Hardware module for adding functionality to television

A modular interface allows new functionalities to be added to a television receiver. A module can be added to the television receiver through the interface that will enable additional functionalities on the television. The interface allows copy protection of digital video and audio content by incorporating HDCP technology, thereby also allowing the manufacturer of the interface to control the access to the interface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hardware modules for adding functionalities to devices such as televisions, DVD players, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a TV receiver is developed and released, not all functionality that might ever be desired of the TV can be included or even foreseen. For example, an improved video compression paradigm requiring a complementary decoder to play the video might be introduced after a TV is sold, in which case the TV would not have the requisite decoding capability to play video transmitted in the newer compression paradigm.

While some products may possess the capability to be remotely updated via a software update, a television might not have such a capability. Furthermore, simply updating a product with software or with a new interface has shortcomings, such as not being able to accommodate industry standards for copy protection and not possessing innate mechanisms to restrict access to the interface, which is otherwise required to prevent unapproved devices from being attached to the interface. Accordingly, as recognized herein it is desirable to provide a means for a TV owner to add omitted functionality to the TV while providing the interface to do so with a mechanism for ensuring that only approved devices may be connected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A module is disclosed for adding functionality to a component such as a TV that is to be augmented with the functionality. A module housing holds components facilitating the functionality, and a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connector is supported by the housing and is connectable to a cable connector for establishing a pathway for communication to the component to be augmented. Valid communication between the module and the component to be augmented is permitted only if a key selection vector (KSV) stored in one of the module or component to be augmented is on a list of KSVs stored in the other of the module or component to be augmented. The functionality may be, e.g., video decoding functionality provided by the module but not by the TV.

In a non-limiting embodiment the module is formed with a connector bay and at least one HDMI connector is disposed in the bay. The module is also formed with plural guide holes. The HDMI connector mates with a complementary cable connector held in a plastic structure in which opposed arms extend laterally away from the cable connector and terminate in respective guides that are configured for engaging respective guide holes in the module to facilitate engagement of the connectors.

In another non-limiting embodiment a dead air space for receiving a cable connecting the module to the component to be augmented is formed between the module and the component to be augmented when the module is engaged with the component to be augmented to allow for an appropriate bend radius of the cable. In specific embodiments the module may include a box-like portion holding interior components and a flat plate-like shelf extending away from the portion. The shelf is not as thick as the portion so that when the portion is flush against a receptacle of the component to be augmented the shelf extends above a floor of the receptacle with an end of the shelf abutting a raised part of the component to be augmented to establish the dead air space.

In yet another non-limiting embodiment the module can include a parallelepiped-shaped module body formed with an elongated groove sized and shaped receive a HDMI cable with male HDMI connector end. A female HDMI connector is disposed in the groove to mate with the male HDMI connector end of the cable.

In another aspect, a hardware module is disclosed that includes components for providing add-on functionality to a component to be augmented that is physically separate from the module and connectable thereto by a cord. The module communicates with the component to be augmented using an interface restriction from the group of restrictions consisting of: HDMI and/or High Definition Content Protection (HDCP), digital transmission content protection (DTCP) certificate.

In still another aspect, a system for adding a functionality includes a TV not having the functionality and module means connectable to the TV and having the functionality. The module means include a housing incorporating one or more of means for guiding arms of a connector structure holding a connector, dead air means for accommodating a cable connecting the module and the TV, and groove means for accommodating a cable connecting the module and the TV.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially toFIG. 1, a system is shown, generally designated10, which can include a TV12with video display14such as a flat panel matrix display or other TV display, a TV processor16, and a TV tuner18. The display14is caused by the TV processor16to display TV signals as selected by the TV tuner18. Also, the TV12may have a data storage19such as but not limited to an extended display identification data (EDID) electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

The TV12is also associated with one or more communication interfaces12a. In one non-limiting implementation the interface12a, which can be an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) receiver, codec, or other module, is a HDMI-based interface that may include hardware and software embodying a HDMI transmitter (for sending signals to a set-top box or disk player or other source) and HDMI receiver (for receiving signals from a source). Plural HDMI connectors may be provided. The interface12amay be physically implemented within the housing of the TV12or it may be external thereto. The interface12amay include its own storage such as an EEPROM or one-time programming (OTP) ROM. It is to be understood that whileFIG. 1shows various storages, the information disclosed below may be stored in one common storage or in a storage associated with only the TV12or only with the interface12a. In any case, as shown the interface12ais the communication interface between the TV12and an add-on functionality module20.

More specifically, as shown inFIG. 1an add-on functionality module20with internal components20asuch as circuits for facilitating the functionality can be connected to the TV12by a connector cable22such as a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable. Board-to-board interfaces can be used. The add-on functionality module20may include hardware and/or software not included in the TV12but desired by a user of the TV12. For instance, the module20may include a video decoder or other function that is not otherwise included in the TV12. The module20has an interface23that is complementary to the interface12aof the TV12.

