Web television having a two-way communication bus interconnecting a television controller and an internet module

• US 20090307738A1
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kevin J. Gaughan, Thomas J. Zato
• Original Assignee: Kevin J. Gaughan, Thomas J. Zato
• Inventors: Gaughan, Kevin J., Zato, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US12/505,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307738A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A web television includes a display, a tuner, an internet module, and a PIP module. The tuner is arranged to select television video for display on the display and to select television audio for display by a speaker of the web television. The internet module is arranged to supply internet video for display on the display and to supply internet audio for display by the speaker of the web television, and the internet video and audio are derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers. The PIP module is arranged to provide a PIP area within a main area of the display. The internet video and the television video may be swapped between the PIP area and the main area of the display, and the speaker of the web television may be swapped between the internet audio and the television audio.

Claims

1-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A web television comprising:

a display;

a tuner arranged to select television video for display on the display;

an internet module arranged to supply internet video for display on the display, wherein the internet video is derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers;

a television controller arranged to control the display; and

,

a communication bus arranged to interconnect the internet module and the television controller in order to support two-way communication between the internet module and the television controller, wherein one or more communications that are generated by the television controller for transmission via the communication bus comprise mode information indicating in which of a set of one or more modes that the web television is operating, and wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether the web television is on or off.

45. The web television of claim 44, wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether a screen saver mode is on or off.

46. A method of displaying video in a web television, the method comprising:

transmitting a first control signal to a tuner to select television video for display on a display;

transmitting a second control signal to an internet module to provide internet video for display on the display, wherein the internet video is derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers;

transmitting mode information to the internet module via a two-way communication bus, the mode information indicating one or more modes that the web television is operating; and

,

displaying at least one of the television video and internet video on the display, wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether the web television is on or off.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether a screen saver mode is on or off.

48. A web television comprising:

a display;

a tuner arranged to select television video for display on the display;

an internet module arranged to supply internet video for display on the display, wherein the internet video is derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers;

a television controller arranged to control the display; and

,

a communication bus arranged to interconnect the internet module and the television controller in order to support two-way communication between the internet module and the television controller, wherein one or more communications that are generated by the television controller for transmission via the communication bus comprise mode information indicating in which of a set of one or more modes that the web television is operating, and wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether a screen saver mode is on or off.

49. A method of displaying video in a web television, the method comprising:

transmitting a first control signal to a tuner to select television video for display on a display;

transmitting a second control signal to an internet module to provide internet video for display on the display, wherein the internet video is derived from internet communications between the web television and internet content providers;

transmitting mode information to the internet module via a two-way communication bus, the mode information indicating one or more modes that the web television is operating; and

,

displaying at least one of the television video and internet video on the display, wherein the mode information comprises information indicating whether a screen saver mode is on or off.