Presentation of data on multiple display devices using a wireless hub

• US 9,386,269 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Igoe, Patrick T., Ehrlacher, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, MICHAEL HYUN
• Application Number:
  US11/624,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20080066124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,455 Days
• Field of Search: 725/78, 725/80, 725/81
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• 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 21/43637 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 21/440209 for formatting on an optical medium, e.g. DVD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 : Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless hub may automatically designate a primary display device based on characteristics of a display device. The wireless hub may cause program content to be displayed on the primary display device. The wireless hub may also cause supplemental video content to be displayed on one or more secondary display devices.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless hub, the method comprising:

receiving, by the wireless hub, registration of a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices includes two display devices;

receiving, by the wireless hub, a request for the program content;

automatically designating, by the wireless hub, the two display devices as one as a primary display device and the other as a secondary display device, the designation based, at least in part, on characteristics associated with each of the two display devices;

causing, by the wireless hub, the program content to be displayed on the primary display device; and

causing, by the wireless hub, supplemental video content to be displayed on the secondary display device, wherein the supplemental video content corresponds to the program content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental video content is encoded in a program stream that includes the program content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental video content includes an advertisement corresponding to a product or service being presented on the primary display device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an instruction to a source device to transmit the program content to the primary display device and transmitting a set of different instructions to the primary display device to receive the program content.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting, by the wireless hub, the program content to the primary display device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an instruction to a source device to transmit the supplemental video content to the secondary display device and transmitting a set of different instructions to the secondary display device to receive the supplemental video content.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the supplemental video content to the secondary display device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recognizing, by the wireless hub, a link to a website in the program content displayed on the primary display device; and

causing, by the wireless hub, the secondary display device to display website content associated with the link to the website.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental video content includes image data received in response to a determination by the wireless hub of video frames to be captured from the program content being displayed on the primary display device, and transmitting individual ones of the captured video frames to the secondary display device.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplemental video content is encoded in one or more additional streams of video data, each of the additional streams being displayed on the secondary display device.

11. A method performed by a wireless hub, the method comprising:

receiving, by the wireless hub, registration of a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices includes two display devices;

receiving, by the wireless hub, a request for program content, wherein the program content includes a main program stream and a secondary program stream;

determining, by the wireless hub, a subset of the two display devices to present the program content;

automatically designating, by the wireless hub, a primary display device based, at least in part, on characteristics associated with each of the two display devices;

transmitting, by the wireless hub, an instruction to a source device to transmit the program content; and

transmitting, by the wireless hub, an instruction to the primary display device to receive the main program stream and a different set of instructions to the two display devices to receive the secondary program stream.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the secondary program stream includes advertisements corresponding to products or services being presented in the main program stream.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the two display devices are located in a same zone of a home entertainment system.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the two display devices are positioned to partially encircle a viewing location.

15. the method of claim 11, wherein the subset of the two display devices is determined based on a number of video streams included in the program content.

16. A method of presenting content containing multiple video streams, the method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless hub, registration of a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices includes two display devices;

receiving, by the wireless hub, a request for program content;

determining, by the wireless hub, whether the program content includes more than one stream of video data;

aggregating, by the wireless hub, the more than one stream of video data to form a composite video program stream;

automatically designating, by the wireless hub, the two display devices as one as a primary display device and the other as a secondary display device, the designation based, at least in part, on characteristics associated with each of the two display devices; and

transmitting, by the wireless hub, the composite video program stream to the primary display device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the aggregating includes matching the number of streams of video data in the composite video program stream to the number of display devices available for presentation of the program content.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the registration prevents the plurality of devices from being registered with a different wireless hub.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the registration allows exchange of data between the plurality of devices and the wireless hub, and facilitates direct transfer of data between the plurality of devices in response to receiving instructions from the wireless hub.

20. A wireless hub comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive registration of a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices includes two display devices;

the transceiver configured to receive a request for program content;

a processor is configured to automatically designate the two display devices as one as a primary display device and the other as a secondary display device, the designation based, at least in part, on characteristics associated with each of the two display devices;

the processor is configured to cause the program content to be displayed on the primary display device; and

the processor is further configured to cause supplemental video content to be displayed on the secondary display device, wherein the supplemental video content corresponds to the program content.

21. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the supplemental video content is encoded in a program stream that includes the program content.

22. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the supplemental video content includes an advertisement corresponding to a product or service being presented on the primary display device.

23. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an instruction to a source device to transmit the program content to the primary display device and to transmit a set of different instructions to the primary display device to receive the program content.

24. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the program content to the primary display device.

25. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an instruction to a source device to transmit the supplemental video content to the secondary display device and to transmit a set of different instructions to the secondary display device to receive the supplemental video content.

26. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the supplemental video content to the secondary display device.

27. The wireless hub of claim 20 further comprising:

the processor is configured to recognize a link to a website in the program content displayed on the primary display device; and

the processor is further configured to cause the secondary display device to display website content associated with the link to the website.

28. The wireless hub of claim 20, wherein the supplemental video content includes image data received in response to a determination by the wireless hub of video frames to be captured from the program content being displayed on the primary display device, and transmitting individual ones of the captured video frames to the secondary display device.

29. The wireless hub of claim 21, wherein the supplemental video content is encoded in one or more additional streams of video data, each of the additional streams being displayed on the secondary display device.