Abstract:
A communication error message is displayed on a TV when an error is noted on a control data link between the TV and an Internet adapter module connected thereto.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to communication error messages in TV Internet adapters. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     TV manufacturers may wish to provide TVs with built-in interactive devices, e.g., personal video recorders (PVR), optical disk players such as Blu-Ray disk players and digital video disk (DVD) players and the like, so that a customer conveniently need purchase only the TV with interactive devices in a single seamless system. As recognized by the present assignee, it would be further desirable to provide the interactive devices with the TV in modular form so that as new and upgraded interactive devices become available, the TV system may be upgraded by replacing an old module with a new one without having to purchase an entirely new TV system, 
     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. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As understood herein, in a TV Internet adapter that communicates audio video data over a high definition multimedia (HDMI) link to the TV and that exchanges control data with the TV over a universal serial bus (USB) link, if a communication problem occurs over the USB link, it is important to alert the viewer, who otherwise might be at a loss to understand why his entertainment system is not functioning as expected. 
     Accordingly, 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. A communication error message is displayed on the TV display at least in response to a malfunction associated with the control link being detected by the TV. 
     The audio video link can be a high definition multimedia (HDMI) link and the control link can be a universal serial bus (USB) link. 
     In some implementations a communication error message is not displayed even if a malfunction associated with the control link is detected by the TV if the TV is in a video reception mode that does not implicate the module, or if the nodule is not connected at least over the audio video link with the TV. Also, if desired a communication error message is not displayed on the TV display even if a malfunction associated with the control link is detected by the TV if the error is due to removal of a cable establishing the control link. The communication error message may be displayed regardless of the presence of an error if a user presses a predetermined key on a remote commander. 
     In another aspect, a tangible digital storage medium is readable by a TV processor to display a communication error message on a TV display associated with a TV that is configured for communicating with an adapter module over at least a video data link and a control data link if a malfunction associated with the control data link is detected by the TV. But this holds true only if the TV is in a video reception mode that implicates the module, and the module is connected at least over the video data link with the TV. 
     In yet another aspect, a TV includes a TV processor configured for communicating with an adapter module over at least a video data link and a control data link, and a TV display configured for displaying video received on the video data link under control of the TV processor. The TV processor selectively causes a communication error message to appear on the TV display if an anomaly is detected associated with data in the control data link. 
     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: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a non-limiting system in accordance with present principles; 
         FIG. 2  shows a screen display presenting video from the Internet adapter module; 
         FIG. 3  shows a screen display that has gone black due to a communication error between the adapter module and TV, with an example communication error message displayed; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of non-limiting logic for displaying the error message, which may be undertaken by the TV processor executing code elements stored on a computer readable medium such as the TV storage medium. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , that includes a TV  12  with TV processor  14  and tangible digital storage medium  16  that may be, without limitation, a magnetic or optical disk drive, a solid state device such as random access memory or read-only memory or flash memory, a removable stick medium or removable floppy disk, etc. The medium  16  and processor  14  may be stored in the TV housing as shown along with a display  18  such as but not limited to a high definition (HD) matrix display or a standard definition cathode ray tube display, or the processor  14  and/or medium  16  may be external to the TV housing, e.g., in a set-top box or in the below-discussed module. 
     The TV  12  typically includes a wireless receiver such as but not limited to all 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  FIG. 1 , audio-video content from a wide area computer network such as the Internet  30  can be provided to the TV  12  for presentation on the display  18  using a Internet adapter module  32  that may have a module processor  34 . The module  32  may communicate audio video data with the TV  12  using a communication interface  36  such as a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) to provide content from the Internet to the TV. Also, the module  32  can exchange control information over a control link  37  with the TV by means of a control link interface  37 a such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface. This control information may include commands and GUT elements used for display and user interaction. 
     The module  32 , which can be implemented as a set-back box (SBB), 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, 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 the module  32  alternatively may communicate with the Internet wirelessly using, e.g., Wi-Fi. 
     As set forth further below, audio-video content may he provided from one or more content servers  38  on the Internet  30  via the module  32  for presentation on the TV display  18 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a video display on the TV monitor  18  that is generated by Internet data received through the module  32  over the HDMI link using control information exchanged over the control link  37 . Should a communication error occur, either on the control link  37  or within the software or hardware of the module  32 , the display  18  goes black as shown in  FIG. 3 , and a communication error message  40  is displayed accordingly. In the example shown, the error message  40  contains not just an error message per se but also a suggestion to check the cables (either the USB and/or the HDMI cables, in a wired embodiment) and the adapter  32  itself. 
       FIG. 4 , decision diamonds  42  and  46  show that in some embodiments, if the adapter module  32  is not connected at least over the video (e.g., HDMI) link with the TV, or if the TV is in a video reception mode that does not implicate the module  32 , e.g., the TV is displaying audio-video data from a satellite or cable head end, the process ends at state  44 . Otherwise, if both the above conditions are met and an error occurs at decision diamond  48 , an error message such as the message shown in  FIG. 3  is presented on the TV display  18 . 
     In some implementations, a TV menu such as a cross-media bar (XMB) which displays icons associated with categories of audio-video programming regardless of source can be displayed, and if there is a communication error the icons displayed in the XMB that apply to the module  32  may not be immediately removed. In this case, the user may have to reboot the module  32  to remove the icons. 
     In some implementations, the error message is not displayed if only the USB link  37  is removed. Also, if desired the error message can be displayed if the user presses a predetermined key on the remote commander  22 , e.g., the so-called “&lt;DMeX&gt;” key. Also, if entering a module  32 -related screen on the TV  12  from a high level portion of the XMB is for some reason not allowed, the error message may be displayed. 
     While the particular COMMUNICATION ERROR MESSAGE FOR 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.