Configuring a network connection

• US 8,352,616 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Austin, Stephen Christopher, Wilson, Terence
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US12/576,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 725/135, 725/139, 725/148, 725/149, 725/151
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A communication system for accessing media items via a display device. A receiver is coupled to the display device and a transmitter is coupled to a computer system. Media items stored locally on the computer system and/or remotely on a remote server may be wirelessly transferred from the transmitter to the receiver for display on the display device. In addition, the transmitter and the receiver may be pre-paired prior to delivery to the user, allowing for the network to be configured without any user input. Advantageously, embodiments provide a user with the ability to conveniently view content stored on a computer or a web server without the user having to perform any wireless network setup procedures.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a receiver device configured to;

receive a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request broadcast by a transmitter device coupled to a first computer system via a data connector of the transmitter device, wherein the transmitter device is configured to wirelessly transmit a DHCP request to the receiver device,

responsive to wirelessly receiving a DHCP request from the transmitter device, wirelessly assign an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the transmitter device from a list of available IP addresses,

establish the wireless network connection between the transmitter device and the receiver device based on the IP address, and

output, to a display device coupled to the receiver device, a media item wirelessly received from the transmitter device,

wherein the transmitter device is configured to perform two-way wireless communications with only the receiver device and is configured to not perform two-way wireless communications with any other devices based on uniquely pre-pairing of the transmitter device and the receiver device based on a unique identifier of the receiver device such that an end-user need not pair the transmitter device and the receiver device as a condition to establishing the network connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data connector is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver device comprises at least one of a set-top box and a computer peripheral.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver device is further configured to:

receive a second DHCP request broadcast wirelessly by a second transmitter device;

wirelessly assign a second IP address to the second transmitter device from the list of available IP addresses; and

establish a second wireless network connection between the second transmitter device and the receiver device based on the second IP address.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the transmitter device and the second transmitter device are both coupled to the first computer system.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the second transmitter device is coupled to a second computer system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein outputting, to the display device coupled to the receiver device, the media item wirelessly received from the transmitter device comprises:

receiving a user request to display the media item on the display device, wherein the media item is one of an audio, photo, or video;

wirelessly transmitting a request to the transmitter device for the media item, wherein the request is based on the IP address assigned to the transmitter device;

wirelessly receiving the media item from the transmitter device, wherein the transmitter device is configured to communicate with a web server executing on the first computer system coupled to the transmitter device; and

outputting the media item to the display device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the media item is stored in a memory included within the first computer system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the media item is stored remotely on a remote server.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a remote control configured to communicate with the receiver device, wherein the user request is received by the receiver device via the remote control.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter does not receive the IP address from the first computer system.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request broadcast by a transmitter device coupled to a first computer system via a data connector of the transmitter device, wherein the transmitter device is configured to wirelessly transmit a DHCP request to the receiver device;

responsive to wirelessly receiving a DHCP request from the transmitter device, wirelessly assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the transmitter device from a list of available IP addresses;

establishing the wireless network connection with the transmitter device based on the IP address, and

wherein the receiver device is configured output, to a display device coupled to the receiver device, a media item wirelessly received from the transmitter device,

wherein the transmitter device is configured to perform two-way wireless communications with only a receiver device and is configured to not perform two-way wireless communications with any other devices based on uniquely pre-pairing of the transmitter device and the receiver device based on a unique identifier of the receiver device such that an end-user need not pair the transmitter device and the receiver device as a condition to establishing the network connection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data connector is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second DHCP request broadcast wirelessly by a second transmitter device;

wirelessly assigning a second IP address to the second transmitter device from the list of available IP addresses; and

establishing a second wireless network connection with the second transmitter device based on the second IP address.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the media item is one of an audio, photo, or video, wherein outputting, to a display device coupled to the receiver device, the media item wirelessly received from the transmitter device comprises:

receiving a user request to display a media item on the display device;

transmitting a wireless request to the transmitter device for the media item, wherein the request is based on the IP address assigned to the transmitter device;

wirelessly receiving the media item from the transmitter device, wherein the transmitter device is configured to communicate with a web server executing on the first computer system coupled to the transmitter device; and

outputting the media item to the display device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the media item is stored in a memory included within the first computer system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the media item is stored remotely on a remote server.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the user request is received via a remote control.