The signals to be displayed on the TV12can come from a multimedia source24such as a set-top box, a cable head end, a satellite source, a disk player, an Internet site, etc. The multimedia source24may be connected to the TV12directly and/or to the TV12via the module20as shown.

Accordingly, it may now be appreciated that the module20can piggyback on an existing interface restriction, such as the restrictions imposed by High Definition Content Protection (HDCP) (i.e., that only modules20with licensed HDCP key selection vectors (KSVs) can communicate with TVs12that also must have licensed KSVs.) The present invention does this by restricting access to a TV12that might incorporate HDMI/HDCP to only those modules20that possess KSVs that have been placed on a list approved by, e.g., the vendor of the TV12, with the list being stored in, e.g., the storage19of the TV12and/or downloaded from a server such as an Internet server to the module or TV.

Present principles apply not only to the HDMI/HDCP interface but can also be used with other interfaces. For example, the invention can be used with a vendor module incorporating a IEEE-1394 interface, in which case the encryption information can include a digital transmission content protection (DTCP) certificate. Moreover, the inverse of the above restriction can also be true, i.e., a vendor of a monitor20can use present principles to restrict access to a module20to only TVs from approved manufacturers. Other interfaces additionally or alternatively may be used, e.g., universal serial bus (USB) to provide a copy protectable video path, bi-directional control signal path, power and controllable access.

While the above disclosure focuses on an example implementation in which the module20is used to augment the functionality of a TV12, it is to be understood that the module20may also be used to augment the functionality of other components, e.g., set top boxes, DVD players, personal computers, etc. For example, as has been postulated in the case of a TV, a DVD player and/or a PC may not have the capability to support some new and future video and/or audio compression system. The module20can thus be connected to a PC or DVD to facilitate the support of a future compression algorithm.

In any case, to provide an illustration of the purpose of the module20, if the source24is connected to the module20to deliver video that is transmitted using a compression algorithm requiring a decoder not possessed by the TV12to play the video, the module20can be provided with the decoder, decode the video, and then send the decoded video to the TV12for playing the video.

Turning toFIG. 2, an example module100is illustrated of the module20shown inFIG. 1. The module100can be formed with a connector bay102that can be a parallelepiped-shaped cavity in the housing of the module100as shown. One or more electrical connectors104such as a type A, B, or C HDMI female connector may be disposed in the bay102on, e.g., an interior wall thereof as shown. Also, in the example shown inFIG. 2the bay102and in particular the interior wall thereof can be formed with two guide holes106that straddle the connector104for purposes to be shortly disclosed.

The module100may be electrically connected to the TV12shown inFIG. 1by means of a cord108, one end of which (not shown) is connected to the TV12and the other end of which may terminate in a connector110, such as a male HDMI connector, that is configured for mating with the connector104of the module100. The male connector110may be held in a plastic overmold structure110a, and in the example shown inFIG. 2opposed arms112that can be integral to the overmold structure110aextend laterally away from the connector110. Each arm112terminates in a respective guide114that is oriented perpendicularly to the arm112and that is configured for engaging a respective guide hole106in the module100to facilitate engagement of the connectors104,110by “feel”. Thus, the blind alignment of the module's connector104to the cable assembly connector110is facilitated. The guide structure described above facilitates the use of standard HDMI connectors, which may carry not only HDMI-HDCP but also in some implementations USB and/or Ethernet plus power.

FIG. 3shows an implementation200of the module20shown inFIG. 1in which a HDMI connector is used without any brackets, to facilitate the use of off-the-shelf components and cables. This is supported by including a dead air space202in the mechanical arrangement between the module200and the TV12chassis. This dead space202allows for an appropriate bend radius of the HDMI, USB and power cables, collectively labeled204inFIG. 3. Depending upon the application, the power carried within the USB cable may be sufficient.

With more specificity, the module200may include a box-like portion206that holds the interior components of the module200and a flat plate-like shelf208extending away from the portion206. The shelf208is not as thick as the portion206as shown in side view, so that when the portion206is flush against a receptacle210of the TV chassis, the shelf208extends above the floor212of the receptacle210, with the end of the shelf208abutting a raised part214of the TV chassis as shown to establish a substantially enclosed dead air space202in which the cable(s)204are disposed. The top surfaces of the shelf208, box-like portion206, and raised part214can be flush with each other as shown.

FIG. 4shows another example300of the module20shown inFIG. 1that is configured to facilitate use of off-the-shelf HDMI cabling and connectors. As shown, a parallelepiped-shaped module body302is formed with an elongated groove304on the side of the module300that is intended to face the TV chassis as indicated by the arrow306. The groove304is sized and shaped receive a HDMI cable308with male HDMI connector end310. A female HDMI connector312is disposed preferably at one end314of the groove304to mate with the male HDMI connector end310of the cable308, the opposite end of which is attached to the TV. The groove304and recessed female connector312allow for a convenient and space-saving lead dressing for the interconnecting HDMI cable308.

While the particular HARDWARE MODULE FOR ADDING FUNCTIONALITY TO TELEVISION 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 instance, a module of the invention may comprise one, two, or all of the features shown in the figures.