Mobile set top box

• US 8,863,223 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MV3 Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: MV3 Partners LLC
• Inventors: Abbruzzese, Jared E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HANCE, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/576,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 725/153, 345/3.3
• US Class Current: 725/153
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/584 for track following on tapes
• 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 21/43637 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 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A system is provided in which IP or media content residing on or being streamed to a mobile phone is forwarded to a display. The media content supports a native resolution of the mobile phone that is significantly smaller than a native resolution of said display. The system has media content processing circuitry, which up-scales the media content to the display native resolution. The system forwards the up-scaled media content to the display, whereby the display provides the up-scaled media content to a viewer.

Claims

1. A mobile set top box comprising:

a docking port configured to accept a mobile computing device that has a native resolution of a first size format and receives media content from at least two different types of communications networks;

a mobile device input that receives media content from the mobile computing device accepted in the docking port;

a television signal input that receives at least one type of television signal;

a video processor configured to receive and process the media content from the mobile device input, the video processor including adaptive circuitry to process the media content transmitted from unicast and multicast broadcasts, and the video processor including circuitry and instructions operable to process a predefined protocol stack of video packets forming at least a portion of the media content;

a processor coupled to an electronic storage, the electronic storage comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

execute an upconversion process by processing first media content from the mobile computing device, wherein the first media content includes digital video image information comprising a series of digital video frames, and is modified for display on a display device that is separate from the mobile set top box, the display device having a native display resolution of a second size format that is larger than the first size format of the mobile computing device, the upconversion process further comprising;

receiving the first media content in the first size format from the mobile device input,

querying the mobile computing device to determine the first size format,

querying the display device,

determining the native display resolution of the second size format of the display device based on a response resulting from the query of the display device,

authenticating the validity of a user associated with the mobile computing device,

determining, based on the validity of the user, that the received first media content is permitted to be provided to the display device, and

upscaling the received first media content from the first size format to the second size format to generate upconverted first media content, wherein upscaling includes increasing a total number of horizontal and vertical pixels in each video frame of the series of digital video frames so that pixel dimensions in each video frame match the native display resolution of the second size format of the display device; and

render a television signal into second media content for display on the display device, comprising;

receiving the television signal from the television input;

decoding the television signal into second media content; and

rendering the second media content based on the native display resolution of the display device to generate rendered second media content; and

an output configured to deliver the upconverted first media content and the rendered second media content from the mobile set top box to the display device.

2. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a mobile phone.

3. The mobile set top box of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone comprises a Smartphone.

4. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the first media content is provided to the mobile computing device in a first file format, and the electronic storage further comprises instructions that cause the processor to convert the first media content to a second file format that is different from the first file format.

5. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the display device is one of a television (TV), monitor, or projector.

6. The mobile set top box of claim 5, wherein the display device produces an image in high definition (HD).

7. The mobile set top box of claim 4, wherein the first file format is 3GP and the second file format is MPEG-4.

8. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the communications networks comprise a WiFi network and a WiMAX network.

9. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is configured to receive any of MediaFLO signals, DVB-H signals, DVB-SH signals, and HSPA signals.

10. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of video-on-demand content or data protected by digital rights management.

11. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of TV programming, a live event, a movie, or content from a video sharing website.

12. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the electronic storage further comprises instructions to cause the processor to access content managing software for organizing media content accessed from any of the communications networks.

13. The mobile set top box of claim 12, wherein the content managing software provides one or more of an electronic program guide representing programming on any of the communications networks, a remote control configured to allow a user to surf one or more channels associated with any of the communications networks, or a content filter configured to filtering content accessed from any of the communications networks.

14. The mobile set top box of claim 4, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the processor to convert media content accessed from any of the communications networks to the second file format.

15. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the upconverted first media content is generated in real time.

16. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the output comprises a video controller configured to forward the upconverted first media content to the display device in real time.

17. The mobile set top box of claim 2, wherein the processor is disposed within the mobile phone, and the mobile phone is configured to communicate with the display device.

