Data Presentation Using a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080066120A1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• 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 8,935,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/08 by combining tones G10H1/14, G10H1/16 take precedence; chord G10H1/38
• 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: 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 5/765 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 52/0254 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 for presenting data through a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system includes obtaining a registration for one or more source devices and for one or more sink devices. An indication is received at the wireless home entertainment hub that one of the source devices has become active. Data is received from the active source device. One or more sink devices are selected to receive the data from the active source device, and the data is transmitted to one or more of the sink devices.

Claims

1. A method for presenting data through a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration for one or more source devices;

(b) obtaining a registration for one or more sink devices;

(c) receiving at the wireless home entertainment hub an indication that one of the source devices has become active;

(d) receiving data from the active source device;

(e) selecting one or more sink devices to receive the data from the active source device; and

(f) transmitting the data to the one or more sink devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sink devices include a plurality of wireless speakers for presenting audio data to a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sink devices include a display device for presenting video data to a user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the source devices are wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sink devices are wireless devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the active source device becomes active based on an instruction received from the wireless home entertainment hub.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the active source device becomes active based on action on the respective source device by a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sink device selected in step (e) is selected based on choosing the one or more sink devices needed to present the data transmitted from the active source device.

10. A method for receiving data for presentation by a sink device through a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, the method comprising:

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

(b) receiving an indication that the wireless home entertainment hub is ready to transmit data; and

(c) receiving data at the sink device from the wireless home entertainment hub.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(d) presenting the data to a user.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(d) in response to the indication that the wireless home entertainment hub is ready to transmit data, ensuring that the sink device is in an active state.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink device is a wireless speaker for presenting audio data to a user.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink device is a display device for displaying video data to a user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in the display device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink device is a wireless device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the data received from the home entertainment hub matches the presentation capabilities of the sink device.

18. A method for transmitting data from a source device through a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining a registration of the source device with a wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) transmitting an indication to the wireless home entertainment hub that the source device has become active;

(c) receiving an indication from the wireless home entertainment hub that one or more sink devices are ready to receive data; and

(d) transmitting the data from the source device to the wireless home entertainment hub.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the source device is a wireless device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the source device becomes active based on an instruction received the wireless home entertainment hub.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the source device becomes active based on action on the respective source device by a user.

22. A wireless home entertainment hub for controlling presentation of data in a home entertainment system, the wireless home entertainment hub comprising:

a memory for storing registration information for one or more source devices and one or more sink devices;

a receiver for receiving an indication of activity of at least one of the source devices and data from an active source device;

a transmitter for transmitting the data to at least one of the sink devices; and

a processor configured to facilitate transfer of the data between the source devices and sink devices in response to an indication of activity of at least one of the source devices.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a display device.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a remote control.

25. A home entertainment system comprising:

a wireless home entertainment hub;

at least one wireless source device registered with the wireless home entertainment hub, wherein the wireless source device is configured to transmit data for presentation to a user; and

at least one wireless sink device registered with the wireless home entertainment hub, wherein the wireless sink device is configured to receive the data for presentation to a user and the wireless home entertainment hub is configured to facilitate transfer of the data between the registered source devices and registered sink devices.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a wireless display device containing the wireless home entertainment hub.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a remote control containing the wireless home entertainment hub.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the sink devices include a plurality of wireless speakers for presenting audio data to a user.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the sink devices include a display device for presenting video data to a user.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the source devices include a DVD player.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the source devices include a CD player.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the source devices include a set-top box.