Source Device Change Using a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080066122A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• 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 8,776,147 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 of registering a device with a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system includes broadcasting by a wireless home entertainment hub a request for a reply from at least one unregistered device. The reply is received from at least one of the unregistered devices and a list of the at least one unregistered device is presented to a user for the purpose of the user selecting a device to register. An indication of the registration of the device selected by the user for registration is stored, and the selected device is removed from the list of unregistered devices after the indication of the registration is stored.

Claims

1. A method of switching, by a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, from a first source device to a second source device, wherein the first source device is presently transmitting data, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a selection of the second source device by the wireless home entertainment hub;

(b) transmitting to the first source device an instruction to decrement a reference count, wherein the reference count is an indication of the number of zones receiving the data from the first source device; and

(c) transmitting to the second source device an instruction to activate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) transmitting data from the second source device in the home entertainment system to one,or more sink devices for presentation of the data from the second source device to a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) transmitting data from the second source device to the wireless home entertainment hub; and

(e) transmitting data from the wireless home entertainment hub to one or more sink devices for presentation of the data from the wireless home entertainment hub to a user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data from the wireless home entertainment hub includes at least part of the data transmitted from the second source device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source device enters low power mode when the reference count indicates no zones are receiving the data from the first source device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein no zones are receiving the data from the first source device when the reference count is zero.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference count of the second source device is increased by one during activation of the second source device.

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

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

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching from a first source device to a second source device is initiated by a user based on an instruction received by the wireless home entertainment hub.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching from a first source device to a second source device is initiated based on action on the second source device by a user.

12. A method of switching, by a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, from a first source device to a second source device, wherein the first source device is presently transmitting data, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by at least one sink device, data from a first source device;

(b) receiving, by the at least one sink device, one or more instructions from tithe wireless home entertainment hub to receive data transmitted from the second source device and discontinue receiving the data transmitted from the first source device; and

(c) receiving, by the at least one sink device, the data from the second source device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sink devices include a plurality of wireless speakers for presenting audio data to a user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein sink devices include 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 12, wherein one instruction is broadcast to the at least one sink device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein an instruction is transmitted to each of the at least one sink devices.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the source devices are wireless devices.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the sink devices are wireless devices.

20. A method of switching, by a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system, from a first source device to a second source device, wherein the first source device is presently transmitting data, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by at least one sink device, data from a first source device, the data from the first source device being transmitted via the wireless home entertainment hub; and

(b) receiving, by the at least one sink device, data from a second source device, the data from the second source device being transmitted via the wireless home entertainment hub, wherein the data from the second source device is received by the at least one sink device after a request for a switch from the first source device to the second source device is received by the wireless home entertainment hub.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one sink device includes a plurality of wireless speakers for presenting audio data to a user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one sink device includes a display device for displaying video data to a user.

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

24. The method of claim 20, wherein die request is initiated by a user.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one sink device is a wireless device.

26. A wireless home entertainment hub for switching from a first source device to a second source device in a home entertainment system, wherein the first source device is presently transmitting data, the wireless home entertainment hub comprising:

a memory for storing an indication of the first source device presently transmitting data;

a receiver for receiving a selection of the second source device from a user;

a transmitter for transmitting to the first source device an instruction to decrement a reference count, wherein the reference count is a current number of zones receiving the data from the first source device, and transmitting to the second source device an instruction to activate;

a processor configured to facilitate the switching from the first source device to the second source device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a display device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a remote control device.