KR20090008399A - Method and apparatus for sharing tv content with a remote device - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of sharing television (TV) content with a remote device includes receiving (100; 140) a signal or data representative of TV content. In response to a user command, the mobile phone (10) selects a portion of TV content to be sent to a remote device. A message including the selected TV content is created (110; 160) or otherwise triggered and sent to a remote device. The mobile phone (10) and associated application program (38) allows a user to share easily a TV moment while continuing to watch TV on the mobile phone (10).

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHARING TV CONTENT WITH A REMOTE DEVICE}

This application claims the priority of US Provisional Application No. 60 / 747,011, filed May 11, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a telecommunications device, and more particularly, to a portable communication device and method for sharing TV content with a remote device.

In recent years, portable communication devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, mobile terminals and the like have become increasingly popular. As portable communication devices become more popular, the current wireless landscape is changing rapidly as mobile phones and networks improve to provide features and services beyond voice communication. The wireless industry is experiencing a rapid expansion of mobile data services. In addition, features associated with specific types of portable communication devices are becoming increasingly diverse. As an example, many portable communication devices include a camera, text messaging function, internet browsing function, e-mail function, video playback function, voice playback function, image display function, and a handfree headset interface.

Recently, some portable communication devices have been equipped with TV applications in which TV content can be received by the portable communication device and viewed by the user in the portable communication device.

In view of the foregoing, to provide portable communication devices and additional mobile data services and functions, including additional mobile data services and functions, such as portable communication devices and associated application programs for sharing TV content with remote devices. There is a need for an application program.

One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of sharing TV content with a remote device. The method includes receiving a signal or data represented by V content, selecting a portion of TV content to be transmitted in response to a user command, and triggering a multimedia message to be sent to a remote device, wherein The multimedia message includes the selected portion of the TV content.

According to another aspect, the triggering step includes generating a message that includes a selected portion of TV content.

According to another aspect, the method includes interfacing with a multimedia messaging service (mms) application to transmit a message comprising a selected portion of TV content.

According to another aspect, the multimedia message is an MMS message or an e-mail message.

According to another aspect, the selected portion of the TV content includes a snapshot of the TV content.

According to another aspect, the receiving step includes receiving a TV signal over the air and converting the TV signal into TV video data.

According to another aspect, the receiving step includes streaming video represented by TV content.

According to another aspect, the method further comprises recording the selected portion of the TV content.

According to another aspect, triggering a multimedia message to be sent to a remote device does not interrupt the display of TV content.

According to another aspect, when X is a predetermined value, the method further includes automatically storing the last X minutes of the received TV content.

According to another aspect, when Y is a predetermined value or a user selected value, the multimedia message includes the last Y seconds of the TV content viewed by the user.

According to another aspect, the multimedia message includes electronic program guide information (EPG) data related to the TV content.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a program stored on a machine readable medium, the program being suitable for use in a portable communication device, the program being loaded and executed in a memory in the portable communication device, Receive a signal or data represented by the TV content, select a portion of the TV content to be sent to the remote device in response to a user command, and transmit a multimedia message including the selected portion of the TV content.

According to another aspect, the multimedia message is an MMS compliant message or an e-mail message.

According to another aspect, when X is a predetermined value, the program causes the portable communication device to automatically store the last X minutes of TV content received.

According to another aspect, the program causes the portable communication device to send a multimedia message comprising the last Y seconds of TV content viewed by the user when Y is a predetermined value or a user selected value.

According to another aspect, the portable communication device is a mobile phone terminal.

According to another aspect, a portable communication device includes a memory and a processor, wherein the processor executes an application program in the memory to cause the portable communication device to receive a signal or data represented by TV content and in response to a user command. Select a portion of the TV content to be transmitted, and transmit a multimedia message including the selected portion of the TV content.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a portable communication device, the portable communication device comprising a receiver, a program stored in a memory, for receiving a signal or data represented by TV content, wherein the program is a multimedia to be transmitted to a remote device. Triggering the message, the multimedia message includes the user selection portion.

