Abstract:
Equipment of use typically in a mobile station for instructing a consumer electronic device to record content, for transferring content from a first consumer electronic device to a second consumer electronic device, and for requesting that a consumer electronic device communicate content to the equipment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/671,157 filed Apr. 13, 2005. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to consumer electronic devices, such as televisions, digital video disk players, cellular phones, personal video recorders, or set top boxes. More specifically, the invention relates to control of consumer electronic devices by user electronic devices, such as a mobile device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Electronic consumer devices provide a variety of content to consumers. However, it is not always possible for a consumer to view the content provided on the electronic consumer device. It is also not always possible for the consumer electronic device to receive content desired by a consumer, either because the consumer electronic device is not adapted to receive the desired content, or because the desired content is not readily available to the consumer electronic device. The consumer may be out of visual or audio range of the consumer electronic device, or at a completely separate location from the consumer electronic device. Therefore, there is a need for a way for a consumer to access content while away from the consumer electronic device, and to provide desired content to a consumer electronic device when not possible for various reasons.  
         [0004]     Prior solutions to the above described problem have included scheduling the recording of content according to a time schedule or a program code. This solution presents significant drawbacks because the consumer must be in the physical presence of the consumer electronic device to schedule the recording of content. Since the consumer must be in the physical presence of the consumer electronic device, the consumer must have physical access to the consumer electronic device prior to the transmission of the content to the consumer electronic device in order to schedule recording of the content. It is not always possible for a consumer to have physical access to a consumer electronic device prior to the transmission of content that the consumer desires to receive. The prior solutions also fail to allow a consumer to continuously receive content if the consumer must leave the vicinity of the consumer electronic device. Furthermore, no prior solution has been provided to instruct the consumer electronic device in the vicinity of the consumer what content the consumer desires to receive based upon the content received by another consumer electronic device where the consumer was previously, or a user equipment device that is currently receiving content. Furthermore, it is currently not possible for a consumer to receive content from the consumer electronic device if the consumer is not near the consumer electronic device. The current invention addresses these problems, as will be apparent based on the following discussion.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In a first aspect of the of the invention a method is provided which includes generating a schedule command that instructs a consumer electronic device to record content, and providing the schedule command for transmission to the consumer electronic device via a transmitter of a user equipment device.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, the first aspect of the invention may also include providing the schedule command for transmission via at least one or any combination or a local area network, a wireless interface, general packet radio service, universal mobile telecommunications service, an internet connection, or a public switched telephone service connection.  
         [0007]     In a second aspect of the invention a method is provided and includes receiving on a user equipment device a signal from a first consumer electronic device indicative of a source of content, and communicating the source of content to a second consumer electronic device from the user equipment device.  
         [0008]     The method according to the second aspect of the invention may also include receiving the signal on the user equipment device from a first consumer electronic device via a wireless interface.  
         [0009]     The method according to the second aspect of the invention may also include the user equipment device communicating the source of content to the second consumer electronic device via a wireless interface.  
         [0010]     The method according to the second aspect of the invention may include displaying content from the source on the user equipment device at least until the source of content is communicated to the second consumer electronic device.  
         [0011]     In a third aspect of the invention a method is provided and includes creating in a user equipment device a request to have a consumer electronic device send contact to the user equipment device, and providing the request for transmission to the consumer electronic device.  
         [0012]     In a fourth aspect of the invention a method is provided and includes receiving content from a source in a user equipment device, connecting the user equipment device to a network, and forwarding content from the source via the user equipment device to at least one consumer electronic device connected to the network.  
         [0013]     Corresponding equipment is also provided, including an apparatus operative according to each of the above aspects of the invention, individually or in combination, as well as respective computer program products (and also corresponding application specific integrated circuits), user equipment, and systems including the user equipment and consumer electronic equipment. 
     
    
     BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram according to a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for carrying out the first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a diagram showing communication via a transmission path between a user equipment device according to the first embodiment of the invention and a consumer electronic device via a transmission path.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a diagram showing communication between a user equipment device according to the first embodiment of the invention and a consumer electronic device via a wireless local area network.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a diagram showing communication between a user equipment device according to the first embodiment of the invention and a consumer electronic device via general packet radio service and an Internet connection.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing dimensions of a schedule command according a aspect of the first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a reduced block chart according to the second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for carrying out the second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7A  is a diagram showing communication between a first consumer electronic device and a user equipment device according to the second embodiment of the invention via a wireless local area network.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7B  is a diagram showing communication between a first consumer electronic device and a user equipment device according to the second embodiment of the invention via a Bluetooth connection.  
         [0025]      FIG. 8A  is a diagram showing communication between a user equipment device according to the second embodiment of the invention and a second consumer electronic device via a wireless local area network.  
