Media appliance and method for use of same

• US 8,755,174 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enseo, LLC (Enseo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ENSCO, Incorporated (Teris LLC)
• Inventors: Ogle, Vanessa, Johns, Jeff, Fang, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Wagner, Jenny L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US13/185,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20120014049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 36167931-6794, 36167955-6796, 361724-727, 36167901-67904, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/42 Mounting of devices therein
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/56 Cooling; Ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/10 for surface mounting on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42607 for processing the incoming bitstream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/026 having standardized interfaces flash memory cards G06K19/077
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence

Abstract

A media appliance and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a housing is adapted to be mounted within a wall. A panel forms a front portion of the housing and the panel includes vents and the panel may be mounted substantially flush with the wall. A media player, which includes a set-top box, is disposed within the housing. A pair of ports, disposed within openings defined by the housing, are configured to receive respective optio-electric connectors. Each port includes optio-electrically conductive elements. The pair of ports are coupled to the media player and one port is configured for providing a connection to a television and the other port is configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the television.

Claims

1. A media appliance comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted within a wall, the housing including a utility box and a panel configured to mount thereto;

the panel forming a front portion of the housing, the panel including vents, the panel configured to substantially mount flush with the wall;

a plurality of mounting holes located in the panel, the plurality of mounting holes configured to accept fasteners;

mounting means for securing the utility box to the wall;

a media player disposed within the housing, the media player including a set-top box functionality, the set-top box functionality configured to process audio-visual signals from external audio-visual sources at second and fourth ports and the set-top box functionality to provide audio-visual signals to external audio-visual devices at first and third ports;

the first, second, third and fourth ports, disposed within respective first and second openings defined by the housing, for receiving respective optio-electric connectors, each port including a plurality of optio-electrically conductive elements, the first, second, third and fourth ports being coupled to the media player;

the first and third ports configured for providing a connection to a television, the first and third ports being located in the utility box;

the second and fourth ports configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the television, the second and fourth ports being located in the panel;

a power port disposed within a fifth opening defined by the housing in the utility box, the power port for receiving electrical power at the media player.

2. The media appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the optio-electric connectors are selected from the group consisting of RJ45, serial, IR Input, service/control, USB, video, ethernet, L/R audio cable, and digital audio optical.

3. The media appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting means further comprises fasteners.

4. The media appliance as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting means further comprises brackets.

5. The media appliance as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power indicator mounted in the panel and located in communication with the media player.

6. A media appliance comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted within a wall, the housing including a utility box and a panel configured to mount thereto;

the panel forming a front portion of the housing, the panel including vents, the panel configured to substantially mount flush with the wall;

fastening means configured to secure the panel to the utility box;

mounting means for securing the utility box to the wall;

a circuit board secured within the housing, the circuit board including a processor and a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to execute a set-top box functionality, the set-top box functionality configured to process audio-visual signals from external audio-visual sources at second and fourth ports and the set-top box functionality to provide audio-visual signals to external audio-visual devices at first and third ports;

the first, second, third and fourth ports, disposed within respective first and second openings defined by the housing, for receiving respective optio-electric connectors, each port including a plurality of optio-electrically conductive elements, the first, second, third and fourth ports being coupled to the circuit board;

the first and third ports configured for providing a connection to a television, the first and third ports being located in the utility box;

the second and fourth ports configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the television, the second and fourth ports being located in the panel;

a power port disposed within a fifth opening defined by the housing in the utility box, the power port for receiving electrical power at the circuit board.

7. The media appliance as recited in claim 6, wherein the optio-electric connectors are selected from the group consisting of RJ45, serial, IR Input, service/control, USB, video, ethernet, L/R audio cable, and digital audio optical.

8. The media appliance as recited in claim 6, wherein the mounting means comprises mounting holes and fasteners.

9. A media appliance consisting of:

a housing adapted to be mounted within a wall, the housing including a utility box and a panel configured to mount thereto;

the panel forming a front portion of the housing, the panel including vents, the panel configured to substantially mount flush with the wall;

fastening means configured to secure the panel to the utility box;

mounting means for securing the utility box to the wall;

a circuit board secured within the housing, the circuit board including a processor and a memory accessible to the processor, the memory including processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to execute a set-top box functionality and cause the processor to execute media player functionality;

first and second ports, disposed within respective first and second openings defined by the housing, for receiving respective optio-electric connectors, each port including a plurality of optio-electrically conductive elements, the first and second ports being coupled to the circuit board;

the first port configured for providing a connection to a television, the first port being located on the utility box;

the second port configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the television, the second port being located on the panel;

third and fourth ports, disposed within respective third and fourth openings defined by the housing, for receiving respective optio-electric connectors, each port including a plurality of optio-electrically conductive elements, the third and fourth ports being coupled to the circuit board;

the third port configured for providing a connection to an external audio-visual device, the third port being located on the utility box;

the fourth port configured for providing a connection to an external source of signal for the external audio-visual device, the fourth port being located on the panel;

a fifth port, disposed within a fifth opening defined by the housing, for receiving an optio-electric connector, the fifth port including a plurality of optio-electrically conductive elements, the fifth port being coupled to the circuit board;

the fifth port configured for providing a connection to a device selected from the group consisting of the television and the external audio-visual device, the fifth port being located on the panel; and

a power port disposed within a sixth opening defined by the housing within the utility box, the power port for receiving electrical power at the circuit board.

10. The media appliance as recited in claim 9, wherein the optio-electric connectors are selected from the group consisting of RJ45, serial, IR Input, service/control, USB, video, ethernet, L/R audio cable, and digital audio optical.