Patent Publication Number: US-2005143128-A1

Title: Communication card

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a communication card for being available for electronic apparatus such as a personal computer.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      Popularization and broadbandization of the Internet have provided a situation where digital data such as image data or audio data can be distributed to an ordinary home in real time. Thus, a television program broadcast in a specific area may be viewed in another area by broadcasting through the Internet. Further, the television program may be also broadcast to only viewer who has contracted beforehand.  
       FIG. 1  shows a configuration of such the broadcasting system. The broadcasting system comprises broadcasting apparatus  100  for broadcasting the digital data such as image data or audio data on streaming scheme and plural receivers  200  ( 200 A, . . . ,  200 N). They are connected to the Internet  300 .  
      Each of the receivers  200  has a two-way communication function and is connected to the broadcasting apparatus  100  through the Internet  300  so that the receivers  200  can be registered in the broadcasting apparatus  100  therethrough. Such the registration is used for authentication of each of the receivers  200 , a contract with them and the like. The registration can be performed by any means and way other than the Internet  300 .  
      When a user of a receiver  200 A, for example, views a television program, the receiver  200 A requests the broadcasting apparatus  100  to transmit a broadcast program of interest through the Internet  300 . The request is executed by transmitting information for identifying the receiver  200 A and for specifying the broadcast program of interest.  
      The broadcasting apparatus  100  then performs an authentication processing on the receiver  200 A that has requested it to transmit the broadcast program. In this case, the receiver  200 A is properly registered, the broadcasting apparatus  100  broadcasts to the receiver  200 A the digital data such as image data and audio data. The receiver  200 A then receives the broadcast digital data and outputs it as image and audio.  
      Thus, the receiver  200 A can receive through the Internet  300  contents including image and audio prepared in the broadcasting apparatus  100 . This is, the broadcasting apparatus  100  can broadcast various kinds of contents through the Internet  300  and a viewer can view these contents through the Internet  300  (see Japanese Patent Application Publication 2002-305512).  
      When he or she views the streaming broadcast through the Internet  300  as described above, the dedicated receivers  200  are required. General personal computer, personal digital assistance (PDA) and the like are unavailable for viewing the broadcast programs in their own original functions.  
      It is noted that in the following description, terms, “personal computer” includes equipment such as PDA having reproduction function of image and audio signals.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication card for communicating. The communication card is used with the card being inserted into a card slot of electronic apparatus. The card comprises a communication circuit for receiving digital data streaming-transmitted through a network and a decoder for decoding and converting the digital data received by the communication circuit to data having a format reproduced by a streaming player of the electronic apparatus. The card also comprises a connector for connecting the card into a connector in the card slot of the electronic apparatus. The card further comprises an interface for interfacing the electronic apparatus and the card to supply the digital data output by the decoder to the connector of the card. The connector of the card is connected with the connector in the card slot of the electronic apparatus, thereby reproducing information of the digital data streaming-transmitted through the network in the electronic apparatus.  
      The communication circuit that has received digital data streaming-transmitted through a network sends it to the decoder. The decoder decodes the digital data to convert data having a format that can be reproduced by a streaming player of the electronic apparatus. When the card is inserted into the electronic apparatus, a connector of the card is connected with a connector in the cards lot of the electronic apparatus. Through the interface for interfacing the electronic apparatus and the card, the digital data output by the decoder is then supplied to the connector of the card. Thus, the electronic apparatus reproduces information of the digital data streaming-transmitted through the network.  
      According to the invention, it is possible to receive and reproduce a program through a streaming broadcast via the network in a general personal computer, PDA or the like that has no receiving function by preparing specific hardware and software.  
