Rendering device selection in a home network

• US 8,321,564 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palm, Stephen Ray, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Chen, Xuemin
• Primary Examiner(s): DAILEY, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/343,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 725/80, 348/734
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• 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 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A technique to remotely identify a source of a transaction for transferring content on a home network and to identify a plurality of renderers for rendering the content when transferred. Where multiple pathways are present to transfer the content, remote identification of one or more pathways are also determined to transfer the content. Then, a rendering parameter is determined for each renderer for rendering the content and based on one or more criteria, a renderer is selected for rendering the content, along with the pathway for delivering the content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a remote device to identify a source of a transaction for transferring content on a home network;

using the remote device to identify a plurality of renderers for rendering the content when transferred;

using the remote device to identify one or more pathways within the home network from the source to the plurality of renderers;

determining a rendering parameter associated with the content, wherein the rendering parameter identifies at least one of video resolution, audio presentation or print presentation for rendering the content;

determining an operating parameter for each of the plurality of renderers to render the content based on the rendering parameter, wherein a respective operating parameter for each renderer identifies that renderer'"'"'s ability to render the content based on the rendering parameter;

ranking the plurality of renders for rendering the content based on the rendering parameter associated with the content, operating parameter for each of the plurality of renders and available pathway or pathways from the source to each renderer; and

selecting an optimal combination of a particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and a pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content based on the ranking.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the particular renderer to render the content includes automatically selecting the particular renderer from the ranking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the particular renderer to render the content includes allowing a user to select the particular renderer from the ranking.

4. The method of claim 1, further including using the remote device to alter a rendering property of the particular renderer to render the content.

5. The method of claim 1, further including transferring rendering of the content from the particular renderer to a second renderer when a user'"'"'s proximity changes from the particular renderer to the second renderer.

6. The method of claim 1, further including terminating rendering of the content at the particular renderer when a user is no longer within proximity to the particular renderer.

7. The method of claim 1, further including rendering of both sound and video, in which sound and video are rendered separately in respective sound and video renderers.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the remote device is a mobile phone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein when using the remote device, the remote device communicates with the source, plurality of renderers and one or more pathways through an access point coupled to one of the pathways.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein when selecting the optimal combination of the particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and the pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content, the pathway is selected based on speed and latency in delivering the content.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein when selecting the optimal combination of the particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and the pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content, the pathway is selected based on property of the content.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) front end to communicate with a source and a plurality of renderers, in which content is sent from the source to the renderers through one or more pathways of a home network;

a baseband processor coupled to the RF front end for conversion of signals for transmission and reception from the RF front end; and

an application processor coupled to the baseband processor to execute a program set of instructions and to generate signals to the renderers in response to the program set of instructions, in which the application processor is to execute the program set of instructions to identify and characterize the source, the content, the plurality of renderers and one or more pathways from the source to each respective renderer, determine a rendering parameter associated with the content, wherein the rendering parameter identifies at least one of video resolution, audio presentation or print presentation for rendering the content, determine an operating parameter for each of the plurality of renderers to render the content based on the rendering parameter, wherein a respective operating parameter for each renderer identifies that renderer'"'"'s ability to render the content based on the rendering parameter, rank the plurality of renders for rendering the content based on the rendering parameter associated with the content, operating parameter for each of the plurality of renders and available pathway or pathways from the source to each renderer, and select an optimal combination of a particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and a pathway from the source to the selected particular to render the content based on the ranking.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the application processor allows a user to select the particular renderer from the ranking.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a mobile telephone.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the RF front end to communicate with the source, plurality of renderers and one or more pathways through an access point coupled to one of the pathways.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the application processor selects the optimal combination of the particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and the pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content, the pathway is selected based on speed and latency in delivering the content.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the application processor selects the optimal combination of the particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and the pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content, the pathway is selected based on property of the content.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying a program of instructions thereon for execution by a machine, in which when the program is executed by the machine performs a process comprising:

identifying a source of a transaction for transferring content on a home network;

identifying a plurality of renderers for rendering the content when transferred;

identifying one or more pathways within the home network from the source to the plurality of renderers;

determining a rendering parameter associated with the content, wherein the rendering parameter identifies at least one of video resolution, audio presentation or print presentation for rendering the content;

determining an operating parameter for each of the plurality of renderers to render the content based on the rendering parameter, wherein a respective operating parameter for each renderer identifies that renderer'"'"'s ability to render the content based on the rendering parameter;

ranking the plurality of renders for rendering the content based on the rendering parameter associated with the content, operating parameter for each of the plurality of renders and available pathway or pathways from the source to each renderer; and

selecting an optimal combination of a particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and a pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content based on the ranking.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein when the executed process determines the ranking, the process allows a user to select the particular renderer from the ranking.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein when the executed process selects the optimal combination of the particular renderer from the plurality of renderers and the pathway from the source to the selected particular renderer to render the content, the pathway is selected based on speed and latency in delivering the content.