NMS; and

an indication of status of one or more remote devices of said NMS.

23. The network guide of claim 22, wherein said indication of status is one of a current status, a changed status, and a history of status.

24. The network guide of claim 22, wherein the indication of status of said remote device is one of off, on, a tuned signal, and a recorded signal from said primary device.

25. The network guide of claim 22, wherein a presentation selected and received on said remote device is selectable from said network guide.

26. The network guide of claim 22, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide to provide a status history of said remote device.

27. The network guide of claim 22, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide and wherein said indication of status is a channel change displayed by said primary device.

28. The network guide of claim 22, wherein said remote device is selectable from said network guide and wherein said indication of status is a toggle between on and off displayed by said primary device.

29. A method for utilizing parental monitoring in a networked multi-room system (NMS), said method comprising the steps of:

providing a network guide on a primary device of said NMS; and

providing an indication of status of one or more remote devices of said NMS on said network guide.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of providing an indication of status comprises displaying a current status of said remote device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of providing an indication of status comprises displaying a status history of said remote device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of displaying said status history comprises scrolling through said network guide to a time period prior to a current time.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of selecting said remote device from said network guide.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of providing an indication of status comprises displaying a status change.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of displaying a status change comprises displaying on said primary device a channel change of one or more said remote devices.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said step of displaying a status change comprises displaying on said primary device that one of said remote devices toggled between on and off.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of providing an indication of status comprises displaying a tuned signal of said remote device on said primary device.