Enhanced UPnP AV media renderer

• US 20070233878A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kaarela, Kari, Koistinen, Kirmo, Tervo, Timo, Kaarela, Elina
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A system for providing various overlay information one UPnP AV media renderers. According to the present invention, indications of messages and/or other information received by a UPnP mobile telephone or other UPnP control point can be directly transmitted to a renderer and exhibited in different manners. The present invention also permits the UPnP control point to transmit an event subscription to the renderer for subsequent use. The renderer permits accept or reject the receipt of various information at the particular time.

Claims

1. A method of providing information to a user via a UPnP control point device within a UPnP environment, comprising:

receiving an indication of an activity; and

transmitting information regarding the activity to a rendering device within the UPnP environment, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity comprises the receipt of an incoming telephone call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity comprises the receipt of an incoming message from a remote device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering device comprises an audio/video media rendering device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to exhibit the notification in a picture-in-picture format relative to content being exhibited on the rendering device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to exhibit the notification in a scrolling format relative to content being exhibited on the rendering device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving feedback that has been provided to the rendering device by the user in response to the request; and

implementing at least one action in response to the received feedback.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction is based at least upon settings information relating to the activity, and wherein the settings information is modifiable by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPnP control point device comprises a mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

14. A computer program product for providing information to a user via a UPnP control point device within a UPnP environment, comprising:

computer code for receiving an indication of an activity; and

computer code for transmitting information regarding the activity to a rendering device within the UPnP environment, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of the receipt of an incoming telephone call and the receipt of an incoming message from a remote device.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

computer code for receiving feedback that has been provided to the rendering device by the user in response to the request; and

computer code for implementing at least one action in response to the received feedback.

20. A UPnP control point device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including;

computer code for receiving an indication of an activity; and

computer code for transmitting information regarding the activity to a rendering device within a UPnP environment, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity.

21. The UPnP control point device of claim 20, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of the receipt of an incoming telephone call and the receipt of an incoming message from a remote device.

22. The UPnP control point device of claim 20, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

23. The UPnP control point device of claim 20, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

24. The UPnP control point device of claim 20, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

25. A method of providing information to a user on a UPnP rendering device within a UPnP environment, comprising:

receiving information from a UPnP control point device relating to an indication received by UPnP control point device of an activity, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity; and

in response to the receipt of the information, exhibiting the notification to the user in accordance with the instruction.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of the receipt of an incoming telephone call by the UPnP control point device and the receipt of an incoming message by the UPnP control point device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the rendering device comprises an audio/video media rendering device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to exhibit the notification in a picture-in-picture format relative to content being exhibited on the rendering device.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to exhibit the notification in a scrolling format relative to content being exhibited on the rendering device.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving feedback from the user in response to the request; and

transmitting the feedback to the UPnP control point device.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the UPnP control point device comprises a mobile device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

36. A computer program product for providing information to a user on a UPnP rendering device within a UPnP environment, comprising:

computer code for receiving information from a UPnP control point device relating to an indication received by UPnP control point device of an activity, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity; and

computer code for, in response to the receipt of the information, exhibiting the notification to the user in accordance with the instruction.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of the receipt of an incoming telephone call by the UPnP control point device and the receipt of an incoming message by the UPnP control point device.

38. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

40. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

41. A UPnP rendering device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including

computer code for receiving information from a UPnP control point device relating to an indication received by UPnP control point device of an activity, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity; and

computer code for, in response to the receipt of the information, exhibiting the notification to the user in accordance with the instruction.

42. The UPnP rendering device of claim 42, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of the receipt of an incoming telephone call by the UPnP control point device and the receipt of an incoming message by the UPnP control point device.

43. The UPnP rendering device of claim 42, wherein the activity comprises an action relating to another UPnP device located within the UPnP environment.

45. The UPnP rendering device of claim 42, wherein the notification includes a request for feedback from the user.

44. The UPnP rendering device of claim 44, wherein the instruction directs the rendering device to overlay the notification over content being exhibited on the rendering device.

46. A system for automatically altering activities within a UPnP environment, comprising:

a UPnP control point device configured to;

receive an indication of an activity; and

transmit information regarding the activity; and

at least one UPnP device, each configured to;

receive the information from the UPnP control point device, the information including an instruction for the rendering device to exhibit a notification to the user regarding the activity, and

in response to the receipt of the information, exhibit the notification to the user in accordance with the instruction.