Method and system for providing complete internet anywhere with full server assisted processing

• US 9,106,437 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Silyaev, Vladimir, Kellerman, Marcus, Chen, Xuemin, Erickson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhairya A
• Application Number:
  US12/650,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 725/2, 725/100, 725/110, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/20 Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A STB, communicatively coupled to a server, receives a web page request when, for example, a URI, is entered into a web browser running in the STB. In response, the STB sends a processing assistance request to the server for processing the entire web page regardless of processing capability of the STB. The STB receives processed information resources or contents associated with the entire web page from the server. The server retrieves information resources or contents associated with the entire web page from a web server based on the received processing assistance request. The server determines content type such as video and/or graphics of the retrieved information resources or contents for corresponding content processing. The server determines content formats supported by the STB for content encoding. The STB decodes the resulting encoded information resources or contents from the server to render the entire web page in the STB.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof in a set-top-box (STB) communicatively coupled to a plurality of servers;

receiving a web page request via a web browser running on said STB;

in response to said received web page request, identifying a server from said plurality of servers to which to send a web page processing assistance request, the identification based on a capability and a latency of said server relative to others of said plurality of servers to process a web page for rendering by said STB, said web page processing assistance request for requesting one of said plurality of servers to retrieve and process each portion of said web page, said web page indicated for rendering by said STB in said web page request and comprising a first portion of a first content type in a first content format unsupported by the STB;

sending said web page processing assistance request to said identified server; and

receiving processed information resources or contents associated with each portion of said web page from said identified server, said processed information resources or contents comprising the first portion with the first content type processed into a second content format supported by the STB.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending said web page processing assistance request comprises sending said web page processing assistance request to request said identified server to retrieve each portion of said web page, wherein information resources or contents associated with said each portion of said entire web page is retrieved from a web server based on said received web page processing assistance request from said STB.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of said retrieved information resources or contents is associated with a corresponding content type.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein receiving processed information resources or contents comprises receiving information resources or contents associated with said each portion of said web page processed based on said corresponding content type.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first content type corresponds to video, audio, bitmap or graphics.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining that said server is available to process each portion of said web page for rendering by said STB, and that said latency is within a threshold for web browsing operations in the STB.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said processed information resources or contents comprising said first portion encoded based on said first content format into the second content format.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising decoding said encoded first portion of said web page.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said web page from said identified server, said web page comprising the first portion processed in the first content format.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising rendering said web page comprising the first portion processed into the second content format.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more circuits, or a combination thereof for use in a set-top-box (STB) for communicatively coupling to a plurality of servers, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof being configured to;

receive a web page request via a web browser running on said STB;

in response to said received web page request, identifying a server from said plurality of servers to which to send a web page processing assistance request, the identification based on a capability and a latency of said server, relative to others of the plurality of servers, to process a web page for rendering by said STB, said web page processing assistance request for requesting one of said plurality of servers to retrieve and process each portion of said web page, said web page indicated for rendering by said STB in said web page request and comprising a first portion of a first content type in a first content format unsupported by the STB;

send said web page processing assistance request to said identified server; and

receive processed information resources or contents associated with each portion of said web page from said server, said processed information resources or contents comprising the first portion with the first content type processed by said server into a second content format supported by the STB.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to send the web page processing assistance request to request said identified server to retrieve each portion of the web page, wherein information resources or contents associated with said each portion of said web page are retrieved from a web server based on said received web page processing assistance request from said STB.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein each of said retrieved information resources or contents is associated with a corresponding content type.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to receive information resources or contents associated with said each portion of said web page processed based on said corresponding content type.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said first content type corresponds to video, audio, bitmap or graphics.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to determine that said server is available to process each portion of said web page for rendering by said STB, and that said latency is within a threshold for web browsing operations in the STB.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to receive said processed information resources or contents, said processed information resources or contents comprising said first portion encoded based on said first content format into the second content format.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to decode said encoded first portion of said web page.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to receive said web page, said web page comprising the first portion in the first content format.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to render said web page comprising the first portion processed into the second content format.

21. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to composite said processed information resources or contents associated with each portion of said web page for display via said web browser.

22. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors, said one or more circuits, or said combination thereof are configured to send the web page processing assistance request to said identified server, said identified server comprising a local server.