SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING A PERIPHERAL RECORD PLAYBACK DEVICE IN A NETWORKED MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM

• US 20080066085A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krantzler, Irvan, Russ, Samuel, Davies, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4312 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• 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 21/4532 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed of a network including a primary device, a plurality of remote devices, and a shared peripheral device. The network allows the remote devices to operate the peripheral device, such as a DVD player, VCR, or camcoder, via the primary device and the network. The peripheral device is typically connected to the primary device and shared among all devices. The network also includes a splitter/isolation module (SIM) that routes the signals between the primary device and the plurality of remote devices.

Claims

1. A system for providing a shared peripheral device in a networked multimedia system, the networked multimedia system comprising:

a primary device for receiving a plurality of downstream presentations received from a communications system and command signals received from the networked multimedia system, and for providing selected media presentations based on a command signal;

a peripheral device coupled to the primary device, the peripheral device for at least providing media presentations; and

a plurality of remote devices coupled to the primary device,

wherein, upon receiving the command signal from one of the plurality of remote devices for a selected media presentation, the primary device instructs the peripheral device to provide the selected media presentation, wherein the primary device modulates the selected media presentation to a predetermined frequency and provides the modulated media presentation to the networked multimedia system.

2. The networked multimedia system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote devices tunes to the predetermined frequency to receive the provided media presentation.

3. The networked multimedia system of claim 1, wherein command signals are indicative of operations, and wherein the primary device forwards the operations to the peripheral device.

4. The networked multimedia system of claim 3, wherein the operations comprise one of a record, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and stop command.

5. The networked multimedia system of claim 1, wherein the primary device includes an interactive program guide (IPG) that is shared among the primary device and the plurality of remote devices, and wherein the IPG is updated to include a peripheral device screen.

6. The networked multimedia system of claim 5, wherein a user of one of the plurality of remote devices utilizes the peripheral device screen to generate the command signals.

11. The networked multimedia system of claim 1, the primary device further comprising a storage device, wherein upon command from one of the plurality of remote devices, the primary device for selectively storing presentations from at least one of the plurality of downstream presentations and a selected media presentation provided by the peripheral device

12. The networked multimedia system of claim 1 further comprising a splitter/isolation module (SIM) coupled to the communications system for providing the downstream presentations to the primary device and the plurality of remote devices, the command signals to the primary device, and the modulated media presentation to the plurality of remote devices.

9. The networked multimedia system of claim 9, the primary device further comprising a processor and an encoder, the processor for instructing the encoder to digitally compress an analog media presentation prior to modulation.

13. A method for providing shared devices in a networked multimedia system, the networked multimedia system including a primary device, a peripheral device, and a plurality of remote devices, the method comprising the steps of:

at at least one remote device,

receiving a listing of downstream presentations received from a communications system and stored media presentations on the peripheral device;

processing a request signal indicating a presentation from the listing; and

transmitting the request signal that is indicative of the requested presentation to the primary device; and

at the primary device,

if the requested presentation is included in the downstream presentations, tuning the requested presentation;

if the requested presentation is included in the stored media presentations on the peripheral device, instructing the peripheral device to provide the requested presentation;

modulating the requested presentation that is one of the downstream presentations or the stored media presentation to a predetermined frequency; and

transmitting the requested presentation to the at least one remote device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the primary device, digitally-compressing the media presentation prior to the transmitting step when the stored media presentation is in an analog format.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the at least one remote device, tuning to the predetermined frequency to receive the requested presentation.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the at least one remote device, transmitting a command signal to the primary device for controlling the requested presentation, wherein the command signal is indicative of one of record, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and stop.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of filtering the requested presentation preventing the requested presentation from leaving the networked multimedia system.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, at the at least one remote device, transmitting a communication signal to headend equipment via the communications system.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of receiving from the at least one remote device a command signal that is indicative of a record command for recording a selected downstream presentation by the peripheral device.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the downstream presentations to the primary device and the plurality of remote devices, providing networked multimedia system signals comprising requested presentations, the request signals, and command signals to devices within the networked multimedia system, and communications signals received from the devices within the networked multimedia system to headend equipment via the communications system.