Personal video network

• US 8,255,564 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enfora Incorporated (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Enfora Incorporated (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Kautz, Russell D., Glover, Kenneth Matthew, Fillebrown, Lisa A
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US11/698,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-219, 709/230, 709/238, 709/247
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/43615 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: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The invention is a personal wireless network that generally comprises at least a lightweight wireless client to send and receive audio and video from another system component. The personal wireless network also provides a wireless-enabled routing component, which stands alone to route traffic within the personal wireless network. Also provided is a transmitter component that connects to a computing device, such as a server and sends and receives data Furthermore, a software algorithm provides a method for supporting a personal wireless network.

Claims

1. A wireless personal video network comprising:

a video display system comprising,

a wireless transceiver for receiving video signals transmitted wirelessly in the wireless personal video network, wherein the wireless personal video network has a transmission range consistent with at least one 802.11 standard and is operable within the wireless personal video network, and

a display for displaying the received video signals; and

a video broadcast system comprising,

a video input for receiving at least one external video signal for transmission in the wireless personal video network,

a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the at least one external video signal to generate a plurality of video signals;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting at least one of the plurality of video signals in the wireless personal video network, and

a wireless enabled controller for controlling transmission of the at least one of the plurality of video signals according to a command received wirelessly from the video display system.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input receives a plurality of multiplexed video signals and the video broadcast system further comprises:

a plurality of transceivers;

the demultiplexer for demultiplexing the multiplexed video signals received by the video input into separate video signals that are respectively provided to the video transceivers; and

a multiplexer for multiplexing the separate video signals from the video transceivers prior to transmission in the wireless personal video network.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein the video broadcast system further comprises means for compressing the at least one video signal prior to transmission in the wireless personal video network;

and the video display system further comprises means for decompressing the at least one compressed video signal.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input receives at least one broadcast television signal.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input receives at least one cable television signal.

6. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input receives at least one satellite television signal.

7. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input receives at least one video signal via the Internet.

8. The network of claim 1 wherein the video input also receives an audio signal for transmission in the wireless personal video network.

9. The network of claim 1 wherein the at least one video signal is transmitted by the transmitter using Bluetooth communication protocol.

10. The network of claim 1 wherein the at least one video signal is transmitted by the transmitter using IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

11. A method of receiving and transmitting video signals in a wireless personal video network, the method comprising:

receiving at least one external video signal at a video input within a video broadcast system for transmission in the wireless personal video network, wherein the wireless personal video network has a transmission range consistent with at least one 802.11 standard and is operable within the wireless personal video network,

receiving the at least one external video signal from the video input;

demultiplexing the at least one external video signal to generate a plurality of video signals;

wirelessly transmitting at least one of the plurality of video signals in the wireless personal video network;

receiving the transmitted video signal at a wireless transceiver within a remote video display system within the wireless personal video network;

displaying the received video signal; and

controlling transmission of the at least one of the plurality of video signals according to a command received wirelessly from the wireless transceiver.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one external video signal comprises a plurality of multiplexed video signals, and the method further comprises:

demultiplexing the multiplexed video signals received by the video input into separate video signals that are respectively provided to a plurality of video transceivers;

multiplexing the separate video signals from the video transceivers; and

wirelessly transmitting the multiplexed video signals in the wireless personal video network.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

compressing the at least one video signal prior to transmission in the wireless personal video network; and

decompressing the at least one compressed video signal.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one external video signal comprises at least one broadcast television signal.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one external video signal comprises at least one cable television signal.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one external video signal comprises at least one satellite television signal.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one external video signal comprises at least one video signal via the Internet.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving an audio signal at the video input for transmission in the wireless personal video network.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting the at least one video signal using Bluetooth communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting the at least one video signal using IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.