Portable video programs

• US 7,344,084 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: DaCosta, Behram
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai; Thien T
• Application Number:
  US11/229,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 347/734, 725/133, 725/37, 455/556, 455/3.04, 455/433
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/43637 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for providing portable delivery of television programs to a portable wireless device (PWD) consistent with certain embodiments involves transmitting a request from the PWD to a television receiver system, the request comprising a request for electronic program guide (EPG) information relating to a television program currently being received by the television receiver system; receiving a response from the television receiver system, wherein the response delivers EPG information to the PWD; identifying a source compatible with the PWD for receipt of the television program using identifying information from the EPG; transmitting an order for the television program from the PWD to the identified source; and receiving a wireless transmission of the television program from the source to the PWD. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method for providing portable delivery of television programs to a portable wireless device (PWD), comprising:

transmitting a request from the PWD to a television receiver system, the request comprising a request for electronic program guide (EPG) information relating to a television program currently being received by the television receiver system;

receiving a response from the television receiver system, wherein the response delivers EPG information to the PWD identifying the program currently being received by the television receiver system;

searching for and identifying a content source compatible with the PWD for receipt of the television program identified using identifying information from the EPG, the searching and identifying being carried out at a service provider by comparing the EPG information delivered with EPG information available from a source compatible with the PWD but without involvement of the television receiver system;

transmitting an order for the television program from the PWD to the identified content source; and

receiving a wireless transmission of the television program from the identified content source to the PWD so as to receive the television program without involvement of the television receiver system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the wireless transmission comprises receiving one of a download and a streaming transmission of the television program.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the television receiver system comprises one of a television set, a personal video recorder (PVR) and a television set top box.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source compatible with the PWD comprises one of DVBH, DMB, and cellular infrastructure.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source compatible with the PWD comprises a cellular infrastructure selected from the group consisting of CDMA 2000 and IEEE 802.16.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises identifying a source of a television program having an identical program identifier.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the request comprises transmitting a wireless signal from the PWD to the television system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the order comprises placing an order via a cellular telephone infrastructure.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving a wireless transmission of the television program comprises receiving a data transmission via a cellular telephone infrastructure at a data rate adequate to support real time playback of the television program.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the PWD comprises one of a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a palm-top computer, a personal information manager, and a game console.

11. A computer readable storage medium carrying instructions that, when executed on a programmed processor carry out the process according to claim 1.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising computing a play position identifying an approximate current location in the television program currently being received by the television receiver system;

and wherein the receiving starts at approximately the play position.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing a play position identifying an approximate current location in the television program currently being received by the television receiver system;

and wherein the transmitting of the order further comprises transmitting the play position; and

wherein the receiving starts at approximately the play position.

12. A method for providing portable delivery of television programs to a portable wireless device (PWD), comprising:

transmitting a wireless request from the PWD to a television receiver system, the request comprising a request for electronic program guide (EPG) information relating to a television program currently being received by the television (TV) receiver system;

wherein the TV receiver system comprises one of a television set, a personal video recorder (PVR) and a television set top box;

receiving a response from the television receiver system, wherein the response delivers EPG information to the PWD identifying the program currently being received by the television receiver system;

searching for and identifying a content source compatible with the PWD for receipt of the television program using identifying information from the EPG, wherein the source compatible with the PWD comprises one of DVBH, DMB, and cellular infrastructure;

wherein the searching and identifying are carried out at a service provider by comparing the EPG information delivered with EPG information available from a source compatible with the PWD but without involvement of the television system, and wherein the identifying comprises identifying a source of a television program having an identical program identifier;

transmitting an order via a cellular telephone infrastructure for the television program from the PWD to the identified content source; and

receiving a wireless transmission via a high speed data transmission of the television program from the identified content source to the PWD, wherein receiving the wireless transmission comprises receiving one of a download and a streaming transmission of the television program.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising computing a play position identifying an approximate current location in the television program currently being received by the television receiver system;

and wherein the receiving starts at approximately the play position.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

computing a play position identifying an approximate current location in the television program currently being received by the television receiver system;

and wherein the transmitting of the order further comprises transmitting the play position; and

wherein the receiving starts at approximately the play position.