System for assigning multichannel audio signals to independent wireless audio output devices

• US 5,838,384 A
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway 2000, Inc. (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schindler, Jeffrey, Forrest, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/751,856
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 345/146, 345/157, 345/158, 345/349, 345/327, 345/328, 345/970, 348/734, 348/563, 348/906, 348/564, 348/601, 348/565, 348/569, 348/552, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• 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 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 : for the sound signals

Abstract

A home entertainment and information system is provided which assigns and transmits audio programming to audio output devices. Digital and analog signals from a variety of program sources are received by the home entertainment and information system. The system assigns and transmits to an audio output device a program that is distinct from programs assigned and transmitted to other audio output devices within the same system, and thus where two users are viewing different programs visually displayed on the same or different monitors, they hear the audio portion of the respective program they are viewing through individual audio output devices. An audio output device is also assignable to a remote control device such that when a program is selected using the remote control device, the audio portion of the program is transmitted to the assigned audio output device.

Claims

1. A method of assigning the audio portions of a plurality of distinct program outputs from a home entertainment and information system to a plurality of independent audio output devices, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of windows of information generated by programs on a video display device screen;

displaying a plurality of audio output icons on the video display device screen, each corresponding to one of the plurality of audio output devices;

displaying a plurality of remote control icons on the video display device screen;

controlling the movement of the remote control icons by use of remote controls associated with the remote control icons;

selecting the programs to become active by use of the remote control icons; and

selecting at least one audio output device to become associated with a remote control by dragging one of the audio output icons and dropping it on one of the remote control icons associated with the remote control.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of transmitting the audio output of the active program to the audio output device associated with the remote control icon which selected the active program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting at least one audio output device is performed by double clicking a button on the remote control device when the remote control icon is touching the audio output icon on the video display device screen.

4. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium for causing a computer to perform a method of assigning the audio portions of a plurality of distinct program outputs from a home entertainment and information system to a plurality of independent audio output devices, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of windows of information generated by programs on a video display device;

displaying a plurality of audio output device icons on the video display device screen, each corresponding to one of the plurality of audio output devices;

displaying a plurality of remote control icons on the video display device screen;

moving a remote control icon to positions directed by remote controls associated with the remote control icons;

selecting the programs to become active based on the position of one of the remote control icons; and

selecting at least one audio output device to become associated with a remote control based on the position of the remote control icon and signals from its associated remote control.

5. A method of assigning the audio portions of a plurality of distinct program outputs from a home entertainment and information system to a plurality of independent audio output devices, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of windows of information generated by programs on a video display device screen;

displaying a plurality of audio output icons on the video display device screen, each corresponding to one of the plurality of audio output devices;

displaying a plurality of remote control icons for selection of programs on the video display device screen; and

associating one of the audio output icons with one of the remote control icons such that the audio portions of selected programs are audible at corresponding audio output devices.

6. A method of assigning the audio portions of a plurality of distinct program outputs from a home entertainment and information system to a plurality of independent audio output devices, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of windows of information generated by programs on a video display device screen;

displaying a plurality of audio output icons on the video display device screen, each corresponding to one of the plurality of audio output devices; and

associating one of the audio output icons with one of the programs such that the audio portions of said program is audible at the corresponding audio output device.