System and method for request, delivery and use of multimedia files for audiovisual entertainment in the home environment

• US 6,778,869 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Champion, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/734,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/81, 381/77, 381/80, 381/85, 381/105, 381/1, 379/102.03, 379/101.01, 379/90.01
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages

Abstract

A personal computer connected to the Internet can receive and store audio and audiovisual data or programming from the Internet. This audio and audiovisual programming can be provided by the computer over a digital connection to speakers and/or a monitor located away from the computer at a location convenient for a user. A remote control unit allows the user to send signals back over the digital connection to the computer to control the computer to provide the audio or audiovisual programming that the user desires over the digital connection to the speakers and/or monitor located where the user is. The computer may send a listing of the available programming to the remote control unit from which the user can make selections.

Claims

1. A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

an audio server for outputting an audio signal;

at least one speaker; and

a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;

wherein said connection between said audio server and said at least one speaker is electrical wiring which also supplies power for said audio server and said at least one speaker said audio server and speaker each having a power-line modem connected thereto for communicating via said electrical wiring.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver disposed with said speaker for communicating with a remote control unit, wherein said remote control unit controls output of said audio signal from said audio server to said at least one speaker, said remote control unit communicating with said audio server over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said audio server transmits a listing of available audio programming to said remote control unit via said connection and said transceiver.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said remote control unit comprises:

a display device for displaying said listing; and

a user input device with which said user can select an audio program from said list and transmit a command for said audio server to output that selected audio program to said at least one speaker.

5. A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

an audio server for outputting an audio signal;

at least one speaker, separate from said audio server;

a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker; and

a transceiver disposed with said speaker for communicating with a remote control unit, wherein said remote control unit controls output of said audio signal from said audio server to said at least one speaker, said remote control unit communicating with said audio server over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said audio server is a computer which is receiving a stream of audio or audiovisual data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said computer is connected to the Internet and said audio or audiovisual programming is received from the Internet.

8.The system of claim 5, wherein said audio server transmits a listing of available audio programming to said remote control unit via said connection and said transceiver.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said at least one speaker is incorporated in a video monitor and said audio server is incorporated in an audiovisual server that outputs an audiovisual signal to said monitor, said audiovisual signal including said audio signal for said at least one speaker.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein said audio server and said at least one speaker are located in different rooms.

8. The system of claim 8, wherein said remote control unit comprises:

a display device for displaying said listing; and

a user input device with which said user can select an audio program from said list and transmit a command for said audio server to output that selected audio program to said at least one speaker.

10. The system of claim 10, wherein said audiovisual server is a computer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said audiovisual server transmits a listing of available audiovisual programming to a remote control unit via said digital connection, wherein said remote control unit communicates wirelessly with a transceiver of said monitor.

12. The system of claim 12, wherein said remote control unit comprises:

a display device for displaying said listing; and

a user input device with which said user can select an audiovisual program from said list and transmit a command for said audiovisual server to output that selected audiovisual program to said monitor.

14. A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

an audio server for outputting an audio signal;

at least one speaker separate from said audio server; and

a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;

wherein said audio signal from said audio server is compressed and said at least one speaker further comprises decompression hardware for decompressing said signal.

15. A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

an audio server for outputting an audio signal;

a plurality of speakers separate from said audio server; and

a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;

wherein at least some of said plurality of speakers have a transceiver for communicating with a remote control unit, and

wherein a plurality of remote control units control said plurality of speakers such that a plurality of different audio signals are output by said audio server to respective speakers that are communicating with different remote control units.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein said audio server comprises a computer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said speakers are associated with a respective plurality of video monitors and said audio server is incorporated in an audiovisual server that outputs an audiovisual signal to said monitors.

17. The system of claim 17, wherein said computer is connected to the Internet and receives said audio signal from the Internet.

19. A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server, said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;

wherein said connection between said audio server and said at least one speaker is electrical wiring which also supplies power for said audio server and said at least one speaker, said audio server and said speaker each having a power-line modem connected thereto for communicating via said electrical wiring; and

wherein said transmitting is performed via said electrical wiring.

20. A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission; and

controlling output of said audio signal from said audio server to said at least one speaker with a remote control unit that communicates wirelessly with a transceiver of said at least one speaker, wherein said remote control unit communicates with said audio server over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server.

21. The method of claim 21, wherein said transmitting is performed by an audio server which is a computer which is receiving a stream of audio or audiovisual data.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a listing of available audio programming from said audio server to said remote control unit via said connection and said transceiver.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein:

said at least one speaker is incorporated in a video monitor and said audio server is incorporated in an audiovisual server that outputs an audiovisual signal to said video monitor;

said transmitting an audio signal further comprises transmitting said audiovisual signal including said audio signal to said video monitor and said at least one speaker.

22. The method of claim 22, wherein said computer is connected to the Internet and said method further comprises receiving said audio or audiovisual programming from the Internet.

24. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying said listing on a display device of said remote control unit;

selecting an audio program from said list with a user input device of said remote control unit; and

transmitting a command for said audio server to output that selected audio program.

26. The method of claim 26, wherein said audiovisual server is a computer.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting a listing of available audiovisual programming from said audiovisual server to a remote control unit via said digital connection, wherein said remote control unit communicates wirelessly with a transceiver of said monitor.

28. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

displaying said listing on a display device of said remote control unit;

selecting an audiovisual program from said listing with a user input device of said remote control unit; and

transmitting a command for said audiovisual server to output that selected audiovisual program to said monitor.

29. A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server, said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission; and

compressing said audio signal from said audio server and decompressing said audio signal with decompression hardware of said at least one speaker.

30. A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to a plurality of speakers over a digital connection between said speakers and said audio server said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;

wherein said at least some of said plurality of speaker comprise a transceiver for communicating with a remote control unit, and

said method further comprising controlling said plurality of speakers with a plurality of remote control units such that a plurality of different audio signals are output by said audio server to respective speakers that are communicating with different remote control units.

31. A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:

a computer for outputting an audio signal;

at least one speaker located in a different room than said computer;

a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said computer over which said computer provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker; and

a transceiver disposed with said speaker for communicating with a remote control unit, wherein said remote control unit controls output of said audio signal from said computer to said at least one speaker, said remote control unit communicating with said computer over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said computer.

32. The system of claim 32, wherein said computer transmits a listing of available audio programming to said remote control unit via said connection and said transceiver.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said at least one speaker is incorporated in a video monitor and said computer outputs an audiovisual signal to said monitor, said audiovisual signal including said audio signal for said at least one speaker.

33. The system of claim 33, wherein said remote control unit comprises:

a display device for displaying said listing; and

a user input device with which said user can select an audiovisual program from said list and transmit a command for said audiovisual server to output that selected audiovisual program to said monitor.