Simultaneously multi-networked handheld multimedia gateways

• US 8,976,769 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Whitley, Noel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US13/782,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A user may simultaneously access sources of multimedia information via multiple wireless networks using a handheld multimedia gateway. A user interface may support the selection of information services that are each provided separate, but possibly overlapping, viewing spaces. Circuitry in the multimedia gateway manages the operation of the multiple wireless communication paths, and enables the display of visual information through two or more display devices. The user may customize the display, the size, and the location within a display of regions in which the information is presented.

Claims

1. A wireless access device comprising:

one or more wireless interface circuits configured for simultaneous wireless communication of multimedia information with two or more wireless networks;

a controller circuit in data communication with the one or more wireless interface circuits;

a display in data communication with the controller circuit and including

a first display region for displaying wireless multimedia received by the one or more wireless interface circuits, and

a second display region for displaying wireless multimedia received by the one or more wireless interface circuits, simultaneously with display of the wireless multimedia by the first display region.

2. The wireless access device of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a first display including the first display region and a second display including the second region.

3. The wireless access device of claim 1 wherein the first display region is operative to display a multimedia data stream received from a first wireless network of the two or more wireless networks and the second display region is operative to display a multimedia data stream received from a second wireless network of the two or more wireless networks.

4. The wireless access device of claim 1 wherein the controller circuit comprises:

a display controller configured to decode and display data defining still and motion images contained in the multimedia information received by the one or more wireless interface circuits.

5. The wireless access device of claim 4 wherein the display controller comprises:

data memory configured to store the decoded data defining still and motion images; and

a display interface in data communication with the data memory and the display and configured to access the stored data in the data memory to produce signals for producing an image on the first display region or the second display region.

6. The wireless access device of claim 5 wherein the display controller further comprises:

parameter memory configured to store data defining parameter values defining how to display the data defining still and motion images on the first display region or the second display region.

7. The wireless access device of claim 6 wherein the parameter memory comprises:

a first parameter memory portion to store data defining parameter values for management of the first display region; and

a second parameter memory portion to store data defining parameter values for management of second display region.

8. The wireless access device of claim 6 wherein the parameter memory comprises:

a first parameter memory portion to store data defining parameter values for management of display regions for multimedia information received from a first wireless network of the two or more wireless networks; and

a second parameter memory portion to store data defining parameter values for management of display regions for multimedia information received from a second wireless network of the two or more wireless networks.

9. The wireless access device of claim 1 further comprising a user input device in data communication with the controller circuit and wherein the controller circuit comprises a controller to control operation of the wireless access device.

10. The wireless access device of claim 9 wherein the user input device comprises a touch sensitive overlay on one or both of the first display region and the second display region.

11. A handheld communication device comprising:

radio circuitry for transmitting and receiving multimedia information via a plurality of radio frequency communication networks;

a visual display having user-definable display regions, each respective display region being associated with communication of respective multimedia information via a respective radio frequency communication network; and

wherein the handheld communication device supports user establishment of communication of respective streams of multimedia information between the handheld communication device and the plurality of radio frequency communication networks.

12. The handheld communication device according to claim 11 wherein the handheld communication device is operative to select from the plurality of radio frequency communication networks based upon a bandwidth requirement for communication of multimedia information.

13. The handheld communication device according to claim 12 further comprising

a battery to power the handheld communication device,

wherein the handheld communication device selects from the plurality of radio frequency communication networks based upon a capacity of the battery.

14. The handheld communication device according to claim 11 wherein the visual display comprises two display devices, and wherein each respective display device is functional to display images and text.

15. The handheld communication device according to claim 11 further comprising:

a user input device to receive user input, and wherein at least one of

a display region size,

a display region location, and

conditions under which a display region is visible is determined using user input from the user input device of the handheld communication device.

16. The handheld communication device according to claim 11 wherein supporting user establishment of communication of respective streams of multimedia information comprises simultaneously decoding multiple encoded multimedia streams.

17. The handheld communication device according to claim 16 further comprising:

a first processor in data communication with the radio circuitry to decode a first multimedia stream of the multiple encoded multimedia stream; and

a second processor in data communication with the radio circuitry to decode a second multimedia stream of the multiple encoded multimedia stream.

18. A method comprising:

at a wireless access device,

receiving a first multimedia data stream from a first wireless network;

associating a first user-definable region with the first multimedia data stream;

simultaneous to receiving the first multimedia data stream, receiving a second multimedia data stream from a second wireless network;

associating a second user-definable region with the second multimedia data stream; and

displaying received multimedia data on the first user-definable region and the second user-definable region.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein associating a user-definable display region with a multimedia data stream comprises:

allocating a region of a display device;

setting parameters to cause display, within the allocated region of the display device, of at least a portion of received multimedia data.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein receiving multimedia data stream comprises receiving at least one of

streaming video,

broadcast video,

digitized audio,

a digitized still image, and text.