Touch sensitive video signal display for a programmable multimedia controller

• US 8,884,886 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Bonczek, Bryan S., Silva, Michael C., Madonna, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, NELSON C
• Application Number:
  US12/434,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20090303197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-179
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

The forgoing method, system, and apparatus relates to a touch sensitive display for use with a programmable multimedia controller. In the illustrative system, the user may select and designate a video input device to be implemented on a video output display device within the user'"'"'s network of devices. The media input devices and output devices are selected by the user touching a touch sensitive button located on the display screen. To initiate an action the user touches, drags and drops a media input device button onto one or more video output display device buttons. Furthermore, when the user selects a media input device to be implemented on a video output display device, the user may also select a video signal source to apply to that media input device for a transaction. A live stream of what is playing on a given channel is provided on the screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for one or more video output display devices, comprising:

a programmable multimedia controller;

one or more video output display devices interconnected with the programmable multimedia controller;

one or more video input devices interconnected with the programmable multimedia controller; and

a touch sensitive display interconnected with the programmable multimedia controller, the display and programmable multimedia controller collectively configured to

present a first plurality of touch sensitive buttons that each represent a particular video output display device of the one or more video output display devices,

present a second plurality of touch sensitive buttons that each represent a video input device,

receive at least one video signal from the video input devices,

display the at least one video signal in one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality that each represent a video input device,

in response to one of the one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality being dragged and dropped by a user onto a button of the first plurality,

display the at least one video signal in the button of the first plurality along with a visual indicator that indicates the video input device that sources the at least one video signal and

establish a communication path for the at least one video signal to a user selected video output display device.

2. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable multimedia controller is programmed to, in response to the user dragging and dropping the one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality onto the button of the first plurality, establish the communication path via a video switch to direct the video content signals from the at least one video input device to the user selected video output display device.

3. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable multimedia controller is connected to the Internet.

4. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable multimedia controller includes a microcontroller programmed to manage the general operation of the system, and a video switch and audio switch being coupled to the microcontroller via a bus.

5. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said video switch is a crosspoint switch that is capable of switching a number of connections simultaneously.

6. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said video switch is a time division multiplexing switch for switching digital signals.

7. The apparatus for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 1 wherein said one or more video output display devices include televisions in various locations in a house or commercial establishment.

8. A method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices, comprising:

interconnecting one or more video output display devices with a programmable multimedia controller;

interconnecting one or more video input devices with the programmable multimedia controller;

interconnecting a touch sensitive display with the programmable multimedia controller;

presenting a first plurality of touch sensitive buttons on the touch sensitive display that each represent a particular video output display device of the one or more video output display devices;

presenting a second plurality of touch sensitive buttons on the touch sensitive display that each represent a video input device;

receiving at least one video signal from at least one video input device;

displaying the at least one video signal of the at least one video input device in one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality that each represent a video input device; and

in response to a user dragging and dropping one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality onto a button of the first plurality, display the at least one video signal of the at least one video input device in the button of the first plurality along with a visual indicator that indicates the at least one video input device and command the programmable multimedia controller to establish a communication path for an associated video signal to a user selected video output display device represented by the button of the first plurality.

9. The method for controlling and selecting media input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

in response to the user dragging and dropping the one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality onto the button of the first plurality, the programmable controller commands an associated video switch to open the communication path between the at least one video input device and the user selected video output display device and to connect a selected video signal from a selected video input source to the selected video output display device.

10. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

streaming video content from a selected video input device to the touch sensitive display such that the user can view programming of the selected video input device in a panel on the touch sensitive display.

11. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

on the touch sensitive screen, in response to the user dragging and dropping the one or more touch sensitive buttons of the second plurality onto a plurality of buttons of the first plurality, establishing a communication path for an associated video signal to each of a plurality of selected video output display devices represented by the buttons of the first plurality, and display the video content represented by the associated video signal on each of the selected video output display devices to thereby broadcast the video content on each of those selected video output display devices.

12. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

touching the visual indicator on a selected video output display device button;

dragging the visual indicator onto a video output display device button which is a target of a swap;

dropping the visual indicator on a prospective video output display device button which the user wishes to swap; and

transmitting streaming video from the video input device indicated by the visual indicator to the video output display device that is the target of the swap.

13. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, wherein a video output display device is:

a TV, a CRT, a touch panel, a flat panel display, a computer monitor or personal media player.

14. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, wherein a video input device is cable television, satellite television, a DVD player, a DVR, a VCR, a computer, or a video gaming system.

15. The method for controlling and selecting video input for output on one or more video output display devices as defined in claim 8, wherein a video input device is an audio input device including at least one of a radio, satellite radio, CD player, personal media player and digital audio player.