Home communication systems

• US 8,966,550 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Helios Streaming, LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davies, David B., Russ, Samuel H., Krantzler, Irvan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US12/056,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/78, 725/80, 725/82, 725/85
• US Class Current: 725/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed of a network including a primary device, a plurality of remote devices, and a shared peripheral device. The network allows the remote devices to operate the peripheral device, such as a DVD player, VCR, or camcoder, via the primary device and the network. The peripheral device is typically connected to the primary device and shared among all devices. The network also includes a splitter/isolation module (SIM) that routes the signals between the primary device and the plurality of remote devices.

Claims

1. A home communication system, comprising:

a networked peripheral device operatively connected to a first set-top terminal, the networked peripheral device configured to store a media presentation, wherein the first set-top terminal comprises a processor configured to update an interactive program guide (IPG), the IPG being accessible by other set-top terminal in the home communication network, to include the networked peripheral device;

a second set-top terminal coupled to the first set-top terminal over the home communications network via a splitter/isolator module (SIM), the second set-top terminal configured to receive the media presentation from the networked peripheral device responsive to a user request for access to the media presentation; and

a user interface screen for the networked peripheral device displayed on a display device accessible by the user of the second set-top terminal, wherein the user interface screen for the networked peripheral device is displayed in response to the user selecting the networked peripheral device for playback on the interactive program guide, wherein the user interface screen comprises a plurality of operating commands for the networked peripheral device, wherein the media presentation is currently playing in the networked peripheral device, the user interface screen configured to enable the user of the second set-top terminal to select at least one operating command from the plurality of operating commands, wherein the at least one operating command is received at the first set-top terminal as reverse command signal, and wherein the processor at the first set top terminal is configured to process the received reverse command signal to generate a control function for the networked peripheral device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set-top terminal and the second set-top terminal are co-located in a subscriber premise.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second set-top terminal resides in a room of the subscriber premise separate from a room where the first set-top terminal resides.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating commands include play, pause, rewind, and fast-forward.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set-top terminal and the second set-top terminal each comprise a tuner.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set-top terminal is configured to receive the media presentation transmitted over the broadband network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set top terminal further comprising an encoder, the processor for instructing the encoder to digitally compress the media presentation prior to routing to the second set-top terminal requesting media presentation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set-top terminal further comprising a modulator for modulating the media presentation signals to a predetermined frequency and for providing modulated signals to the second set-top terminal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the networked peripheral device is a DVD player, and wherein the at least one operating command comprises selecting a disc from a plurality of discs in the DVD player.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving at a primary device broadband signals including a media presentation;

storing the media presentation at a peripheral device associated with the primary device;

updating an interactive program guide (IPG) to include the peripheral device (IPG), the IPG being accessible by other set-top terminals in a home communication network;

displaying a user interface screen on a display device accessible by the user of a secondary device, in response to the user selecting the peripheral device on the interactive program guide, wherein the user interface screen comprises a plurality of operating commands for the peripheral device and a title of the media presentation, wherein the media presentation is currently playing in the peripheral device, the user interface screen configured to enable the user of the secondary device to select the media presentation for playback;

receiving a request from the secondary device for access to the media presentation;

providing the media presentation over the home communications network via the splitter/isolator module (SIM), to the secondary device directly responsive to the request;

receiving at least one operating command from the plurality of operating commands from the user, wherein the at least one operating command is received at the primary device as reverse command signal; and

processing the received reverse command signal, at the primary device to generate a control function for the peripheral device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing comprises transmitting the media presentation from a first room to a second room in a subscriber premise.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first room is separate from the second room.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving at the primary device further comprises receiving telephony signals.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a displayed list that includes names of a plurality of peripheral device manufacturers and model identifiers of a corresponding plurality of peripheral devices, the displayed list enabling a user to choose a peripheral device from the list that corresponds to the peripheral device associated with the primary device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing an interactive program guide that is populated with scheduled media presentations available for presentation, the interactive program guide further comprising:

channel identifiers and plural time indexes corresponding to time of presentation of the media presentations; and

at least one of the channel identifiers corresponding to an identifier of the peripheral device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the request from the set-top terminal for access to the media presentation is directly responsive to user input.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the primary device comprises a set-top terminal.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the peripheral device is configured to record and playback the media presentation.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the peripheral device comprises one of a VCR, MP3 player, and a camcorder.

20. A system, comprising:

a computer having an integrated storage device, the storage device configured to store a plurality of media presentations transmitted over a broadband network;

a set-top terminal coupled to the computer over a home communications network via a splitter/isolator module (SIM), the set-top terminal configured to receive at least one of the plurality of media presentations over the home communications network via the splitter/isolator module (SIM) from the computer and effect playback of the at least one of the plurality of media presentations responsive to a user request for playback of the at least one of the plurality of media presentations, wherein the set-top terminal is further configured to update an interactive program guide (IPG), the IPG being accessible by other set-top terminals in the home communication network; and

a user interface screen displayed on a display device accessible by the user of the set-top terminal, wherein the user interface screen comprises a plurality of operating commands for the storage device and a title of the at least one of the plurality of media presentations, wherein the at least one of the plurality of media presentations is currently playing in the peripheral device, the user interface screen configured;

to enable the user of the set-top terminal to select the at least one of the plurality of media presentations for playback, and

to enable the user of the set-top terminal to select at least one operating command from the plurality of operating commands, wherein the at least one operating command is received at the computer as reverse command signal, and wherein the computer is configured to process the received reverse command signal to generate a control function for the integrated storage device.