PASS THROUGH DIGITAL TELEVISION SIGNAL THROUGH NON-TV CONSUMER ELECTRONICS (CE) DEVICE

• US 20120314139A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Brian M.
• Application Number:
  US13/154,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20120314139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI

Abstract

A digital TV tuner is included in an audio or video device that typically does not have a TV tuner or is expected to have a TV tuner. Such provisioning affords a user free access to broadcast (e.g., NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, PBS, etc.) channels that may otherwise be provided by another third party via paid subscription or other service level as part of a package, thus allowing consumers the choice of bypassing their cable or satellite or other video content service provider by providing access to readily available broadcast video content services. Devices in which the digital TV tuner include but are not limited to Blu-ray players; streaming media players; audio receivers; soundbars; multi-room audio speakers or source devices; cameras; camcorders; personal audio players; and portable DVD or Blu-ray players.

Claims

1. Consumer electronic (CE) device comprising:

TV tuner in a housing;

output port; and

processor in the housing and accessing instructions on a computer readable medium in the housing to execute the instructions, the CE device receiving free broadcast signals through the TV tuner and providing the signals through the output port to an apparatus having a video display for presentation of the signals on the apparatus having a video display, wherein the housing of the CE device further holds one or more of;

a Blu-ray disk player, a streaming media player, an audio receiver, a home theater system soundbar, multi-room audio speakers, a camera, a camcorder, a personal audio player, a portable video disk player.

2. The CE device of claim 1, comprising a coaxial cable or high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable interconnecting the CE device to the apparatus having a video display.

3. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the output port is established at least in part by a wireless transceiver, the signals from the TV tuner being sent to the apparatus having a video display through the wireless transceiver.

4. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a Blu-ray disk player.

5. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a streaming media player.

6. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds an audio receiver.

7. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a home theater system soundbar.

8. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds multi-room audio speakers.

9. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a camera.

10. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a camcorder.

11. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a personal audio player.

12. The CE device of claim 1, wherein the housing holds a portable video disk player.

13. Method, in a CE device of a type ordinarily not having a TV tuner but nevertheless provided with a TV tuner to receive, for free, over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV signals, the method comprising:

receiving the free, over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV signals at the CE device; and

sending the free, over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV signals from the CE device to a video display apparatus to enable the video display apparatus to display TV programming represented by the free, over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV signals without requiring a subscription with a TV signal provider.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is a media player.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is an audio receiver or speaker.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is a camera.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is a camcorder.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is a personal audio player.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the CE device is a portable video disk player.

20. Apparatus comprising:

a digital TV tuner in an audio or video device that typically does not have a TV tuner or is expected to have a TV tuner to afford, a user free access to broadcast channels that otherwise are provided by another third party via paid subscription or other service level as part of a package, thus allowing consumers a choice of bypassing cable or satellite or other video content service provider by providing access to readily available broadcast video content services.