AUDIO VIDEO DEVICE WITH EXTERNALLY BUNDLED TV TUNER

• US 20120120323A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter, Lejeune, Stephane, Blanchard, Robert, Clift, Graham
• Application Number:
  US13/073,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20120120323A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 : Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/642 : Multi-standard receivers

Abstract

A CE device is vended with a TV tuner module which may be provided in an envelope in the same shipping container along with instructions to the consumer to connect the tuner module to the CE device if TV capabilities are desired and to return the module for a rebate if TV capabilities are not desired.

Claims

1. Method comprising:

providing a consumer electronics (CE) device having no TV tuner with a TV tuner module external to the CE device and connectable thereto to send TV signals to a processor in the CE device;

instructing a purchaser of the CE device with tuner module to connect the tuner module to the CE device if the purchaser desires the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities; and

instructing the purchaser to return the module if the purchaser does not desire the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the module and device in a common shipping container.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising providing the module in an envelope in the shipping container along with the instructions to the consumer to connect the tuner module to the CE device if TV capabilities are desired and to return the module for a rebate if TV capabilities are not desired.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the instructions are provided on a substrate in the container.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the instructions are contained on a computer readable storage medium in the CE device for presentation thereof on a display of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising instructing the purchaser that a rebate will be paid to the purchaser upon return of the tuner module.

7. Method comprising:

providing a consumer electronics (CE) device having a TV module receptacle with a TV tuner module removably engaged with the receptacle;

instructing a purchaser of the CE device with tuner module to leave the tuner module installed in the receptacle of the CE device if the purchaser desires the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities; and

instructing the purchaser to remove the module from the receptacle and return the module to a predetermined address if the purchaser does not desire the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising providing the module and device in a common shipping container.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising providing a return envelope in the shipping container along with the instructions to the consumer to leave the tuner module in the CE device if TV capabilities are desired and to remove and return the module for a rebate if TV capabilities are not desired.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the instructions are provided on a substrate in the container.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the instructions are contained on a computer readable storage medium in the CE device for presentation thereof on a display of the device.

12. The method of claim 7, comprising instructing the purchaser that a rebate will be paid to the purchaser upon return of the tuner module.

13. Assembly, comprising:

shipping container;

CE device in the shipping container;

TV tuner module in the shipping container; and

instructions contained on a substrate or a computer readable storage medium to a purchaser of the assembly to engage or keep engaged the TV tuner module with the CE device if the purchaser desires the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities and to return the TV tuner module, but not the CE device to a predetermined address if the purchaser does not desire the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the TV tuner module is not installed in the CE device in the shipping container, the module being disposed in an envelope in the shipping container along with the instructions.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the instructions inform the purchaser that a rebate will be paid to the purchaser upon return of the tuner module.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the TV tuner module includes a universal serial bus (USB) cable and the CE device includes a USB port connectable to the cable to operably engage the TV tuner module with the CE device.

17. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the TV tuner module is installed in the CE device in the shipping container.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the instructions instruct the purchaser to remove the module from the receptacle and return the module to a predetermined address if the purchaser does not desire the CE device to be configured with TV tuner capabilities.

19. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the instructions are provided on a substrate in the container.

20. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the instructions are contained on a computer readable storage medium in the CE device for presentation thereof on a display of the device.