Methods and apparatuses for an integrated media device

• US 20070107019A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 2Wire, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 2Wire, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Romano, Pasquale, Hinman, Brian, Sugar, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/268,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• 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 21/472 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are described for a set top box. The set top box may include a satellite television reciever module, a broadband internet module, a digital video recorder, a storage medium, a first output port, and an integrated user interface. The satellite television receiver module receives satellite television broadcasts and converts the broadcast for display on a television. The broadband internet module converts content in a broadband signal for display on the television. The digital video recorder (DVR) allows a user to manipulate a digital stream of vidio programming from the satellite television broadcast. The integrated user interface displays on the television to allow a user to access an integrated content user experience by displaying icons that allow the user to select content from the satellite television broadcasts, the content in the broadband signal, and content from a first computer connected to the first network.

Claims

1. A set top box, comprising:

a satellite television receiver module to receive satellite television broadcasts and convert the broadcast for display on a television;

a broadband Internet module to convert content in a broadband signal for display on the television;

a digital video recorder (DVR) to allow a user to manipulate a digital stream of video programming from the satellite television broadcast including a capability to pause a display of live broadcast feeds;

a storage medium to store digital photograph files as well as the television programs from the satellite television broadcast within the set top box;

a first output port to couple to a first network that carries digital signals from the set top box; and

an integrated user interface displayed on the television to allow a user to access an integrated content user experience by displaying icons that allow the user to select content from the satellite television broadcasts, the content in the broadband signal, and content from a first computer connected to the first network that carries digital signals.

2. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a central management system interface to communicate with a remote central management system, wherein the central management system administers and integrates a billing exchange between a content provider, the central management system, and a user'"'"'s service provider.

3. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the central management system interface provides a voucher token to the content provider to allow the set top box to download selected content from the content provider.

4. The set top box of claim 1, wherein a central management system performs catalog aggregation to present a common catalog presentation on the user interface of available content based on a type of content independent of the source of the content.

5. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a network module running on a set top box and that contains code scripted to access the first computer to obtain the digital photograph files as well as digital music files.

6. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to access the storage medium to obtain the digital photograph files as well as digital music files, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to allow a user to browse and manage the digital photograph files and the digital music files from the set top box.

7. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a network module containing code scripted to allow a user to select a first digital music file to listen to from a first browser-enabled device located in room other than the room containing the set top box.

8. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a second output port to couple to a second network that carries analog video signals from the set top box.

9. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a photo application containing code scripted to automatically detect a digital camera device connecting to the set top box, wherein the photo application loads a software driver for the digital camera device and automatically downloads any digital photograph files stored in the digital camera device into the storage medium.

10. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the DVR includes a personal video recorder module to allow a user to further manipulate the digital stream of video programming by performing any one of the following operations selected from the group consisting of 1) fast forwarding through frames of the digital stream of video programming, 2) reversing through frames of the digital stream, 3) skipping back a preset amount of time in the digital stream, and 4) skipping forward a preset amount of time in the digital stream.

11. The set top box of claim 2, further comprising:

a web enabled remote access module to establish a secure link between a browser enabled device connected to the Internet and the set top box via the central management system.

12. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the broadband Internet module includes a module configured to run Video on Demand content from a content provider on the Internet and to display the Video on Demand on the television.

13. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to present digital photograph files stored on the first computer for display on the television.

14. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote stream play control block associated with the DVR in the set top box;

a remote unit to receive the digital stream of video from the set top box and couples to the first network, wherein the remote stream play control block compresses the digital stream of video for transport over the first network that carries digital signals by sending a subset of video frames of the total number of video frames making up the digital stream of video during a fast forward or a reverse operation.

15. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to present e-mail messages and instant messages on the television that overlays text associated with the e-mail message or instant message over a current program being displayed on the television.

16. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to present caller ID information and call-log information that overlays text associated with the caller ID information or call-log information over a current program being displayed on the television.

17. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the integrated user interface contains code scripted to broadcast a message from a phone service voice mail through the television.

18. The set top box of claim 1, further comprising:

a second output port to couple to the first network that carries audio signals from the set top box.

19. The set top box of claim 2, further comprising:

a web enabled remote access module containing code scripted to integrate with a third party web site to retrieve multi-media content from that website via application program interfaces and a security mechanism that uses a shared secret between the set top box and the third party website, wherein the web enabled remote access module cooperates with the television receiver module to properly display that content on the television.

20. A system, comprising:

a set top box that includes

a satellite television receiver module to receive satellite television

broadcasts and to convert the broadcast for display on a television;

a broadband Internet module to convert content in a

broadband signal for display on the television;

a digital video recorder (DVR) to allow a user to manipulate

a digital stream of video programming from the satellite television broadcast including a pausing of live broadcast feeds;

a storage medium to store digital multimedia files as well as the television programs from the satellite television broadcast within the set top box;

a central management system interface to communicate with a remote central management system, wherein the central management system administers and integrates a billing exchange between a content provider, the central management system, and a service provider; and

an integrated user interface displayed on the television to allow a user to access an integrated content user experience by displaying icons that allow the user to select content from the satellite television broadcasts, and the multimedia content from the broadband signal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the central management system transmits a voucher token to the central management system interface, and the central management system interface transmits the voucher token to the content provider to allow the set top box to download selected content from the content provider.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a remote stream play control block associated with the DVR in the set top box; and

a remote unit to receive the digital stream of video from the set top box, wherein the remote stream play control block compresses the digital stream of video for transport over a local area network that carries digital signals by sending a subset of video frames of the total number of video frames making up the stream of video during a fast forward or a reverse operation.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the set top box further includes

a first output port to couple to a first network that carries analog video signals from the set top box;

and

a second output port to couple to a second network that carries digital signals from the set top box.

24. A set top box to output two or more independent multi-media data streams, comprising:

a broadcast television application to supply a first program data stream of content to a first television coupled to the set top box, and to supply a second program data stream of content to a second television coupled to the set top box, wherein the content of the first program data stream is independent of the content in the second program data stream and the first program data stream and the second program data stream are supplied at the same time;

a network application to send and retrieve multi-media data for the broadcast television application from a first computing device external to the set top box; and

a digital video recorder (DVR) to allow a user to manipulate the first program data stream and the second program data stream from the broadcast television application.

25. The set top box of claim 24, further comprising:

a remote access application cooperating with a xDSL gateway, wherein the remote access application contains code scripted to send and retrieve over a Wide Area network scheduling information for the digital video recorder from a second computing device connected to the Wide Area Network that the set top box is part of.

26. The set top box of claim 24, wherein the computing device is a cellular phone, a lap top computer, or other wireless portable computing device.

27. The set top box of claim 25, further comprising:

a broadcast satellite interface to retrieve the first program data stream of content from a satellite broadcast.

28. The set top box of claim 25, further comprising:

a movie application containing code scripted to allow a user to select a first digital movie file to watch from the second television located in room other than the room containing the top box.

29. The set top box of claim 24, further comprising:

a movie application to run resident on an operating system software of the set top box and to a first digital movie file to the first television at the same time the broadcast television application supplies the second program data stream of content to the second television.