Abstract:
Intuitive visualization of a home network is provided by providing on screen images of devices in the network around an image of the TV, and by establishing sizes, motion, and other visualization features of the images to reflect selections, bandwidths, different sub-networks, etc.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application generally pertains to providing intuitive visualization of networked devices, typically within the home. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    TVs and other consumer electronic (CE) products increasingly are networked to enable consumers to share content with other people or on other devices they own. Visualizing the network, identifying the various devices and what services or content that is available is a difficult task. 
         [0003]    The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) defines a series of common protocols that enable interoperation and device and content discovery, but it, doesn&#39;t define the presentation of this information. Presentation and operation are part of “user interface” and as understood herein, the power of one or more graphic engines in the network may be leveraged to visually represent complex information in a simple, intuitive fashion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A method includes presenting on a video monitor an image of a first device, such as a TV, that is in a home network. The method also includes presenting on the monitor images of at least second and third devices in the home network. The images of the second and third devices can be arranged on an orbital path around the image of the first device. In some embodiments, an image of a device is enlarged in response to a user selection of the image. In other embodiments, the images of the second and third devices move along the orbital path. In other embodiments, a size of an image of a device is established based on the bandwidth and/or amount of available content of the associated device. In other embodiments, respective first and second orbital paths are established around each of which one or more images of devices are arranged for respective first and second networks associated with the first device. The image of the first device can be displayed at the center of both paths or the image of the first device might be displayed at the center of only one path. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, a system includes a processor and display communicating with the processor. The processor is configured to cause the display to present an image of a TV and, arranged along an orbital path around the image of the TV, images of at least first and second devices in a home network communicating with the TV. An image of a device can be enlarged in response to selection of the device. Images of non-selected devices can be moved to a cluster on the path on a side of the image of the TV that is opposite an image of a selected device. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, a system includes a processor and display communicating with the processor. The processor is configured to establish respective first and second paths on the display around each of which one or more images of devices are arranged for respective first and second networks associated with a TV. 
         [0007]    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 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example system in accordance with present principles; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2-6  are example screen shots of network visualizations in accordance with present principles; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is an example non-limiting flow chart of logic that can be used to generate the screen shots, which can be three dimensional representations that enable a sense of depth and thus enhanced visual impact. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows an audio-video device such as a television  10  in a home network environment. The TV  10  is a non-limiting example of a central network device that may be defined as such by the network manufacturer by default or by the user. 
         [0012]    As shown, the TV  10  includes a video display  12  on which the screen shots shown in  FIGS. 2-6  may be presented under control of a TV processor  14  accessing a tangible computer-readable medium  16  such as but not limited disk or solid state storage, a description that applies to the other computer-readable media divulged herein. Among other things, the medium  16  may bear instructions to undertake the logic herein and it may also bear other software modules such as but not limited to a graphics engine. Alternatively, the graphic engine may be embodied as a separate hardware module accessible to the TV processor  14 . 
         [0013]    A TV tuner  18  may also be included in the TV  10  and/or in a set box  20  such as a set-top box or set-back box. The set box  20  may include a set box-processor  22  and set box computer readable medium  24 , as well as an Internet interface such as but not limited to a modem  26  for providing Internet content to the TV  10  for viewing thereof. 
         [0014]    The TV  10  typically also includes one or more network interfaces. In one implementation the TV  10  includes a first network interface  28  such as but not limited a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) or Ethernet interface and a second interface  30  such as but not limited to a universal serial bus (USB) interface or wireless interface such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface. These interface types are examples only and non-limiting. 
         [0015]    The first interface  28  can interface the TV  10  with a “network A” as shown in  FIG. 1 , which can include, e.g., a personal video recorder (PVR)  32  with complementary interface  34 , PVR processor  36 , and computer readable medium  38 . Also, a disk player  40  may communicate with network “A” using an interface  42  communicating with a disk player processor  44  and computer readable medium  46 . Furthermore, a game console  48  may communicate with network “A” using an interface  50  communicating with a game console processor  52  and computer readable medium  54 . The game console  48  may be portable and may communicate via wired or wireless paths. The game console  48  can include a game console monitor  56  for displaying video embodying computer games. 
         [0016]    In addition, a music player  58  may communicate with network “A” using an interface  60  communicating with a music player processor  62  and computer readable medium  64 . The music player  58  may be portable and may communicate via wired or wireless paths. The music player  58  can include a music player monitor  66  for displaying video embodying computer games. 
         [0017]    If desired, a network router  68  may be provided on the network “A”, it being understood that all the components discussed above may be connected to network “A” by virtue of being connected to the router  68  which in some embodiments may function as network hub. In any case, the router  68  can include a network interface  70  configured to communicate with the network “A”, a router processor  72 , and a computer readable medium  74 . An internet interface such as but not limited to a modem  76  may also be provided in the router  68  if desired. The router  68  may provide a link to nearby peer-to-peer devices that may also appear on the screen shots shown below if desired. 
         [0018]    As also shown in  FIG. 1 , a computer such as a personal computer  78  may communicate with the TV  10  over a second network (“B”) by means of an interface  80 . The PC  78 , which typically includes one or more input devices  82  such as mice, keyboards, etc. and one or more output devices  84  such as monitors, printers, etc., can be controlled by a PC processor  86  accessing one or more computer readable media  88 . One or more of the devices in  FIG. 1  may be controlled by one or more wireless hand-held remote controls  90 . 
