Hardware device for multimedia transmission

• US 9,525,907 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AWES Me Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SmugMug Incorporated
• Inventors: Macaskill, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/423,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20150249860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 725/68, 725/85, 725/100, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 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 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• 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 21/437 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 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57

Abstract

Devices and methods for viewing visual content and accompanying methods are provided. Devices include a digital video connector, a power supply and a computing unit which can have software components which are preprogrammed for connecting with a remote server without user interaction to provide visual content. Methods include connecting to a network, connecting to the remote server, receiving visual content from the remote server and displaying that content on a display. The content can be manipulated locally or from a remote site and can be updated continually.

Claims

1. A data transmission device for viewing visual content comprising:

a display;

a digital video connector coupled between the data transmission device and the display;

a power supply port; and

a computing unit comprising;

a processor;

a memory storage unit;

one or more wireless devices, wherein at least one of the wireless devices connects to a network; and

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, performs the following operation;

connecting with a remote server over the network;

providing one or more network identifiers to the remote server;

providing one or more queries to the remote server to receive visual content, wherein the visual content comprises one or more of photos, rendered graphics, digital images, slideshows, and composites thereof;

providing one or more visual content parameters to the remote server;

providing an interface for connecting with a user device;

uploading the visual content from the remote server to the computing unit;

manipulating the visual content on the remote server in response to input received via the interface communicatively coupled with the user device, wherein the manipulating comprises one or more of cropping, rendering, blurring, rasterizing, or an adjustment; and

displaying the manipulated visual content on the display, wherein the visual content manipulation is displayed in real time simultaneously between the user device and the display.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more connectivity programs for creating a secondary network.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is a touchscreen display.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the user device is a touchscreen device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the digital video connector is a HDMI port.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more wireless devices is a Bluetooth device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the power supply port is a USB port.

8. A method for providing visual content to a display comprising:

configuring a data transmission device with one or more network identifiers, wherein the data transmission device has one or more device identifiers;

connecting the data transmission device with a remote server using a network, the one or more device identifiers and the one or more network identifiers;

configuring the data transmission device using the remote server, one or more user devices or both;

providing one or more visual content parameters to the remote server;

uploading visual content from the remote server to the data transmission device in response to the visual content parameters, wherein the visual content comprises one or more of photos, rendered graphics, digital images, slideshows, and composites thereof;

manipulating the visual content on the remote server and the data transmission device in response to input received on the one or more user devices, wherein the manipulating comprises one or more of cropping, rendering, blurring, rasterizing, cutting, pasting, making collages, changing a hue, an artistic effect, or an adjustment; and

displaying the manipulated visual content on a display connected to the data transmission device, wherein the visual content manipulation is displayed in real time simultaneously between the user device and the display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data transmission device is preconfigured with one or more network identifiers and one or more visual content parameters prior to receipt by an end user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user device is a touchscreen device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more network identifiers is a unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the data transmission device connects with the display using an HDMI port.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein visual content is continuously uploaded from the remote server to the data transmission device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the data transmission device is integrated with the display.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing visual content on the data transmission device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein connecting with a network further comprises:

connecting to a user device which has a network connection; and

connecting with the network from the user device.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the remote server selects the visual content based on at least one of the one or more visual content parameters, at least one of the one or more network parameters or combinations thereof.