Home audio video display device (AVDD) as sensor monitor

• US 8,605,218 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jiang, Libiao, Li, Adam, Liu, Aixin, Nguyen, Djung
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Trang U
• Application Number:
  US13/314,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130148025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 348563-565, 348/569, 348/552, 348/734, 700 19- 20, 700 65- 66, 700/90, 725/108, 725/132, 725/140, 725/152
• US Class Current: 348/563
• 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 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

An audio video display device (AVDD) system includes a display, a processor controlling the display, and a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor and programmed with instructions. The instructions cause the processor to establish communication with at least one sensor. The instructions then cause the processor to receive information from the sensor conforming to an application programming interface (API) provided by a manufacturer of the AVDD to an entity affiliated with the sensor, or sent from the AVDD to the sensor. Thereafter, the instructions cause the processor to present the information from the sensor on the display in accordance with the API.

Claims

1. An audio video device (AVD) system, comprising:

a processor configured for controlling a video display;

a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor and programmed with instructions that cause the processor to;

establish communication with at least one sensor;

send to the sensor an application programming interface (API) defining content in information received from the sensor to be presented on the display, where the content is to be presented on the display, and when the content is to be presented on the display;

receiving information from the sensor conforming to an application programming interface (API) provided by a manufacturer of the AVD to an entity affiliated with the sensor, or sent from the AVD to the sensor; and

;

and

present the information from the sensor on the display in accordance with the API.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the API is sent from the AVDD to the sensor only in response to a viewer-input command.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is alpha-numeric information only.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the content is an icon only.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the content includes an icon and alpha-numeric information.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising the sensor, wherein the sensor includes a processor configured for accessing the API and sending the information to the AVDD in accordance with the API.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor is selected from the group of sensors consisting of environmental sensors, ambient light sensors, door position sensors, window covering position sensors, pool heater energization sensors, motion sensors, valve position sensors.

8. A method, comprising:

providing an application programming interface (API) from a manufacturer of an audio video device (AVD) to entity provisioning at least one sensor, the API defining content in information received from the sensor to be presented on a display by the AVD and at least one of;

where the content is to be presented on the display, when the content is to be presented on the display;

establishing communication between the AVD, which is configured to communicate with the display, and the at least one sensor;

receiving information from the sensor(s) conforming to the API; and

presenting the information from the sensor(s) on the display in accordance with the API.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the API defines, relative to the information from the sensor(s), all of:

content in the information from the sensor(s) to be presented on the display, where the content is to be presented on the display, and when the content is to be presented on the display.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the API is sent from the AVD to the sensor(s).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the API is sent from the AVD to the sensor(s) only in response to a viewer-input command.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the content includes an icon and/or alpha-numeric information.

13. An audio video device (AVD), comprising:

a processor configured for controlling a video display;

a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor and programmed with instructions that cause the processor to;

establish communication with at least one sensor;

receive information from the sensor(s) conforming to a software interface understandable by the AVD, the software interface being provided to the sensor(s) and originating with a manufacturer of the AVD; and

present the information from the sensor(s) on the display in accordance with the interface, the interface defining one or more of what the content is to be presented on the display, where the content is to be presented on the display, when the content is to be presented on the display.

14. The AVD of claim 13, wherein the software interface is an application programming interface (API).

15. The AVD of claim 13, wherein the interface defines, relative to the information from the sensor(s), all of:

content in the information from the sensor(s) to be presented on the display, where the content is to be presented on the display, and when the content is to be presented on the display.

16. The AVD of claim 13, wherein the interface is sent from the AVD to the sensor.

17. The AVD of claim 13, wherein the information includes an icon and/or alpha-numeric information.