Method and system for a media processor

• US 8,201,210 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ansari, Ahmad C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/204,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 725151-153, 725131-134, 725139-142, 709217-231
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• 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 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box (STB) having a controller to manage power distribution in the STB from power supplied by a port of a presentation device, decode audio-visual information into a presentation format, and transmit a signal to the presentation device containing decoded audio-visual information. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

decoding in a portable battery operated set top box device audio-visual information into a high definition multimedia interface standard format, thereby generating an high definition multimedia interface signal;

transmitting from the portable battery operated set top box device the high definition multimedia interface signal containing decoded audio-visual information in the high definition multimedia interface standard format to the presentation device by way of an high definition multimedia interface port; and

powering the portable battery operated set top box device inline through the high definition multimedia interface port on the set top box device and alternatively with a rechargeable battery that is trickle charged using a high definition multimedia interface input port of the presentation device when the set top box device is coupled to the presentation device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising interfacing with a radio frequency or an infrared source in the portable set top box device.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising interfacing with a communication network via a network interface in the portable set top box device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising storing audio-visual content in a digital video recorder hard drive within the portable set top box device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation device is a high definition television that has the high definition multimedia interface port that powers the portable set top box device inline through the high definition multimedia interface interface on the portable set top box device.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting at the portable set top box device whether the high definition multimedia interface port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the portable set top box device from the high definition multimedia interface port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable set top box device.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

decoding audio-visual information into a high definition multimedia interface standard format in a portable standalone battery operated device; and

generating a signal used for presentation of the decoded audio-visual information on a presentation device, wherein the portable standalone battery operated device is a portable set top box device configured to be at least partially powered by the presentation device when the portable standalone battery operated device is coupled to the presentation device;

applying power to the portable set top box device inline through a high definition multimedia interface on the portable set top box device and wherein the presentation device is a high definition television that has an high definition multimedia interface input port; and

trickle charging a rechargeable battery of the portable set top box using the high definition multimedia interface input port of the high definition television.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions for receiving power at the portable standalone device when coupled to the presentation device through the high definition multimedia interface input-port which transmits the signal containing the decoded audio-visual information in the high definition multimedia interface standard format to the presentation device.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instructions for interfacing with a radio frequency or an infrared source in the portable set top box device to enable remote control of the portable set top box device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instruction for interfacing with a communication network via a network interface in the portable set top box device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instruction for powering the portable set top box device with the rechargeable battery when the high definition multimedia interface port is not externally powered.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising computer instruction for detecting whether the high definition multimedia interface input port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the portable set top box device from the high definition multimedia interface input port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable set top box device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instruction for storing audio-visual content in a digital media recorder in the portable set top box device.

14. A set-top box, comprising a controller to:

manage power distribution in the set top box from power supplied by a high definition multimedia interface port of a presentation device and an embedded power supply, wherein the set top box is a battery operated set top box;

decode audio-visual information into a presentation format;

transmit through the high definition multimedia interface port a signal to the presentation device containing decoded audio-visual information;

wherein the presentation format corresponds to a high definition multimedia interface standard, wherein the port of the presentation device corresponds to an high definition multimedia interface port, and wherein the controller is adapted to power the portable set top box inline through the high definition multimedia port of the portable set top box and alternatively with a rechargeable battery of the portable set top box that is trickle charged using the high definition multimedia interface port of the presentation device.

15. The set top box of claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to detect whether the high definition multimedia interface port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery, direct powering of the portable set top box from the high definition multimedia interface port, or whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable set top box.

16. A presentation device, comprising a presentation port to:

supply power to a portable battery operated set top box from the presentation port, wherein the presentation port is a high definition multimedia interface port;

trickle charge a rechargeable battery of the portable battery operated set top box through the presentation port; and

receive from the portable battery operated set top box an audio-visual signal for presentation at the presentation device through the presentation port.

17. The presentation device of claim 16, comprises a controller to present the audio-visual signal on a display of the presentation device.

18. The presentation device of claim 16, wherein the presentation device corresponds to a portable television.

19. The presentation device of claim 16, wherein the presentation device corresponds to a non-portable television.

20. The presentation device of claim 19, wherein the set top box is portable.

21. The presentation device of claim 16, wherein the presentation port supplying power to the portable battery operated set top box trickle charges the rechargeable battery in the portable battery operated set top box through the high definition multimedia interface port and receives the audio-visual signal for presentation as decoded audio-visual information in the high definition multimedia interface format.

22. The presentation device of claim 21, wherein the audio-visual signal is supplied by the media processor conforms to an high definition multimedia interface standard.