ENHANCED VIDEO PROCESSING FUNCTIONALITY IN AUXILIARY SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a video data stream output from a consumer-operated tuner system, the video data stream selected at the consumer-operated tuner system for playback at a playback device;
decoding the video data stream at a video processor disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and the playback device, the video processor providing enhanced video processing services with respect to video processing services supported locally in the consumer-operated tuner system; and
transmitting the processed video data stream from the video processor to the playback device for playback.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to example configurations herein, a downstream video processor operates in conjunction with an existing consumer-operated tuner system. The downstream video processor system can be an add-on system disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and a remote video playback device such as a hi-definition television. In lieu of processing video data locally in the set-top box, the consumer-operated tuner system can transmit the video data to the downstream video processor for processing. The downstream video processor in the communication link can be configured to provide enhanced video processing services (e.g., better resolution, higher frame rate rates, enhanced signal to noise ratio, enhanced color quality, 3-D graphics, etc.) with respect to video processing services supported by an upstream video decoder in the consumer-operated tuner system.
32 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a video data stream output from a consumer-operated tuner system, the video data stream selected at the consumer-operated tuner system for playback at a playback device; decoding the video data stream at a video processor disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and the playback device, the video processor providing enhanced video processing services with respect to video processing services supported locally in the consumer-operated tuner system; and transmitting the processed video data stream from the video processor to the playback device for playback. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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12. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a consumer-operated tuner system, compressed video data from a server, the compressed video data selected at the consumer-operated tuner system for playback at a playback device; and in lieu of decoding the compressed video data at the consumer-operated tuner system, transmitting the compressed video data from the consumer-operated tuner system to a downstream video processor disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and the playback device, the downstream video processor providing enhanced video processing services with respect to video processing services provided by the consumer-operated tuner system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A service enhancing device that resides between a consumer-operated tuner system and a playback device, the service enhancing device comprising:
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a first input to receive an video data stream from the consumer-operated tuner system, the video data stream passing through the tuner device without being processed by the tuner device; a video processor configured to receive the video data stream and perform an enhanced video processing operation on the video data stream to produce an enhanced processed video data stream, the enhanced processed video data stream being a processed video data stream that is not capable of being provided by video processing functions in the consumer-operated tuner system; and an output to transmit the enhanced processed video data stream to the playback device for presentation to a user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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an input to receive a video data stream output from a consumer-operated tuner system, the video data stream selected at the consumer-operated tuner system for playback at a playback device; a video processor to process the video data stream, the video processor disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and the playback device, the video processor providing enhanced video processing services with respect to video processing services supported in the consumer-operated tuner system; and an output to transmit the processed video data stream from the video processor to the playback device for playback. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A consumer-operated tuner system comprising:
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an input; a tuner to select content for playback on a playback device, the content received at the input being received as compressed video data transmitted from a server; and an output to transmit the compressed video data to a downstream video processor disposed in a communication link between the consumer-operated tuner system and the playback device, the downstream video processor in the communication link providing enhanced video processing services with respect to video processing services provided by the consumer-operated tuner system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification