Systems and methods for providing services

• US 9,674,714 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Francisco, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US13/827,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41 Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• 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 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing services are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving data having a first format and transmitting the data to a first device. The method may also comprise detecting a second device, automatically recognizing a supported second format of the detected second device, converting the data to the second format, and transmitting the converted data to the second device via wireless communication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a discovery element, first content in a first format from a service provider;

transmitting, by the discovery element, the first content in the first format to an output device;

detecting, by the discovery element, a user device;

recognizing, by the discovery element, a supported second format of the detected user device;

receiving, by the discovery element, second content in the second format from the user device;

converting, by the discovery element, the second content from the second format to the first format; and

generating, by the discovery element, an output to be rendered at the output device comprising both the first content and the converted second content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format is compatible with high definition multimedia interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing, by the discovery element, the supported second format of the detected user device comprises identifying configurations of the user device, the configurations comprising one or more of compatibility, connectivity, resolution, or bit-rate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second format comprises a mobile device format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content is received, by the discovery element, via wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the output comprises merged images based upon the first content and the converted second content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the output comprises overlaid images based upon the first content and the converted second content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting, by the discovery element, the first content from the first format to the second format; and

transmitting, by the discovery element, the first content in the second format to the user device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

receive, by a discovery element, first content in a first format from a service provider;

transmit, by the discovery element, the first content in the first format to an output device;

detect, by the discovery element, a user device;

recognize, by the discovery element, a supported second format of the detected user device;

receive, by the discovery element, second content in the second format from the user device;

convert, by the discovery element, the second content from the second format to the first format; and

generate, by the discovery element, an output to be rendered at the output device comprising both the first content and the converted second content.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first format is compatible with high definition multimedia interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to recognize, by the discovery element, the supported second format of the detected user device comprise processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to identify configurations of the user device, the configurations comprising one or more of compatibility, connectivity, resolution, or bit-rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second format comprises a mobile device format.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second content is received, by the discovery element, via wireless communication.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the output comprises merged images based upon the first content and the converted second content.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the output comprises overlaid images based upon the first content and the converted second content.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

convert, by the discovery element, the first content from the first format to the second format; and

transmit, by the discovery element, the first content in the second format to the user device.

17. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:

receive, by a discovery element, first content in a first format from a service provider;

transmit, by the discovery element, the first content in the first format to an output device;

detect, by the discovery element, a user device;

recognize, by the discovery element, a supported second format of the detected user device;

receive, by the discovery element, second content in the second format from the user device;

convert, by the discovery element, the second content from the second format to the first format; and

generate, by the discovery element, an output to be rendered at the output device comprising both the first content and the converted second content.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

convert, by the discovery element, the first content from the first format to the second format; and

transmit, by the discovery element, the first content in the second format to the user device.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the first format is compatible with high definition multimedia interface.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to recognize, by the discovery element, the supported second format of the detected user device comprise processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to identify configurations of the user device, the configurations comprising one or more of compatibility, connectivity, resolution, or bit-rate.