According to another aspect, the portable communication device is a mobile phone terminal.

These and further features of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and attached drawings. In the description and drawings, certain embodiments of the invention illustrate some ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Features described and described with respect to one embodiment may be used in one or more other embodiments in combination with features of another embodiment.

As used herein, the term "comprising / comprising" is used to emphasize that it is not limited to specific components, steps.

Many aspects of the invention can be clearly understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, but instead to clearly illustrate the theory of the invention. Likewise, elements and features shown in one drawing may be combined with elements and features shown in additional drawings. In addition, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.

1 is a schematic illustration of a communication system including a portable communication device in which an aspect of the present invention is practiced.

2 schematically illustrates a portable communication device in which an aspect of the present invention is implemented.

3 is a flowchart or diagram illustrating related operations of a portable communication device in an embodiment of the invention.

4 is a flowchart or diagram illustrating related operations of a portable communication device in an embodiment of the invention.

5 is a flow chart or diagram illustrating related operations of a portable communication device in an embodiment of the invention.

In the detailed description that follows, the same components are shown with the same reference numerals even if they are shown in different embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, the drawings are not drawn to scale, but rather schematically.

As used herein, the term "portable communication device" includes a portable wireless data communication device. The term "portable wireless data communication device" may be referred to herein as a mobile phone, a portable device, a mobile wireless terminal or a mobile terminal, and includes a mobile telephone, a pager, a sender, that is, an electronic organizer, a smartphone, Electronic devices, including but not limited to personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like. Although the present invention is discussed with respect to a portable communication device, the present invention is not limited to the portable communication device, but may be applied to all kinds of electronic devices that can be used in connection with a television application.

As shown in FIG. 1, communication system 10 includes a mobile cellular telephone network that contributes to communication, such as voice calls and / or data transmission, between a plurality of portable communication devices 14, such as mobile phones, mobile terminals, and the like. Same mobile communication network 12. Communication system 10 and at least one portable communication device 14 support TV applications by including suitable hardware and / or application programs for receiving and processing signals and / or data represented by TV content. For illustrative purposes, portable communication device 14 is described as sharing or transmitting TV content with one or more other portable communication devices or other remote devices.

The communication system 10 includes a network infrastructure 18, some of which are used or accessed by portable communication devices in connection with aspects of the present invention. The portable communication devices 14 may interact and / or interact with Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS), Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service (D-AMPS), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Global System to appropriate communication standards such as, but not limited to, for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Voice-Over IP (VoIP), Session Initiated Protocol (SIP), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc. Therefore, it can interact with the network infrastructure. That is, although a communication system for illustration of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to a particular communication system design, structure or communication standard.

The network infrastructure 18 includes one or more application servers 20, shown at 20, storage devices 22, such as memory for storing data accessed or used by the application server 20. The network infrastructure 18 shown in FIG. 1 refers to, for example, a TV application server 24, such as an application server suitable for providing TV content to the portable communication device 14, and an MMS format message (simply referred to as an MMS message). Multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) 26, which is used for a high connection for the exchange of. TV application servers can include infrastructure for TV networks, including Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T), Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H), Terrestrial-Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB), and Digital Multimedia Broadcasting. for Television (DMB-T), Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), Multimedia Broadcast / Multicast Service (MBMS), 3G Streaming, Media FLO, and the like. Application server 20, including TV application server 24 and MMSC 26, may be a computer server that performs several different functions in a communication system. As will be discussed in detail below, one or more of the portable communication devices 14 can share user-selected TV clips quickly or quickly to a remote device.

2 shows a functional block diagram of a portable communication device 14 in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The portable communication device 14 includes a processor 30 for controlling the overall operation of the portable communication device. Processor 30 may be any commercially available or customized microprocessor. The memory 32 stores control programs and data used by the portable communication device and is operably connected to the processor 30. The memory 32 is usable with an entire memory device including software and data for implementing the functionality of the portable communication device in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, the memory 32 includes a device driver 34, such as an input / output device driver, a TV application 36, a TV sharing application 38 (also referred to as a TV sharing processor), a message application 40 Application program, including an application contributing to the exchange of MMS messages, e-mail, and the like, and one or more memory buffers in which portions of the TV content can be stored for data-time-shift access. Store application program data. The input / output device driver includes a software routine that is accessed by the application program including the TV sharing application program 38 through the processor 30 (or an operating system (not shown) stored in the memory 32), and displays the display. Communicate with devices such as 42 and other input / output ports.

