DVD assembly, and associated apparatus, for a convergent device

• US 6,012,112 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brase, Thomas J., Vaughn, Mark P., Sturgeon, Derrill L., Ellis, William H., Johnson, Drew S., Howard, Christopher A., Zickefoose, Donald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palys, Joseph E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, OMAR B
• Application Number:
  US08/940,646
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 395/882, 395/200.48, 348/552, 348/14, 380/9, 701/62, 709/218
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• 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 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

A DVD assembly, and an associated method, for a convergent device, such as a television converged into a computer. The DVD assembly is integrated into the convergent device to facilitate ease of user control over operation of the DVD assembly. Common control interfaces which include the "look and feel" of the control interfaces otherwise used by the convergent device simplify operational control over operation of the DVD assembly.

Claims

1. A convergent device operable alternately in a first operational mode and a second operational mode, the convergent device including application drivers executable during operation of the convergent device, and a display monitor for displaying displays generated during operation of the convergent device, a combination with the convergent device of a DVD (digital versatile/video disc) assembly, said DVD assembly including:

a DVD player coupled to the convergent device and forming a portion thereof, said DVD player operable when the convergent device is in the first operational mode and in the second operation mode;

a DVD driver integrated into the application drivers of the convergent device, said DVD driver for driving operation of the DVD player when operated in the first operational mode and in the second operation mode;

a user interface including a remote input actuator for generating selected actuation signals responsive to user actuation thereof;

an actuation signal receiver for receiving the actuation signals; and

a convergent device input/output software driver, said DVD driver integrated with the convergent-device input/output software driver;

wherein said DVD player is operable to receive a DVD disc, the DVD disc including information stored therein, the information stored on the DVD disc divided into subsets of information, each subset identified by a subset identifier, and wherein the selected actuation signals capable of generation by the remote input actuator comprises a subset-identifier signal, generation of the subset-identifier signal for causing said DVD driver to drive generation on the display monitor of a subset-identifier menu, the subset identifier menu containing the subset identifiers identifying the subsets of information into which the information stored upon the DVD disc is divided.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected actuation signals capable of generation by the remote input actuator comprises a menu-select signal, generation of the menu-select signal for causing said DVD driver to drive generation on the display monitor of a DVD menu, the DVD menu containing at least one item of permitted operation of said DVD player.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the selected actuation signals capable of generation by the remote input actuator further comprises at least one item select signal, the at least one item select signal for selecting the at least one item of permitted operation of said DVD player, said DVD driver for driving operation of said DVD player responsive to the item select signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said DVD player exhibits a present state of operation, the present state of operation having an expected next-state of operation associated therewith, and wherein the item of permitted operation of said DVD player contained on the DVD menu caused to be displayed upon the display monitor by said DVD driver comprises an item, when selected, which causes said DVD driver to drive operation of said DVD player into the expected next-state.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the convergent device comprises a television converged into a computer, wherein the first operational mode comprises a tele-video mode of operation and the second operational mode comprises a computer mode of operation and wherein the DVD menu is displayable during operation of the television converged into the computer in both the tele-video mode of operation and the computer mode of operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the selected actuation signals generated by the remote input actuator are selectively utilized by said DVD driver to drive operation of said DVD player, the selected actuation signals used by said DVD driver during operation of said DVD player.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the selected actuation signals are used by application drivers other than said DVD driver when said DVD player is not being operated.

8. In a method for operating a convergent device having application drivers executable during operation of the convergent device and a display monitor for displaying displays generated during operation of the convergent device, the convergent device operable alternately in a first operational mode and a second operational mode, an improvement of a method for providing DVD functionality to the convergent device, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a DVD player to the convergent device to form a portion thereof, the DVD player operable when the convergent device is in the first operational mode and the second operational mode;

integrating a DVD driver into an input/output driver of the application drivers; and

generating selected actuation signals responsive to user actuation of the remote input actuator and driving the DVD player responsive to the selected actuation signals;

wherein the DVD player coupled during the step of coupling is operable to receive a DVD disc, the DVD disc including information stored thereon, the information divided into subsets of information, each subset identified by a subset identifier, wherein the actuation signals generated during said step of generating comprises a subset-identifier signal, and wherein said step of driving comprises driving generation on the display monitor of a subset-identifier menu, the subset identifier menu containing the subset identifiers identifying the subsets of information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the selected actuation signals generated during said step of generating comprising a menu-select signal, and wherein said step of driving comprises driving generation of a DVD menu on the display monitor, the DVD menu containing at least one item of permitted operation of the DVD player.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected actuation signals generated during said step of generating further comprises at least one item select signal, and wherein said step of driving comprises driving operation of the DVD player responsive to the item select signal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the DVD player coupled during said step of coupling exhibits a present state of operation, the present state of operation having an expected next-state of operation associated therewith, and wherein the item of permitted operation of the DVD player displayed on the display monitor during said step of driving comprises an item, when selected, drives operation of the DVD player into the expected next-state.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the convergent device comprises a television converged into a computer, wherein the first operational mode comprises tele-video mode of operation and the second operational mode comprises a computer mode of operation and wherein the DVD menu displayed responsive to said step of driving is displayable during operation of the television converged into the computer on both the tele-video mode of operation and the computer mode of operation.