Systems and Methods for Operating Media Devices

• US 20110304443A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Original Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Inventors: Sheridan, Gene, Subramaniam, Ramanathan, Hamadani, Hooman Kashef
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/42204 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A wireless adapter enables communication between a content source and a content player for rendering of content at the content source by the content player, and a remote controller allows for control of the content delivery, and one or more features of the content source, player, or both.

Claims

1. A wireless adaptor for communicating with a media source, the adapter comprising:

a first wireless interface for receiving a content item in a first format from the media source via a wireless local-area network (WLAN);

a media processor for converting a format of the received content item from the first format into a second format; and

a second interface for delivering the content item in the second format to a media player for rendering thereon.

2. The wireless adapter of claim 1, wherein:

the first or second format is liner pulse-code modulation (LPCM) or MP3; and

the second interface is selected from the group consisting of an analog audio connector, an S/PDIF connector, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, a wired Ethernet connector, an IEEE 1394 connector, and a 30-pin connector.

3. A remote controller for establishing a communication link between a media source and a media player, the remote controller comprising:

a wireless interface for establishing (i) a first wireless communication link between the remote controller and the media player, and (ii) a second wireless communication link between the remote controller and the media source;

a processor for controlling at least one of (i) the media player, by providing a player command thereto via the first link and, (ii) the media source, by providing a source command thereto via the second link,

whereby the media player receives a content item, for rendering thereof, from the media source via a third wireless communication link.

4. The remote controller of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third wireless communication link is established via a WLAN.

5. The remote controller of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface is configured for receiving data from the media source via the second link, the remote controller further comprising a display unit for displaying the received data.

6. The remote controller of claim 3, further comprising a user interface for receiving a user command, wherein at least one of the player command provided to the media player and the source command provided to the media source is based on the received user command.

7. The remote controller of claim 3, further comprising a scanner for identifying at least one media device, wherein the at least one media device is one of the media player, the media source, and a wireless adapter in communication with the media player or the media source.

8. A remote controller for controlling a media device, the remote controller comprising:

a network interface for communicating with the media device, wherein communicating comprises transmitting information to the media device and receiving information therefrom;

a processor for (i) analyzing the received information so as to identify at least one feature of the media device, and (ii) creating a controller for controlling the media device, the controller comprising a user interface according to the at least one identified feature; and

a display module for displaying the user interface.

9. The remote controller of claim 8, wherein the information transmitted to the media device comprises a signal generated by the controller in response to a command received via the user interface.

10. The remote controller of claim 8, wherein the display module displays the information received from the media device.

11. The remote controller of claim 8, wherein the received information comprises data corresponding to a content item associated with the media device.

12. The remote controller of claim 11, where in the data corresponding to the content item includes at least of a title of the content item;

a type of the content item; and

a performer of the content item.

13. The remote controller of claim 8, further comprising a scanner for selecting the media device by scanning one or more media devices.

14. The remote controller of claim 8, wherein:

the network interface simultaneously communicates with one or more additional media devices; and

the processor (i) analyzes the received information from each of the one or more additional media devices, and (ii) creates one or more additional controllers for controlling the corresponding media device of the one or more additional media devices.

15. The remote controller of claim 14, wherein the processor aggregates the information received from the media device and the information received from each of the one or more additional media devices, and the display module displays the aggregated information.

16. A method of communicating with a media source, the method comprising:

receiving a content item in a first format from a media source via a wireless local-area network (WLAN);

converting a format of the received content item from the first format into a second format; and

delivering the content item in the second format to a media player for rendering thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein

the first or second formats is liner pulse-code modulation (LPCM) or MP3;

and

the content item is delivered to the media player using an interface selected from the group consisting of an analog audio connector, an S/PDIF connector, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, a wired Ethernet connector, an IEEE 1394 connector, and a 30-pin connector.

18. A method for rendering a content item from a media source on a media player, the method comprising:

establishing a first wireless communication link between a remote controller and the media player;

establishing a second wireless communication link between the remote controller and the media source;

establishing a third wireless communication link between the media source and the media player;

transmitting from the remote controller at least one of (i) a player command to the media player via the first link, and (ii) a source command to the media source via the second link,

thereby causing the media player to receive a content item, for rendering thereof, from the media source over the third wireless communication link.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third wireless communication links is established via a WLAN.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, at the remote controller, data from the media source via the second wireless communication link; and

displaying the received data.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a user command at the remote controller via a user interface, and wherein at least one of the player command and the source command is based on the received user command.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying at least one media device from one or more media devices, wherein the at least one media device is one of the media player, the media source, or a wireless adapter in communication with the media player or the media source.

23. A method for rendering a content item at a media source on a media player, the method comprising:

selecting a media source;

sending a request to the media source for information associated with content items at the media source;

receiving the information associated with the content items;

processing and displaying the information;

receiving a command in response to the displayed information;

identifying at least one content item according to the command;

selecting a media player;

directing at least one of the media player and the media source, to establish a wireless communication link therebetween;

directing the media source according to the at least one identified content item, thereby causing transmission of the at least one identified content item from the media source to the media player for rendering thereupon via the communication link.

24. A method for controlling a media device, comprising creating a controller for the media device, the creating step comprising:

sending, from a user device, a request to the media device;

receiving information associated with one or more control features of the media device in response to the request;

identifying, at the user device, one or more control features of the media device using the received information; and

creating, at the user device, a user interface according to the one or more identified control features.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, a user command; and

transmitting to the media device a feature-control command according to the received user command, thereby causing a parameter of the media device to be adjusted.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the media device is a media source, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the user device, information about content items corresponding to the media source;

processing and displaying the information about the content items;

receiving, via the user interface, a content-selection command identifying at least one content item;

transmitting a signal to the media source according to the content-selection command, thereby causing the at least one identified item to be transmitted by the media source.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the media device is a first media source, the method further comprising:

selecting a second media source configured for receiving wireless communication from a remote unit;

receiving, at the user device, information about content items corresponding to the first and second media sources;

aggregating, processing, and displaying the information about the content items;

receiving, via the user interface, a content-selection command identifying at least one content item;

designating as a selected media source the first media source if the at least one identified content item corresponds thereto;

designating as the selected media source the second media source if the at least one identified content item corresponds thereto;

transmitting a signal to the selected media source according to the content-selection command, thereby causing the at least one identified item to be transmitted by the selected media source.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the media device is one of a media player, a media source, or a wireless adapter in communication with a media player or a media source.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising selecting the media device from one or more media devices configured for receiving wireless communication from a remote unit.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the user device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a wireless personal digital assistant, a tablet PC, and a wireless game console.