PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
`
`SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2004
`
`METHOD FOR SAVING BANDWIDTH SENT TO A DIGITAL SET TOP BOX
`
`
`TITLE:
`
`INVENTOR:
`
`Rolf Meier
`
`» Nepean, Ontario, Canada
`
`Attorney Docket No.: 17474ROUSO1 P
`
`SONY - Ex.-1009
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`1
`
`
`
`SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2004
`
`METHOD FOR SAVING BANDWIDTH SENT TO A DIGITAL SET TOP BOX
`
`
`TITLE:
`
`INVENTOR:
`
`Rolf Meier
`
`» Nepean, Ontario, Canada
`
`Attorney Docket No.: 17474ROUSO1 P
`
`SONY - Ex.-1009
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`1
`
`
`
`Invention DisCIosure
`
`Rolf Meier
`
`August 25, 2003
`Bandwidth/Screen Saver for Network Media Gateway 1
`
`This invention is a device and method which detects the activity indicating that
`a TV is in use, and sensing a lack of activity, performs an action to reduce or
`turn off the incoming signal bandwidth, using instead locally—stored or reduced
`quality images to display on the TV screen.
`
`2
`
`
`
`Need for this Invention ‘
`
`The requirement for this invention comes about because the Network Media
`Gateway (hereafter called the NMG) and the network would benefit from
`knowing whether or not a TV is in use or turned on.
`If the TV is not being
`used, then significant downstream bandwidth and processing can be saved
`in the network by not sending the detailed picture information to the TV.
`
`A further benefit would result from displaying images on the TV which would
`not cause “burn-in” of certain repetitive images, for example the overnight
`test pattern, if the viewer forgets to turn off the TV before going to bed. This
`is a common problem with a number of display technologies such as CRT
`projection TVs.
`Instead, a random or blank image can be displayed.
`
`Optionally, the Bandwidth/Screen saver can turn off power to the TV, thereby
`saving energy.
`
`3
`
`
`
`Prior Art
`
`Screen Savers are a well-known example of a process which detected
`the user’s interaction with a computer, and sensing a long idle period,
`would optionally display alternative information on the screen. This
`reduced “burn-in” of images, was sometimes used to save monitor power,
`and also alerted the user to an idle computer.
`
`The present invention is different from the traditional screen saver in that
`the intended function is to reduce incoming bandwidth. Reducing “burn-
`in” and saving power are secondary advantages.
`
`4
`
`
`
`Detailed Description of Invention
`
`Block Diagram of Components
`
`network picture and sound
`—>
`
`
`‘
`user picture
`and sound
`
`
`
`television set
`
`
`remote
`transport and
`servers and
`
`
`access network
`routers
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`‘—
`
`control
`
`
`
`
`Problem:
`
`If television has been turned off
`
`using its remote control, how can
`we ensure that the network does
`
`not waste resources by continuing
`to send picture and sound to the
`NMG? That problem is solved
`with this invention.
`
`
`keyboard
`
`rem ote
`joystick
`
`control
`
`controls:
`
`TV volume
`
`channel change
`PIP
`
`program guide
`Internet surfing
`gaming
`etc.
`
`remote
`control
`
`controls:
`
`TV on/off
`
`TV volume
`
`5
`
`
`
`Main Loop
`
`ower u or reset
`p
`
`p
`
`look for user events:
`key strokes, mouse
`movement, remote
`
`input user
`
`event detected
`
`
`
`load default or
`
`previous
`preferences
`
`
`
`ctrl actions, etc.
`preferences
`
`
` success failure reset timer
`
`check timer against
`user preferences
`
`not expired
`
`table of user preferences:
`-idle time before activation
`
`-type of display to show
`when active
`-etc.
`perform action according
`
`
`check against user
`to user preferences
`ac Ion
`
`
`preferences for action
`
`(next slide)
`instruction
`
`
`
`
`
`expired
`
`6
`
`
`
`Action Algorithms
`
`user preferences:
`
`1
`
`to event
`
`detection
`
`no bandwidth/screen
`saver enabled
`
`NMG continues receiving
`and displaying picture and
`sound to television
`
`blank screen
`
`sen-s message 0
`network to stop
`transmission of network
`
`picture and sound
`
`NMG sends blank
`screen to television
`
`———-——-—>
`
`instruction
`
`reduced quality picture
`
`on telewsnon
`
`sen-s message 0
`.
`remote server requesting
`picture and sound at lower
`bit rate
`
`NMG displays lower
`quality picture and sound
`
`locally generated display
`
`movie, patterns, etc)
`
`sen 0 5 message 0
`network to stop
`transmission of network
`picture and sound
`
`generated picture and sound
`on television (slide show,
`
`7
`
`
`
`Products to be used in
`
`This invention will be used in the Network Media Gateway and
`supporting platforms such as the MPE.
`
`8
`
`
`
`Variations of the Invention
`
`If the user preference is appropriately set, the NMG could turn off
`1.
`power to the television if it supports this function.
`2. Since most of the bandwidth is in the picture information, the NMG
`could optionally continue to receive the sound information from the
`network.
`
`3. The feature could be automatically disabled by certain types of
`programming such as VoD, which may involve less user interaction or
`require a fee for viewing.
`4. The actions could be performed sequentially. For example, a
`reduced quality picture could appear at first which would prompt the
`user to push a button, thereby resetting the event timer.
`If no button is
`pushed, eventually the bandwidth saver action would be taken.
`5. A message would be flashed on the screen prior to bandwidth saver
`activation to warn of the coming picture shutdown. Canceling the
`message with the remote would reset the event timer.
`
`9
`
`
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