Network interface unit control system and method therefor
First Claim
1. A network interface circuit comprising:
- an external interface configured to communicate, over the Internet, with a service provider of multimedia content;
a data memory circuit;
an internal interface configured to communicate with a plurality of output devices each having at least one of audio and video output capabilities;
a processor circuit configured toreceive a request that identifies multimedia content;
send a request for the identified multimedia content to the service provider of multimedia content;
receive the requested multimedia content over the external interface;
convert the received multimedia content from a packet-based Internet Protocol to a non-packet-based digital format;
store the non-packet-based digital format of the media content in the data memory circuit;
in response to a user request that is for the multimedia content and that is received by the network interface circuit subsequent to the storage of the multimedia content,access configuration information associated with the multimedia content;
authorize access to the multimedia content in response to the configuration information; and
retrieve, in response to the authorization, the non-packet-based digital multimedia content from the data memory circuit;
select a format, from a plurality of formats, that corresponds to audio-visual output capabilities of a particular output device of the plurality of output devices;
convert the non-packet-based digital multimedia content to the selected format; and
transmit, in the selected format and using the internal interface, the multimedia content to the particular output device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
External-services data are processed for use in a user facility in a manner that enables easy user interface and control. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an arrangement for processing external-services data includes an audio, video, and data signal bussing arrangement adapted to distribute audio, video, and data to designated points in a user facility. A plurality of appliances are communicatively coupled to the bussing arrangement and adapted to receive and process one or more audio, video, and data signals. A user input device is adapted to command a network interface unit (NIU) to process the external-services data for use at a particular one of the plurality of appliances in the user facility. External-services data is delivered over the bussing arrangement and to one or more of the plurality of appliances using the (NIU).
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A network interface circuit comprising:
-
an external interface configured to communicate, over the Internet, with a service provider of multimedia content; a data memory circuit; an internal interface configured to communicate with a plurality of output devices each having at least one of audio and video output capabilities; a processor circuit configured to receive a request that identifies multimedia content; send a request for the identified multimedia content to the service provider of multimedia content; receive the requested multimedia content over the external interface; convert the received multimedia content from a packet-based Internet Protocol to a non-packet-based digital format; store the non-packet-based digital format of the media content in the data memory circuit; in response to a user request that is for the multimedia content and that is received by the network interface circuit subsequent to the storage of the multimedia content, access configuration information associated with the multimedia content; authorize access to the multimedia content in response to the configuration information; and retrieve, in response to the authorization, the non-packet-based digital multimedia content from the data memory circuit; select a format, from a plurality of formats, that corresponds to audio-visual output capabilities of a particular output device of the plurality of output devices; convert the non-packet-based digital multimedia content to the selected format; and transmit, in the selected format and using the internal interface, the multimedia content to the particular output device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An interface device comprising:
-
an Internet Protocol interface that is accessibly by remote devices over the Internet; an internal device interface configured for providing audio-visual data to a plurality of output devices; a memory storage circuit; a processor circuit configured for receiving email files, video files and audio files from the Internet Protocol interface; storing the email files, video files and audio files in the memory storage circuit; receiving, over the internal device interface, requests, each request corresponding to at least one of the email files, video files and audio files and to a particular output device of the plurality of output devices; retrieving, in response to the received requests, the email files, video files and audio files from the memory storage circuit; accessing configuration data stored in the memory storage circuit, the configuration data including information regarding audio-visual communication capabilities of the particular output devices corresponding to the requests; determining, for each of the particular output devices, a respective data format that is consistent with the audio-visual communication capabilities thereof; formatting each respective email file, video file and audio file according to a respective determined data format; transmitting the formatted email, video and audio files to respective output devices using the internal device interface; and modifying the configuration data in response to data received from an output device of the plurality of output devices. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification