Personal access and control of media peripherals on a media exchange network

• US 7,734,788 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US12/391,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 709/212, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/226, 709/230, 725/86, 725/91, 725/100, 725/103, 348/207.1
• US Class Current: 709/226
• 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 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 : for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 : Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/411 : having similar hardware or software capabilities as the client device itself, e.g. a first STB connected to a second STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 : having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 : located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 : Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• 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 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 : involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 : Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 : comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for indirectly monitoring and controlling at least one media peripheral device in a media exchange network by accessing a media management system (MMS) via a first media peripheral (MP) device (e.g., a TV screen) using a user control device (e.g., a remote control). An operation corresponding to a second media peripheral (MP) device (e.g., a digital camera) may be selected via the MMS using the first MP device and the user control device. The operation is then carried out (i.e., performed) by the second MP device. A status of the second MP device may be selected via the MMS using the first MP device and the user control device. The selected status is then displayed on the first MP device.

Claims

1. One or more circuits for use in a system supporting the indirect control of at least one media peripheral, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one processor operably coupled to a display device supporting display of television content and a first storage in a first home, the first storage for storing media and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

cause display of a user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption on the display device in the first home, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first home to a second home having a second storage and at least one media peripheral communicatively coupled to the second storage, and having a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in the second home, wherein the second user is known to the first user; and

communicate with server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network protocol addresses and that receives via a communication network a request that identifies one of the associated first and second network protocol addresses, one of the at least one media peripheral, and at least one media peripheral command selected by a user at the first home, and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network protocol addresses to support control from the first home, via the communication network, of the identified one of the at least one media peripheral, at the second home, according to the at least one media peripheral command.

2. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the first and second network protocol addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, or an electronic serial number (ESN).

3. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player, a home juke-box system, a multi-media personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a mobile multi-media gateway device.

4. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and data.

5. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the media comprises real-time video.

6. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the at least one media peripheral command comprises one or more of on, off, select, play, capture, download, erase, delete, zoom, focus, pan, tilt, set compression format, set resolution, set frame rate, set quality, rewind, fast forward, scan, list, skip, and/or check status.

7. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the communication network comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or a wireless infrastructure.

8. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

9. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the user interface identifies at least one of the second home, the at least one media peripheral, and the at least one media peripheral command;

and the user interface supports at least one media channel.

10. The one or more circuits of claim 9 where the at least one media channel comprises a user-selected sequence of media for consumption at one or both of the first home and/or the second home.

11. The one or more circuits of claim 9 wherein supporting at least one media channel comprises creation of the at least on media channel, including the display of a graphical representation of the at least one media channel on the user interface.

12. The one or more circuits of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a television.

13. One or more circuits for use in a communication terminal supporting the indirect control of at least one media peripheral, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one processor operably coupled to a display device supporting display of television content in a first home and communicatively coupled to a first storage that stores media in the first home and having a first network address with respect to a first user in the first home, and to a second storage in a second home, the second storage communicatively coupled to at least one media peripheral in the second home and having a second network address with respect to a second user in the second home, wherein the second user is known to the first user, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

cause display of a user interface on the display device in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption and supporting delivery of media from the first home to the second home; and

communicate with server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network addresses and that receives a request that identifies one of the associated first and second network addresses, one of the at least one media peripheral in the second home, and at least one media peripheral command selected at the first home, and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network addresses to support control, via a communication network, of the identified one of the at least one media peripheral, according to the at least one media peripheral command.

14. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and/or data.

15. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player, a home juke-box system, a multi-media personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a mobile multi-media gateway device.

16. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the first and second network addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, or an electronic serial number (ESN).

17. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the communication network comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or a wireless infrastructure.

18. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

19. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the server software forwards media from the at least one media peripheral to the circuitry of the communication terminal.

20. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the communication terminal comprises a set top box device.

21. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the server software is at a location separate from the first home and the second home.

22. The one or more circuits of claim 13 where the user interface supports at least one media channel that comprises a user-selected sequence of media for consumption at one or both of the first home and/or the second home.

23. The one or more circuits of claim 22 wherein supporting at least one media channel comprises creation of the at least on media channel, including the display of a graphical representation of the at least one media channel on the user interface.

24. The one or more circuits of claim 13 wherein the display device comprises a television.

25. One or more circuits for a communication terminal supporting the indirect control of at least one media peripheral, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one processor operably coupled to a display device supporting display of television content, in a first home, and communicatively coupled to a first storage, in the first home, that stores media, and to at least one media peripheral, in a second home, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

cause display of a user interface on the display device in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption and supporting delivery of media from the first home to the second home;

transfer media between the first storage and the at least one media peripheral, via a communication network, the at least one media peripheral being configured to be indirectly controlled by the set top box circuitry in the first home; and

communicate with server software that maintains a user define association of a first network protocol address with respect to a first in a first home and a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in a second home, wherein the first and second users know one another, the server software supporting the delivery of at least one media peripheral command to the at least one media peripheral, and the exchange of media between the at least one media peripheral and the communication terminal.

26. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, real-time video, and/or data.

27. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the at least one media peripheral command comprises one or more of on, off, select, play, capture, download, erase, delete, zoom, focus, pan, tilt, set compression format, set resolution, set frame rate, set quality, rewind, fast forward, scan, list, skip, and/or check status.

28. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the communication network comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or a wireless infrastructure.

29. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player, a home juke-box system, a multi-media personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a mobile multi-media gateway device.

30. The one or more circuits of claim 25 where the user interface supports at least one media channel that comprises a user-selected sequence of media for consumption at one or both of the first home and/or the second home.

31. The one or more circuits of claim 30 wherein supporting at least one media channel comprises creation of the at least on media channel, including the display of a graphical representation of the at least one media channel on the user interface.

32. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the display device comprises a television.

33. The one or more circuits of claim 25 wherein the communication terminal comprises a set top box device.

34. One or more circuits for a communication terminal supporting the indirect control of at least one media peripheral, the system comprising:

at least one processor operably connected to a display device supporting display of television content, in a first home, and communicatively coupled to control a media peripheral at a second home, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

cause display of a user interface on the display device in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first home to the second home; and

communicate with software that maintains a user defined association of a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in a first home, and a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in a second home, wherein the first and second users know one another, and the software receives via a communication network a request that identifies one of the associated first and second network protocol addresses, and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network protocol addresses to support control from the first home, by the communication terminal, via the communication network, of the media peripheral at the second home.

35. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the first and second network protocol addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, or an electronic serial number (ESN).

36. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player, a home juke-box system, a multi-media personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or a mobile multi-media gateway device.

37. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the communication network comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or a wireless infrastructure.

38. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

39. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the user interface, at the first home, supports identification of at least one of the second home, the media peripheral, at least one media peripheral command;

and at least one media channel.

40. The one or more circuits of claim 39 where the at least one media channel comprises a user-selected sequence of media for consumption at one or both of the first home and/or the second home.

41. The one or more circuits of claim 39 wherein supporting at least one media channel comprises creation of the at least on media channel, including the display of a graphical representation of the at least one media channel on the user interface.

42. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the display device comprises a television.

43. The one or more circuits of claim 34 wherein the communication terminal comprises a set top box device.