Method and apparatus for optimizing the resource sharing for audio/video/data processing devices in a home network environment

• US 6,762,690 B1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Diehl, Eric, Sirot, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NAM V
• Application Number:
  US09/277,296
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.25, 340/825.24, 340/825.29, 340/825.22, 340/3.1, 340/3.5, 340/825.52, 725/78, 725/80, 709/200, 709/220, 700/3
• US Class Current: 340/4.41
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method/apparatus for sharing a resource of plural video/audio/data signal receivers broadcast by an emitter among a plurality of video/audio/data processing Set Top Units using a Master/Slave protocol. The first STU connected to a receiver is the Master, which has priority over a later-connected slave. An STU has access to all services if there is a free receiver. In the absence of free receivers, an STU can access all the services currently accessed by the other STUs, and the services on the transport streams carrying the services currently viewed by the other STUs. A resource sharing apparatus comprises a dedicated for each STU for displaying resources available to the corresponding STU. The controller indicates Slave status for resources that can be provided for the corresponding STU and a special indication for resource that is currently used by a corresponding STU.

Claims

1. A method for sharing a resource of a plurality of receivers for receiving video/audio/data services broadcasted by at least an emitter among a plurality of video, audio and/or data processing devices in a home network comprising:

(a) assigning to each of said processing devices connected to said home network, one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource that is available, by conferring to each said processing device a status of Master processing device;

(b) assigning to each newly connected processing device one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource by conferring a status of Slave processing device, when no receiver providing requested resource is available; and

(c) sharing the resource between Master processing devices and Slave processing devices in said home network so as to provide access to said requested resource for said Slave processing devices

(d) conferring the status of Master processing device until this device releases its control; and

(e) releasing the control of a receiver when no further service from said receiver is requested.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said resource contains a plurality of services that are provided by one of a plurality of digital transport streams of said at least one emitter.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said step (a) further comprises:

requesting a service from said home network;

responsive to said request from a processing device, determining if said processing device is already connected to a receiver so as to determine its status;

if said processing device has a Slave status, determining if said service can be retrieved from the transport stream currently received by a corresponding Master processing device so as to discard said service request or to keep the status of Slave processing device unchanged;

if said processing device has a Master status, determining if said transport stream needs to be changed so as to keep the Master status of said processing device and to retrieve said requested service; and

if said processing device is not already connected to a receiver,

finding an available receiver to assign it to said processing device;

or

finding a receiver that can share the transport stream of said requested service so as to assign the Slave status to said processing device, otherwise discarding said service request.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of assigning to each processing device a corresponding control means for displaying graphically available resource.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of designating in said control means an indication of Slave status for resource that can be provided for the corresponding processing device.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of designating in said control means a special indication of resource currently used by a corresponding processing device.

7. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of designating in said control means a special indication of resource currently used by a corresponding processing device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e′

) releasing the control of a receiver in response to a release request of a network manager so as to become a Slave processing device and to enable said network manager to become a Master processing device of said receiver.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said step (a) further comprises:

requesting a service from said home network;

responsive to said request from a processing device, determining if said processing device is already connected to a receiver so as to determine its status;

if said processing device has a Slave status, determining if said service can be retrieved from the transport stream currently received by a corresponding Master processing device so as to discard said service request or to keep the status of Slave processing device unchanged;

if said processing device has a Master status, determining if said transport stream needs to be changed so as to keep the Master status of said processing device and to retrieve said requested service; and

if said processing device is not already connected to a receiver,

finding an available receiver to assign it to said processing device;

or

finding a receiver that can share the transport stream of said requested service so as to assign the Slave status to said processing device, otherwise discarding said service request.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of assigning to each processing device a corresponding control means for displaying graphically available resource.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of designating in said control means an indication of Slave status for resource that can be provided for the corresponding processing device.

12. An apparatus for sharing a resource of a plurality of means for receiving video/audio/data services broadcasted by at least an emitter among a plurality of video, audio and/or data processing devices in a home network comprising:

means for assigning to each of said processing devices connected to said home network, one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource that is available by conferring to each said processing device a status of Master processing device;

means for assigning to each newly connected processing device one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource by conferring a status of Slave processing device, when no receiver providing requested resource is available; and

means for sharing the resource between Master processing devices and Slave processing devices in said home network so as to provide access to said requested resource for said Slave processing devices;

means for conferring the status of Master processing device until this device releases its control; and

means for releasing the control of a receiver when no further service from said receiver is requested.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising control means for each processing device for displaying graphically resource that is available for said corresponding processing device wherein said control means contains:

an indication of Slave status for resource that can be provided for the corresponding processing device; and

/or

a special indication for resource that is currently used by a corresponding processing device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 to be implemented in a digital network computer.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 to be implemented in a digital network computer.

16. A method for sharing a resource of a plurality of receivers for receiving video/audio/data signals broadcasted by at least an emitter among a plurality of video, audio and/or data processing devices in a home network, each receiver operable for providing a transport stream containing at least one service for broadcast onto the home network, the method comprising:

assigning to each of said processing devices connected to said home network, one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource that is available, by conferring to each said processing device a status of Master processing device, and assigning to each newly connected processing device one of said plurality of receivers providing requested resource by conferring a status of Slave processing device, when no receiver providing requested resource is available;

requesting a service from said home network;

responsive to said request from one of said processing devices, determining if said processing device is already connected to a receiver so as to determine its status;

if said processing device has a Slave status, determining if said service can be retrieved from the transport stream currently received by a corresponding Master processing device so as to discard said service request or to keep the status of Slave processing device unchanged;

if said processing device has a Master status, determining if said transport stream needs to be changed so as to keep the Master status of said processing device and to retrieve said requested service; and

if said processing device is not already connected to a receiver,

finding an available receiver to assign to said processing device;

or

finding a receiver that can share the transport stream of said requested service so as to assign the Slave status to said processing device, otherwise discarding said service request.