Wireless link quality monitoring in network-enabled TVs

A networked TV gathers information pertaining to the quality of a wireless link over which the TV receives streamed multimedia content, and presents an indication of the quality to a user, selectively blocks content from display if the quality falls below a threshold, and/or reports poor link quality to a network server for diagnostic action by technical personnel.

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to monitoring wireless link quality in network-enabled TVs and more specifically for providing indications thereof to a user.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Internet enabled TVs opens doors to a lot of opportunities and issues that were absent in traditional TVs. With web-enabled TVs, users now have access to a variety of videos served by various content providers.

Video streaming (especially high definition) is bandwidth intensive and requires sustained throughput for smooth playback. Nevertheless, with new advancements in wireless technologies, it is now possible to achieve the necessary speeds required for streaming HD content within a typical home environment. However, as understood herein wireless performance is sensitive to surrounding (RF) conditions which can change over time. Troubleshooting network related errors can be frustrating for users who are not network savvy.

This in turn can lead to a high volume of customer service calls, a problem that is not resolved simply by providing indications of link status without any insight as to quality of the link. As further recognized herein, even with a correctly setup wireless network, if the surrounding environment is crowded with several wireless networks on the same channel, the quality of video playback will not be enjoyable, in which case link quality, and not the network setup, is the culprit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to effectively resolve such issues, as understood herein it is advantageous to provide enough information to the end user which can be passed on to the service representative regarding wireless link quality.

Accordingly a system includes a video display, a processor controlling video display, and a TV tuner providing TV signals to the processor for presentation on the display. The processor selectively presents on the display an indication of quality of the link. The display can be the display of a TV. In some example implementations the link is wireless, the network interface is a wireless transceiver, and the link quality indication indicates one or more wireless signal strength, data rate, packet loss, or streaming delay. If desired, the processor can also cause link status information to be presented on the display.

In example embodiments the processor, alone or in concert with a wireless network interface processor communicating with the processor, executes a software-implemented link manager module that may be resident in the TV to determine if link quality violates a threshold and if so to present a prompt on the system for the user to take corrective action. In addition or alternatively, if the processor determines that the link quality violates a threshold it selectively prevents certain content to be received on the network from being presented on the display. For example, if the network conditions are such that they cannot support more than 10 Mbps streams, then the processor does not show online content that requires more than 10 Mbps steady bandwidth. In addition or alternatively, if the processor determines that link quality violates a threshold it sends link quality information to a network server which may perform further diagnostics and determine the best suitable video quality (video transcoded to a lower quality) to be presented to the TV.

The processor may determine if link quality violates a threshold at least in part by testing current link signal strength against a minimum threshold. In addition or alternatively the processor may determine if link quality violates a threshold at least in part by comparing data rate against a threshold minimum data rate. In addition or alternatively the processor may determine if link quality violates a threshold at least in part by comparing packet loss per second against a threshold maximum packet loss per second. Yet again, the processor can determine if link quality violates a threshold at least in part by comparing streaming delay against a threshold maximum delay period.

In another aspect, a TV system includes a display, a processor controlling display, and a network interface communicating with the processor to send multimedia (audio, still picture, and video) data received over a network link thereto. The processor presents on the display a link quality user interface (UI) indicating at least the quality of the link.

In another aspect, a networked TV executes logic that includes gathering information pertaining to quality of a wireless link over which the TV receives streamed multimedia, and then presenting an indication of the quality to a user on, e.g., a network link status screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially toFIG. 1, a TV system10includes a TV chassis12holding a TV processor14accessing a computer-readable storage medium16such as disk-based or solid state storage that can be non-volatile memory (NVM). The medium16may bear a software-implemented network manager module executable by the TV processor14alone or acting in concert with the below-described network interface processor to undertake logic herein. Furthermore, the medium16may bear software executable by the TV processor14to enable reception and display of Internet content on the TV.

The chassis12may also hold a TV tuner18communicating TV signals to the TV processor14. There need be only a single analog/digital TV tuner18provided in the TV system10, it being understood that the single analog/digital TV tuner18may be physically implemented by one and only one combined digital/analog tuner or by a single digital tuner or by one and only one digital tuner in combination with one and only one analog tuner. In other embodiments only a single analog tuner and no digital tuners may be provided. The tuner18may be provided in the chassis12or in a set-top box, and the tuner18may receive TV signals from a satellite, cable head end, terrestrial broadcast antenna, etc.

A network interface device20such as but not limited to an Internet enabled wireless modern may be provided to send Internet signals to the TV processor14. The device20typically includes a processor20aand a lower level wireless driver21that is programmed to gather link quality information including one or more of wireless signal strength, data rate, packet loss, and streaming delay. The interface device20may be supported by the TV chassis12or it may be external to the chassis but communicating with the TV processor14. Without limitation the network interface20may be a 802.11a/b/g/n transceiver, a 60 GHz transceiver, or other transceiver that can stream high quality multimedia content.

As shown, the TV system10also includes a portable hand-holdable TV remote control (RC)22. The RC22, among other things, can have cursor control keys24for sending wireless signals to a receiver26on the chassis12. The signals detected by the receiver26are sent to the TV processor14.

