System and method for dynamic channel management of a television based on media center set-top box tuner availability

• US 8,646,024 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jutzi, Curtis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US13/212,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic channel management of a television based on media center set-top box tuner availability. The method includes determining a last channel a television was tuned to prior to being turned off. Then it is determined whether the last channel is a radio frequency remodulated (RF-remodulated) channel. If the last channel is a RF-remodulated channel, then sending a signal to indicate that the television is on line with the RF-remodulated channel. If a tuner is not available for the television, then receiving an indication of a cable channel that was last RF-remodulated to the RF-remodulated channel for the television. Finally, changing the television to the cable channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a last channel to which a display device was tuned prior to the display device entering a reduced power state;

determining whether the last channel tuned to prior to entering a reduced power state was a remodulated channel wherein the remodulation was performed via a computer;

if the last channel was a remodulated channel, then sending a signal to the computer to indicate that the display device is on line with the remodulated channel;

if a tuner in the computer is not available for the display device, then receiving, from the computer, an indication identifying a signal that was most recently remodulated for transmission on the remodulated channel for the display device; and

automatically changing the display device to the identified signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a channel up signal; and

changing the display device to an adjacent cable channel one above a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a channel down signal; and

changing the display device to an adjacent cable channel one below a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

4. A system, comprising:

a display device;

a remote control coupled to the display device; and

a computer, wherein the remote control determines a last channel to which the display device was tuned prior to the display device entering a reduced power state, wherein the remote control determines whether the last channel tuned to prior to entering a reduced power state was a remodulated channel, wherein the remote control sends a signal to the computer to indicate that the display device is on line with the remodulated channel if the last channel was a remodulated channel, wherein the remote control receives an indication from the computer, the indication identifying a signal that was most recently remodulated for transmission on the remodulated channel for the display device if a tuner in the computer is not available for the display device, and wherein the remote control automatically changes the display device to the identified signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote control receives a channel up signal, and wherein the remote control changes the display device to an adjacent cable channel one above a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote control receives a channel down signal, and wherein the remote control changes the display device to an adjacent cable channel one below a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

7. A non-transitory medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining a last channel to which a display device was tuned prior to the display device entering a reduced power state;

determining whether the last channel tuned to prior to entering a reduced power state was a remodulated channel wherein the remodulation was performed via a computer;

if the last channel was a remodulated channel, then sending a signal to the computer to indicate that the display device is on line with the remodulated channel;

if a tuner in the computer is not available for the display device, then receiving, from the computer, an identifying a signal that was most recently remodulated for transmission on the remodulated channel for the display device; and

automatically changing the display device to the identified signal.

8. The non-transitory medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a channel up signal; and

changing the display device to an adjacent cable channel one above a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

9. The non-transitory medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a channel down signal; and

changing the display device to an adjacent cable channel one below a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a remote control, wherein the remote control determines a last channel to which a display device was tuned prior to the display device entering a reduced power state, wherein the remote control determines whether the last channel tuned to prior to entering a reduced power state was a remodulated channel wherein the remodulation was performed via a computer, wherein the remote control sends a signal to the computer to indicate that the display device is on line with the remodulated channel if the last channel was a remodulated channel, wherein the remote control receives an indication from the computer, the indication identifying a signal that was most recently remodulated for transmission on the remodulated channel for the display device if a tuner in the computer is not available for the display device, and wherein the remote control automatically changes the display device to the identified signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the remote control receives a channel up signal, and wherein the remote control changes the display device to an adjacent cable channel one above a cable channel carrying the identified signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the remote control receives a channel down signal, and wherein the remote control changes the display device to an adjacent cable channel one below a cable channel carrying the identified signal.