System and method for request, delivery and use of multimedia files for audiovisual entertainment in the home environment
AssigneesSony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
InventorMark Champion
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A personal computer connected to the Internet can receive and store audio and audiovisual data or programming from the Internet. This audio and audiovisual programming can be provided by the computer over a digital connection to speakers and/or a monitor located away from the computer at a location convenient for a user. A remote control unit allows the user to send signals back over the digital connection to the computer to control the computer to provide the audio or audiovisual programming that the user desires over the digital connection to the speakers and/or monitor located where the user is. The computer may send a listing of the available programming to the remote control unit from which the user can make selections.
Claims34
A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- an audio server for outputting an audio signal;
- at least one speaker;
- and
- a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;
- wherein said connection between said audio server and said at least one speaker is electrical wiring which also supplies power for said audio server and said at least one speaker said audio server and speaker each having a power-line modem connected thereto for communicating via said electrical wiring.
A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- an audio server for outputting an audio signal;
- at least one speaker, separate from said audio server;
- a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;
- and
- a transceiver disposed with said speaker for communicating with a remote control unit, wherein said remote control unit controls output of said audio signal from said audio server to said at least one speaker, said remote control unit communicating with said audio server over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server.
The system of claim 8, wherein said remote control unit comprises:
- a display device for displaying said listing;
- and
- a user input device with which said user can select an audio program from said list and transmit a command for said audio server to output that selected audio program to said at least one speaker.
A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- an audio server for outputting an audio signal;
- at least one speaker separate from said audio server;
- and
- a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;
- wherein said audio signal from said audio server is compressed and said at least one speaker further comprises decompression hardware for decompressing said signal.
A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- an audio server for outputting an audio signal;
- a plurality of speakers separate from said audio server;
- and
- a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server over which said audio server provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;
- wherein at least some of said plurality of speakers have a transceiver for communicating with a remote control unit, and
- wherein a plurality of remote control units control said plurality of speakers such that a plurality of different audio signals are output by said audio server to respective speakers that are communicating with different remote control units.
A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server, said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;
- wherein said connection between said audio server and said at least one speaker is electrical wiring which also supplies power for said audio server and said at least one speaker, said audio server and said speaker each having a power-line modem connected thereto for communicating via said electrical wiring;
- and
- wherein said transmitting is performed via said electrical wiring.
A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;
- and
- controlling output of said audio signal from said audio server to said at least one speaker with a remote control unit that communicates wirelessly with a transceiver of said at least one speaker, wherein said remote control unit communicates with said audio server over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server.
A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to at least one speaker over a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said audio server, said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;
- and
- compressing said audio signal from said audio server and decompressing said audio signal with decompression hardware of said at least one speaker.
A method of managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising transmitting an audio signal from an audio server to a plurality of speakers over a digital connection between said speakers and said audio server said transmitting of said audio signal being a digital transmission;
- wherein said at least some of said plurality of speaker comprise a transceiver for communicating with a remote control unit, and
- said method further comprising controlling said plurality of speakers with a plurality of remote control units such that a plurality of different audio signals are output by said audio server to respective speakers that are communicating with different remote control units.
A system for managing audio and audiovisual programming comprising:
- a computer for outputting an audio signal;
- at least one speaker located in a different room than said computer;
- a digital connection between said at least one speaker and said computer over which said computer provides said audio signal in digital form to said at least one speaker;
- and
- a transceiver disposed with said speaker for communicating with a remote control unit, wherein said remote control unit controls output of said audio signal from said computer to said at least one speaker, said remote control unit communicating with said computer over said digital connection between said at least one speaker and said computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.