METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A TRANSCODER

• US 20100060784A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: ANSARI, AHMAD C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a transcoder module having a controller to manage power distribution in the transcoder module from power supplied to an HDMI port of the transcoder module, transcode audio-visual information into a digital compatible format used on an external device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transcoding audio-visual information supplied by an accessory device in a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard format received via an HDMI port in a set top box (STB) device to a format compatible with an external device; and

generating a transcoded signal used for presentation or storage of the audio visual information on the external device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory device is a personal digital assistant, a portable video player, a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a storage device, and wherein the method comprises interfacing with the external device via a network interface in the STB device to communicate with the external device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a personal digital assistant, a portable video player, a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a presentation device.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving a signal source for transcoding via the HDMI port which is an HDMI interface connector.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising storing audio-visual content in a digital video recorder hard drive within the STB device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the HDMI compatible source device is a high definition STB or a high definition digital video recorder that provides an audio video source to the HDMI port and powers the STB device inline through a HDMI interface on the STB device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the STB device is a battery-operated portable STB device, and wherein the method comprises powering the portable STB device with a rechargeable battery that is trickle charged using the HDMI input port of the presentation device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising detecting at the portable STB device whether the HDMI port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the portable STB device from the HDMI port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable STB device.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

transcoding audio-visual information in a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard format received via an HDMI port in a portable battery operated set top box (STB) device to a format compatible with an external device, wherein the format compatible with the external device is user selectable or determined dynamically; and

generating a signal used for presentation or storage of the audio visual information on the external device.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions for enabling the portable battery operated STB device to be at least partially powered through the HDMI port when coupled to the HDMI compatible source device through the HDMI port.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions for receiving power at the portable battery operated STB when coupled to the HDMI compatible source device through an HDMI port that transports an uncompressed audio/video stream in the HDMI standard format to the transcoder for transcoding.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instruction for powering the portable STB device inline through an HDMI interface on the portable STB device and wherein the HDMI compatible source device is a high definition STB or a DVR having an HDMI output.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instruction for powering the portable STB device with a rechargeable battery that is trickle charged using an HDMI input port of the HDMI compatible source device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instruction for detecting whether the HDMI port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the portable STB device from the HDMI port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable STB device.

16. A multimedia data interface module, comprising a controller to:

manage power distribution in the multimedia data interface module from power supplied by a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port and an embedded power supply;

transcode audio-visual information from the HDMI port into a compatible format for an external device; and

transmit through a network interface, the audio-visual information in the compatible format for the external device.

17. The multimedia data interface module of claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to power the multimedia data interface with a rechargeable battery that is trickle charged using the HDMI port.

18. The multimedia data interface of claim 17, wherein the controller is adapted to detect whether the HDMI port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the multimedia data interface from the HDMI port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the multimedia data interface.

19. A system, comprising a controller to:

transcode audio-visual information in a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard format; and

generate a signal used for presentation or storage of the audio visual information on an external device in a digital format compatible with the external device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises a network interface for enabling the controller to interface with the external device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller further operates cooperatively with a power source provided by a video source via an HDMI interface that powers the system inline through an HDMI input connector.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises a system on chip video and audio transcoder.