System and method of delivering television content

• US 8,627,399 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott, Cansler, James L., Schmehl, Ian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chokshi, Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US12/023,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 725/81, 725/62, 725/71, 725/74, 725/82, 725/110, 725/118, 725/131, 725/133, 725/139, 725/141, 725/151, 725/153, 455/3.02, 348/552
• US Class Current: 725/133
• 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 21/43615 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: 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A computer-readable medium is disclosed and includes processor-readable instructions executable by a processor to perform a method. The method includes sending a request for television content from a first device that is not equipped with a television tuner to a second device that is equipped with at least one television tuner via a wireless local area network (WLAN). The method also includes receiving the television content at the first device directly from the second device via the WLAN. The television content is received at the second device via the at least one television tuner. Further, the method includes outputting the television content at the first device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a cellular telephone, a request for high definition television content, wherein the cellular telephone is not equipped with a television tuner, wherein the cellular telephone has a first wireless interface for transmitting and receiving wireless fidelity communication signals, and a second wireless interface for transmitting and receiving cellular communication signals;

deactivating, by the cellular telephone, responsive to receiving the request for high definition television content, the second wireless interface to prevent transmitting and receiving the cellular communication signals;

activating, by the cellular telephone, responsive to receiving the request for high definition television content, the first wireless interface to enable transmitting and receiving the wireless fidelity communication signals;

sending, by the cellular telephone, via the first wireless interface the request for high definition television content to a set top box that is equipped with a first television tuner and a second television tuner, wherein sending the request for high definition television content to the set top box causes the set top box to tune the first television tuner to a first channel that is a standard definition channel, and causes the set top box to tune the second television tuner to a second channel that is a high definition channel;

receiving, by the cellular telephone, the high definition television content from the set top box via the first wireless interface in response to sending the request to the set top box;

outputting, by the cellular telephone, the high definition television content at a display portion of the cellular telephone;

receiving a command at the cellular telephone to discontinue outputting the high definition television content at the display portion; and

sending, by the cellular telephone, data to the set top box via the first wireless interface indicating that the set top box is to discontinue sending the high definition television content to the cellular telephone.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the high definition television content is received at the cellular telephone via a narrowcast transmission from the set top box.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein operations further comprise receiving input at the cellular telephone requesting that the high definition television content be output at the display portion of the cellular telephone before sending the request to the set top box.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the input comprises a detectable selection of a physical switch, button or part of the cellular telephone, or a selection of a graphical menu item, icon, or text displayed at the display portion of the cellular telephone.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a command at the cellular telephone to request updated television content associated with a particular television channel;

sending data to the set top box, via the first wireless interface, indicating that the first television tuner is to be tuned to the particular television channel; and

receiving the updated television content associated with the particular channel at the cellular telephone from the set top box via the first wireless interface.

6. A cellular telephone, comprising:

a display device;

a first wireless interface that is a wireless fidelity interface;

a second wireless interface that is a cellular network interface;

processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic, wherein

the memory includes computer instructions, wherein the processing logic, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a request for high definition television content, wherein the cellular telephone is not equipped with a television tuner;

deactivating the second wireless interface in response to receiving the request to prevent transmitting and receiving cellular communication signals;

activating the first wireless interface responsive to receiving the request the first wireless interface to enable transmitting and receiving wireless fidelity communication signals;

sending the request for high definition television content to a set top box device that is equipped with a first television tuner and a second television tuner via the first wireless interface, wherein sending the request to the set top box causes the set top box device to tune a first television tuner to a first channel that is a standard definition channel, and causes the set top box to tune the second television tuner to a second channel that is a high definition channel;

receiving the high definition television content from the set top box device via the first wireless interface in response to sending the request to the set top box;

outputting the high definition television content at a display portion of the cellular telephone;

receiving a command to discontinue outputting the high definition television content at the display portion; and

sending data to the set top box via the first wireless interface indicating that the set top box device is to discontinue sending the high definition television content to the cellular telephone.

7. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein the wireless fidelity interface establishes communications with a wireless local area network responsive to the activating the first wireless interface.

8. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein the cellular telephone is an integral part of a tablet or a computer.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 6, further comprising an audio interface and wherein the outputting of the high definition television content comprises outputting an audio portion of the high definition television content by way of the audio interface.

10. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise activating the second wireless interface in response to the command.

11. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein the memory includes a content buffer.

12. The cellular telephone of claim 6, wherein the display portion includes a non-television tuner.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer instructions which when executed by at least one a processor causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a set top box, a first request for high definition television content from a cellular telephone via a wireless interface for transmitting and receiving wireless fidelity communication signals, wherein the cellular telephone is not equipped with a television tuner, and wherein the cellular telephone deactivates a cellular communications interface and activates a wireless fidelity communications interface responsive to sending the first request;

responsive to receiving the first request for high definition television content, tuning, by the set top box, a first television tuner to a first channel that is a standard definition channel, and tuning a second television tuner to a second channel that is a high definition channel;

sending, by the set top box, the high definition television content to the cellular telephone via the wireless interface for outputting at a display portion of the cellular telephone, wherein the high definition television content is received at the set top box via the second television tuner;

receiving, by the set top box, via the wireless interface a second request from the cellular telephone to discontinue sending of the high definition television content via the wireless interface, wherein the cellular telephone sends the second request responsive to receiving a command to discontinue outputting the high definition television content at the display portion; and

discontinuing, by the set top box, sending the high definition television content to the cellular telephone via the wireless interface responsive to receiving the second request.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise tuning the first and second television tuners according to data included in the first request.

15. A set top box, comprising:

a first television tuner;

a second television tuner;

a memory to store computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a first request for high definition television content from a cellular telephone via a wireless interface for transmitting and receiving wireless fidelity communication signals, wherein the cellular telephone is not equipped with a television tuner, and wherein the cellular telephone deactivates a cellular communications interface and activates a wireless fidelity communications interface responsive to sending the first request;

responsive to receiving the first request for high definition television content, tuning the first television tuner to a first channel that is a standard definition channel, and tuning the second television tuner to a second channel that is a high definition channel;

sending the high definition television content to the cellular telephone via the wireless interface for outputting at a display portion of the cellular telephone, wherein the high definition television content is received at the set top box via the second television tuner;

receiving via the wireless interface a second request from the cellular telephone to discontinue sending of the high definition television content via the wireless interface, wherein the cellular telephone sends the second request responsive to receiving a command to discontinue outputting the high definition television content at the display portion; and

discontinuing sending the high definition television content to the cellular telephone via the wireless interface responsive to receiving the second request.

16. The set top box of claim 15, wherein sending the high definition television content comprises narrowcasting the high definition television content to the display portion via a wireless fidelity network.

17. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the set top box includes a network interface and wherein one of the first or second television tuners receives television content from a cable network, a satellite network, or an Internet Protocol Television network via the network interface.

18. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the high definition television content comprises over-the-air television content.

19. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the cellular telephone is an integral component of a tablet, or a computer.

20. The set top box of claim 15, wherein the first or second television tuners at the set top box send the high definition television content directly to the cellular telephone via the wireless interface.