Application programs, including the TV sharing application program 38, include programs that implement various features of the portable communication device 14, such as e-mail, Internet access, and contact manager. As described in more detail below, the TV sharing application program 38 includes a program for quickly sharing a user-selected TV clip, or for transferring to another portable communication device, a remote device such as a remote computer.

Those skilled in the art of computer programming, and in particular in the field of application programming for mobile phones, are able to communicate between the TV sharing application program 38 (and the TV sharing application program 38 and other application programs, for example the TV application program 36 and messaging). It is clear how to program a mobile phone to operate and perform the above-described functions for interfacing between application programs 40). Thus, detailed descriptions of specific programming codes are omitted. In addition, while the TV sharing function is implemented via the TV sharing application program 38 (alone or in combination with other application programs) in the processor 30 and the memory 32 in accordance with aspects of the present invention, this function It may also be practiced through dedicated hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, the processor 30 is interfaced with an audio processor 52 such as a display 46, a user interface unit 48, a handset 50 (sometimes referred to as a transceiver), and audio processing circuitry. . In the illustrated embodiment, the user interface unit 48 is included in or effectively coupled to the keypad 54. Of course, the user interface unit may include other actuators or input devices that allow the user to interact with the mobile phone terminal. In one example, keypad 54 allows a user to dial a number, enter commands and data, and select options. Display 46 allows the user to view various information such as dialed numbers, stored information, and output information from various applications, including TV application programs and TV sharing application programs 36,38.

Optionally, the mobile phone preferably comprises a TV receiving unit 60 comprising an appropriate antenna 62. In this embodiment, the TV receiving unit 60 and the antenna 62 function to receive TV signals transmitted through the air. The TV receiving unit 60, alone or in cooperation with the TV application program 36, extracts a suitable TV image signal from the TV signal transmitted through the air. In another embodiment (eg, a mobile phone with or without a TV receiving unit 60 and an antenna 62), the mobile phone is delivered or streamed from a remote location using the TV application server 24 (see FIG. 1). It is also possible to receive signal data represented by the TV content.

Antenna 64 is coupled to handset 50 such that handset 50 transmits and receives signals via antenna 64 in a conventional manner. The portable communication device 14 includes an audio processor 52 for processing voice signals (and / or signals received by the TV receiving unit 60 and the antenna 62) transmitted and received from the handset 46. do. The audio processor 52 is coupled with a speaker 66 and a microphone 68 so that a user can hear and talk through a portable communication device.

For simplicity of explanation, the flowcharts or diagrams shown in FIGS. 3-5 include steps or functional blocks representing one or more aspects of related operations of the portable communication device 14, although aspects of the invention It is not limited to sequential steps or functional blocks, and some steps or functional blocks may appear in a different order than shown, in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In addition, not all illustrated steps and functional blocks may be required for implementing a methodology in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In addition, additional steps or functional blocks for aspects of the associated operation may be added within the scope of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, for example, a method of sharing TV content, such as a TV clip, a portion of a TV program, a TV snapshot, etc., begins at function block 100, where the mobile phone receives TV data. In one embodiment, receiving TV data includes receiving a TV signal over the air using an antenna 62 and a Tv receiving unit 60 (see FIG. 2). Mobile phone software and hardware may be interfaced to extract suitable TV image signals from TV signals delivered over the air. Alternatively, receiving TV data may include receiving a video data signal in the form of a stream video or time-shift fashion from a TV application server 24 or a TV network (see FIG. 1). As the user watches the received TV data, for example TV data represented as a TV program, at function block 105, the mobile phone is configured to display a TV moment, for example a TV clip to be watched by the user, or a portion of the TV program or You may also receive a request from the user to send a snapshot of the TV show to be watched. The user can notify or command the mobile phone by pressing the designated "Transfer TV Moment" button or other appropriate button on the mobile phone to start the function provided by the TV sharing program.