      The concluding portion of this specification particularly points out and directly claims the subject matter of the present invention. However those skill in the art will best understand both the organization and method of operation of the invention, together with further advantages and objects thereof, by reading the remaining portions of the specification in view of the accompanying drawing(s) wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram for showing a configuration of a conventional broadcasting system;  
       FIG. 2  is a systematic diagram for showing a preferred embodiment of a communication card according to the invention; and  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram for showing a preferred embodiment of software used in this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Hereinafter, embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 2  shows a configuration of an embodiment of a communication card  10  according to the invention. In  FIG. 2 , a personal computer  50  into which the communication card  10  is inserted is also shown. In this embodiment, the communication card  10  is based on a standard of Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card (hereinafter referred to as “PC card”).  
      Thus, the communication card  10  has a size similar to that of PC card as a whole, and it has a jack  11  and a connector  12 . The jack  11  is used for connecting the card  10  with an outside network through Ethernet (trademark). In this embodiment, RJ-45 modular jack is used as the jack  11 .  
      When trying to receive the streaming broadcast, a modular plug  41  is inserted into the jack  11 . In a shown case, a connection with the broadcasting apparatus  100  along the line of the modular plug  41 , Local Area Network (LAN) cable  42 , a media converter  43 , an optical fiber line  44 , an Internet Service Provider (ISP) (not shown), and the Internet  300  (see  FIG. 1 ) is executed.  
      The connector  12  is used for connecting with a connector  52  of the PC card slot  51  when inserting the communication card  10  into the PC card slot  51  of the personal computer  50 .  
      The communication card  10  has a microcomputer  20  as a control circuit for performing various kinds of controls. The microcomputer  20  has a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  21 , Read Only Memory (ROM)  22  into which various kinds of program executed by the CPU  21  is written, Random Access Memory (RAM)  23  for working area, non-volatile memory  24 . These memories  22  to  24  are connected to the CPU  21  via a system bus  29 .  
      The jack  11  is connected with the system bus  29  through a communication block  31 . The connector  12  is also connected with the system bus  29  through PC card interface  32 . In this case, the communication block  31  is composed of Large Scale Integration (LSI) for implementing network communication. The communication block  31  performs an analysis on a packet that is transmitted or received according to Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), selection of data, and controls of transmission and reception. PC card interface  32  is composed of LSI for implementing an interface between the microcomputer  20  and the personal computer  50  according to a standard of PC card.  
      MPEG decoder  33  is composed of LSI and connected with the system bus  29 . This MPEG decoder  33  decodes and converts image and audio MPEG digital data output from the communication block  31  into data having a format that can be reproduced in a “streaming player”, which will be described later.  
       FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of software for using the communication card  10 .  
      Operating system for operating the personal computer  50  is referred to as “OS”. Software for reproducing image and audio data in the personal computer  50  is referred to as “Streaming Player”. These “OS” and “Streaming Player” are installed in the personal computer  50  beforehand.  
      Software for making the communication card  10  usable in the personal computer  50  is referred to as “Driver”. Software for allowing the broadcasting apparatus  100  (see  FIG. 3 ) to authenticate the communication card  10  is referred to as “Application for Authentication”. Software for user interface when performing the authentication is referred to as “U/I for Authentication”.  
      Software for control when using the communication card  10  is referred to as “Application for Base Control”. Software for user interface when using the communication card  10  is referred to as “U/I for control”.  
      Software for converting the image and audio digital data transmitted from the broadcasting apparatus  100  associating with MPEG decoder  33  into data having a format that can be handled by the “Streaming Player” is referred to as “Application for Format Conversion”.  
      In pieces of software shown in  FIG. 3 , the pieces of software excluding “OS” and “Streaming Player” are stored in a predetermined medium such as Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM). When using the communication card  10 , the pieces of software have been installed in the personal computer  50  beforehand from the CD-ROM.  
      In such a configuration, the communication card  10  is set into the PC card slot  51  of the personal computer  50  and the plug  41  is connected with the jack  11 . The personal computer  50  is connected to the Internet  300  through the line of the connector of PC card slot  51 , the connector  12 , the interface  32 , the microcomputer  20 , the communication block  31 , and the jack  11  in addition to a cable  42 .  
