Method and system for a media processor

• US 8,739,238 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ansari, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US13/477,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 725131-134, 725139-142, 725151-153, 725118-120, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a presentation device having a controller that performs operations including enabling a supply of power to a portable battery operated device from a presentation port where the presentation port is a high definition multimedia interface port by trickle charging a rechargeable battery of the portable battery operated device through the presentation port, and receiving from the portable battery operated device an audio-visual signal for presentation at the presentation device through the presentation port. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

decoding in a portable set top box device audio-visual information into a high definition multimedia interface standard format, thereby generating a high definition multimedia interface signal;

transmitting the high definition multimedia interface signal containing decoded audio-visual information in a high definition multimedia interface standard format from the portable set top box device to a presentation device by way of a high definition multimedia interface port of the portable set top box device, wherein the portable set top box device comprises a rechargeable battery;

powering the portable set top box device inline through the high definition multimedia interface port of the portable set top box device, wherein the powering comprises powering the rechargeable battery by way of trickle charging using a high definition multimedia interface input port of the presentation device responsive to the portable set top box device being coupled to the presentation device;

interfacing with a communication device by way of a radio frequency or an infrared source of the portable set top box device; and

interfacing with a communication network via a network interface of the portable set top box device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising direct powering of the portable set top box device from the high definition multimedia interface port.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable set top box device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising storing audio-visual content in a digital video recorder hard drive within the portable set top box device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation device is a high definition television that has the high definition multimedia interface port that powers the portable set top box device inline through the high definition multimedia interface of the portable set top box device.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising decoding in the portable set top box device audio-visual information into the high definition multimedia interface standard format to generate the high definition multimedia interface signal.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting, by the portable set top box device whether the high definition multimedia interface port supplies sufficient power to enable the trickle charging of the rechargeable battery.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

decoding audio-visual information into a high definition multimedia interface standard format in a portable standalone battery operated device; and

generating a signal used for presentation of the decoded audio-visual information on a presentation device, wherein the portable standalone battery operated device is at least partially powered by the presentation device responsive to the portable standalone battery operated device being coupled to the presentation device;

applying power to the portable standalone battery operated device inline through a high definition multimedia interface port on the portable standalone battery operated device, wherein the presentation device is a high definition television that has a high definition multimedia interface input port;

trickle charging of a rechargeable battery of the portable standalone battery operated device using the high definition multimedia interface input port of the high definition television;

detecting whether the high definition multimedia interface input port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery; and

storing audio-visual content in a digital media recorder in the portable standalone battery operated device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving power at the portable standalone battery operated device when coupled to the presentation device through the high definition multimedia interface input port which transmits the signal containing the decoded audio-visual information in the high definition multimedia interface standard format to the presentation device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise interfacing with a communication device using a radio frequency or an infrared source of the portable standalone battery operated device to enable remote control of the portable standalone battery operated device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise interfacing with a communication network via a network interface in the portable standalone battery operated device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise detecting direct powering of the portable standalone battery operated device from the high definition multimedia interface input port.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the portable standalone battery operated device is a portable set top box device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise powering the portable standalone battery operated device with the rechargeable battery when the high definition multimedia interface port is not externally powered.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instruction for detecting whether the rechargeable battery solely powers the portable set top box device.

16. A presentation device, comprising:

a memory to store computer instructions; and

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

supplying power to a portable battery operated set top box through a presentation port, wherein the presentation port is a high definition multimedia interface port;

trickle charging a rechargeable battery of the portable battery operated set top box through the presentation port;

receiving from the portable battery operated set top box an audio-visual signal for presentation at the presentation device through the presentation port; and

presenting the audio-visual signal on a display of the presentation device,

wherein the presentation port receives the audio-visual signal for presentation as decoded audio-visual information in a high definition multimedia interface format.

17. The presentation device of claim 16, wherein the presentation device comprises a television.

18. The presentation device of claim 17, wherein the presentation device comprises a portable television.

19. The presentation device of claim 17, wherein the presentation device comprises anon-portable television.

20. The presentation device of claim 16, wherein the portable battery operated set top box detects whether the high definition multimedia interface port supplies sufficient power to enable trickle charging of the rechargeable battery.