         [0026]      FIG. 8B  is a diagram showing communication between a user equipment device according to the second embodiment of the invention and a second consumer electronic device via a wireless local area network.  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a reduced block diagram according to the third embodiment of the invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for carrying out the third embodiment of the invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for carrying out another aspect of the third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]      FIG. 1  shows a user equipment device  11  according to a first embodiment of the invention. The user equipment device  11  can be an electronic device such as a personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a wireless station, such as a mobile station or a communication device, or the like. According to the first embodiment of the invention it becomes possible for a user to schedule the recording of content without the need for the user to be in physical proximity with the object where the recording is to take place prior to the start of the content.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the embodiment of the invention shown there, the user equipment device  11  includes a scheduling interface  12  and a scheduler  13 . The user equipment may also include a transmitter  14 . The scheduling interface  12  is responsive to a user input and generates a schedule command. The schedule command instructs a consumer electronic device  17  to record content. The consumer electronic device  17  may be any electronic device capable of recording content, such as a personal video recorder, digital video recorder, a videocassette recorder, or the like. The content to be recorded on the consumer electronic device  17  includes any form of media communicated to a consumer and intended to be received by a consumer, and includes, but is not limited to, audio media, video media, or any combination of audio and video media. The scheduler  13  provides the schedule command to the transmitter  14  of the user equipment device for transmission to the consumer electronic device  17 . It is understood that the schedule command is provided by the scheduler  13  to the transmitter  14  so that the schedule command may be transmitted via any suitable transmission path  10 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the transmitter  14  of the user equipment device  11  can transmit the schedule command to the consumer electronic device  17  via any suitable transmission path  10 . The transmission path  10  can include any suitable radio access network, such as general packet radio service or universal mobile telecommunication system, and also can include a wireless interface, such as a wireless local area network, or a Bluetooth connection, and further can include an internet connection, a public switched telephone service, or the like. It is understood that any transmission path capable of transmitting the schedule command to the consumer electronic device  17  is contemplated by the invention. It is also understood that any combination of transmission paths can be used to transmit the schedule command to the consumer electronic device  17 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , by way of example, the transmitter  14  is within range of a wireless local area network  18  to which the consumer electronic device  17  is connected, and therefore the schedule command is transmitted via the wireless local area network  18 . As shown in  FIG. 3C , the transmitter  14  is not within range of the wireless local area network to which the consumer electronic device  17  is connected, so therefore the transmission occurs via general packet radio service  19 , and then via an Internet connection  20 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows the schedule command in greater detail. It is understood that the schedule command can be generated manually, automatically, based on an electronic programming guide or search based. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the schedule command includes at least three parameters, such as a time  21 , a location  22 , and a content type flag  23 . The time dimension  21  provides the consumer electronic device  17  information regarding when the consumer electronic device should record content. The time parameter  21  can be absolute, meaning that the exact time of the content desired to be recorded is provided by the time dimension  21 , or relative meaning that the time the content is recorded is dependent upon when the schedule command is generated. The location  22  dimension of the schedule command provides which consumer electronic device the content is to be recorded on. The content type flag  23  indicates the type of content that is desired to be recorded. It is understood that the schedule command can be given using well known universal plug and play protocol.  
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a method in accordance with the invention. The method includes a first step S 1 , in which a schedule command is generated by a user equipment device, and a next step S 2 , in which the schedule command is provided for transmission to a consumer electronic device.  
         [0035]     As explained above, the invention provides both a method and corresponding equipment consisting of various modules providing the functionality for performing the steps of the method. The modules may be implemented as hardware, or may be implemented as software or firmware for execution by a processor. In particular, in the case of firmware or software, the invention can be provided as a computer program product including a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code—i.e. the software or firmware—thereon for execution by a computer processor.  
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows a user equipment device  30  according to a second embodiment of the invention. The user equipment device  30  can be an electronic device such as a personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a wireless station, such as a mobile station or a communication device, or the like.  
         [0037]     The user equipment device  30  includes a receiver  31  and a communicator  32 . The receiver is configured to be responsive to a signal from a first consumer electronic device  33 . The signal from the first consumer electronic device  33  indicates source of content. The first consumer electronic device  33  can be any electronic device capable of displaying content to a consumer, and includes, but is not limited to televisions, personal video recorders, personal computers, laptop computers, stereos, media players, or the like. Content is understood to include any form of media communicated to a consumer and intended to be received by a consumer, whether in digital or analog format, and includes, but is not limited to, audio media, video media, or any combination of audio and video media. Source of content is understood to include any object, entity or medium that communicates or broadcasts content to a consumer. By way of example, a source of content could include a particular television station providing content to a consumer, and a source of content can also include a consumer electronic device such as a personal video recorder providing previously recorded content to the consumer. The communicator  32  of the user equipment device  30  communicates the source of content to a second consumer electronic device  34 . The second consumer electronic device  34  can be any electronic device capable of displaying content to a consumer, and includes, but is not limited to televisions, personal video recorders, personal computers, laptop computers, stereos, media players, or the like. In this manner, it becomes possible for the second consumer electronic device  34  to display the same source of content as the first consumer electronic device  33 . Furthermore, the user equipment device  30  may also include a display  37  for displaying content from the source of content before the source of content is communicated to the second consumer electronic device  34 . The display  37  allows a user to continue to receive content from the source when the user is out of physical proximity with the first consumer electronic device  33 , and before the user comes within physical proximity of the second consumer electronic device  34 . In this manner, it becomes possible for the user to continuously receive content from the source without missing any content.  
