`SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2004
`
`METHOD FOR SAVING BANDWIDTHSENT TO A DIGITAL SET TOP BOX
`
`TITLE:
`
`INVENTOR:
`
`Rolf Meier
`
`- Nepean, Ontario, Canada
`
`Attorney Docket No.: 17474ROUS01P
`
`SONY - Ex.-1009
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`1
`
`
`
`Invention Disclosure
`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 lackof activity, performs an action to reduce or
`turn off the incoming signal bandwidth, using instead locally-stored or reduced
`quality imagesto display on the TV screen.
`
`2
`
`
`
`Needfor this Invention .
`
`The requirementfor this invention comes about because the Network Media
`Gateway (hereafter called the NMG) and the network would benefit from
`knowing whetheror 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 ofdisplay technologies such as CRT
`projection TVs.
`Instead, a randomor 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 longidle 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 saverin that
`the intended function is to reduce incoming bandwidth. Reducing “burn-
`in” and saving powerare 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
`
` keyboard
`
`vayatick
`remote
`control
`
`Problem:
`
`mouse
`
`remote
`control
`
`if television has been turned off
`using its remote control, how can
`we ensurethat the network does
`not waste resources by continuing
`to send picture and sound to the
`NMG? That problem is solved
`with this invention.
`
`controls:
`TV volume
`channel change
`PIP
`program guide
`Internet surfing
`gaming
`etc.
`
`controls:
`TV on/off
`TV volume
`
`5
`
`
`
`Main Loop
`
`owerup orreset
`p
`
`P
`
`look for user events:
`key strokes, mouse
`movement, remote
`
`
`ctrl actions,etc.
`
`
`
`input user
`preferences
`
`load default or
`previous
`preferences
`
`reset timer
`
`not expired
`
`checktimer against
`user preferences
`
`
`table of user preferences:
`-idle time before activation
`
`-type of display to show
`expired
`when active
`-etc.
`
`perform action according
`
`check against user
`to user preferences
`action
`
`
`preferencesfor action
`
`(next slide)
`
`instruction
`
`
`
`
`6
`
`
`
`Action Algorithms
`
`user preferences:
`
`|
`
`to event
`
`detection
`
`senas message to networkto stop
`
`no bandwidth/screen
`saver enabled
`
`NMGcontinues receiving
`and displaying picture and
`sound to television
`
`blank screen
`
`_
`transmission of network
`picture and sound
`
`NMG sendsblank
`i
`screen to television
`
`—_————>
`
`instruction
`
`reduced quality picture
`
`sends message to
`:
`remote serverrequesting
`picture and sound at lower
`
`NMG displays lower
`quality picture and sound
`
`on television
`movie, patterns, etc)
`
`locally generated display
`
`sends message to
`network to stop
`transmission of network
`picture and sound
`
`y
`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 bandwidthis in the picture information, the NUG
`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 mayinvolve less user interaction or
`require a fee for viewing.
`4. The actions could be performed sequentially. For example, a
`reduced quality picture could appear atfirst 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
`
`