Power management using a wireless home entertainment hub

• US 7,684,902 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Porto Vinci Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US11/760,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700/19, 700/83, 700/86, 700/22, 700/295, 725/25, 725/80, 725/81, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/08 by combining tones G10H1/14, G10H1/16 take precedence; chord G10H1/38
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• 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 21/440209 for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of managing a power state of devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub comprises obtaining a registration of a plurality of devices, where the plurality of devices includes at least one sink device and at least one source device. A selection of one of the source devices is received for presentation of program content to a user in the home entertainment system. A subset of the at least one sink device is determined for presentation of the program content to the user based on the selection of the source device. Each sink device in the subset of the at least one sink device is ensured to be active.

Claims

1. A method of managing a power state of a plurality of devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, wherein the plurality of devices includes at least one sink device and at least one source device, the method comprising:

obtaining by the wireless home entertainment hub an exclusive registration with each of the plurality of devices;

storing by the wireless home entertainment hub indications of the exclusive registrations with each of the plurality of devices;

receiving by the wireless home entertainment hub a selection of one source device of the at least one source device for presentation of program content;

determining by the wireless home entertainment hub a subset of the at least one sink device to be utilized for the presentation of the program content based on required presentation capabilities of the one source device;

determining by the wireless home entertainment hub a power state of each of the sink devices in the subset of the at least one sink device;

transmitting, by the wireless home entertainment hub, to each of the sink devices in the subset of the at least one sink device that is in a low power mode, a first instruction to enter a full power mode; and

transmitting, by the wireless home entertainment hub, to each of the sink devices not included in the subset of the at least one sink device that is in the full power mode, a second instruction to enter the low power mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the one source device is initiated by a user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection initiated by the user includes selecting the one source device using a remote control.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection initiated by the user includes acting on the one source device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein acting on the one source device includes actuating an actuator on the one source device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein acting on the one source device includes inserting a DVD into a DVD player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sink device includes one or more wireless speakers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sink device includes a display device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one sink device includes a low power transceiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the low power transceiver is used to monitor messages from the wireless home entertainment hub.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the indications of the exclusive registrations with each of the plurality of devices are stored in the respective devices.

12. A method of managing a power state of a plurality of devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub, wherein the plurality of devices includes at least one sink device and at least one source device, the method comprising:

obtaining by the wireless home entertainment hub an exclusive registration with the plurality of devices;

storing by the wireless home entertainment hub indications of the exclusive registrations with each of the plurality of devices;

receiving by the wireless home entertainment hub a broadcast message from one source device of the at least one source device in response to an activation of the one source device for presentation of program content;

determining by the wireless home entertainment hub a subset of the at least one sink device to be utilized for the presentation of the program content based on required presentation capabilities of the one source device;

determining by the wireless home entertainment hub a power state of each of the at least one sink device;

transmitting by the wireless home entertainment hub to each of the sink devices in the subset of the at least one sink device that is in a low power mode, an instruction to activate; and

transmitting by the wireless home entertainment hub to each of the sink devices not included in the subset of the at least one sink device that is in a full power mode, a second instruction to enter the low power mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the activation of the one source device is initiated by a user and includes activating the one source device using a remote control.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the activation is initiated by a user and includes acting on the one source device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein acting on the one source device includes actuating an actuator on the one source device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating the actuator includes pressing a power button on the one source device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the at least one sink device includes a low power transceiver.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the low power transceiver is used to monitor messages from the wireless home entertainment hub when the respective sink device is the low power mode.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the indications of the exclusive registrations with each of the plurality of devices are stored in the respective devices.