         [0038]     It is also understood that the above described invention can be carried out using well known universal plug and play protocol between the user equipment device  30  and the first consumer electronic device  33  and the second consumer electronic device  34 . It is also understood that the invention encompasses receiving content on the user equipment device from the source based on the signal from the first consumer electronic device  33 , without the user equipment device communicating the source of content to the second consumer electronic device  34 . It is also understood that the user equipment device may receive content directly from the source of content, without first receiving a signal from the first consumer electronic device. Then the user electronic device communicates the source of content to the second consumer electronic device when the user equipment device comes close to the second consumer electronic device. By way of example, and in no way limiting, the user equipment device is receiving content from a source of content, such as digital video broadcasting, and when the user equipment device enters a network to which the second consumer electronic is associated with, the user equipment device forwards the source of content to the second consumer electronic device.  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  provides a method for carrying out the second embodiment of the invention. The method is accomplished by a step S 10  of receiving a signal indicative of a source of content from a first consumer electronic device, and a step S 11  of communicating the source of content to a second consumer electronic device.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show various transmission paths by which the signal indicative of a source of content can be transferred from the first consumer electronic device  33  to the receiver  31 .  FIG. 7A  shows the signal indicative of a source of content transferred over a wireless interface, such as a wireless local area network  40 .  FIG. 7B  shows the signal indicator of a source of content transferred over a wireless interface, such a Bluetooth connection  41 . It is understood that the first consumer electronic device  33  can communicate to the receiver  31  by any suitable transmission path.  
         [0041]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show examples of transmission paths by which the source of content can be transferred from the communicator  32  to the second consumer electronic device  34 .  FIG. 8A  shows the source of content transferred over a wireless interface, such as a wireless local area network  40 .  FIG. 8B  shows the source of content transferred over a wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth connection  41 . It is understood that the communicator  32  can transfer the source of content to the second consumer electronic device  34  by any suitable transmission path. It is also understood that the transfer of the signal indicative of a source of content can be transferred to the receiver  31  by one transmission path, such as wireless local area network  40 , and the source of content can be transferred from the communicator  32  to the second consumer electronic device  34  by a different transmission path, such as a Bluetooth connection  41 . It is also understood that the transmission paths used for each transfer can be the same type of transmission path, for example a Bluetooth connection  41  can be used to transfer the signal indicative of a source of content from the first consumer electronic device  33  to the receiver  31 , and to transfer the source of content from the communicator  32  to the second consumer electronic device  34 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 9  shows a user electronic device  50  according to a third embodiment of the invention. As discussed previously, the user electronic device  50  can be an electronic device such as a personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a wireless station, such as a mobile station or a communication device, or the like.  
         [0043]     According to a third embodiment of the invention the user electronic device  50  includes a generator  51  and a provider  53 . The generator  51  generates a request  52  to have a consumer electronic device  54  send content to the user electronic device  50 . As discussed previously, it is understood that the consumer electronic device  54  can be any electronic device capable of displaying content to a consumer, and includes, but is not limited to televisions, personal video recorders, personal computers, laptop computers, stereos, media players, or the like. As also was discussed previously, content is understood to include any form of media communicated to a consumer and intended to be received by a consumer, whether in digital or analog format, and includes, but is not limited to, audio media, video media, or any combination of audio and video media. The user electronic device  50  also includes a provider  53  which provides the request  52  for transmission to the consumer electronic device  54 . The third embodiment of the invention allows a user to receive content on the user electronic device  50  from locations remote from the consumer electronic device  54 .  
         [0044]     It is understood that according to the third embodiment of the invention, the user equipment device can act as a quality of service bridge between a source of content, such as digital video broadcasting, internet protocol television, or the like, and a network to which the consumer electronic device is connected, such as a home network. This allows the source of content to be forwarded to any consumer electronic device which is connected to the home network. It is understood that the user equipment device is able to map the quality of service requirements received from the source of content to the quality of service manager in the home network. By way of example, it is understood that the source of content may contain wireless local area network 802.11 quality of service policy, or the like, and the home network may contain universal plug and play quality of service policy, or the like.  
         [0045]      FIG. 10  shows a method for carrying out the third embodiment of the invention. The method includes a step S 20  of creating a request to have a consumer electronic device send content to a user equipment device, and a step S 21  of providing the request for transmission to the consumer electronic device.  
         [0046]      FIG. 11  shows a method for carrying out another aspect of the third embodiment of the invention. The method includes a step S 50  of receiving content from a source on a user equipment device, a step S 51  of connecting the user equipment device to a network, such as by way of example a home network, and a step S 52  of forwarding the source of content via the user equipment device to a consumer electronic device connected to the network.  
         [0047]     The functionality described above as provided by the invention can be implemented as software modules stored in a non-volatile memory of a device such as a mobile station, and executed as needed by the device (or more specifically, an operating system of the device) copying all or part of the software into executable RAM (random access memory). Alternatively, the logic provided by such software can also be provided by an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). In case of a software implementation, the invention provided as a computer program product including a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code—i.e. the software—thereon for execution by a computer processor.  
         [0048]     It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements.