System and Method to Manage a Content Stream

• US 20100125890A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale, Levine, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,302,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method of managing bandwidth usage at a customer premises includes receiving a content stream at a set-top box device coupled to a display device. The method also includes receiving a signal at the set-top box device from an external power interface. The signal indicates that a low power state has been detected at a power outlet of the external power interface, the power outlet associated with the display device. Further, the method includes sending a signal to a source of the content stream in response to receiving the signal indicating the low power state. The signal indicates that the source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

Claims

1. A method of managing a content stream, the method comprising:

receiving the content stream at a set-top box device coupled to a display device;

receiving a signal at the set-top box device from an external power interface, the signal indicating that a low power state has been detected at a power outlet of the external power interface, the power outlet associated with the display device; and

sending a signal to a source of the content stream, the signal indicating that the source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising entering a standby mode at the set-top box device in response to the signal received from the external power interface.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising outputting a prompt to indicate whether the display device is in a powered-on state before sending the signal to the source of the content stream.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising not sending the signal to the source of the content stream after receiving input indicating that the display device is in a powered-on state.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising not sending the signal to the source of the content stream when no input is received at the set-top box device within a time period after outputting the prompt.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the set-top box device displays the prompt via a display portion of the set-top box device.

7. A method of managing a content stream, the method comprising:

detecting a power-off command issued by a remote control device associated with a display device coupled to a set-top box device;

outputting a prompt to indicate whether the display device is in a powered-on state in response to detecting the power-off command; and

sending a signal to a source of the content stream after determining that the display device is not in a powered-on state, the signal indicating that the source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising entering a standby mode at the set-top box device after determining that the display device is not in a powered-on state.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the set-top box device determines that the display device is not in a powered-on state after receiving input indicating that the display device is not in a powered-on state.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the set-top box device determines that the display device is not in a powered-on state when no input is received at the set-top box device within a time period after outputting the prompt.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising programming the set-top box device to detect power state commands issued by the remote control associated with the display device.

12. A set-top box device, comprising:

processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to;

receive a content stream from a content source via an access network of an Internet Protocol Television system;

receive a signal from an external power interface, the signal indicating that a low power state has been detected at a power outlet of the external power interface, the power outlet associated with the display device; and

send a signal to the content source via the access network, the signal indicating that the content source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

13. The set-top box device of claim 12 further comprising a data cable interface and wherein the set-top box device is adapted to receive the signal from the external power interface via a data cable coupled to the data cable interface and to the external power interface.

14. The set-top box device of claim 13 wherein the data cable is a universal serial bus (USB) cable.

15. The set-top box device of claim 12 wherein the set-top box device is adapted to receive the signal from the external power interface via a wireless interface that is coupled to or integrated with the set-top box device.

16. The set-top box device of claim 15 wherein the signal is an infrared signal or a radio signal.

17. A set-top box device, comprising:

processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to;

detect a power-off command via a wireless interface coupled to or integrated with the set-top box device, the power-off command issued by a remote control device associated with a display device coupled to the set-top box device; and

send a signal to a source of the content stream after determining that the display device is not in a powered-on state, the signal indicating that the source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

18. The set-top box device of claim 17 wherein the set-top box device includes a display portion and wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to output a prompt via the display portion in response to detecting the power-off command, the prompt instructing a user to indicate whether the display device is in a powered-on state.

19. The set-top box device of claim 17 wherein the signal received from the external power interface indicates no current or power draw at the power outlet.

20. The set-top box device of claim 17 wherein the signal received from the external power interface indicates a reduced current or power draw at the power outlet.

21. The set-top box device of claim 17 wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to output a prompt at a display device in response to detecting the power-off command, the prompt instructing a user to indicate whether the display device is in a powered-on state.

22. The set-top box device of claim 21 wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to output a message indicating that the display device is not coupled to the power outlet associated with the display device.

23. The set-top box device of claim 17 wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to detect a power-on command issued by the remote control associated with the display device and to request the content stream from the source.

24. A computer-readable medium including processor-readable instructions executable by processing logic to execute a method, the method comprising:

receiving a content stream at a set-top box device coupled to a display device;

receiving a signal at the set-top box device from an external power interface, the signal indicating that a low power state has been detected at a power outlet of the external power interface, the power outlet associated with the display device; and

sending a second signal to a source of the content stream, the second signal indicating that the source is to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box device.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the second signal indicates that the set-top box device has entered a standby mode.