Wireless access point with digital television capabilities

• US 9,866,918 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pendakur, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Mew, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/812,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

In some embodiments a wireless access point receives digital television content. The digital television content is transmitted in a wireless manner over a wireless network of the wireless access point. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A device to establish a wireless hotspot to redistribute digital television content, comprising:

a digital television receiver to receive a terrestrial broadcast of digital television content; and

encapsulation and exposure circuitry to transcode the digital television content into a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session;

a transmitter to wirelessly stream the digital television content to a smart device over a Wi-Fi network to be generated by the wireless hotspot;

wherein the wireless hotspot redistributes the digital television content through the RTP session and does not include a display for rendering the digital television content.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the digital television content is MPEG encoded, the wireless hotspot comprising a digital television tuner to decode the MPEG encoded digital television content before streaming the digital television content to the smart device.

3. The device of claim 1, comprising a management device to generate a program guide and transmit the program guide to an application that resides on the smart device.

4. The device of claim 1, comprising a storage device to record the digital television content for later streaming.

5. The device of claim 1, comprising an Radio Frequency (RF) antenna coupled to the digital television receiver to receive the terrestrial broadcast.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the smart device is a laptop computer.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the smart device is a mobile phone.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the smart device is a tablet computer.

9. A method of redistributing digital television content, comprising:

receiving a terrestrial broadcast of digital television content at a wireless hotspot;

transcoding the digital television content into a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session; and

streaming the digital television content to a smart device over a Wi-Fi network generated by the wireless hotspot;

wherein the wireless hotspot redistributes the digital television content through the RTP session does not include a display for rendering the digital television content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital television content is MPEG encoded, the method comprising decoding the MPEG encoded digital television content before streaming the digital television content to the smart device.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising generating a program guide and transmitting the program guide to an application that resides on the smart device.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising recording the digital television content to a storage device of the wireless hotspot for later streaming.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless hotspot comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) antenna to receive the terrestrial broadcast.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the smart device is a laptop computer.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the smart device is a mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the smart device is a tablet computer.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a wireless hotspot to:

receive a terrestrial broadcast of digital television content at the wireless hotspot;

transcode the digital television content into a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) session; and

stream the digital television content to a smart device over a Wi-Fi network generated by the wireless hotspot;

wherein the wireless hotspot redistributes the digital television content through the RTP session and does not include a display for rendering the digital television content.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the digital television content is MPEG encoded, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause the wireless hotspot to decode the MPEG encoded digital television content before streaming the digital television content to the smart device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions that cause the wireless hotspot to generate a program guide and transmit the program guide to an application that resides on the smart device.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions that cause the wireless hotspot to record the digital television content to a storage device of the wireless hotspot for later streaming.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the wireless hotspot comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) antenna to receive the terrestrial broadcast.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the smart device is a laptop computer.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the smart device is a mobile phone.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the smart device is a tablet computer.