Media interface device

• US 9,807,459 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Alman, Douglas, Fryer, Todd Andrew, Nicas, Nicholas, Turner, Jr., Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDOZA, JUNIOR O
• Application Number:
  US14/712,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a media interface device, a media selection command included in a first communication from an application executing on a processor in a display device. The method further includes transmitting a signal to a particular module of a plurality of modules of the media interface device, where the particular module is selected based on the media selection command, and where each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content from a corresponding media source. The method further includes sending a second communication to the application. The second communication includes a particular media content item received via the particular module.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a media interface device, a media selection command included in a first communication from an application executing on a processor in a display device, the media selection command identifying a particular media content item, wherein the first communication is included in a first Ethernet frame, and wherein the first Ethernet frame identifies a media access control address associated with the display device as a source of the first Ethernet frame;

receiving first media content as a first packetized stream in a first format, wherein the first media content is received via a first module of a plurality of modules of the media interface device, and wherein each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content in a particular format from a corresponding media source;

receiving second media content as a second packetized stream in a second format different than the first format, wherein the second media content is received via a second module of the plurality of modules;

converting the second packetized stream to a converted packetized stream in the first format, wherein converting the second packetized stream comprises decoding a portion of the second media content to generate decoded media content, and wherein the converted packetized stream is based on the decoded media content;

selecting a particular packetized stream to send to the application based on the media selection command, wherein the particular packetized stream is selected from a plurality of packetized streams in the first format, the plurality of packetized streams provided by the plurality of modules, and wherein the plurality of packetized streams includes the first packetized stream and the converted packetized stream; and

sending the particular packetized stream to the application as a second communication, the second communication including at least a portion of the particular media content item, wherein the second communication is included in a second Ethernet frame, and wherein the second Ethernet frame identifies the media access control address associated with the display device as a destination of the second Ethernet frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content items via a different communication technology.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the different communication technologies include 8 vestigial sideband, cable television, internet protocol television, satellite digital video broadcasting, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules includes an 8-level vestigial side band module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the second packetized stream to the converted packetized stream further comprises:

prior to decoding the portion of the second media content, demodulating the second packetized stream to generate a demodulated packetized stream;

prior to decoding the portion of the second media content, tuning to a particular frequency of the demodulated packetized stream to acquire the second media content; and

after decoding the portion of the second media content, packetizing a portion of the decoded media content into a packet in the first format, wherein the converted packetized stream includes the packet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the media selection command specifies internet protocol television, sending a multicast join request from an internet protocol television module of the plurality of modules to an internet protocol television source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules includes a satellite digital video broadcasting module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules includes an internet protocol television module.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the first packetized stream to change a destination of the first packetized stream from the media interface device to the display device responsive to the particular packetized stream being the first packetized stream.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third communication from a second application executing on a second processor in a second display device, the third communication including a second media selection command for a second particular media content item.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a second particular packetized stream to send to the second application based on the second media selection command, wherein the second particular packetized stream is selected from the plurality of packetized streams; and

sending the second particular packetized stream to the second application as a fourth communication, the fourth communication including at least a portion of the second particular media content item, and wherein the fourth communication is sent via a fourth frame.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of modules, wherein each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content in a particular format from a corresponding media source, and wherein the plurality of modules include;

a first module configured to receive first media content as a first packetized stream in a first format; and

a second module configured to;

receive second media content as a second packetized stream in a second format different than the first format; and

convert the second packetized stream to a converted packetized stream in the first format, wherein converting the second packetized stream comprises decoding a portion of the second media content to generate decoded media content, and wherein the converted packetized stream is based on the decoded media content;

an interface configured to;

receive a media selection command included in a first communication from an application executing on a processor in a display device, the media selection command identifying a particular media content item, wherein the first communication is included in a first Ethernet frame, and wherein the first Ethernet frame identifies a media access control address associated with the display device as a source of the first Ethernet frame; and

send a particular packetized stream in the first format to the application as a second communication, the second communication including at least a portion of the particular media content item, wherein the particular packetized stream is selected from a plurality of packetized streams in the first format, the plurality of packetized streams provided by the plurality of modules, and wherein the plurality of packetized streams includes the first packetized stream and the converted packetized stream, wherein the second communication is included in a second Ethernet frame, and wherein the second Ethernet frame identifies the media access control address associated with the display device as a destination of the second Ethernet frame; and

a control plane configured to select a particular module of the plurality of modules to receive the particular media content item based on the media selection command.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a storage device configured to store media content items received by the particular module.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the particular module is configured to packetize media content to generate packetized media content.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of modules includes an 8-level vestigial side band module, a satellite digital video broadcasting module, an internet protocol television module, a cable television module, a direct internet access module, or a combination thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises a power-line interface, a home phone network alliance interface, an Ethernet interface, an institute of electrical and electronics engineers 802.11 interface, or a combination thereof.

17. A computer readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a first processor to perform operations including:

receiving a media selection command included in a first communication from an application executing on a processor in a display device, the media selection command identifying a particular media content item, wherein the first communication is included in a first Ethernet frame, and wherein the first Ethernet frame identifies a media access control address associated with the display device as a source of the first Ethernet frame;

receiving first media content as a first packetized stream in a first format, wherein the first media content is received via a first module of a plurality of modules, and wherein each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content in a particular format from a corresponding media source;

receiving second media content as a second packetized stream in a second format different than the first format, wherein the second media content is received via a second module of the plurality of modules;

converting the second packetized stream to a converted packetized stream in the first format, wherein converting the second packetized stream comprises decoding a portion of the second media content to generate decoded media content, and wherein the converted packetized stream is based on the decoded media content;

selecting a particular packetized stream to send to the application based on the media selection command, wherein the particular packetized stream is selected from a plurality of packetized streams in the first format, the plurality of packetized streams provided by the plurality of modules, and wherein the plurality of packetized streams includes the first packetized stream and the converted packetized stream; and

sending the particular packetized stream to the application as a second communication, the second communication including at least a portion of the particular media content item, wherein the second communication is included in a second Ethernet frame, and wherein the second Ethernet frame identifies the media access control address associated with the display device as a destination of the second Ethernet frame.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of modules is configured to receive media content via a different communication technology.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of modules includes a cable television module.