COMMUNICATION SIGNAL STRENGTH DISPLAY FOR TV INTERNET ADAPTER

• US 20090125969A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Yuko, Ozawa, Toshiro, Tao, David, Hill, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006

Abstract

A wireless signal strength indication is displayed on a TV, representing the signal strength of a wireless link between the Internet and an Internet adapter module providing Internet video to the TV.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a TV including a TV display; and

at least one Internet adapter module connected to the TV using at least an audio video link, the TV configured to display video received from the module over the audio video link, the module receiving Internet video over a wireless link for display of the video on the TV, an indication of wireless link signal strength being displayed on the TV.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the TV includes a processor causing the signal strength to be displayed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the audio video link is a high definition multimedia (HDMI) link.

4. The system of claim 3, comprising a control link between the TV and module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control link is a universal serial bus (USB) link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication is a color of a signal strength icon,

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one of only three colors is used to indicate signal strength.

8. A tangible digital storage medium readable by a TV processor to:

display a wireless link signal strength indication on a TV display associated with a TV that is configured for communicating with an adapter module over at least a video data link, the signal strength being related to a wireless link between the module and the Internet.

9. The tangible digital storage medium of claim 8, wherein the video data link is a high definition multimedia (HDMI) link.

10. The tangible digital storage medium of claim 9, comprising a control data link between the TV and module.

11. The tangible digital storage medium of claim 10, wherein the control data link is a universal serial bus (USB) link.

12. The tangible digital storage medium of claim 8, wherein the indication is a color of a signal strength icon.

13. The tangible digital storage medium of claim 12, wherein one of only three colors is used to indicate signal strength.

14. A TV comprising:

a TV processor configured for communicating with an adapter module over at least a video data link and a control data link; and

a TV display configured for displaying video received on the video data link under control of the TV processor, the TV processor selectively causing a signal strength indication to be displayed on the TV, the signal strength being associated with a wireless link between the module and the Internet.

15. The TV of claim 14, wherein the TV includes a processor causing the signal strength to be displayed.

16. The TV of claim 15, wherein the video data link is a high definition multimedia (HDMI) link.

17. The TV of claim 16, wherein the control data link is a universal serial bus (USB) link.

18. The TV of claim 14, wherein the indication is a color of a signal strength icon.

19. The TV of claim 18, wherein one of only three colors is used to indicate signal strength.