      If trying to register the communication card  10  in the broadcasting apparatus  100 , “Application for Authentication” and “U/I for Authentication” that have been installed in the personal computer  50  are loaded so that the registration can be performed in the broadcasting apparatus  100  via the communication card  10 . Such the registration is executed by using unique information of the communication card  10 , for example, Media Access Control (MAC) address as a part of identification information therefor.  
      On the other hand, if trying to receive a program, “Application for Authentication” and “U/I for Authentication” that have been installed in the personal computer  50  are loaded so that the authentication can be requested to the broadcasting apparatus  100  via the communication card  10 . Such the authentication is executed by comparing unique information to the communication card  10  that has been registered in the broadcasting apparatus  100  with unique information to the communication card  10  set into the PC slot  51 .  
      As a result of the authentication, when a receipt of the broadcast program is accepted, the personal computer  50  requests the broadcasting apparatus  100  to broadcast the program of interest via the communication card  10 . When the broadcasting apparatus  100  receives this request, it takes digital data of the corresponding program out of a contents-server (not shown) by turns and broadcasts it to the personal computer  50  based on a streaming form.  
      In the communication card  10 , then, the digital data broadcast from the broadcasting apparatus  100  is taken out of the communication block  31 , thus supplying it to the MPEG decoder  33 . In the decoder  33 , the digital data is decoded and converted to the streaming data having a format that can be reproduced in “Streaming Player” installed in the personal computer  50  and the streaming data thus decoded and converted is taken out.  
      This streaming data is then supplied to the personal computer  50  via the interface  32  so that by the “Streaming Player”, the data can be converted into linear digital data. The personal computer  50  then performs Digital to Analogue (D/A) conversion on this linear digital data into analogue signal, which is supplied to a display or a speaker (both not shown). Thereby, a viewer can view, by the personal computer  50 , the broadcast program requested to the broadcasting apparatus  100 .  
      Thus, according to this communication card  10 , a personal computer having no receiving function can receive and reproduce the program that has been streaming-transmitted through a network.  
      The communication card  10  also has a configuration of PC card so that it can increase flexibility in its work. If a personal computer has a PC card slot, it can view the streaming broadcast, thereby causing the communication card to spread its scope. Further, if a viewer has already purchased a personal computer, he or she can view the streaming broadcast by his or her personal computer, thereby making the communication card to be easily purchased so as to establish its market.  
      If a user has plural personal computers or he or she uses a personal computer in the field, he or she can view the streaming broadcast by preparing only the communication card  10  and, for example, CD-ROM into which software shown in  FIG. 3  is written, thereby allowing the communication card to excel in portability, convenience, and mobility.  
      Although according to the above-described embodiments, the communication card  10  is composed of PC card, the present invention is not restricted to these embodiments. A size of the connection part thereof with the personal computer, a standard of signal and the like may be based on a standard of card such as compact flash (trademark), memory stick (trademark), and Secure Digital (SD) card.  
      Although according to the above-described embodiments, the communication card  10  is connected with the broadcasting apparatus  100  via the optical fiber line  44  and the Internet  300 , the present invention is not restricted to this embodiments. The communication card  10  can be connected with the broadcasting apparatus  100  via Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and the Internet  300  or any network such as cable television other than the Internet.  
      Although according to the above-described embodiments, a viewer views the image and the audio, the present invention is not restricted to these embodiments. This invention is also applied to a case where any one of the image data and the audio data is received and reproduced.  
      Although according to the above-described embodiments, the personal computer has been illustrated as an electronic apparatus, the present invention is not restricted to these embodiments. This invention is also applied to a Consumer Electronic (CE) apparatus such as a television receiver, various kinds of display devices, and a radio receiver that have a card slot.  
      In stead of the authentication by registering the communication card  10  in the broadcasting apparatus  100 , as described above, a system in which unique information to a user, for example, is registered and authenticated may be used in the invention. Further, this invention is applied to a case where the broadcasting apparatus  100  requires neither registration nor authentication.  
      While the foregoing specification has described preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention, one skilled in the art may make many modifications to the preferred embodiment without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims therefore are intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.