Communication system and method

• US 20100064333A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype Limited (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Mark, Blackburn, Helen, Laasik, Marek
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/937 by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate store
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A media appliance and corresponding method, the media appliance comprising a video signal source such as a TV receiver, and signal processing apparatus for generating a corresponding sequence of frames for output to a screen. The appliance comprises a client application programmed to capture one of the frames and use the captured frame to generate an image to represent a user in relation to bidirectional communications over a packet-based network.

Claims

1. A television receiver system comprising:

a television receiver operable to receive a broadcast television signal;

signal processing apparatus, coupled to the television receiver, operable to process the received television signal to generate a corresponding series of frames for sequential output to a television screen;

a memory storing a communication client application;

communications processing apparatus, coupled to said memory and said signal processing apparatus, operable to execute the communication client application; and

a user input device communicable with the communications processing apparatus;

wherein the client application is programmed so as when executed to allow the user to establish bidirectional communications with one or more other users via a packet-based communication network, and to make available to the other users via the packet-based network an image stored in association with an identifier of said user to represent that user in relation to said communications; and

wherein the client application is further programmed to capture one of said frames in response to a user input received from the user input device, to use the captured frame to generate said image, to store the image to a predetermined storage location, and to automatically retrieve the image from the predetermined storage location in order to make available said image in said representation to the other users.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device comprises a plurality of keys, said user input comprises a key-press, and the client application is programmed to:

automatically capture a plurality of said frames in response to said key-press, each within a time window of predetermined length and beginning at a point determined relative to said key-press;

to output an indication of the plurality of frames to the screen for perusal by the user;

to receive a further user input from the user input device selecting one of said plurality of frames; and

to use the selected frame to generate said image.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application is programmed such that the use of said frame to generate said image comprises automatically cropping the frame.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application is programmed to output an instruction message to said screen for display together with said frames.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the signal processing means is operable to process an alternative video signal from a source other than television broadcast to generate a corresponding series of frames for sequential output to the television screen,

the signal processing means is operable to select between the television signal and the alternative video signal for processing to generate the series of frames for output to the screen; and

the client application is programmed to capture one the frames of the selected signal in response to a user input received from the user input device, and to use the captured frame to generate said image.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said other source is one of a video disc player, a personal video recorder, and a storage device of a camcorder.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least said television receiver, signal processing apparatus, memory, and communications processing apparatus are housed within at least one of a TV set and a set-top box for connecting to a TV set.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application is programmed to allow the user to establish said bidirectional communications via the Internet, and to make said image available via the Internet.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application is programmed to allow the user to establish said bidirectional communications via a peer-to-peer connection in said communication network, and to make said image available to represent said user in relation to the peer-to-peer communications.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional communication comprises at least one of a video call, an audio phone call, and a text chat conversation.

11. A method of communicating over a packet-based communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast television signal;

processing the received television signal to generate a corresponding series of frames for sequential output to a television screen;

receiving an input from a user of the packet-based communication network;

in response said user input, executing code to capture one of said frames, use the captured frame to generate an image, and store the image to a predetermined storage location in association with an identifier of the user; and

executing a communication client application so as to establish bidirectional communications with one or more other users via a packet-based communication network;

wherein the client application is programmed such that its execution causes it to automatically retrieve the image from the predetermined storage location in order to make said stored image available to the other users via the packet-based network to represent said user in relation to said communications.

12. A method of communicating over a packet-based communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast television signal;

processing the received television signal to generate a corresponding series of frames for sequential output to a television screen;

detecting a key-press from a user of the packet-based communication network;

in response said user input, executing code to;

automatically capture a plurality of said frames in response to said key-press, each within a time window of predetermined length and beginning at a point determined relative to said key-press;

output an indication of the plurality of frames to the screen for perusal by the user;

receive a further user input selecting one of said plurality of frames; and

use the selected frame to generate an image, and store the image in association with an identifier of the user; and

executing a communication client application so as to establish bidirectional communications with one or more other users via a packet-based communication network, and to make said stored image available to the other users via the packet-based network to represent said user in relation to said communications.

13. A media appliance comprising:

a video signal source operable to supply a video signal;

signal processing apparatus, coupled to the video signal source, operable to process the supplied video signal to generate a corresponding series of frames for sequential output to a screen;

a memory storing a communication client application;

communications processing apparatus, coupled to said memory and said signal processing apparatus, operable to execute the communication client application; and

a user input device comprising a plurality of keys and communicable with the communications processing apparatus;

wherein the client application is programmed so as when executed to allow the user to establish bidirectional communications with one or more other users via a packet-based communication network, and to make available to the other users via the packet-based network an image stored in association with an identifier of said user to represent that user in relation to said communications; and

wherein the client application is further programmed to;

automatically capture a plurality of said frames in response to a key-press from the user input device, each within a time window of predetermined length and beginning at a point determined relative to said key-press;

to output an indication of the plurality of frames to the screen for perusal by the user;

to receive a further user input from the user input device selecting one of said plurality of frames; and

to use the selected frame to generate said image.