18. The mobile set top box of claim 17, wherein the mobile phone communicates with the display device via a wireless or wired connection.

19. The mobile set top box of claim 17, wherein the mobile phone is capable of placing and receiving voice phone calls while the processor generates the upconverted first media content.

20. The mobile set top box of claim 2, wherein a battery of the mobile phone is charged when the mobile phone is connected to the set top box.

21. The mobile set top box of claim 2, wherein the mobile phone communicates with the set top box via a first wireless or wired connection, and the display device communicates with the set top box via a second wireless or wired connection.

22. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to cause the processor to identify a model of the mobile computing device to determine the first size format and a model of the display device to determine the second size format.

23. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the set top box comprises one or more connectivity ports configured to accept a wired connection that couples to the display device.

24. The mobile set top box of claim 23, wherein the connectivity ports include one or more of DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, or S-Video.

25. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of content stored on the mobile computing device or content stored remote from the mobile computing device and streamed to the mobile computing device from one or more of the communications networks.

26. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the input to provide a control signal to a mobile device received in the docking port.

27. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the electronic storage further comprises instructions to cause presentation of the upconverted first media content on the display device in real time.

28. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the first size format comprises a size format for display on a screen three-inches or smaller, and the second size format comprise a size format for display on a HD-TV.

29. The mobile set top box of claim 1, wherein the at least two communications networks comprise at least two of a mobile data network, a direct broadband satellite network, a broadcast network, a satellite data network, and an IP network.

30. A method comprising:

receiving first media content from a mobile computing device in communication with a docking port of a mobile set top box, the mobile computing device being configured to communicate with at least two communications networks, wherein the first media content includes digital video image information comprising a series of digital video frames and the first media content is in a first size format that corresponds to a native display resolution of the mobile computing device;

receiving and processing, by a video processor, the first media content from the mobile computing device, the video processor including adaptive circuitry to process the first media content transmitted from unicast and multicast broadcasts, and the video processor including circuitry and instructions operable to process a predefined protocol stack of video packets forming at least a portion of the first media content;

querying the mobile computing device to determine the first size format;

querying a display device that is separate from the mobile set top box, the display device having a native display resolution of a second size format that is larger than the first size format;

determining the second size format based on a response resulting from the query;

authenticating the validity of a user associated with the mobile computing device,

determining, based on the validity of the user, that the received first media content is permitted to be provided to the display device;

upscaling the received first media content from the first size format to a second size format to generate upconverted first media content, wherein upscaling includes increasing a total number of horizontal and vertical pixels in each video frame of the series of digital video frames so that pixel dimensions in each video frame match the native display resolution of the second size format of the display device;

delivering the upconverted first media content to the display device;

receiving a television signal;

decoding the television signal into second media content;

rendering the second media content based on the native display resolution of the display device to generate rendered second media content; and

delivering the rendered second media content to the display device.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising causing presentation of the upconverted first media content on the display device.

32. A mobile set top box comprising:

a docking port configured to accept a mobile computing device that has a native resolution of a first size format and receives media content from at least two different types of communications networks;

a mobile device input that receives media content from the mobile computing device accepted in the docking port;

a video processor configured to receive and process the media content from the mobile device input, the video processor including adaptive circuitry to process the media content transmitted from unicast and multicast broadcasts, and the video processor including circuitry and instructions operable to process a predefined protocol stack of video packets forming at least a portion of the media content;

an interactive multimedia processor integrated within the video processor, the interactive multimedia processor including circuitry and instructions to interact with at least one of a video on demand storage device, an electronic programming guide, and a digital rights management server;

a processor coupled to an electronic storage, the electronic storage comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

execute an upconversion process by processing first media content from the mobile computing device, wherein the first media content includes digital video image information comprising a series of digital video frames, and is modified for display on a display device that is separate from the mobile set top box, the display device having a native display resolution of a second size format that is larger than the first size format of the mobile computing device, the upconversion process further comprising;

receiving the first media content in the first size format from the mobile device input,