At functional block 110, a message is generated or triggered including a user selected TV moment or TV clip. In one embodiment, the mobile phone terminal generates or triggers an MMS message that includes a user selected TV moment, clip or content. Alternatively, the cellular phone terminal generates another type of multimedia message that includes a user selected TV clip, such as an e-mail message. The TV sharing application program 38 may operate alone or in cooperation with a suitable messaging device, for example a message application program on a mobile phone terminal or a message application program programmed on a mobile phone terminal.

In one embodiment, upon receiving a user command to send a TV moment, TV clip, or the like, the mobile phone terminal will automatically generate or trigger a suitable multimedia message that includes the TV moment consisting of the last X seconds viewed by the user. . In one embodiment, the clip will consist of a predetermined time period, such as the last 10 seconds, the last 20 seconds, the last 40 seconds, and the like. Alternatively, upon receiving a user command to transmit a TV moment, the TV sharing application program may prompt the user to enter what length of TV clip is to be transmitted in a multimedia message manner. This sharing of TV content is possible because the mobile phone can typically buffer the last Y minutes of TV content that matches the time-shifting of the TV content. As long as the user continues to watch TV on the mobile phone, the mobile phone may send a message, such as a multimedia message, containing the desired TV clip.

As shown in FIG. 4, a method of sharing TV content, such as TV clips, portions of TV programs, and the like, begins at functional block 120 where the mobile phone records TV data. In one embodiment, the recorded TV data corresponds to image data extracted from the TV signal transmitted from the air. Alternatively, TV data is recorded from a suitable content source, such as streaming or other video data transfer provided by a TV application server. At functional block 125, the mobile phone receives a request from the user to retrieve the TV moment. In one embodiment, instructions for retrieving TV moments or TV clips may be provided while the user is viewing a previously recorded TV program. Alternatively, the user may instruct the mobile phone to provide a menu of previously recorded TV clips. At functional block 130, the mobile phone generates or triggers a message to be dispatched, such as a multimedia message, for example, containing a predetermined TV moment or TV clip. As described with reference to FIG. 3, the generation or triggering of the multimedia message may include, but is not limited to, an MMS message and an e-mail message.

5, an embodiment of a method of sharing TV content with a remote device is provided. The method begins at functional block 140 where TV data is received by a mobile phone terminal. As discussed above, receiving TV data includes extracting a TV image signal from the signal from the air. Alternatively, the received TV data may comprise a video data signal from a content source, eg, a TV application server, in a streaming scheme. At functional block 145, the user has the option to record the received TV program or portion thereof. If the user wants to record part or all of the TV program, the user may instruct the mobile phone to store the TV program in memory (function block 150). Regardless of whether the user wants to record a TV program, the user has the option to transfer the TV clip in function block 155. A clip is based on received TV data and is, for example, a portion that is stored in a suitable memory buffer, or a TV program already recorded or stored in memory, or a portion thereof. If the user wishes to send a TV clip, the mobile phone generates or triggers a message such as a multimedia message containing the desired TV clip (function block 160). As described above, the multimedia message may include an MMS format message and an e-mail message.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to TV content sharing, it is obvious that the methods described herein can be applied to the sharing of other media content, the other media content being received or prerecorded video content, images, audio content, Including but not limited to data files. In addition, as described above, generating or triggering a message with a TV clip includes triggering or prompting another application program, such as a loaded messaging application program, or executing on a mobile phone. Including the step, take appropriate action according to the function associated with the particular triggered application program.

In one embodiment, a message containing a certain TV clip, for example a multimedia message, may be sent along with other information or data. For example, each multimedia message may include information about TV clips delivered in the multimedia message. This information may include a portion of an electronic program guide (EPG) corresponding to the delivered program or information from the EPG. Appropriate EPG information may include the title of the program, the time and date when the program was originally aired, and a brief description of the program or a portion of the transmitted program.

