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US 8,898,255 B2Granted
Network digital signage solution
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsDongWook Kim, Agnihotri Tanmay, Ron Diaz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a network based digital signage apparatus and a method for causing the digital signage apparatus to retrieve content from a remote server, for use in displaying content thereon. By utilizing a computer network to cause a digital signage device to remotely retrieve and store and/or display content, the instant invention potentially offers significant cost savings over the use of traditional digital signage systems that require separate media player and controller hardware.
Claims21
A digital signage device comprising:
- a housing;
- a display screen mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to a microprocessor;
- an infrared (IR) receiver mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the IR receiver is configured to receive optical signaling from a handheld control unit;
- a remote device separate from the handheld control unit;
- a network interface mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the network interface is configured to receive one or more control commands via a network and wherein the one or more control commands originate from the remote device;
- and
- a first memory electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the first memory storing a control program readable and executable by the microprocessor to cause the microprocessor to process the one or more control commands, and
- wherein the control program is further configured to cause the microprocessor to initiate communication with a content server in response to the received one or more control commands, wherein the content server is separate from the remote device;
- wherein the received one or more control commands further comprise instructions for editing a playlist;
- wherein the control program is configured to store a plurality of content received from the content server on the first memory and display the plurality of content stored on the first memory according to an edited playlist;
- wherein the digital signage device, the remote device, and the content server each communicates on the network;
- and
- wherein the remote device is configured to send control commands over the network to a second digital signage device to cause the second digital signage device to initiate communication with the content server.
10 more elements
A method for managing the retrieval and playback of content on a digital signage device, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the digital signage device, one or more control commands, wherein the one or more control commands originate from a remote device and are received by the digital signage device via a network and wherein the received one or more control commands comprise instructions for editing a playlist;
- communicating with a content server via the network, in response to the received one or more control commands, wherein the content server comprises content for playback on the digital signage device and wherein the content server is separate from the remote device, separate from the handheld control unit;
- retrieving at least a portion of the content on the content server in response to the received one or more control commands;
- storing a plurality of content from the content server on a memory of the digital signage device;
- displaying at least a portion of the retrieved content on a display screen according to an edited playlist, wherein the display screen is mechanically coupled to the digital signage device and wherein the content comprises one or more of the following:
- image information, video information, or audio information;
- wherein the digital signage device, the remote device, and the content server each communicates on the network;
- and
- wherein the remote device is configured to send control commands over the network to a second digital signage device to cause the second digital signage device to initiate communication with the content server.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.