         [0019]    While the TV processor  14  may execute the logic herein, which may be stored on the TV medium  16 , to present the screen shots of  FIGS. 2-6  in accordance with present principles, it is to be understood that other processors in  FIG. 1  in addition to or in lieu of the TV processor  14  may execute the logic, which may be distributed over multiple computer media. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a first screen shot that may be presented on the TV display  12  to enable a person to visualize his or her home network. The screen shot may be displayed when a user operates the remote control  90  to cause the TV  10  to enter a “setup” menu or “network” menu. For simplification, the screen shot shown in  FIG. 2  assumes a single network; furthermore, not all the components shown in  FIG. 1  are shown in  FIG. 2 , for ease of description. 
         [0021]    As shown, the screen shot displays an image  92  of the TV  10  centrally on screen, with the understanding that while the TV  10  may be the default “central” device, the user may be afforded the opportunity to select another device to be the “central” device. Images  94 ,  96 ,  98 ,  100 , respectively representing the disk player  40 , PC  78 , game console  48 , and music player  58 , are arranged around the image  92  of the TV as shown. Each image in  FIG. 2  may be an actual photographic-like image of its respective component. Text may be provided on one or more icons as by overlaying the text on an,icon in response to, e.g., hovering the screen cursor over an icon. 
         [0022]    As shown, the images  94 - 100  may be arranged along a path  102  describing an orbit (which may be circular, elliptical as shown, or other shape) around the image  92  of the TV. The images  94 - 100  may be caused to revolve around the TV image  92  along the path  102  if desired, and/or the images  94 - 100  may remain stationary on the path  102 . The path  102  may be displayed on screen as shown or it may be transparent to the viewer. 
         [0023]    The path  102  may be presented in color and the color can change to, for example, indicate network status. For example, the color of the path  102  may be green when the network is functional and red when it is not. 
         [0024]    The screen shot shown in  FIG. 2 , in addition to providing an easy and intuitive visualization of a home network, can also provide a user interface. As an example, a person can manipulate the remote control  90  to move a screen cursor over an image in  FIG. 2  and select the image to indicate a desire that the corresponding device be a source or sink of content. Thus, the game console image  98  may be selected to indicate a desire to display content in the game console  48  on the TV  10 . 
         [0025]    When an image is selected, to provide visual confirmation, the non-selected images may be clustered on one side of the screen and the selected image moved to the opposite side of the screen as shown in  FIG. 3 . As also shown, the selected image (in this example, the game console image  98 ) may also be enlarged for emphasis or easier viewing. The size of an image may also be established in proportion to the bandwidth of the associated device, with the images of devices having relatively large bandwidths being relatively larger than the images of devices with relatively low bandwidths. In any case, re-selecting the image  98  in  FIG. 3  can cause content from the associated component to be displayed on, e.g., the TV  10 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the image (in this example, the PC image  96 ) of an offline or deenergized device may be “grayed out”. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows that multiple networks may be presented as corresponding orbital paths around the TV  10 . For instance, assume that the disk player  40 , game console  48 , music player  58 , and router  68  (represented in  FIG. 5  by a router image  104 ) are on network “A” while the PC  78  is on the network “B” of  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, the disk player image  94 , game console image  98 , music player image  100 , and router image  104  are presented on an “A” orbit path  102 , while the PC image  96  is presented on a “B” orbit path  106  that surrounds the “A” orbit path  102 , with the TV image  92  in the center of both orbits. 
         [0028]    Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 6 , if a device such as the PC  78  is a “bridge” to devices on a secondary network (assume for  FIG. 6  that the music player  58  and a wireless telephone are on the secondary network with the PC  78 ), the secondary network can be represented as an orbit path  108  that is separate from the path  102  around the TV image  92 . Corresponding music player image  100  and phone image  110  can be shown on the orbit path  108  in the manner of “moons” of the bridging device, in this case represented by the PC image  96 , with the PC image  96  being in the center of the secondary orbit path. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows logic that may be employed to generate the screen shots of  FIGS. 2-6 , it being understood that the logic of  FIG. 7  need not temporally follow the sequence of steps shown. Block  112  indicates that devices on the home network may be discovered in accordance with principles known in the art, e.g., using universal plug-n-play UPnP) principles, “Bonjour” principles, etc. The capabilities of the devices such as bandwidth, display capability, storage capability, etc. may be discovered at block  114 . 
         [0030]    At block  116 , in response to a user invoking, e.g., the screen shot of  FIG. 2  described above, images of each of the devices discovered on the network or networks are displayed, arranged in an “orbital” configuration around an image of the central device, e.g., the TV image  92 . As described in the case of  FIG. 4 , images of offline/deenergized devices may be grayed out at block  118 . As described in the case of  FIG. 3 , images of selected devices may be enlarged at block  120 , and/or images of high bandwidth devices may be relatively enlarged compared to images of lower bandwidth devices. 
         [0031]    If desired, at block  122  the images may be cause to revolve around the central device image along the orbital path. Separate orbital paths may be established at block  124  for respective networks. 
         [0032]    While the particular HOME NETWORK VISUALIZATION 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.