querying the mobile computing device to determine the first size format,

querying the display device,

determining the native display resolution of the second size format of the display device based on a response resulting from the query of the display device,

authenticating the validity of a user associated with the mobile computing device,

determining, based on the validity of the user, that the received first media content is permitted to be provided to the display device, and

upscaling the received first media content from the first size format to the second size format to generate upconverted first media content, wherein upscaling includes increasing a total number of horizontal and vertical pixels in each video frame of the series of digital video frames so that pixel dimensions in each video frame match the native display resolution of the second size format of the display device; and

an output configured to deliver the upconverted first media content from the mobile set top box to the display device.

33. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the predefined protocol stack of video packets forming at least a portion of the media content includes at least one of MPEG video packets, real-time transport protocol (RTP) packets, user datagram protocol (UDP) packets, internet protocol (IP) packets, and DVB-H data.

34. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a mobile phone.

35. The mobile set top box of claim 34, wherein the mobile phone comprises a Smartphone.

36. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the first media content is provided to the mobile computing device in a first file format, and the electronic storage further comprises instructions that cause the processor to convert the first media content to a second file format that is different from the first file format.

37. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the display device is one of a television (TV), monitor, or projector.

38. The mobile set top box of claim 37, wherein the display device produces an image in high definition (HD).

39. The mobile set top box of claim 36, wherein the first file format is 3GP and the second file format is MPEG-4.

40. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the communications networks comprise a WiFi network and a WiMAX network.

41. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the mobile computing device is configured to receive any of MediaFLO signals, DVB-H signals, DVB-SH signals, and HSPA signals.

42. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of video-on-demand content or data protected by digital rights management.

43. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of TV programming, a live event, a movie, or content from a video sharing website.

44. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the electronic storage further comprises instructions to cause the processor to access content managing software for organizing media content accessed from any of the communications networks.

45. The mobile set top box of claim 44, wherein the content managing software provides one or more of an electronic program guide representing programming on any of the communications networks, a remote control configured to allow a user to surf one or more channels associated with any of the communications networks, or a content filter configured to filtering content accessed from any of the communications networks.

46. The mobile set top box of claim 36, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the processor to convert media content accessed from any of the communications networks to the second file format.

47. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the upconverted first media content is generated in real time.

48. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the output comprises a video controller configured to forward the upconverted first media content to the display device in real time.

49. The mobile set top box of claim 34, wherein the processor is disposed within the mobile phone, and the mobile phone is configured to communicate with the display device.

50. The mobile set top box of claim 49, wherein the mobile phone communicates with the display device via a wireless or wired connection.

51. The mobile set top box of claim 49, wherein the mobile phone is capable of placing and receiving voice phone calls while the processor generates the upconverted first media content.

52. The mobile set top box of claim 34, wherein a battery of the mobile phone is charged when the mobile phone is connected to the set top box.

53. The mobile set top box of claim 34, wherein the mobile phone communicates with the set top box via a first wireless or wired connection, and the display device communicates with the set top box via a second wireless or wired connection.

54. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to cause the processor to identify a model of the mobile computing device to determine the first size format and a model of the display device to determine the second size format.

55. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the set top box comprises one or more connectivity ports configured to accept a wired connection that couples to the display device.

56. The mobile set top box of claim 55, wherein the connectivity ports include one or more of DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, or S-Video.

57. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the first media content comprises one or more of content stored on the mobile computing device or content stored remote from the mobile computing device and streamed to the mobile computing device from one or more of the communications networks.

58. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the input to provide a control signal to a mobile device received in the docking port.

59. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the electronic storage further comprises instructions to cause presentation of the upconverted first media content on the display device in real time.

60. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the first size format comprises a size format for display on a screen three-inches or smaller, and the second size format comprise a size format for display on a HD-TV.

61. The mobile set top box of claim 32, wherein the at least two communications networks comprise at least two of a mobile data network, a direct broadband satellite network, a broadcast network, a satellite data network, and an IP network.