Data Presentation from Multiple Sources Using a Wireless Home Entertainment Hub

• US 20080150704A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Porto Vinci Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Technology Patents & Licensing Incorporated
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T.
• Application Number:
  US12/044,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/286.02
• 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 managing a power state of devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub comprises obtaining a registration of a plurality of devices, where the plurality of devices includes at least one sink device and at least one source device. A selection of one of the source devices is received for presentation of program content to a user in the home entertainment system. A subset of the at least one sink device is determined for presentation of the program content to the user based on the selection of the source device. Each sink device in the subset of the at least one sink device is ensured to be active.

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 a plurality of source devices;

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

(c) receiving at the wireless home entertainment hub a first indication that a first source device has become active;

(d) receiving a second indication that a second source device has become active;

(e) receiving data from the first active source device;

(f) receiving data from the second active source device;

(g) mixing the data received from the first active source device and the second active source device;

(h) selecting at least one of the sink devices to receive the mixed data; and

(i) transmitting the mixed data to at least one of the 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 source devices become active based on an instruction received from the wireless home entertainment hub.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the source devices become 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 (h) is selected based on choosing the one or more sink devices needed to present the mixed data.

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

(a) receiving at the wireless home entertainment hub a first indication that a first source device has become active, wherein the first source device is a wireless device;

(b) receiving a second indication that a second source device has become active, wherein the second source device is a wireless device;

(c) receiving data from the first active wireless source device;

(d) receiving data from the second active wireless source device;

(e) mixing data received from the first active wireless source device and the second active wireless source device;

(f) selecting at least one wireless sink device to receive the mixed data; and

(g) transmitting the mixed data to at least one of the wireless sink devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink devices include a plurality of wireless speakers for presenting audio data to a user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink devices include a wireless display device for displaying video data to a user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in the wireless display device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the source devices become active based on an instruction received the wireless home entertainment hub.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the source devices become active based on action on the respective source device by a user.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the sink device selected in step (f) is selected based on choosing the one or more sink devices needed to present the mixed data.

17. A wireless home entertainment hub for controlling presentation in a home entertainment system comprising:

a memory for storing registration information for a plurality of source devices and one or more sink devices, data from a first source, data from a second source, and mixed data;

a receiver for receiving indications of activity of a plurality of source devices, data from a first active source device, and data from a second active source device;

a mixer for mixing data received from the first active source device and the second active source device to create mixed data;

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

a processor configured to facilitate transfer of the data between the sources devices and the sink devices in response to indications of activity of at least two the source devices.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a display device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless home entertainment hub is included in a remote control unit