Methods and apparatus for controlling display in a networked device

• US 7,623,933 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sarosi, George W., Ladd, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US11/150,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 714/43, 340/400, 340/439, 209/221, 715/781, 715/804
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for controlling display elements within a networked device. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and the device a digital set-top box (DSTB) with front panel display(s). A downloadable software module is provided that is adapted to discover the front panel display capabilities of the device, and control the display accordingly. This approach allows, inter alia, the cable network operator or other entity to manage the user'"'"'s experience relating to the front panel display(s) on various types of client devices. The module is also optionally platform-agnostic (i.e., “universal”) so that the aforementioned capabilities are provided largely irrespective of the device hardware/software environment.

Claims

1. A computer readable apparatus for use in a content distribution network, said apparatus comprising a computer readable media to store a computer program which is executed to display an output by utilizing:

a manager entity to discover at least one display element of said computerized device, and to return at least one of an indicator display application programming interface (API) or a text display API, said at least one API for use across multiple heterogeneous platforms;

an indicator display interface to discover at least one indicator of said at least one display element;

an indicator properties interface to discover at least one property of said at least one indicator;

a text display component to control the display of text on said at least one display element;

a blink component to set a blink specification of at least a portion of said at least one display; and

a scroll component to set a scroll specification of at least a portion of said at least one display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said API comprises a substantially platform-agnostic application programming interface rendered in Java programming language.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said software architecture comprises a privileged application.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said privileged application is accessible to a privileged entity of said network remote to said computerized device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said privileged application comprises a trusted monitor application.

11. The CPE of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth components are provided to said CPE via at least one of:

download and installation via an in-band or OOB channel;

or

installation via a separate removable media.

2. Consumer premises equipment (CPE) for use in a content-based network, said equipment comprising:

at least one diode- or liquid crystal-based display element operative to display status or other information relating to the operation of said CPE;

an application programming interface (API) resident on said CPE, said API to provide access to said at least one display element; and

a trusted monitor application running at least in part on said CPE, said trusted monitor application to;

obtain data regarding said at least one display element of said CPE via said API; and

transmit said data to an upstream server of said content-based network;

wherein said trusted monitor application controls said at least one display element via said API based at least in part on messages received from said upstream server in response to said data transmitted thereto; and

wherein said API interfaces with a plurality of different configurations of said display element.

3. The CPE of claim 2, wherein said data regarding said at least one display element of said CPE comprises information regarding at least one of capabilities or present configuration of said at least one display element.

4. The CPE of claim 3, wherein said at least one display element comprises a liquid crystal display device having the ability to display graphical images according to at least one file format selected from the group consisting of:

(i) GIF;

(ii) TIFF; and

(iii) JPEG.

9. For use in a cable television network, consumer premises equipment (CPE) comprising:

a first component to;

discover at least one display element associated with said CPE, said at least one display element comprising at least one of (i) a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) segments, and (ii) a liquid crystal display (LCD); and

return at least one of an indicator display API or a text display API, said at least one API for use across multiple heterogeneous platforms;

a second component to discover at least one indicator of said display element, and provide information regarding at least one property of said at least one indicator;

a third component to control display of said text; and

a fourth component to control one or more aspects of blinking or scrolling of said at least one display.

10. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said API comprises a substantially platform-agnostic application programming interface rendered in a Java programming language.

12. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said CPE communicates with at least one remote entity of said content distribution network, said at least one remote entity directing said control of said display of text, and said one or more aspects of said blinking and scrolling.

13. The CPE of claim 12, wherein said at least one remote entity comprises a head-end server.

14. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said first, second, third and fourth components each comprise software processes.

15. The CPE of claim 9, wherein said CPE comprises a digital set-top box (DSTB).

16. Consumer premises equipment (CPE) for use in a content-based network, said CPE comprising:

at least one diode- or liquid crystal-based display element operative to display information relating to the operation of said CPE;

an application programming interface (API) resident on said CPE, said API to provide access to said at least one display element; and

a privileged application running at least in part on said CPE and having permission to utilize said API, said privileged application to;

obtain information regarding said at least one display element of said CPE via said API; and

transmit said information to a server of said content-based network;

wherein said privileged application is used by said server to control said at least one display element via said API; and

wherein said API interfaces with a plurality of different configurations of said display element.

17. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said control of said at least one display element by said server is based at least in part on messages received from said upstream server at said CPE in response to information transmitted thereto from said CPE.

18. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said privileged application comprises a trusted monitor application.

19. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said CPE is OpenCable compliant and is used in a cable television network, and said privileged application comprises an OCAP-compliant monitor application.

20. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said CPE comprises a satellite receiver, and said network comprises a satellite television network.

21. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said at least one display element comprises a liquid crystal display device having the ability to display graphical images according to at least one file format selected from the group consisting of:

(i) GIF;

(ii) TIFF; and

(iii) JPEG.

22. The CPE of claim 16, wherein said information regarding said at least one display element of said CPE comprises information regarding at least one of (i) capabilities, or (ii) present configuration, of said at least one display element.