System and method for upgrading processing capabilities of a media center

• US 7,391,808 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Farrand, Tobin
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, SHAWN S
• Application Number:
  US10/404,837
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240.12, 375/240.02, 375/240.24, 375/240.25, 375/240.26, 382/233, 382/235, 382/239, 709/203, 709/201
• US Class Current: 375/240.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Video data encoded according to new compression standards may be processed by an existing client terminal using an adaptive module that transcodes the video data into a format compatible with the processing capabilities of the client terminal. Further, the adaptive module may compress video files stored in the client terminal according to a new or advanced compression standard, in order to expand the storage capacity of the hard drive of the client terminal. Further still, the adaptive module may support high-resolution graphic video streams (e.g., for interactive games) by including a graphics engine and encoder to render the video streams compatible for processing by the client terminal. Thus, broadband content providers are spared the expense of upgrading the decoder and/or hard drive of their subscribers'"'"' terminals, if not the entire client altogether, in view of evolving compression standards.

Claims

1. A system to adapt compressed media data, comprising:

a client terminal interface configured and arranged to stream video data encoded according to a first compression standard;

an adaptive module configured and arranged to transcode the video data from the first compression standard to a second compression standard, and to further stream the transcoded video data to the client terminal interface, wherein the client terminal interface is configured and arranged to further relay a user input to the adaptive module, and wherein the adaptive module is configured and arranged to further perform graphics processing on the video data based on the user input, and to further encode the processed video data in accordance with the second compression standard; and

a client terminal processor configured and arranged to process the transcoded video data.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal interface is configured and arranged to receive the video data in a media stream including meta-data that indicates the compression standard of the video data.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein to transcode the video data includes:

to decode the video data into raw video data, and

to encode the raw video data to the second compression standard.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client terminal processor is configured and arranged to decode the transcoded video data.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a hard drive, and wherein the client terminal processor is configured and arranged to store the transcoded video data in the hard drive.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first compression standard includes MPEG-2.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first compression standard includes any one of JVT, Windows Media 8, and RealVideo 9.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second compression standard includes I-Frame only MPEG-2.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second compression standard includes any one of JVT, Windows Media 8, and RealVideo 9.