In some embodiments the TV system10may receive video from a game console28such as but not limited to a console in the Sony Playstation® family and/or from a digital disk player30such as a Blu Ray® disk player. The console28typically includes a game processor32accessing a game storage medium34storing audio and/or video data and likewise the disk player30typically includes a disk processor36accessing a disk storage medium38storing audio and/or video data. The game console can have a game remote control28aand the disk player can be associated with a wireless disk player remote control30a.

Content from the TV tuner18and, when provided, from the game console28/disk player30may be presented under control of the TV processor14on a TV display40such as but not limited to a plasma display or flat panel matrix-type display, either standard definition (SD) and/or high definition (HD).

In one example embodiment the components shown inFIG. 1communicate multimedia data to each other over high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) links39A, and the components also communicate control data over consumer electronics control (CEC) links39B that typically accompany HDMI links. In the example non-limiting architecture shown inFIG. 1the TV12is the central node of the network but it is to be understood that all components may be linked together directly or only some components may be linked together directly, with communication to other components potentially passing through intervening components. In any case, additional content sources such as but not limited universal serial bus (USB) mass storage, personal video recorders (PVR), digital cameras, set-top boxes, removable memory media, etc. may be used in conjunction with the TV system10.

FIG. 1shows that the TV can wirelessly receive multimedia data such as audio, video, or still picture data from a network42that includes one or more content sources44. The network42may be the Internet and the sources44may be established by servers that stream content over wireless links46to the TV for reception thereof by the wireless interface20. As intended herein, an indication of the quality of the wireless link21can be provided to the end user of the TV.

Accordingly and now referring toFIG. 2, at block48the TV processor14may periodically move to block50to gather link46quality information from, e.g., the driver21and also, if desired, link46status information such as “connected” or “disconnected”. The link quality information can include one or more of wireless signal strength, data rate, packet loss, and streaming delay.

At block52the data collected in block50may be stored in, e.g., non-volatile memory16of the TV. Proceeding to block54, the link quality data and, if desired, link status information can be displayed on the TV audibly or visually. An example visual indication is shown inFIG. 3, discussed further below.

If desired, the processor14can determine at decision diamond56whether one or more link quality indicia fall below a threshold. For example, decision diamond56may test current link signal strength against a minimum threshold. In addition or alternatively, data rate may be compared against a threshold minimum data rate, and/or packet loss per second may be compared against a threshold maximum packet loss per second, and/or streaming delay may be compared against a threshold maximum delay period.

If one or more quality indicia fall below the respective thresholds, the user may be prompted at block58to take corrective action. In addition or alternatively, network content that is of a character, e.g., high bandwidth HD, which prevents proper display under current link quality conditions, may be blocked by the processor14from display on the TV. As yet another alternative or added feature, at block60the link quality indicia may be sent to a network server associated with the TV manufacturer, so that technical personnel are automatically made aware of deficient link quality conditions. In another embodiment, the link quality indicia may be sent to the content provider's network server so that the server can send to the TV only content that can be supported by current network conditions, e.g., lower bandwidth content.

Still further, if desired at block62the network server receiving the report of deficient link quality may perform a link speed test, and the server may then deliver the same content as the content currently being delivered except with a lower resolution or different encoding to match the current link speed. For example, when link speed is low, a lower quality version of a HD video can be transcoded at the server side and delivered to the end user.

FIG. 3shows a link quality user interface (UI)64that can be presented on the TV display40on, e.g., a network status screen or a few clicks away under a higher level menu entry of “link quality details”. The non-limiting example UI64shown inFIG. 3includes two columns. The first column66lists various parameters including connection method, physical connection where applicable, Internet access status, and various network address parameters. The second column68lists entries for the first column parameters, e.g., whether Internet access is “OK”, numeric values for the various network addresses, etc.

Additionally, as shown a link status entry70may be provided in the first column66with the second column68indicating status (e.g., “connected”). Also, a link quality entry72may be provided in the first column66and the current quality index (in the example shown, “poor” as might be inferred by the processor14from, e.g., signal strength falling below a threshold) is displayed in the second column68. Further, as shown at74, if desired when the link quality can no longer satisfy the threshold (and thus cannot sustain the necessary network bandwidth for good quality video streaming applications), a prompt with such information can be presented to the user to fix potential network problems. Clicking on the prompt may cause the link conditions to be uploaded to a network server. This additional information helps customer service technicians understand the environmental conditions in the event that the user decides to seek technical support assistance.

It may now be appreciated that present principles provide users with information about link quality in addition to link status. This can help troubleshoot network performance issues which may not be related to network setup, thus improving customer satisfaction and maintaining brand value. Also, present principles help reduce customer service calls or TV returns, and help customer service handle calls/complains in an effective way since the link quality provides additional information necessary for debugging. Furthermore, the user can be prompted if the current quality is inadequate for smooth video playback over the network. Some implementations may incorporate a SpeedTest widget which can provide the users with information on their Internet connection bandwidth. In this way, users would know if the problem exists outside their home network. Such a system of overall bandwidth reporting functions regardless of the type of network (wired or wireless).

While the particular WIRELESS LINK QUALITY MONITORING IN NETWORK-ENABLED TVs 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.