Mobile phones, which allow users to share TV clips while watching TV programs without interruption, provide users with convenient and enhanced mobile phone capabilities. By way of example, and without limiting the embodiments described herein, a user can send an interesting clip to a friend alone or "you should check this program out; it is on right now." You may want to send it along with a message. Alternatively, by sending a TV clip while watching a TV program, the user can share the TV clip while vividly remembering the clip. This TV sharing feature is useful to prevent users from asking their friends questions like "did you happen to see that crazy play last night?" Instead, the user can share a TV clip, so you'll say something like "did you see the clip that i sent you showing that crazy play last night?"

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the methods and apparatus described herein with reference to the preferred embodiments are capable of various modifications within the scope of the present invention.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the computer program components and / or circuit components of the present invention may be implemented in hardware and / or software (firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.). The invention may take the form of a computer program product, having a "code" or "computer program" or computer-usable or computer-readable program instructions mounted in a medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. It may be implemented as a computer usable or computer readable storage medium. In the context of the present specification, a computer usable or computer readable medium may include, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. It can be any medium. Computer usable or computer readable media can be, for example, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or propagation media such as semiconductor systems, devices, devices, or the Internet, including but not limited to It is not. The computer usable or computer readable medium can be the paper on which the program is printed or other suitable medium, such that the paper or other medium is electronically captured via optical scanning, and then machine translated, decoded, or It is treated in a proper way. The computer program, software and hardware described herein form various means for performing the functions in the embodiments of the present invention.

Specific embodiments of the invention have been described. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention has other applications under different circumstances. The following claims do not limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments described above. In addition, the expression "means for" described above means a component-means-plus-function, components that do not use the expression "means for" Is not to be construed as a component of a functional representation member even if the claim includes the word "means".

Although the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments or embodiments, those skilled in the art can modify or convert the invention within the scope of the invention by reading and understanding the specification and the accompanying drawings. With respect to the various functions performed by the aforementioned elements (components, assemblies, devices, synthesis, etc.), the terms used to describe such elements (including "means"), unless otherwise stated, Although not structurally identical to the foregoing structure for carrying out the functions described in the preferred embodiments or embodiments of the invention, they correspond to (ie, are functionally equivalent to) any element performing a particular function of the foregoing elements. In addition, while certain features of the invention have been described with reference to a single embodiment or one or more embodiments, such features may be advantageously combined with one or more features of other embodiments in certain applications.

Claims (12)

As a way to share TV content with remote devices, Receiving a signal or data of the TV content (100; 140); In response to a user command, selecting a portion of the TV content to be sent (105; 155); And Triggering a multimedia message to be sent to a remote device (110; 160), wherein the multimedia message includes a selected portion of the TV content; And sharing the TV content with the remote device. The method of claim 1, And said triggering comprises generating (110; 160) a multimedia message comprising a selected portion of said TV content. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The triggering step (110; 160) comprises interfacing with a multimedia messaging service (MMS) to transmit a message comprising a selected portion of the TV content. . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And wherein said multimedia message is an MMS message or an e-mail message. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And wherein the selected portion of the TV content includes a snapshot of the TV content. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The receiving step (100; 140) comprises receiving a TV signal over the air and converting the TV signal into TV video data. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The receiving step (100; 140) comprises receiving streaming video of the TV content. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, Recording (150) the selected portion of the TV content. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, Automatically storing the last X minutes of received TV content, wherein X is a predetermined value. The method of claim 9, Wherein said multimedia message comprises the last Y seconds of TV content viewed by a user, where Y is a predetermined value or a user selected value. Receivers 60 and 62 for receiving signals or data of TV content; Program 38 stored in memory 32, wherein the program triggers a multimedia message 110,160 to be sent to a remote device, the multimedia message comprising a user selected portion of TV content; Portable communication device characterized in that it comprises a. And said portable communication device is a mobile telephone.

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