Patent Application
20100011404
The present invention relates generally to updating TV software images using a TV Internet adapter.
The fusion of television with the Internet is a continuing goal that has spawned systems making it convenient for viewers to access content from both conventional TV sources and the Internet using a single TV chassis. In this way, the number of programs that can be made available to people using the familiar technology of television can be expanded enormously.
This fusion has also resulted increasing the computerization of TVs. This in turn means that TVs increasingly become software driven. Once a TV is vended its software, if it remains static, can become less capable than the software of newer TVs.
A system includes a TV including a TV display and an Internet adapter module connected to the TV using an audio video link and a control link. The TV is configured to display video received from the module over the audio video link responsive to data carried on the control link. The module emulates an Internet interface to send Internet video to the TV at a first time, and furthermore the module, at a second time, ceases to emulate an Internet interface and instead emulates a mass storage device accessible by the TV to obtain software therefrom.
The TV may include a processor that can send a special message to the module indicating that the TV has obtained the software from the module. In response to the special message the module may cease to emulate a mass storage and instead emulate an Internet interface. The control link can be, without limitation, a universal serial bus (USB) link, and the module may be implemented by a set back box.
In another aspect, a tangible digital storage medium is readable by a module processor to present, to a component configured to execute updatable software, an emulation of an Internet interface, receive from the component information identifying the component, send the information to a server over the Internet, receive back from the server updated software for the component, present to the component an emulation of a mass storage device, and permit the component to access the updated software.
In another aspect, a method includes configuring a module to virtually appear to a display device as an Internet adapter communicating with the Internet. The method also includes communicating, over a multimedia link between the module and the display device, video data received by the module from the Internet and communicating, over a control link between the module and the display device and without user interaction, information identifying the display device. The information is provided to an Internet server. In response, the method receives, at the module, update software from the server. The update software is associated with the display device. The configuration of the module is changed to virtually appear to the display device as a mass storage device and to no longer appear as an Internet adapter. Then, the display device is enabled to access the update software.
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
Referring initially to
The TV 12 typically includes a wireless receiver such as but not limited to an IR receiver 20 for receiving wireless signals from a hand-held remote control 22 having a wireless transmitter such as but not limited to an IR transmitter 24. A processor 26 in the remote control 22 can receive input from a user-manipulable key array 28 in accordance with principles known in the art to cause the transmitter 24 to send wireless signals to the TV 12, including cursor control signals to move a cursor on the display 18.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown in
The module 32, which can be implemented as a set-back box (SBB) or other device such as an optical disk player, may be physically engaged with the housing of the TV 12 with communication being established by respective connectors on the module and TV, or the module 32 may be connected via a cord to the TV 12. In any case, an Internet interface 39 (such as a wired or wireless modem) of the module 32 can be connected to the Internet typically by a computer cable that extends from the housing of the module 32 to an Internet jack, although as intimated above the module 32 alternatively may communicate with the Internet wirelessly using, e.g., Wi-Fi, WiMAX, etc. Audio-video content may be provided from one or more content servers 38 on the Internet 30 via the module 32 for presentation on the TV display 18.
Commencing at block 40, the USB link 37 and, if desired, the HDMI connection are established between the module 32 and TV 12. At block 42, the TV automatically sends identifying data over the USB link to the module. This data may include TV model number and serial number. The TV identifying information can also be read by the module 32 from the HDMI key selection vector (KSV) of the TV, typically received on the HDMI path.
In turn, at block 44 the module 32 sends the TV ID information over, e.g., the Internet to a server such as one of the servers shown in
When the module receives the update, at block 48 it changes its software emulation from that of an Internet adapter to one of mass storage, so that it appears to the TV 12 as, e.g., a USB mass storage device. The TV accordingly detects the module 32 as a mass storage device at block 50, loading the software from the medium 35 in the module 32 to the TV medium 16 in the TV 12 at block 52. The TV processor 14 accesses the medium 16 to update its internal software, e.g., its operating system or other software image, accordingly.
As shown at block 54 in
The above information exchange between TV and module in blocks 42, 52, 54, and 56 may be over the USB link. Internet video is sent from the module 32 to the TV 12 over the HDMI link.
While the particular TV SOFTWARE UPGRADE USING TV INTERNET ADAPTER is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims. For example, the module 32 may be, instead of or in addition to an Internet adapter, a video disk adapter to provide video disk capabilities to the TV, in which case the update data can be loaded from a disk in the adapter to the TV, with the adapter containing the above-described database of TV ID and TV update files as well as the update files themselves.
