Auxiliary Input for Streaming Content to a Display Device

• US 20080165285A1
• Filed: 01/04/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: InFocus Corporation (Lap-Shun Hui, MBA)
• Inventors: Olson, Jorell A., Thompson, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US11/969,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/554
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• 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

Abstract

An auxiliary input for streaming content to a display device is provided. One embodiment comprises assigning either a first input signal or a second input signal as a default signal to provide to a display device, monitoring the other of the first signal or the second signal for display content, and providing the other of the first signal or the second signal to the display device based on a state of the default signal.

Claims

1. In a display system containing an input device configured to receive a first signal over a wired connection from a first content source and a second signal over a wireless connection from a second content source, a method to provide display content from the input device to a display device, the method comprising:

assigning either the first signal or the second signal as a default signal to supply to a display device;

monitoring the other of the first signal or the second signal for display content; and

providing the other of the first signal or the second signal to the display device based on a state of the default signal and if there is display content on the other of the first signal or the second signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the other of the first signal or the second signal further comprises providing the other signal when the default signal is inactive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the default signal is user selectable as either the first signal or the second signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the first signal or the second signal to the display device based on a real-time user input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching back to providing the default signal to the display device when the other of the first signal or the second signal is inactive.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is at least one of a cathode ray tube, a flat panel liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a light emitting diode display, a front projection display and a rear projection display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content source is at least one of a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a media player, and a personal computer.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computing device to provide either a wired first signal to a display device or a wireless second signal to a display device, wherein the wired first signal and the wireless second signal are received from a content source, the instructions being executable to perform a method comprising:

receiving the first signal and providing the first signal to a display device;

detecting the second signal; and

providing one of the first signal and the second signal to the display device based on a setting.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the setting sets either the first signal or the second signal as a default signal, wherein the default signal is sent to the display device if both signals are active.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the setting is a real-time user input that sets either the first signal or the second signal as the signal to send to the display device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for providing the first signal to the display device when the second signal becomes inactive.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the display device is at least one of a cathode ray tube, a flat panel liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a light emitting diode display, a front projection display and a rear projection display.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the content source is at least one of a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a media player, and a personal computer.

14. An apparatus to receive display content from at least one content source and to provide the display content to a display device, the apparatus comprising:

a first port to receive a wired first signal comprising display content;

a second port to receive a wireless second signal comprising display content;

a third port to send display content to a display device; and

circuitry coupled to the first port, the second port, and the third port, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide one of the first signal and the second signal to the display device based on a setting.

15. Apparatus of claim 14, wherein the setting sets either the first signal or the second signal as a default signal, and the circuitry is configured to send the default signal to the display device if both signals are active.

16. Apparatus of claim 15, wherein the default signal is the first signal.

17. Apparatus of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide the second signal to the display device when the first signal becomes inactive.

18. Apparatus of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is further configured to provide the second signal to the display device, and then provide the first signal to the display device when the second signal becomes inactive.

19. Apparatus of claim 14, wherein the setting is a real-time user input that sets either the first signal or the second signal as the signal to send to the display device.

20. Apparatus of claim 14, wherein the display device is at least one of a cathode ray tube, a flat panel liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a light emitting diode display, a front projection display and a rear projection display.

21. Apparatus of claim 14, wherein the content source is at least one of a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a media player, and a personal computer.