Patent Application
20110072478
Internet enabled televisions (TV) open doors to a lot of opportunities and issues that were absent in traditional TVs. With web-enabled TVs, users have more choices to entertain themselves. For example, they can watch a variety online video streams or view photos shared by friends and family. Video streaming, especially high definition video streams, is bandwidth intensive. In some cases, internet usage is billed based upon the bandwidth used. In certain situations, there may be a limit on the bandwidth usage and/or hefty overage charges. Therefore, there is a continuing need for monitoring bandwidth usage when viewing content on an internet enabled TV.
Embodiments of the present technology are directed toward bandwidth reporting techniques for use in televisions. In one embodiment, a network-enabled TV receives and displays bandwidth information regarding content on one or more networks. The TV may then receive a selection of a given instance of a given content in response to the displayed bandwidth information. In response to the selection, the TV sends a request for the given instance of the given content and thereafter receives and displays the requested given instance of the given content.
In another embodiment, the TV determines if one or more networks have bandwidth restrictions. If one or more networks have bandwidth restrictions, the TV receives and displays the bandwidth usage history for each of the networks having bandwidth restrictions.
Embodiments of the present technology are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present technology will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present technology, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, it is understood that the present technology may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present technology.
The one or more computing device readable media 130 provides for storage of computing device executable instructions and data. The data may be arranged in or more data structures. The computing device executable instructions when executed by the computing device 140 implements one or more applications, routines, utilities, drivers, widgets and the like. The one or more applications, routines, utilities, drivers, widgets and the like include a bandwidth reporting application, one or more network drivers, and one or more applications that consume bandwidth on the one or more networks by sending and/or receiving content, instructions, data and the like on the one or more networks.
Operation of the television system 100 will be further explained with reference to
Referring again to
In an optional process, the networked-enabled TV may determine if the network has a bandwidth restriction, at 270. In one implementation, the bandwidth reporting application determines any bandwidth restrictions such as bandwidth limits, bandwidth rate charges, bandwidth overage charges, and the like from configuration information. If the content will be received on a network having a bandwidth restriction, the processes of 210-260 are performed. If the content will be received on a network not having a bandwidth restriction (e.g., digital living network alliance (DLNA) content streamed over a local area network), the processes of 210 and 220 may be skipped, and the content may be selected and received without regard to the bandwidth usage.
In another optional process, the network-enabled TV may automatically or manually control the bandwidth used by each application currently running on the TV. For example, the currently active application may be given more bandwidth to ensure the smooth operation of that application, since the user is viewing the output on the monitor of the current active application. Other application that are not being rendered on the monitor, or are running in the background, such as network enabled widgets (e.g., a countdown to an event widget) on the TV may be allocated less bandwidth for its operation as the user is not focusing on it and hence are given less priority.
Referring now to
In an optional process, the networked-enabled TV may determine if a network has bandwidth restrictions, at 440. The networked-enabled TV may set a corresponding flag if a network has a bandwidth restriction. Alternatively, the user may be able to set the bandwidth restriction flag via an option in the control setting for the TV. The process at 410 may be selectively performed for each network having bandwidth restrictions. Similarly, if the network has a bandwidth restriction, the processes of 420 and 430 may be performed. If the network does not have a bandwidth restriction (e.g., local DLNA stream), the processes of 420 and 430 may be skipped for the given network.
In another optional process, the network-enabled TV may determine a network plan (e.g., internet usage pricing plan) based on the bandwidth usage history, at 450. In one implementation, the bandwidth reporting application in the TV may be able to determine a suggested internet plan that is best suited for the users' viewing habits based on the bandwidth usage history. At 460, the suggested network plan may be displayed on the network-enabled TV.
Referring now to
Embodiments of the present technology advantageously enable TVs to report the amount of bandwidth used. In addition, embodiments can advantageously provide information on the total bandwidth requirements for a given content, such as a video stream downloaded from the internet. Embodiments advantageously enable a user to more effectively control their bandwidth usage when receiving content on a network-enabled TV. For example, a user may choose to play the same content stream but at a different quality to suit their bandwidth/playback preference, to conserve bandwidth, to avoid bandwidth overage penalties and/or the like.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present technology have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present technology and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present technology and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
