Presence detection in a bandwidth management system

• US 20060225106A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James Carlton Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods, devices, and computer program products are disclosed for conserving bandwith. If a presence of at least one individual is detected, then a stream of data is delivered to the multimedia device. If the presence of at least one individual is not detected, then the stream of data is degraded to conserve bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method to conserve bandwidth, comprising the steps of:

receiving information indicating whether a presence of at least one individual is detected; and

if the presence of at least one individual is detected, then delivering a stream of data to a multimedia device;

or

if the presence of at least one individual is not detected, then degrading the stream of data and delivering the degraded stream of data to the multimedia device to conserve bandwidth.

2. The method according to claim 1, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

3. The method according to claim 1, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

4. The method according to claim 1, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a discarded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

5. The method according to claim 1, the degraded stream of data comprising a discarded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information includes receiving a signal sent from an emitter device to a detector device to determine the presence of the at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device.

7. The method according to claim 6, the emitter device comprising at least one of a token, a smart card, an infrared device, a pressure-sensing device, and a device capable of generating the signal when proximate to the multimedia device.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of at least one of the following:

using a motion sensory system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device;

using an eye sensory detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device;

using a heat sensory detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device; and

using an entry/exit detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

presenting the degraded stream of data and a notification message to the multimedia device, the notification message providing an alert that the stream of data has been degraded.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

presenting a restoration prompt to the multimedia device such that selection of the restoration prompt fully restores the degraded stream of data.

11. A device, comprising:

a processor communicating with means for detecting presence of at least one individual proximate to a multimedia device;

the processor commanding delivery of a stream of data to the multimedia device, and if the presence of the at least one individual is not detected, then the processor degrading the stream of data and delivering the degraded stream of data to the multimedia device to conserve bandwidth.

12. The device according to claim 11, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

13. The device according to claim 11, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

14. The device according to claim 11, the degraded stream of data comprising a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a discarded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

15. The device according to claim 11, the degraded stream of data comprising a discarded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

16. The device according to claim 11, the means for detecting presence of at least one individual proximate to a multimedia device comprising at least one of:

an emitter device and a detector device, the emitter device and the detector device communicating a signal to determine the presence of the at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device, wherein the emitter device comprises at least one of a token, a smart card, an infrared device, a pressure-sensing device, and a device capable of generating the signal when proximate to the multimedia device;

a motion sensory system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device;

an eye sensory detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device;

a heat sensory detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device; and

an entry/exit detection system to detect the presence of at least one individual proximate to the multimedia device.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a presence detection application stored on the computer-readable medium, the presence detection application comprising computer code for performing the steps;

if a presence of at least one individual proximate to a multimedia device is detected, then delivering a stream of data to the multimedia device; and

if the presence of at least one individual is not detected, then degrading the stream of data and delivering the degraded stream of data to the multimedia device to conserve bandwidth.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, the degraded stream of data comprising:

(i) a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data;

(ii) a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data;

(iii) a degraded video portion of the stream of data, a discarded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data; and

(iv) a discarded video portion of the stream of data, a full resolution audio portion of the stream of data, a degraded audio portion of the stream of data, a full resolution data portion of the stream of data, a discarded data portion of the stream of data, and a degraded data portion of the stream of data.

19. The computer program product according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for performing the following:

presenting the degraded stream of data and a notification message to the multimedia device, the notification message providing an alert that the stream of data has been degraded.

20. The computer program product according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for performing the following:

presenting a restoration prompt to the multimedia device such that selection of the restoration prompt fully restores the degraded stream of data.