System and method for home audio and video communication

• US 20080022322A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martaus, Cecilia M., Grannan, Michael F., McCarthy, Mary Catherine, Noll, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A method for near real time data communication is disclosed. The method includes discovering a first device associated with a first location, determining available data from the first discovered device, and inserting a listing for the first discovered device into an electronic program guide (EPG). A data structure in memory is disclosed that includes a device identifier field for containing data indicating an identifier for a discovered device, a name field for containing data indicating a name associated with the discovered device, a receiver available field for containing data indicating a data receiver is available for the discovered device location, an electronic program guide (EPG) field for containing data indicating an EPG and an EPG2 field for inserting listings for discovered device data into the EPG for display to a user at an STB. A system is disclosed for near real time data communication is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for data communication comprising:

discovering a first device associated with a first location;

determining whether there is data available from the first discovered device;

identifying one of a video and audio device; and

inserting a listing for the first discovered device and data available into an electronic program guide (EPG).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of near real time audio data and near real time video data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting a user selection from the EPG of the listing for the discovered device from which to receive the available data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending data to a second discovered device at the first location associated with the first selected discovered device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a name associated with the first discovered device, wherein the name is selected from the group consisting of a user and a location.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

establishing 2-way data communication between the second discovered device and a third discovered device at a user location.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

processing the available data wherein processing is selected from the group consisting of recording, displaying and reproducing on an audio speaker.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of screen displays, each of the plurality of screen displays associated with one of a plurality of discovered devices;

receiving a user selection indicating one of the screen displays; and

establishing data communication with a location associated with the one discovered device associated with the selected screen display.

9. A computer readable medium, containing a computer program for data communication, the computer program comprising:

instructions to discover a first device associated with a first location;

instructions to determine whether there is data available from the discovered first device; and

instructions to insert a listing for the discovered device and data available into an electronic program guide (EPG).

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the data comprises near real time data.

11. The method of claim 9, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to accept a user selection from the EPG of the discovered device from which to receive the available data.

12. The medium of claim 11, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to send data to a second discovered device at the first location associated with the first selected discovered device.

13. The medium of claim 9, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to display a name associated with the first discovered device, wherein the name is one selected from a group consisting of a user and a location.

14. The medium of claim 11, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to establish 2-way data communication between the second discovered device and a third discovered device at a user location.

15. The medium of claim 9, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to display a plurality of screen displays, each of the plurality of screen displays associated with one of a plurality of discovered devices;

instructions to receive a user selection indicating one of the screen displays; and

instructions to establish data communication with a location associated with the one discovered device associated with the selected screen display.

16. A data structure in memory comprising:

a device identifier field for containing data indicating an identifier for a discovered device;

a name field for containing data indicating a name associated with the discovered device;

a receiver available field for containing data indicating a data receiver is available for the discovered device;

an EPG field for containing data indicating an EPG; and

an EPG 2 field for containing data indicating a listing for inserting a listing for a discovered device data into the EPG for display to a user.

17. The data structure of claim 16, wherein the data is selected from the group consisting of audio data and video data.

18. The data structure of claim 16, wherein the name is selected from the group consisting of user data and location data.

19. The data structure of claim 16, further comprising:

a stream available field for containing data indicating that data is available from a discovered device identified in the device identifier field.

20. The data structure of claim 16, further comprising:

a data communication available field for containing data indicating that data communication is available to send to a second discovered device at a location associated with the discovered device.

21. A system for near real time data communication comprising:

a processor in data communication with a memory; and

a computer program executed by the processor, the computer program comprising instructions to discover a first device associated with a first location, instructions to determine whether there is data available from the first discovered device and instructions to insert a listing for the first discovered device and data available into an electronic program guide (EPG).

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data comprises near real time data selected from the group consisting of audio data and video data.

23. The system of claim 21, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to accept a user selection of the first discovered device from the EPG from which to receive the available data.

24. The system of claim 23, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to send data to a second discovered device at the first location.

25. The system of claim 21, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to display a name associated with the first discovered device, wherein the name is selected from a group consisting of a user and a location.

26. The system of claim 21, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to establish 2-way data communication between a second discovered device associated with the first location and a third discovered device at a user location.

27. The system of claim 21, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to display a plurality of screen displays, each of the plurality of screen displays associated with one of a plurality of discovered devices, instructions to receive a user selection indicating one of the plurality of screen displays and instructions to establish data communication with a second device at the location of the discovered device associated with the selected screen display.