Control of Data Presentation in Multiple Zones Using a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080066094A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Technology Patents & Licensing Incorporated
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440209 for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of presenting program data in a multiple zones of a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub includes obtaining a registration of a plurality of source device and sink devices at the wireless home entertainment hub. An assignment of a zone corresponding to each sink device of the plurality of sink devices is stored. A first selection of a first source device and a first zone for presentation of a first set of program data from the first source device is received. A first instruction to the first source device to transmit the first set of program data is transmitted, and a second instruction to a first subset of sink devices in the first zone to receive program data from the first source device is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of presenting program data in multiple zones of a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration of a plurality of source devices at the wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) obtaining a registration of a plurality of sink devices;

(c) storing an assignment of a zone corresponding to each sink device of the plurality of sink devices;

(d) receiving a first selection of a first source device and a first zone for presentation of a first set of program data from the first source device;

(e) transmitting a first instruction to the first source device to transmit the first set of program data; and

(f) transmitting a second instruction to a first subset of sink devices in the first zone to receive program data from the first source device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) receiving a second selection of a second source device and a second selection of a second zone for presentation of a second set of program data from the second source device, wherein the first source device is transmitting the first set of program data to the first zone in the home entertainment system.

(h) transmitting a third instruction to the second source device to transmit the second set of program data; and

(i) transmitting a fourth instruction to a second subset of sink devices in the second zone to receive the second set of program data from the second source device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first source device and the second source device are the same device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first zone and the second zone are the same zone.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subset of sink devices and the second subset of sink devices are the same subset of sink devices.

6. The method of claim 2, the first subset of sink devices includes a video sink device and one or more audio sink devices.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein more than one source device is transmitting data to the first subset of sink devices in the first zone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in display device in the first zone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a display device in a different zone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment of the zone for each sink device of the plurality of sink devices is determined by a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment of the zone by the user is made using a graphic user interface on a display device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment of the zone for each sink device of the plurality of sink devices is determined based on a location of the device in the home entertainment system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the assignment of the zone is based on the proximity of the sink devices to each other.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the location of the device is obtained from a user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the location of the device is derived by the wireless home entertainment hub.

16. A method of presenting program data by a source device in multiple zones of a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration with a wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) receiving a first indication that one or more sink devices in a first zone of the home entertainment system are listening for program data from the source device based on a first selection by a user for presentation of the program data from the source device to the one or more sink devices in the first zone;

(c) storing the first indication that one or more sink devices in the first zone of the home entertainment system are listening for the program data from the source device;

(d) transmitting the program data to the one or more sink devices in the first zone;

(e) receiving a second indication that one or more sink devices in a second zone of the home entertainment system are listening for the program data from the source device based on a second selection by the user for presentation of the program data from the source device to the one or more sink devices in the second zone;

(f) storing the second indication that one or more sink devices in the second zone of the home entertainment system are listening for the program data from the source device; and

(g) transmitting the program data to the one or more sink devices in the second zone.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(h) in response to the first indication from the wireless home entertainment hub, ensuring that the source device is in an active state.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein storing the first indication from step (c) and the second indication from step (f) includes increasing an internal reference count.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reference count is incremented by one in each of steps (c) and (f).

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the source device becomes active if the reference count is zero prior to incrementing.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the internal reference count is decreased based upon in instruction by the wireless home entertainment hub to stop transmitting the program data to one of the first and second zones.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the source device enters a low power mode when the internal reference count indicates that no zones are receiving program data from the source device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the internal reference count is zero when no zones are receiving program data for the source device.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein storing the first indication from step (c) and the second indication from step (f) includes adding sink devices listening to the program data from the source device to an internal list stored in the source device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a subset of the sink devices are removed from the internal list based upon in instruction by the wireless home entertainment hub to stop transmitting the program data to one of the first and second zones.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the selected source enters a low power mode when the internal list indicates that no zones are receiving program data from the selected source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the internal list is empty when no zones are receiving program data for the selected source.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the source device is transmitting the program data to the first zone and second zone simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein different sets of program data are transmitted to the first zone and second zone simultaneously by the source device.

30. A method of presenting program data in multiple zones of a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration by a sink device with a wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) obtaining an assignment of a zone in the home entertainment system;

(c) receiving an instruction to receive program data from a source device based on a selection of the assigned zone from step (b) by a user for presentation of program data from the source device;

(d) receiving the program data transmitted from the source device; and

(e) presenting the program data to the user.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

(f) in response to the instruction from the wireless home entertainment hub to receive program data, ensuring that the sink device is in an active state.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the assignment of the zone is determined by the user.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the assignment of the zone is determined based on a location of the device in the home entertainment system.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the location of the sink device is obtained from the user.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the location of the sink device is derived by the wireless home entertainment hub.