Resource and capability borrowing

• US 20040187152A1
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avtrex, Inc. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Daney, David, Shen, Kevin, Schmidt, Johannes, Francis, Stephen S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• 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 21/443 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

Systems and techniques for sharing the capabilities of consumer electronic devices. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a task involving audio/video content from a user, identifying which device in an interconnected system of devices is operable to initiate the performance of the task, and assigning responsibility for the performance of the task to the identified device. The interconnected system includes two or more devices at remote locations.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an audio/video content recording device operable to store recorded audio/video content, the device including

a first data output to output the recorded audio/video content for display at a display device, the first data output having a first bandwidth sufficient to establish a real-time connection to the display device, and

a second data output to output the recorded audio/video content for display at a second display device, the second data output having a second bandwidth insufficient to establish a real-time connection to the second display device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data output is operable to output the recorded audio/video content to the first display device in a television signal standard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second data output comprises a portion of a home data communications network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operations control element configured to control operations of the audio/video signal recording device and the output of the recorded audio/video content to the display devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the operations control element comprises a data input configured to receive a task from a user.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the operations control element comprises a task start input configured to receive a user prompt to start performance of a task.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the audio/video signal recording device further comprises a data storage device communicatively coupled for data communication to the operations control element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data storage device includes information identifying tasks for which the operations control element is responsible

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data storage device includes information identifying other operations control elements in a system of devices interconnected to the audio/video signal recording device by a data link.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data storage device includes information identifying tasks for which other operations control elements are responsible.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio/video signal recording device comprises a digital device that stores the recorded audio/video signals in digital format.

12. A system comprising:

a first audio/video signal display device operable to display a channel of a television signal;

a television signal tuner locally associated with the first audio/video signal display device, the tuner adapted to isolate the channel from the television signal;

a second audio/video signal display device operable to display the channel of the television signal, the second audio/video signal display device being located remotely from the television signal tuner;

a first data link connecting the television signal tuner to the first audio/video signal display device; and

a second data link connecting the television signal tuner to the second audio/video signal display device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the television signal tuner comprises a satellite television signal tuner.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the television signal tuner comprises a digital cable television signal tuner.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the television signal tuner comprises a high definition broadcast television signal tuner.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first data link has a first bandwidth sufficient to establish a real-time connection between the television signal tuner and the first audio/video signal display device; and

the second data link has a second bandwidth insufficient to establish a real-time connection between the television signal tuner and the second audio/video signal display device.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first location, a user request to run a task involving audio/video content;

planning how to perform the task using an interconnected system of devices, the interconnected system including one or more devices remote from the first location; and

performing the task using the interconnected system by borrowing a capability from the remote one or more devices.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein performing the task comprises relaying the audio/video content from the remote device to the first location for display in real time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the user request comprises receiving the user request at a data processing device, the user request including a request that the audio/video content be displayed at a second location remote from the first location.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising assembling the remote one or more devices into the interconnected system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein assembling the remote one or more devices comprises receiving a notice of a change in a capability of a certain remote device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the notice of the change in the capability of the certain remote device comprises failing to receive a message from the certain remote device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein assembling the remote one or more devices comprises:

identifying the remote one or more devices; and

identifying one or more capabilities of the remote one or more devices.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein assembling the remote one or more devices comprises generating a list of the identified remote one or more devices and the identified capabilities of the remote one or more devices.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein planning how to perform the task comprises:

identifying at least one remote capability in the interconnected system; and

reserving a right to use the remote capability to perform the task.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

identifying the remote capability comprises identifying an out-of-zone device capability, the out-of-zone device capability found in a device with a limiting interconnection to a performance location where the task is performed; and

reserving the right to use the remote capability comprises sending a reservation over the limiting interconnection.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein reserving the right to use the remote capability comprises sending the reservation to an out-of-zone control element managing scheduling of the remote capability.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein planning how to perform the task further comprises:

accessing a description of capabilities of the devices in the interconnected system; and

comparing the task with the description of the capabilities.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein planning how to perform the task comprises:

receiving notice of a conflict with a new task over the reserved remote capability; and

resolving the conflict over the reserved remote capability.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein resolving the conflict comprises rescheduling the right to use the reserved remote capability.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein resolving the conflict comprises:

identifying an additional capability in the interconnected system; and

reserving a right to use the additional capability to perform the task.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a task involving audio/video content from a user;

identifying which device in an interconnected system of devices is operable to initiate the performance of the task, the interconnected system including two or more devices at remote locations; and

assigning responsibility for the initiation of the task to the identified device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein identifying the device that is operable to initiate the performance of the task comprises identifying a master operations control unit in the interconnected system.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein:

identifying the device that is operable to initiate the performance of the task comprises identifying capabilities of the devices in the interconnected system to be used in the performance of the task; and

assigning responsibility for the initiation of the task comprises assigning responsibility based on the identified capabilities.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein:

identifying the device that is operable to initiate the performance of the task comprises identifying a bandwidth of a data link in the interconnected system to be used in the performance of the task; and

assigning responsibility for the initiation of the task comprises assigning responsibility based on the identified bandwidth.

36. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a loss of a device from an interconnected system of devices;

reassembling the interconnected system to account for the loss of the lost device; and

planning the performance of one or more tasks involving one or more of display and recording of audio/video content on the reassembled interconnected system.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving the indication of the loss of the device comprises receiving the indication of the loss of a television signal recording device.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein receiving the indication of the loss of the device comprises receiving the indication of the loss of a television signal tuner.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising continuing, for a specified time, with a task list for the interconnected system that predates the receipt of the indication of the loss of the device.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising integrating a task list for the lost device into a task list for the interconnected system.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein planning the performance of the one or more tasks comprises identifying a new device in the interconnected system that is operable to run a performance of a certain task.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein planning the performance of the one or more tasks comprises identifying a capability of a device in the reassembled interconnected system that is operable to replace a capability in the lost device.